Page 10

10

MARCO

“ M arco, this is incredible,” Imogine says in awe as I lead her to the table set up on the deck in my backyard. After all our fake dates, I decided Imogine deserved a real date. Not that I’ve ever been on one, but I’m trying my best.

She’s been staying with me for a week now, and for some reason, she keeps telling me she loves and forgives me. I can’t comprehend it, but I’ve finally stopped questioning her. If she’s willing to look past our rocky start and my glaring flaws, the least I can do is spoil her in every way. Starting with a home-cooked meal.

I pull out the chair for Imogine and pour both of us a glass of wine. I sit across from her, anxious in a way only she can make me. “I haven’t cooked for anyone since…” I blow out a breath, reaching into my distant memories from before I joined the Caparellis. “Well, probably since I was sixteen. My nonna was first-generation Italian, and she taught me everything she knew. She told me I’d need to cook if I ever wanted to catch myself a woman.”

Imogine smiles and leans forward, her blue eyes sparkling with each new detail I give her about my life. “What if you already caught a woman?” she teases.

“Well, in that case, I’ll need some way to keep you by my side. Authentic, hand-made pasta, sauce, and meatballs are a good start, right?” I’m trying to match her light tone, but I’m desperate for her approval.

“Absolutely,” she replies, squeezing my hand. “Tell me more about your nana.”

“ Nonna ,” I gently correct. “It’s Italian for grandma . She was smart and sassy and loved a challenge. Much like someone else I know.” Imogine blushes, but I know she loves my compliments. “I grew up with my grandma, mother, and aunt, three strong women who would’ve adored you.”

“I can’t wait to meet them,” she replies with a soft smile.

“I wish you could. Unfortunately, we were all in a car accident when I was fifteen. I was the only survivor.” I clear my throat and look away, feeling raw and vulnerable. I haven’t thought about that day in so damn long. I suppose that was the point of throwing myself into my career as a made man. No time to dwell on the past when every moment in the present is a crisis.

“I’m so sorry you went through that,” Imogine whispers. “I can’t imagine losing everyone at such a young age.” She pauses briefly as if not sure if she should continue. I take her hand in mine, silently encouraging her. “My mom had an aggressive form of brain cancer,” she says quietly. I almost don’t hear her. “She died two months after the diagnosis. A week after the funeral, my father placed his first bet, hoping to make enough money to pay off the funeral and medical bills.”

“Jesus,” I murmur as I rub my thumb over the back of her hand. “How old were you?”

“Ten.”

The air stills and the world seems to stop spinning for a moment as we take on each other’s past and pain. Imogine’s blue eyes meet mine, reaching into my goddamn soul and breathing new life into me. We’ll heal together, grow together, and overcome together.

“Let’s eat before it gets cold,” Imogine says, changing the subject. I squeeze her hand one last time, thanking her for sharing another piece of her life with me.

We dig into our food, and somehow, Imogine makes slurping spaghetti sexy. I grin at her and reach out to wipe away the sauce on the side of her mouth.

“Hey, I was saving that,” she protests, nipping at my thumb. I chuckle, delighted that she approves. “Seriously, this is amazing. All of it. The food, the paper lanterns, the flowers… It's beautiful.”

“So I did okay for a first date?” My voice has a desperate edge that Imogine picks up on.

She puts down her utensils and gives me a sweet, almost wistful smile. “It’s perfect,” she says softly. “It’s just us. No one around to impress or put on a show for. Thank you.”

I refill our wine glasses and we fall into an easy, lighter conversation. Imogine tells me her father has been going to Gamblers Anonymous meetings twice a week and even managed to get an apartment in a better part of town. He’s moving there next week.

I don’t tell her I paid off the remainder of her father’s debts to various thugs and shady loan sharks and secured the new apartment by paying for six months upfront. Her father is making an effort to turn his life around, and it makes Imogine happy. That’s all that matters. I’ll support her family in any way I can as long as I get to experience her smile every single day.

She asks more about my past, trying to connect the dots between the tragic car accident and how I ended up working for the Caparellis. It’s hard for me to get the words out and share anything personal, but I would do anything for Imogine.

“It’s been a long time since anyone has cared enough to ask,” I tell her truthfully.

“I want to know everything about you,” she assures me. Imogine is the most genuine person I’ve ever met, and I know she means every word. “But we have a lifetime together, right?”

“Yes,” I answer instantly, pleased that she’s starting to have confidence in me again. I know I did damage by leaving her that morning, but I’m trying my damnedest to make it up to her with every breath.

