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Roberto raises his eyebrows. "You're telling a Little Mermaid joke?"
"You asked for it. And you should know that the blind date who told me this was very proud. It's because she outgrew her B-shells."
He bursts into laughter, obviously far more amused to see my cringe retelling of the joke than the actual pun. Then he stops and winds his arms around me, kissing my neck and making me shiver abruptly despite the warm evening.
"If you hate the awkward blind dates so much, don’t go on another one. I'll be happy to take up any free time you have from now on,Bellissima," he whispers against my temple.
It's not fair how badly I want that—how badly I've wanted exactly that since I woke up in that hotel room days ago to see his devilishly handsome face sleeping as peacefully as an angel beside me. That night had been beyond anything I've ever had before, and he handled himself so expertly with the contact and then him showing up here unannounced.
Well, I'd been fucking pissed about that. He could've gotten hurt if the Russo enforcers who'd spotted him had decided to act first and report later.
Roberto is a problem for me because relaxing, laughing, and enjoying myself around him is too easy. I can let go for the first time.
It's both exhilarating and terrifying. And I'm not used to being terrified.
"We're enemies," I remind him quietly, desperate to hold onto that.
Because if we're enemies, I don’t have to face the truth: I want him.
His lips are warm as they trace down my jaw. "Everything is changing."
"We're supposed to be the ones to change it with theVitalendeal. It's not something we can take lightly. Even with the ceasefire between our families, the deal would be in jeopardy if anyone found out about…." I catch myself.
He laughs darkly, the sound of warm chocolate drizzling over me. "You can say aboutus, cutie. You know there's anus, and I intend to keep it that way because I fucking want to pursue this with you, Giulia."
I can't keep fighting it, even if I want to. I might not be ready to admit out loud what I wish to—him—but I've known for days that I wouldn't be able to brush off my desire for Roberto as easily as I pretended to. I'm just worried about its effects on the new mafia deal we're working on.
I want to change my family's reputation, but I also want him. Can't I have both?
Both?
I chew my lip and then turn to face him, trying to ignore how his heated gaze flushes my entire body. "I know you like stirring up trouble, Roberto, but I can't afford that. Not when so much is on the line. And if anyone found out aboutus, it wouldn't just stir the pot. It would break it."
His eyes narrow, and I can see the argument on the tip of his tongue, so I hold up a hand and hurry on before I lose my nerve. "Which is why they simply shouldn't find out."
He blinks. Then a dazzling smile sweeps over his face, and his hands settle on my hips. "Are you proposing we have a sordid, scandalous, secret affair, my beautiful Russo?"
"So dramatic," I look heavenward. "But yes. Until further notice, we keep enjoying each other secretly to avoid jeopardizing the tentative truce between our families."
He breathes out and then kisses me. Hard. I'm breathless when I pull back enough to tack on more essential talking points.
"Only as long as this doesn't cause problems with our work. None. I mean it—you have to agree that everything between us will be completely unknown by everyone we know, and it can't ruin what we're working so hard on. Got it?"
He beams at me, kissing my nose and cheeks and then my lips again, and I can't help the slight groan that escapes me when he pulls me tight and kisses me senseless. "Believe me. I got this," he chuckles, and then his lips travel down my throat to tease over my cleavage.
A small, pleased laugh escapes me. I know secrets are dangerous. God, do I know that—because hello, I'm in the fucking mafia, and I deal with deadly secrets every day.
But this one is special. It's the first time in my life I've really wanted something for myself, something outside of what my family wanted—because Roberto isdefinitelyoutside of what they'd like for me.
And for the first time, I don’t care that they would disapprove. I've spent my entire life working really freaking hard to accomplish everything I have. No one can say I've been selfish. But this new deal for the mafia, a new name, and a new future. For many reasons, I want to change things, but Roberto is quickly becoming my favorite.
I inhale sharply little when his fingers skim under my skirt, traveling up to tease over the front of my panties. I squirm away, breathless, and laugh when he scowls and tries to pull me back. I avoid him easily and decide I'm a little bad because I enjoy tormenting him. How could I not, when he grins so deliciously, and he could set the world on fire with that look?
"Try running from me, cutie," he dares. "I don’t give up easily."
"I hadn't noticed," I joke, backing away and giggling when he takes several steps after me. He looks like he's prowling, and I'm definitely ready to bolt, so he'll have to chase me down. I just don’t want him to expect it. "But maybe you should give up. I'm faster than I look. I can keep you running all day, Dickhead."
He laughs and dashes toward me, but I quickly turn and take off. I wasn't lying about being a quick runner. I've always enjoyed running as a form of exercise. I hear him closing in and swerving sharply into the shallow waves of the ocean. He splashes, curses, and then tries again, but I laugh and bolt. I've returned to the dry shore when Roberto's arms suddenly close around me—and then we're both breathless as we roll across the soft white sand.
