Page 161 of The Temptation

Romeo

Ikill the engine, remove my sunglasses, and slide out of the car before walking around to Lucia’s side. The door swings open before I reach her, so I offer her my hand. She takes it without hesitation, and her fingers are warm in mine.

The sunlight hits her just right, her dark hair catching the light, making it look like spun silk. The dress she’s wearing is simple and sexy, in that effortless way only she can pull off, hugging her in all the right places. The soft lemon fabric skims her thighs and cinches at the waist.

She smooths the dress down over her hips, adjusting the straps on her shoulders, and when she glances up at me, there’s a quiet confidence in her smile that makes my heart race. These feelings she constantly evokes are foreign, but I welcome them now.

She’s mine, and she’s a fucking stunner.

Our fingers are laced together as we approach a small Italian eatery on the outskirts of a neighbouring town. It’s calledNonna Rosa’s, and although I’ve never eaten here, I’ve heard good things about their food.

It’s not owned by theFamiglia, which is precisely why I chose it.

The last thing I wanted was to take her somewhere we might run into a waitress I’d been with before. I’m not proud of some of the things I did before her, but I can’t change them either, and I’d never knowingly throw that in Lucia’s face.

This place feels clean. Uncomplicated. And I don’t want to do anything that might upset her or spoil our day.

My past is my past, but this woman is my future, and I’ll spend the rest of my life making sure she never questions that.

The scent of garlic, olive oil, and fresh bread wraps around us the moment we step inside. It’s small, cosy, with checked tablecloths, mismatched chairs, and soft Italian music humming from a speaker in the corner.

A tiny, older woman in a floral apron shuffles towards us with a warm smile. “Che bella coppia(What a beautiful couple)!” she says, her voice soft and worn with the years. “Benvenuti. Un tavolo per due(Welcome. A table for two)?”

Lucia returns her smile with a nod, and we follow her deeper into the dining room.

That’s when I catch a man at one of the other tables—mid-bite, his fork frozen halfway to his mouth—with his eyes locked on my wife. He’s not even trying to hide it; he’s openly gawking. The slow, lazy once-over he gives her with his lips slightly parted, like he’s imagining things he has no right to, makes my blood boil.

I drop her hand and slide my arm around Lucia’s waist. When I pull her closer, he notices. His eyes flick to me, and I hold his gaze long enough to make sure the message is clear:“If you value your life, you’ll look somewhere else.”

He blinks, then immediately drops his gaze to his plate.

The old woman gestures to a table near the window. “Is this one okay? It has good light and a nice view.”

“It’s perfect,” I say. “Thank you.”

I move around to pull out Lucia’s chair. She sits, completely unaware of what just happened. I take the seat across from her. My jaw’s tight and my blood is running hot, but I force myself to breathe.She’s mine.And some things don’t need to be said out loud to be understood.

“It’s nice here,” Lucia says, glancing around. “It reminds me of a place I used to go to back in Italy.”

A tight smile tugs at my lips as I will my body to calm the fuck down. “Do you miss Italy?” I ask.

“Some things, but my life and my family are here. And I love Australia.”

“I love you,” I find myself replying, and it still amazes me how effortlessly those words come now.

“I love you too. I’ll love you even more once you relieve this aching need between my legs.”

I chuckle as I reach for her chair, tugging it closer. “Let’s order first. I don’t want to give Rosa a heart attack when she comes back with our food.”

“Ugh,” she groans, which has a smile tipping my lips as I lean in and brush my mouth with hers.

When I lean back in my chair, my eyes drift over to the creepy fucker who is now on my radar. When I catch him staring at my wife again, my hands clench into fists in my lap. Every muscle in my body tightens with the effort it takes not to cause a scene.

As soon as he realises I’m watching him watch her, he quickly looks away, but it’s too late.The damage is done.There’s a gold wedding band on his ring finger, and I can only presume that the woman sitting opposite him is his wife. He either has a death wish or he’s fucking stupid, butI’ll make sure he pays for his disrespect before I walk out of here.

With the first two courses down and a full stomach, I decide it’s time to put my wife out of her misery.

I slide her chair closer, so close her back is now to the creep across the room, because the thought of him, or anyone else, seeing that sweet look on her face when I bring her undone makes something dark rise inside me.