"Careful," he murmurs, his voice a low rumble that reverberates through my entire body.
"Thank you.” I steady myself against him. "For everything. For saving us today."
His proximity is overwhelming.
The scent of his cologne, the warmth of his body.
All the memories I've tried so hard to bury come rushing back.
I don't think as I push up on my toes and press a kiss to his cheek.
A gesture of gratitude, that's all.
Or at least that's what I tell myself.
But the moment my lips touch his skin, something electric passes between us.
When I pull back, his eyes have darkened, intense and burning. I can't look away.
"Eva," he whispers, his voice rough.
Then his mouth is on mine, and I'm lost.
His lips are exactly as I remember, firm, commanding, making my head spin.
I melt against him.
The kiss deepens, and I’m drowning in sensations.
His hands press against my lower back, drawing me closer until there's no space between us.
I gasp against his mouth, and he responds by kissing me harder.
For one perfect moment, there's no betrayal between us, no years of separation, no danger lurking outside.
There's just Adriano and me and the fire that never died.
9
ADRIANO
I push Eva against the wall, pinning her with my body as I deepen the kiss.
She tastes exactly like I remember, sweet with a hint of spice. Her soft gasp vibrates against my lips, fueling the fire blazing through my veins.
My hands find her waist, then slide lower, gripping her hips possessively. Four years of believing she was dead, of mourning what could have been, and now she's here, real and warm beneath my touch.
I trail kisses down her neck, breathing in her scent as she arches against me. When she tugs at my shirt, I growl low in my throat.
The hallway is too exposed. Anyone could walk by, a guard, my brother, a servant. And I need privacy for what I plan to do to her.
I want to devour her whole, reclaim everything that was stolen from me. I'll mark her, brand her, remind her that she was always mine.
I'll pin her wrists above her head, watch her eyes cloud with desire as I take my time fucking her torturously slow, making her beg before I give her what we both need.
I'll worship her until she forgets anyone but me has ever touched her.
Until she can't remember why she left.
