Page 21 of His to Keep (Reluctant Vows #6)

E ilidh

As I finish drying off after my bath, Gio offers me his hand.

Without hesitation, I take it and let him lead me through to the bedroom.

After bathing for more than an hour, with Gio topping up the hot water whenever it started to cool a little, I’m feeling relaxed.

I may have been reticent about taking a bath, but I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Being fed chocolate cake and champagne made the experience so decadent, I felt like Gio was worshipping me.

We stop at the center of the room and Gio walks around me, taking his time to examine every inch of my naked body. I have to remind myself I’m in safe hands with him because this brings back unpleasant memories of the not so distant past.

Jason used to inspect me like this. Though he never laid a finger on me, his intrusive gaze made my skin crawl.

Without fail, he found something to criticize, telling me to do a better job of shaving my intimate parts or that I needed to lose weight, even when I knew I didn’t.

It’s only thanks to the self-belief my parents fostered in me as I grew up that I was able to drown out his negative remarks.

There is nothing wrong with my body, even if I am a little skinnier than I’d like.

Having Gio look at me this way is different. His appreciative murmurs tell me he likes what he sees. To have such a stunningly handsome man desire me is a real boost to my ego.

“You’re beautiful, kitten.” Coming to a stop in front of me, he places a finger under my chin and tilts my face upward. “Inside and out.”

He kisses me, claiming my lips with a gentle reverence. I open my mouth, and his tongue flicks out to taste and tease me with feather-light touches. My moan of pleasure at the tingle running down my spine spurs him on, and he deepens the kiss.

Wrapping his arms around me, Gio lifts me and carries me to the bed. It’s not until he lays me down that he tears his lips from mine. With a cocky grin, he steps back to undress.

Although I’ve seen him naked before, it was in the midst of our hurried coupling on the train, and I didn’t get the chance to appreciate him in all his glory.

Propping myself up on my elbows, I lean back to enjoy the show.

He strips off his shirt first, revealing a sculpted torso.

His muscles are beautifully defined, and his skin is flawless, but it would be impossible not to notice the gnarled skin where the bullet hit him or the long, red surgical scar that runs down his chest.

As I stare at the scar, my stomach twists. I realize now I’m inextricably linked to this man and not just because of our wedding vows. Something deeper binds us. If he dies, a part of me will too.

That maudlin thought is banished as Gio removes his dress pants and boxer shorts.

My eye goes briefly to the scar on his thigh, a lasting reminder of the second bullet that hit him.

It doesn’t hold my attention for long, not now that his gloriously erect cock is on display. That’s impossible to look away from.

Gio takes a step toward the bed, but halts when I shake my head. “No, I want to see you. Turn around, nice and slow.”

He does as I ask, giving me time to check out his toned body as he rotates.

When he presents his back to me, I look at him with satisfaction.

His tight ass is perfect and from now on I’ll be the only woman to enjoy it.

We haven’t discussed fidelity yet, but he’ll get it from me, and I’ll cut his balls off if he ever cheats on me.

His skin is surprisingly free from ink, apart from a disturbing tattoo on the back of his right shoulder.

“The grim reaper?” I ask, though it’s quite clear what the dark-cloaked man with the scythe represents.

Gio smiles tightly as he turns back to me. “I got that after I was shot. It’s a reminder that he’s always chasing me.”

“Wow, what a cheery thought.”

Gio shrugs. “Maybe I’ll get another tattoo, something to represent you.”

Hmm. I like the idea of him having some symbol of our relationship on his body. “Get a kitten.” Since that’s what he calls me, it makes sense.

“I was thinking more of a thistle.”

He’s likened me to that particular flower before. “Do I remind you of a thistle?”

“Yes.”

I’m almost afraid to ask. “Why?”

Gio crawls onto the bed, moving slowly up the length of my body until he’s on top of me, his torso pressing against me. He supports himself on his elbows to take some of his weight off me. His legs are wedged between mine and his cock prods at my thigh. It’s distracting, but I still want an answer.

“Why, Gio?”

“Because they’re a symbol of Scotland.” He kisses my neck. “And they’re pretty.” His lips brush over my neck once more. “But they’re strong. Nobody should mess with a thistle.” He kisses me again. “They sting when they have to.”

That remark makes me frown. “Have I stung you?”

Raising himself up onto his palms, he smiles down at me. “Don’t worry about it.”

That’s easy for him to say, but I do worry.

