“You’re drunk; I’m not taking advantage of you.” I press a kiss to her cheek.
“But we’re married,” Harper proclaims. “I’m yours to do with as you please.” She’s grinning at me.
I’m glad she’s in a good mood, but I didn’t drive all this way just to have sex with my wife. I’m also not about to take advantage of her while she’s intoxicated.
“Yes, but I’m still respecting the fact that you can’t give consent while you’re drunk.”
Her nose scrunches. “I’m just a little tipsy.” She holds up her index finger and thumb, squishing them nearly together, but they don’t touch. “Why are you such a gentleman?” she whines, her hand resting on my chest.
“Come on, let’s cuddle and go to bed,” I suggest, moving onto my side and holding my arms open for her to lie with me.
She mumbles under her breath and then shuffles down to rest with me.
“What was that?” I ask, unsure what she said.
“For someone in the mafia, you’re way too nice.” She smirks, staring at me as I wrap my arm around her waist and pull her flush against me.
We both know being the mafia wasn’t a choice, for either one of us. “Does that feel nice?” I growl at her, my hard-on poking her thigh, trying to make a point.
Harper nods, and I swear she’s going to kill me with her words. “I always love your cock.” Her hand slips down between us, and I grab her wrist, stopping her.
She’s really not helping the situation.
“Not tonight.”
She curls against me and rests her head on the pillow, before closing her eyes. A small yawn escapes past that perfect little mouth. “I love you,” she whispers, and already, she sounds sleepy.
“Love you too.” I press a kiss to her forehead and reach for the lamp on the bedside table.
“Luca,” she mumbles.
“Yes, babe.” I want to tell her to get some sleep, she’s tipsy and it’s late. We’ll both be up early because of Zeke, and that’s assuming he doesn’t startle in the middle of the night.
“I’d do anything for you.” Her fingers graze my cheek in the darkness of the bedroom.
I bring her palm to my lips, planting a kiss on her skin.
I know.
She’s buried a secret because of me, one she never should have known: I killed Massimo DeLuca.
And now, I’m keeping her secret about Santino.
The only reason I can sleep at night is knowing that dead men don’t talk. They also can’t threaten my family.
Fifteen
Bristol
Liam makes me a huge breakfast of bacon, sausage, and pancakes with a delicious lemon blueberry topping, which is to die for.
I’d steal the recipe if I knew how to cook. “If you keep cooking like this, I’m never going to want to leave,” I say, taking another bite of the pancakes. The compote is sweet, but the lemon keeps it from being too overpowering.
He chuckles and pops another slice of bacon into his mouth. “You don’t have to leave. I mean, you could transfer here.” He gives me that sideways grin and my heart flutters a little too fast.
I’ve already been stalking our class message boards. The rest of the semester is being offered online. I’m not sure about finals. I suspect I’ll have to come into the classroom to take my final exam, but it’s definitely crossed my mind.
While I know what happened at Great Falls could happen anywhere, it still doesn’t make me want to return to campus.