She takes a sip of wine and finishes her dinner. I stand from my seat and offer her my hand as Vivaldi plays from the speakers installed beneath the deck. Imogine peers up at me with questions in her eyes, though she gives me her hand. Something in me settles, knowing she trusts me like this. I’ll never take it for granted again.

“Dance with me,” I murmur as I pull her onto her feet.

“You cook and dance?!” she exclaims, making me grin.

“I’m a bit rusty, but I might not look like a fool with the right dance partner.” I lead her to the other side of the deck and spin her around before catching her in my arms.

“I have two left feet, so I don’t think I’m going to be much help.”

“Then we can look like fools together,” I offer.

Imogine’s face glows in the setting sun, her hair glittering in the waning light. She lifts her chin, swaying closer to me. Right before our lips touch, I spin her out of my arms and tip her backward with a hand holding her steady at the small of her back.

Imogine yelps and then laughs when I pull her against my chest. Her joy radiates through me as we half-dance, half-hug to the classical music playing in the background.

“Thank you for a perfect night,” she whispers, pressing her lips to the side of my neck. That’s all it takes for me to become ravenous for her.

“I bet I can make it even better,” I tell her, my voice gravelly and laced with need.

She nods, knowing exactly what we’re both longing for.

Imogine takes the lead, lacing our fingers and tugging me inside. I close the sliding door and spin her around, pinning her against the cool glass. She shudders and gasps when I cage her in, squirming as I press my body against hers.

Our lips meet, softly at first as I cup the side of her face to keep her close to me. How could I have ever left her side after experiencing true bliss, true love with the most incredible woman in existence?

I deepen the kiss, nipping at her bottom lip and coaxing her to open up for me. I sweep my tongue inside and get my fill of her sexy, sweet little mouth, groaning when her tongue tangles with mine.

My hands drift down her body, tracing over her curves and massaging them in appreciation. Imogine tangles her fingers in my hair and pulls me closer, moaning into my mouth as one of my hands slips under the hem of her dress.

Goddamn, I can feel her hot little pussy, and my hand is hardly halfway up her thigh. When my fingers brush over the wet fabric of her panties, Imogine breaks the kiss to gasp for air. I nuzzle her neck and blaze a trail of kisses from her shoulder to her pulse point, licking that spot over and over while rubbing circles over her clit, through her panties.

I pull the wet fabric to the side and dip a finger into her soaking folds. We both groan at the contact. God, her silky, wet heat feels like heaven. Imogine’s hands slide down my chest, where she grips my shirt and buries her face in the side of my neck, panting for air as I rub furious circles over her clit.

My other hand grasps the hair at the base of her neck to pull her head up so I can kiss her. I slam my mouth down on hers while plunging two fingers deep inside that tight little cunt, loving the way her walls immediately clamp down around me.

Grinding the heel of my hand on her little bundle of nerves, I pump in and out of her and push her right to the edge of her climax in no time. I need to see her come against the front door, and then I need to see her come a dozen more times in my bed.

Imogine tosses her head back, hitting it against the door. I chuckle softly and kiss her exposed neck, nipping all the sensitive spots I’ve discovered during our time together. Her mouth is next to my ear, her hot breath teasing my skin as soft whimpers fall from her lips.

Her legs shake, her breath catches in her throat, her nails dig into my chest, and then she cries out her release. I capture her lips with mine, swallowing her sexy sounds until they become a part of me.

My hand fills with her release, and still, I keep going. She's shaking now, so much so that I have to hold her up with my other arm, but I can't stop fingering her. I bring her up and over again before Imogine's legs give out. I gather her up in my arms and kiss the top of her head.

“Beautiful, Imogine. So fucking beautiful,” I whisper into her hair. “I love you, sweet girl.”

Before she gets a chance to fully recover, I carry her to my room. She giggles when I drop her onto the mattress of my giant bed. The sound is so light and airy, in complete opposition to the dark décor and solid oak furniture of the room. It’s perfect. She balances me out in a way I never knew I needed.

Stripping her down slowly, I take time to kiss her ankles, behind her knees, her belly button, her beautiful breasts, and the hollow of her neck. When I’m satisfied with the number of kisses I’ve left on her skin, I quickly rid myself of my clothing and lie next to her on the bed, turning her toward me so we’re facing each other.

I run a hand from her thigh, over her hips, following the dip of her waist, all the way up to her cheek, where I tuck a strand of hair behind her ear. I cup her jaw and trace the pad of my thumb over her bee-stung lips.

I pull her toward me with a hand on the back of her neck and kiss her softly. Reverently. Imogine sighs into my mouth and moves closer so she can rub her hot, curvy little body against mine. Her hard nipples scrape against the smooth skin of my bare chest as her kiss grows desperate.

