AllFreeNovel
Share Us
His eyes popped wide. “No one has ever bothered to pleasure you?” The thought of her with anyone other than him made his blood boil, but to think that she’d been with some bastard who didn’t know how to pleasure her made him want to cause harm.
Emelia shook her head and wrapped herself around him. The most natural thing in the world was when he wrapped his arms tightly around her back, with one hand caressing her beautiful, silky hair.
She buried her face against his neck, and admitted, “I’ve never let anyone touch me, Dante.”
His hand stilled at her confession. “What?”
“I fell in love with you. I never looked at anyone else.”
“Let me get this straight in my mind. You’ve never been with a man? You’re still a virgin?”
“Yes.”
“Em, look at me.”
She tipped her head back against his arm and, reaching up, caressed his whisker-covered jaw. “The thought of anyone but you touching me made me feel sick.” She smiled. “When I gave my heart to you, it would have been like being unfaithful to allow anyone else to touch me in that way. I just couldn’t do it.”
His blood thrummed through his veins at the thought of making love to the woman in his arms, he just wasn’t sure he could as long as he stayed a man of God—a priest.
“We shouldn’t have done that,” he admitted.
Emelia looked hurt and tried to pull away but his grip tightened as he clarified what he meant, “I said that we shouldn’t have done that. I didn’t say anything about regretting it. I don’t, Em. I should, but I don’t.”
“I don’t either...I love you, Dante. So much.” She settled against him.
He kissed her on the top of her head and admitted what she already knew, “I love you, and I have for years.”
“I know,” she whispered as he picked her up in his arms and carried her to the guest bedroom.
She was tired, and probably hadn’t slept much since the discussion back in Montana. As he looked down at her snuggled down in the bed, he realized that it would be so easy to join her.
Chapter Twenty-One
For the first time in months, Emelia had slept all night without waking once, until morning. At first, she thought it was early morning with how dark it seemed behind the curtains, but as she padded over to the window and looked out, she realized another blizzard was in full force.
She loved the snow when there was nowhere to go, but she desperately wanted to watch Dante at Sunday Mass, which was why she’d worn a dress that reached her knees. It was fitted, but didn’t reveal any flesh, as it was a turtleneck with long sleeves. She’d worn thick, black tights to keep her legs warm when she stepped outside in the snow, along with knee-high black boots. Other than her dress, which was purple, she wore black and probably looked as though she was heading to a funeral.
Sunday Mass always followed with refreshments in the hall next to the church, so she didn’t want to let Dante down. She wanted him to be happy that she was there, instead of worried. She wanted him to know that she loved him.
He caused her sadness and she wished with all her heart that he’d listened to her back when because they could have been married before he joined the priesthood. Their relationship would have been accepted in the eyes of God then. But as long as Dante stayed a priest, there was no hope for them to be together. He could never marry her, give her children, well that kind of came under the no sex rule.
If she didn’t stop thinking, she’d give herself a headache. As it was, her stomach churned, but that could be lack of nourishment and hiding in the guest bedroom wouldn’t help solve that problem.
She’d been disappointed when she’d woken and found where Dante had left her. She knew that he wouldn’t have put her in his bed, but finding herself where she did hurt. She’d have to get over it because, even though they’d brought each other pleasure on the sofa, she knew that Dante had strong morals. You didn’t fight to keep your feelings buried for years without.
Finally ready to face the world, Emelia made her way downstairs, and stopped when she witnessed the sexy man in the kitchen dancing while he made breakfast. She leaned against the doorjamb and watched him with
a smile on her face.
He really was a handsome, sexy man and, dressed all in black like he was, he made her heart beat faster. He stopped moving around when she let out a groan when he rotated his hips.
His head swiveled toward her and his eyes widened when he caught sight of her. “How long have you been standing there?”
“Long enough.” She smiled, and moved further in to the room.
“I made you breakfast, although we’ll have to eat it quickly and head over to the church.” Dante placed French toast and syrup on the table and shrugged. “What can I say, my favorite.”
“I know.” She took a bite and smiled. “I’m kinda partial to it as well.”
