Page 50 of Dancing with the Devil

I groaned as I craned my neck back, trying to look into the cabinet. Even when standing on my toes, I still couldn’t get the glass on the top shelf. I shrugged my shoulders and carefully climbed onto the countertop. I sat up on my knees and opened it.

A hand flew by my head and into the cabinet to grab a glass as well, and my stomach dropped.Crap.

I turned my head, seeing Antonioblinkback at me. He shot me a questioning look, and I grabbed a glass, putting it down next to me. “Some of us are vertically challenged,” I said, looking back at him. “You mind?” I looked at the little space between him and the countertop, and when he didn’t move, I turned myself around, sitting flat on my ass.

When I hopped off, I eliminated all the space between us.

“First you step on my car seats with your boots, and then you’re climbing onto my kitchen counters?” he asked, and I swallowed hard.

“I already apologized for the car thing,” I defensively crossed my arms over my chest. “And I wouldn’t be climbing your countertops if everyone who was as tall as you just used the glasses on the top shelf, I mean seriously?” I sighed, and his lips slightly twitched into a timid smile.

“Any other rules you’d like to declare inmyhouse?”

“Nosir,” I shot back, gripping onto the counter behind me.

The air between us had suddenly become hotter, and for the first time ever, I felt nervous and intimidated by aman.Who am I?

“Where is my little vixen off to?” he asked, tucking a strand of hair behind my ear.

“Out,” I vaguely answered. “I need to buy a few things.”

He stared down at me, and I felt my chest tighten. “More details.”

" ‘Out’ as inoutand ‘I need to buy a few things’ as inI need to buy a few things,” I shrugged my shoulders. “I’m not reporting my every move to you, De Luca.”

“I think it’s time I brought out the maid outfit. Maybe then you’ll lose the attitude.”

I couldn’t help but laugh. “Nice try, but no,” I said as I propped myself up on my toes to brush a strand of his hair back.

I fell back on my feet and ran my hands down his chest. “It should be illegal to look this dashing in a suit,” I said, looking straight into his chest.

He took my chin between his fingers and tilted my head up.

“A police officer uniform would work too,” he grinned.

“I’m not participating in your weird kinky fantasies where the woman dresses up, Antonio,” I narrowed my eyes at him.

“And here I thought you were at my bidding.”

“That’s why I’m not marrying you to think,” I smiled, and he softly chuckled. “You’re prettier when you smile,” I admitted. Myheart dropped as soon as those words left my lips.I didn’t mean to say that out loud.

The corners of his lips twitched into an amused grin, and my heart skipped a beat at the sight. Our gazes shared silent words, and everything inside of me exclaimed that I made the right choice with him.

I chewed the inside of my cheek in an attempt to hide my smile. “What?”

A beat passed between us.

I felt his hand glide up from my hips to my waist, and instinctively, my body reacted by jolting away from his touch.

A smile of embarrassment played on my lips and I covered my mouth with both hands making his brows draw together in confusion.

“I’m ticklish.”

He grinned—mischievously. “Yeah?”

My eyes grew wide as realization hit me, but by the time I tried slipping past him, he already had me trapped between his arms.

His hands found their way along my waist, and I broke out in a laugh, wiggling back and forth.