Has my reluctance to marry him hurt Gio’s feelings?

Surely he knows that wasn’t an attack on him?

My resistance isn’t because I believe he’s a bad person.

It’s due to my fear of being locked into a relationship with someone I haven’t had the chance to get to know, of having my choices stripped from me again.

“Gio.” I reach up and caress his cheek.

For a moment there isn’t a sound in the room but the thudding of my heart.

We stare into each other’s eyes, the emotion so intense I may suffocate.

Then Gio shakes his head, just once, dismissing my concern for him.

He’s not the type of man who’ll bare his soul to me and I’m alright with that.

I don’t want to dissect my feelings either.

“Grab hold of the headboard.” His command changes the air between us. Desire overtakes whatever pity I felt for my sexy as sin husband.

Reaching up with both hands, I wrap my fingers around the wrought-iron bar.

As Gio slides down my body and pushes my thighs apart, a tremor of nervous anticipation goes through me.

We’ve been intimate before, but this is different.

It’s not just sex, it’s a consummation of the promises we made to love and honor one another.

Rather than diving right in to ravish my pussy with his tongue, he kisses my inner thigh. The skin there is sensitive, and his warm lips tickle me. I can’t help wriggling.

“Hold still,” Gio says sternly, setting the tone for how this is going to go.

He parts my folds and stares down at the apex of my thighs.

“You’re wet,” he murmurs, “but we can do better.”

An involuntary shudder goes through me as Gio licks along the length of my feminine slit. He pauses to look up at me, one eyebrow arched. “Do you want me to stop?”

“No.”

“Then stay still.”

It’s going to be hard with the way he laps at my intimate flesh, but I guess if I want him to continue I’ll have to summon every ounce of willpower I can. He circles his tongue around my clit, drawing a deep moan out of me.

“Does that feel good?” he asks without coming up for air.

“Yes. Don’t stop.”

He chuckles, obviously enjoying the strangled way my words come out.

When he pushes his tongue inside me, my hips lift off the bed.

Gio splays a hand across my abdomen to hold me down.

He withdraws his tongue, replacing it with two fingers, shoving them deep.

It feels so good I can barely stand it. Before I realize what I’m doing, I reach down and tangle my fingers in his hair. Gio stops and peers up at me.

“Do I need to tie you up, kitten?”

A gasp escapes me as my pussy clenches. I picture myself bound to the bed, writhing in ecstasy as Gio subjects my body to sensual torture. He tied my wrists when he spanked me. I can’t say I hated it, but this doesn’t feel like the moment to experiment with light bondage, so I shake my head.

Fortunately, he isn’t disappointed by my refusal. He dips his head and lavishes attention on my pussy once more. My struggle not to move intensifies the sensations created by each stroke of Gio’s tongue.

“Gio, I’m…” I can’t finish the thought. Gio plunges his fingers into my tight channel once more and unerringly finds my g-spot.

I’m swept away by an orgasm so strong it makes me lightheaded.

Spots float in front of my eyes and a whooshing fills my ears.

A scream of pleasure rips from my throat. Fuck, that was insane.

Gio doesn’t give me time to regain my senses.

He kisses his way up my quivering body, stopping only to wrap his lips around one nipple and then the other, teasing them into tight peaks.

He positions himself between my legs and drives his rock-hard cock inside me.

Another powerful wave of ecstasy washes over me and I cry out as the climax that was ebbing away comes rushing back.

“Who are you?” Gio demands as he stills inside me, his dark gaze pinning me down.

“Eilidh Cameron.” I know that’s not the answer he wanted.

He seizes a fistful of my hair and wrenches my head back, exposing my throat to him.

“Who?”

“Eilidh Volante.”

“My wife, Eilidh Volante,” he corrects. “And who am I?”

“Gio Volante.” I squeal as he nips my throat with his teeth. “My husband.”

“Damn right I am.”

He lets go of my hair and removes my hands from the headboard, lacing his fingers through mine.

Holding my hands above my head, he rocks his hips to fuck me with brutal intensity.

I wrap my legs around his waist and lift my hips to meet his increasingly powerful thrusts.

He takes my mouth in a passionate kiss, his tongue dominating mine until I’m left panting for breath.

Pulling out of me suddenly, Gio flips me over onto my front. He presses his chest to my back as he whispers in my ear.

“Your mouth is mine. Your pussy is mine. Now I want your ass.”