Page 35 of Queen of Ruin

“Still dizzy?”

I move my head and slowly sit up, then shake my head and bite back a wince as pain pulls across my ribs. “Not as much. Refreshed, though.”

Diego nods and smiles, his eyes crinkling. “Just in time, too,” he says while standing and climbing out of the bath. “I think we’ve run out of hot water.”

The words have barely left his lips when the shower head clunks and the warm water I was soaking under suddenly turns ice cold. I squeal and Diego reacts quickly, scooping me up into his arms and carrying me out of the bathtub before the rest of the cold water can erase all of his hard work.

“Oh, my God,” I gasp, shivering immediately. “How cruel!”

“Told you it was a shitty place.” Diego laughs while setting me down on the ground. Before I can say anything else, a large towel drapes around my shoulders and he bundles me up. “Do you feel better, though?”

“Much,” I reply even as I sway into him. “I can’t thank you enough for this.”

“You don’t have to thank me,” he says, inches away from my face. “It’s the right thing to do.”

I gaze up at him, mapping out the strong line of his jaw shadowed by fresh growth, up to the bright sparkle in his eyes that never seems to dull, then to the soft angle of his nose and then down to his wide, smiling lips.

And then I kiss him.

I don’t know what comes over me.

The urge is the strongest urge I’ve ever had in my life and it barely registers as a thought before I’m on my tiptoes, leaning against him with one hand against his chest, kissing him hard.

His lips are firm but soft and his skin is as warm as the water we’ve just left. A spark of excitement jolts through me, and my stomach tightens in the few seconds that the kiss lingers between us.

Reality catches up to me pretty quickly, though, and I jerk backward, eyes wide and mouth open.

“Oh, my God.” Clutching at my towel, heat flushes straight to my cheeks as if I’ve been slapped. “I’m so, so sorry. I don’t know what I⁠—”

Diego, previously stunned and gazing at me, suddenly lunges forward and swallows the rest of my sentence by devouring my lips in a much more eager, hungry kiss than my own. His arm winds around my waist and draws me in while his other hand rests on my shoulder as if ready to help me keep my balance, even if I push him away.

His head tilts and the kiss deepens so much that I arch backward, not that I am trying to get away. The heat from my cheeks increases and spreads through my body from head to toe, a rush of adrenaline spikes my heart, and my stomach somersaults as if invaded by butterflies.

Pain melts away from my mind.

There’s only the excitement and thrill that Diego wants to kiss me as much as I want to kiss him. Our kiss breaks for a microsecond, just for Diego to adjust his angle and claim my mouth once again. His tongue darts out and swipes over my lower lip, then presses against the seam of my mouth for entry, which I grant him instantly. The moment his tongue slides alongside mine, my mind goes blank. Nothing else exists.

His grip is the only thing keeping me upright as my lungs burn and my heart pounds. Deeper and deeper he kisses me until the urge to breathe becomes overpowering for both of us. We break apart with loud gasps, and I clutch at him, panting, but before I can say anything, something firm brushes against my thigh, and Diego’s eyes widen.

I glance down.

His cock stands at half mast, nudging against my thigh even as he tries to angle his hips away.

“From a kiss?” I glance up, arching one brow as Diego’s face flushes.

“I’m sorry,” he croaks. “But I’ve wanted to kiss you for the longest time, and seeing you kick that guy’s ass was so hot, and you’re hot. I’ve just spent twenty minutes with my hands all over you and then you kiss me so I… would you believe me if I said it was adrenaline?”

“No.” I smirk, pushing into him until he guides us back into the bedroom. “But I think I have something that can help you.”

14

VALENTINA

Diego stumbles down onto the bed and immediately reaches for me, concern blooming in his eyes even as his pupils darken with lust. I brush off his touch and balance my hands on his thigh, using that grip to steady myself and ease down onto my knees. My fingers slip closer to the inside of his thigh and Diego’s cock twitches.

“Valentina,” he murmurs, and his voice is so low, so husky that a curl of warmth gathers right between my legs. “I could never ask you to⁠—”

“Suck your dick?” I cut in with a lazy smile. “I know. I want to. Let me.”