Page 58 of The Mafia’s Girlfriend

“I can’t.” I sighed, hating the longing in her eyes. “I can’t stay. We can’t be together.”

“I—” She cut herself off as she lowered her gaze. She slid her palm over mine, teasing me with the caress of her smooth, soft skin. Once she entwined our finger, she looked up at me and seared me with her soulful gaze.

“I won’t agree to that.”

I growled, aggravated that she’d make this difficult. “Nothing can happen between us. I told you before and I’ll remind you again. I don’t have time for this kind of trouble. We’re too different. In different places in our lives.” I was a weak fool, unable to drop her hand. I used my free one to drag over my head. “You’ve got...who the fuck knows what kind of issues going on. I’m trying my best to keep my mom and me alive and surviving. We don’t make sense.”

“That’s all that makes sense to me anymore.” She stepped closer, lifting our joined hands until they rested over her chest. Her heart thumped so fast, racing beneath our hands.

“I can’t be with you.”

She furrowed her brow. “Can’t? Or won’t?”

“Either. Both.” I grunted. “It doesn’t matter. It was stupid of us to think this could go anywhere.”

“I never thought it would. I never planned to meet you or to feel like...” She licked her lips and glanced away. “Like you’re all I want to live for.”

“Fuck. Emma.” She couldn’t say shit like that and tease me. She couldn’t lead me on like this. It wasn’t fucking fair. Because the second I convinced myself that she felt the same about me that I did for her, there would be no stopping my devotion to her. All or nothing. That was how I ruled with my heart. That was why I never let anyone in. The selection process was tight for this reason.

I didn’t do anything half-ass. I was either out or in.

“I never thought you, of all men, would be the one to make me wonder if love can exist out there.”

Love? Now she was playing dirty. I was deluded to believe that I could love her—if she’d be honest. That was simply how my heart beat, for her. But I couldn’t admit it.

“This doesn’t have to go anywhere beyond fooling around on your vacation. All right?” I sighed and cupped her face, stroking my thumb over the silky curve of her high cheekbone. Her skin was so smooth, so delicate. “I won’t take back anything that we’d done, but that’s it. I can be the fling you think back to after you leave.”

“No.” She stepped closer, into my space.

Dammit. She had no clue how much she turned me on when she talked back. I dipped my head to hers, stealing a kiss. One last kiss.

“No,” she argued. “I won’t agree with that.”

“I’m not asking you to.”

“Are you trying to tell me how it is, then?” she challenged.

“Emma, we can’t work.”

“Yes, we can.” Bold determination glittered in her gaze. “We do work. We make sense. We fit.”

She leaned up to kiss me, so hungrily like she’d pass out without a hit of this desire sizzling between us. Each one of her ragged breaths chipped at my resistance. Seeing and hearing her so driven to have me, on the cusp of electric lust, weakened my argument.

Fuck, I wanted her. I wanted her like it’d be the last important choice I’d ever make in my life.

“I want you, Luke.”

I groaned, kissing her again. Slipping my hand into her hair, I held her in place to steal another drugging taste of her. Sweet and tart. Open and sassy.

“I want you, Luke.” She stared up into my eyes, begging and wishing. “And no one will talk me out of wanting you. Nothing will stop me from feeling like this.”

Not even me. I covered her lips with mine, giving in and surrendering to the biggest mistake of my life.

Chapter 22

Emma

He was still here.