Page 69 of Claimed At First Sight

Even more beautiful than the last time I saw her.

I keep striding toward Mialina, taking her in.

The dark turquoise gown skims her body, the rich color making her skin glow beneath the ballroom lights. I remember how soft she was beneath my palm… beneath my lips when I kissed her.

And her breasts against my chest when I pulled her closer…

Soon, I will know what she feels like without layers of clothing between us. Heat tightens low in my body at the thought.

Not now.

I continue toward her, unable to take my eyes off her. It’s not only her body that holds my attention.

It’s the way she carries herself. The effortless grace in every movement. The elegance bred into her from birth, wrapped around a sharp spine of defiance that refuses to bend for anyone.

We’ve already clashed tonight without having even spoken. She requested that a bag be taken to my study, undoubtedly containing the gifts I left for her at Aldo’s.

My little rebel.

Most women in this room are careful with powerful men, eager to please or impress them. Mia doesn’t seem to care.

Beside her, Gabe leans in to speak with her with that effortless charm of his. No doubt he wants to inspect the woman I’ve decided to marry.

Voices continue murmuring around us, music drifting through the ballroom beneath the low hum of people pretending not to watch as I approach Mia.

My focus never leaves her, not even with Vittoria striding beside me as though she belongs there.

She doesn’t. Still, she basks in the attention we’re drawing, soaking up every glance and whisper. I allow it only because it serves me for now.

When Mia notices her, heat ignites in her eyes so quickly it almost makes me smile.

After weeks of flowers, gifts, and her relentless denial of us, she hadn’t expected to find another woman at my side tonight.

Good. Jealousy suits her far too well. Though she would deny that’s what it is.

So I permit Vittoria her few seconds of imagined triumph while the room watches us approach together. I never once look at her. My attention belongs to Mia.

The closer I get, the stronger the pull between us becomes. She lifts her glass and takes a slow sip of juice, trying to appear calm and unaffected, but she can’t fool me.

I see the strained rise of her chest beneath the dark silk. It pleases me immensely. She can pretend indifference all she likes. I know better.

I come to stand in front of her. We’re close enough that I catch the faint floral scent clinging to her skin and notice the slight tremor in her fingers.

Neither of us says a word.

Mia’s mouth parts, the tip of her tongue darting out to wet her lower lip before she catches it between her teeth, her nerves betraying her.

Heat slams through me. My blood rushes lower, my cock hardening.

Christ, one tiny gesture and my body reacts as if she touched me.

I shove my hands into the pockets of my suit jacket to stop myself from reaching for her and dragging her against me.

If this is how strongly I react to her fully dressed, producing heirs won’t be a problem.

There’s tension in her too. I can see it in the pulse fluttering at the base of her throat, in the way her fingers tighten around her glass despite the poised expression she’s fighting to maintain.

Then Vittoria ruins the moment.