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Dante pauses in the doorway, dark eyes scrutinizing. I don’t know how this man can possibly read me so well. We barely know each other. “You all right?”
I fiddle with my fingers, twisting them into a pretzel. “I—it’s just—”
“Spit it out, Rose, I have things to do.”
“Nothing, never mind.” I slump onto the bed.
He heaves out an exasperated sigh and jabs his fingers through his dark hair. “Just tell me.”
“I—I haven’t been able to sleep alone since that night….” I allow my words to fall off as embarrassment burns my cheeks. I don’t dare look up.
The sound of retreating footfalls a long minute later finally jerks my eyes to the doorway. The bastard is gone.
A twinge of hurt bubbles up in my chest, and I will the ridiculous pain down. Gawd, you’re so stupid, Rose. This is Dante fucking Valentino, not prince charming. What did you think the bad boy gangster was going to do, tuck you in? Hold you in bed all night long? As I internally curse myself from here until next Tuesday, the sound of approaching footsteps sends my heart into cartwheels.
Dante fills the doorway in a soft tee and low-slung sweats with his laptop in one hand and phone in the other. Without saying a word, he sinks into the chair in the corner of the room and whips open the MacBook.
I watch him for a long minute, but his eyes never find mine.
When I’m tired of waiting, I crawl across the bed and pull the covers up to my chin. The cotton is so soft and the comforter so warm I barely suppress a groan. The faint scent of lavender tinges the sheets, reminding me of the sweet undercurrents of Dante’s musky fragrance. Burying my head in the feather pillow, I curl up into a ball and watch the surly Italian across the room.
Until I fall asleep.
CHAPTER17
NIGHTMARES AND DAYDREAMS
Dante
Aldo:It’s done, another Red Dragon is dead, boss.
Me:Good.
Aldo: You sure you want the guys to pop a guy tomorrow? It’s Christmas.
Me:I know what fucking day it is. Just keep to the schedule. Until Feng shows his face, I’m not backing down.
Aldo:Okay, boss.
I shove the cell phone back into my pocket and heave out a breath. Those damned Red Dragons are drawing this out much longer than I’d imagined. I was certain Feng would show his ugly ass face by now.
Refocusing my attention to the glowing computer screen, I skim the report Clara sent over. There’s some new player in town, Gemini Corp, and they’re buying up all the land along the west side docks. My turf. I stare at the document for a few seconds longer, but all the words blur.
Blinking quickly, I glance up over the top of my MacBook as Rose’s quiet breaths fill the room. I was sure she was going to bust my balls all night, but instead she fell asleep in minutes. So much for not being able to sleep…. Silky blonde hair splays across the pillow like a freaking halo. Shit, do I want to knock that angelic ring right off and defile every inch of her. I inhale a deep breath as if I can somehow smell the intoxicating vanilla scent of her shampoo from this distance.
She squirms in her sleep, and her crop top rises, revealing her smooth torso and a hint of her breast.Madonna mia. My eyes laser on the soft cotton and the sharp peaks of her nipples poking through. That damned electric bill is going to be worth every penny for the length of Rose’s stay.
I trail the soft curves of her body until I reach those tight ass yoga pants. How she wears those things in public is beyond me. I’d never let her out ofmyhouse looking like that. They’re practically painted on, leaving nothing to the imagination. I can practically see every curve of her pussy right through that damned material, and I’m not the only one. I’ve seen every hotblooded male at Palestra eye-fucking her when she walks by. And it sets my veins on fire. Something changed the day Luca and Stella left her in my hands. Whether Rose likes it or not, she’s mine. Mine to protect, mine to tease, mine to ruin.
My cock hardens, tenting my sweatpants at the thought of all the things I’d do to her. All the things she’dletme do. A few days with her and already I know she’d be nothing like uptight, frigid Caroline. No, she’d be wild, and I’d fuck that naughty streak right out of her until she got down on her knees for me.
Great, now I’m so damned hard my laptop teeters on my dick. I shove it aside and wrap my hand around my cock. I’d better shoot off a quick one, or I’ll never get any work done. Not with the sexy Rose sprawled across the bed just begging for me to wake her up and fuck her to kingdom come.
God, I’m a completecoglionefor even thinking those things after what she’s been through. Only a monster would. But … would she let me?
I throttle my cock, imagining her warm pussy tightening around me, drawing me in, and I barely repress the moan building in my throat. I focus on her hard nipples and envision my tongue swirling around the sensitive flesh, teasing them to tight peaks. Then I’d move down her torso, dragging my tongue down that perfect body, tasting her salty sweetness until I reach the altar between her thighs.Dio, I am not a religious man, but I’d fall to my knees to worship her sweet cunt.
Cum pools at the tip of my cock, and I’m practically dripping just thinking about her.Cazzo, I can’t imagine what it would be like to actually have her. I’d blow my load the second I shoved inside.