In one swift move, I turn us so she’s on top of me, the entire weight of her body pressed against mine. We’re skin to skin, chest to chest, heart to heart as our tongues tangle. My hands roam up and down her back and then grip her perky ass, squeezing her cheeks and spreading her apart before dipping a finger inside and stroking her most private hole.

I fucking feel her tight asshole pucker and pulse for me as I continue to rub it rhythmically. Imogine gasps and looks at me, though not with shock. She stares at me with unquenchable lust.

“Fuck,” I grunt, massaging her tight ring of muscles and feeling her quiver against me. “You like me playing with your tight little asshole, Imogine?”

Before she can answer, I press the tip of my finger inside and watch as she bites her bottom lip and squeezes her eyes shut. Imogine moans loudly and presses against my finger, inching me deeper inside her.

“Jesus,” I growl. “I need inside you.”

Her eyes snap open and she nods enthusiastically, pressing against my hand even more.

I groan, then chuckle at her eagerness. "Not today, Imogine. I need to stretch you out, baby. But right now, I need inside your dripping pussy. Can you do that for me? Can you ride my fat fucking cock till we both get what we need?"

“Yes,” she whispers, sitting up on her knees and stroking my thick dick, already weeping for her.

She positions me right at her tight entrance and drops down, taking all of me and making us both cry out.

“Shit, so good,” I groan as she balances herself by placing both hands on my chest.

Imogine lifts herself and swivels her hips, massaging my cock with her silky wet pussy before sliding back down and grinding against me once fully seated. Again and again she takes all of me inside her, each time drawing her closer and closer to another orgasm.

With my finger still deep inside her ass, I begin pumping in and out in time with the way she’s riding me. I add another finger and scissor them to stretch her tight as fuck little hole. Imogine shivers deliciously and clamps down around my fingers and cock.

With my free hand, I reach out and play with her breasts, which are bouncing in front of me. “Love these gorgeous fucking tits, Imogine. Love everything about you.”

She looks away from me as if my compliment is too much. I grip her hips and still her movements before tugging on her wrists, making her fall into my chest. I place one hand on her hip and the other at the back of her neck, forcing her to look at me.

“You’re perfect for me,” I whisper into her lips before I kiss her. I hope she knows that I mean she’s perfect in more ways than one.

Placing my hands on her hips to keep her pinned to me, I grind my swollen cock inside her snug little pussy until I hit her G-spot and her limbs spasm. Again and again, I rub against it until she's shaking and gasping for air.

Imogine rests her forehead on mine and claws at my shoulders as her orgasm rolls through her. She bucks her hips, each wave of her release making it easier for me to slip deeper and deeper inside her.

While she’s still riding her high, I flip us over and pound into that pussy, forcing another orgasm out of her, this one quick and powerful, stealing the air right out of her lungs.

“That’s it. Fuck,” I growl, filling her up and hitting home with each stroke.

Home . That’s what this is. She feels like home.

Her fingers dig into my ribs, ripping me out of my thoughts and forcing me to be here with her in the moment. I crash my lips down on hers, pouring out all the things I can’t seem to express any other way.

Imogine hooks her ankles behind my back and clings to me while I ram my dick in and out of her, needing more, needing every fucking thing she has to give. I thrust harder, harder, harder. Her body tightens, flexes, tenses over and over. Her back arches, her pussy contracts, and her orgasm rips through her like an explosion.

It’s the most exquisite thing, feeling her come from deep inside. I fuck her through it, unable to stop. She falls apart again and again, moaning and writhing in pleasure. It pushes me over the edge. I come in powerful waves, deep inside her tight little pussy. Goddamn, it’s perfect.

I collapse on top of her and immediately roll to the side, pulling her limp body over my chest so I can hold her close. I weave my fingers in her hair and gently lift her head so I can press a kiss to her sweaty temple. She sighs so sweetly as I tuck her head under my chin, rubbing circles on her back. Imogine responds by humming quietly, contentedly, while tracing patterns on my chest and abs.

This is the most blissful moment of my life. I never knew a love like this existed until Imogine came storming into the back room of the bistro. I couldn’t have imagined at that time what our arrangement would lead to, and while I hate the parts of our story that caused my woman pain, I’m forever grateful she’s still here with me.

“I love you,” I murmur, the words rolling off my tongue with ease. She’s easy to love, and I can only hope she feels a fraction of what I feel for her.

“I love you so much, Marco,” Imogine replies, her words slightly slurred.

I grin to myself and allow my heavy eyelids to close. My heart is full, my woman is satisfied, and all is right in the world.