Page 42 of Tempting Tessa

“No.” The word hangs between us, simple and absolute. “I gave you a choice, Contessa. I laid out exactly what I wanted, and you chose to ignore me.”

“That was my choice! To say no!”

“Ignoring isn’t saying no. It’s being a coward.” I can feel my temper rising, my patience wearing thin after a week of her childish silent treatment. “I don’t appreciate being ignored.”

“Well, I don’t appreciate you breaking into my fucking apartment!” Her voice rises, that famous Gallo temper flaring. “This is insane. I’m calling the cops.”

She won’t. We don’t call the cops. She realizes what she said when she follows up with, “Ugh, I’m calling my dad.”

She reaches for her phone, but I’m faster. I’m on my feet and across the room before she can unlock the screen, my hand closing around her wrist.

“You won’t be calling anyone.” I keep my voice low, controlled, even as I want to bend her over the nearest surface and fuck the attitude out of her. “You’re going to put the phone down and talk to me like an adult.”

Her cheeks flush, but she opens her mouth to retort. I cut her off before she can start.

“Come here. Now.”

The command hangs in the air between us. For a moment, she looks like she might tell me to go fuck myself. But then—like a puppet on strings—her body moves toward me. One step. Two. Three.

She stops just out of arm’s reach, her breathing shallow, pupils dilated. This is good. She can listen. Her mind might be fighting me, but her body—her body knows exactly who it belongs to.

“Closer,” I demand, not moving from my seat.

Another step. Now she’s close enough that I can smell her perfume mixed with the scent that’s uniquely her. My mouth waters.

“What do you want?” she asks, her voice barely above a whisper.

“Everything.” I reach out, wrapping my hand around her wrist and tugging her down until she’s straddling my lap. “But I’ll start with this.”

I capture her mouth with mine, swallowing her gasp of surprise. My hands find her ass, squeezing the firm flesh as I grind her down against my hardening cock. She moans into my mouth, her hands coming up to grip my shoulders.

When I finally break the kiss, we’re both breathing hard. Her lips are swollen, her eyes glazed with arousal.

“You’re done ignoring me,” I tell her, my voice rough with need. “You’re done pretending you don’t want this. If you can look me in my eyes right now and tell me you absolutely do not want this, want me, I’ll get up and leave. It’ll be like none of this ever happened.”

It actually won’t be like that. If I have to kidnap her and do a little psychological warfare to get her to be mine, I will. But you know, for Conrad’s sake I’m going to try and avoid that. I’d hate to have to kill my best friend.

She stares at me, those big brown eyes searching my face for something—a weakness, maybe, or a sign I’m bluffing. But I never bluff. Not about things that matter.

“Matteo, this is insane,” she whispers, but she doesn’t move off my lap. Her pussy is pressed right against my cock, the heat of her seeping through our clothes.

“Answer me,” I demand, gripping her chin between my thumb and forefinger. “Tell me you don’t want this and I’ll go.”

She opens her mouth and closes it again. I can see the war happening behind those eyes—propriety versus desire.

“I...” she starts, then stops.

“That’s what I thought.” I release her chin, letting my hand slide down her throat, feeling her pulse race under my touch. “So, let me tell you how this is going to work.”

Her eyes narrow, that defiance flaring again. “How what’s going to work?”

“Us. This arrangement.” I tighten my grip on her ass, grinding her down harder against my cock. “I’m going to spell it out for you.”

Her bratty little huff is adorable.

“First rule: no more ignoring my calls or texts. When I contact you, you respond. Immediately, preferably, but I’m aware that certain situations may arise, so within ten minutes in those circumstances.” I smirk at her knowing she’ll be a brat about this.

“That’s ridiculous⁠—”