Valentina.
I should stop him.
We hadn’t resolved all our issues yet, and kissing – or more – would complicate things even more.
I should stop him.
But I didn’t.
Instead, I threaded my fingers through his hair and succumbed to the assault of my senses.
The firm grip on the back of my neck. The expert pressure of his lips. The way Matteo’s body body molded into mine, all hard and hot.
His mouth hovered over mine, the heat of his breath sending a shiver down my spine.
For a moment, his lips lingered just a hair’s breadth away, as if giving me one final chance to push him away. To stop this madness.
But I didn’t.
I didn’t want to.
Because when I was with him like this, everything that was tangled and messed up between us seemed to dissolve into the background.
Matteo’s hand moved from the back of my neck to cradle my face, his thumb brushing along my cheek. The rough pads of his fingers sent sparks across my skin, and I couldn’t stop the soft gasp that escaped my lips.
That was all the invitation he needed.
His mouth moved over mine, hot and demanding. Pleasure fogged my senses as the rich, bold taste of him took over my senses.
Everything we did during the party had been impulsive. But this? This was deeper, more intense. The hunger between us flared, a dangerous fire that had been simmering beneath the surface for far too long.
This was raw, demanding.
Addictive.
I was aware of nothing but him. The world outside, our world filled with lies and complications melted away. In this moment, there was only Matteo and me, and the burning desire that wrapped around us like a coil.
I pressed myself against him, needing more, craving more.
The only man I kissed was the one I dated for a bit before I got married, but he had never kissed me like this.
Like a predator, hell bent on knowing the best way to get me.
Like they were trapped in an island, and I was the rescue team.
His body was solid and unyielding, a physical wall of heat and strength that I wanted to lose myself in. My hands slipped under his shirt, my fingers grazing the hard muscles of his abdomen.
He inhaled sharply, the sound fueling the fire in his veins.
The air between us grew thicker, hotter, as his lips left mine to trail down my neck. Sucking, nipping, leaving marks in his wake. My head fell back against the wall, a soft moan escaping me as he found that sensitive spot just below my ear.
“Matteo,” I whispered, my voice barely a breath.
I removed his shirt from his body while he removed mine. Our movements were frantic, almost desperate as we tore our clothes off each other.
His jeans. My bra. My yoga pants.
They fell away with tugs and pulls, leaving only heat and bare skin behind.
“You have no idea what you do to me, Valentina.” He said, his voice hoarse, ragged.
I swallowed, my heart pounding against my ribcage.
He stared at me like I was the only thing in the world that mattered, like he was fighting some internal battle of his own, torn between the need to control and the need to surrender.
“Then don’t stop.” I whispered, surprising myself with the desperation in my voice.
His eyes darkened further, and without another word, he captured my lips again, his kiss more ferocious this time, as though my words had unleashed something in him.
His hands roamed down my sides, gripping my hips before sliding under my pants, the warmth of his palms searing against my skin. I arched into him, wanting – needing more.
Lust, anticipation, and embarrassment pooled in my stomach. Watching him explore my body, every touch, every kiss sent a shockwave through my body, and I felt like I was teetering on the edge of something dangerous, something I couldn’t control.
He stepped back slightly, his eyes raking over me with an intensity that made my knees weak. There was no hesitation, no second-guessing. He knew what he wanted, and right now, that was me.
“No one gets to touch you, Tesoro.” Matteo’s soft voice sent shivers over my skin a second before he pinched my sensitive skin.
I instinctively jerked at the jolt of pain….. and pleasure.
“No one does…” My reply melted into a breathy gasp when he dipped his hand between my legs.
“Do you want to know why?” He continued, as if I hadn’t tried to respond.
My teeth dug into my bottom lip. I shook my head, my hips bucking as he pressed his thumb against my clit.
“Because you’re mine,” His teeth grazed my neck. “You bear my last name. You’ve treated my wounds. You’ve cummed on my fingers. You live in my head every single time…” His fingers formed grooves on my hips. “And left to me, I want to drive you crazy the same way you drive me crazy.”
I didn’t get a chance to reply before he slammed into me and tore a cry from my throat.
His body crashing into mine, filling every space, every thought, every breath. It was like the world had shattered andbreformed around us.
My fingers dug into his shoulders, holding on to him like he was the only thing tethering me to reality, my body arching to meet every thrust, every movement.
He was slow at first, then faster and deeper until he set a rhythm that made my knees buckle.
My eyes fluttered close only to fly open again when a hand found my throat.
“Look me in the eyes, Tesoro,” Matteo growled. “Look me in the eyes when I’m fucking you.”
I did.
The breathless sight that greeted me was almost enough to send me over the edge.
Each moment felt like an eternity, and yet not long enough.
His name was on my lips, a breathless chant, and the sound of it seemed to spur him on, his movements becoming rougher, more desperate, as though he, too, was losing himself in this moment.
I was no longer the good girl my parents had raised.
There was no room for hesitation. No room for doubt.
“You like this, don’t you?” He taunted. “Knowing I can wreck your pussy in a way no one else can while you make a mess all over my cock?”
I couldn’t respond.
My throat felt like it was constricted and nothing could come out.
The fucking was too damn intense, and all I wanted was for him to continue. I didn’t care that we were going on like rabbits with my back against the wall at this art shop.
Or that the owner could walk in on us at any time.
“I’m the only one who can see you like this,” His voice became harsher. “You” – thrust – “belong” – thrust- “to” – thrust – “me.”
“Isabella… belongs to you.” I managed to say over the thundering of my heart.
Matteo’s grip tightened around my throat. “She doesn’t.” He said darkly. “But you do. You asked if I still loved her the day after you arrived at the estate…” he dragged his cock out slowly, letting me feel every inch, before slamming it back in. “Does this feel like I love Isabella?”
No it didn’t.
It felt like he wanted me.
It felt like he could see me.
It felt like sin and salvation wrapped in one.
Matteo’s pace slowed but the power in each thrust showed. Still, his next words were enough to shatter the last piece of ice shielding my heart.
“You’ve always being the one for me. Before you even knew it.” The rawness of his voice matched the desire in his eyes.
It was those words that finally tipped me over the edge.
And when the release came, it was lik3 an explosion. An overwhelming rush of sensation that ripped through me, leaving me trembling, gasping, my part pounding in my ears.
Matteo’s wasn’t far behind, his body stiffening as he found his own release, his head dropping to my shoulder, his breath hot and heavy against my skin.
For a moment, we stayed like that, our bodies tangled together, the heat between us still simmering, even in the aftermath.
The silence was thick, heavy with the weight of what had just happened, but neither of us seemed willing to break it.
I felt his hand slide up to cup the back of my neck again, his thumb brushing gently against my skin. It was a soft, almost tender gesture, so at odds with the fierce intensity of just moments ago. It made my chest ache in a way I wasn’t ready to acknowledge.
Matteo pulled back slightly, his eyes searching mine. For what, I wasn’t sure.
But in that moment, I realized something.
I didn’t regret any of it.
Not one single second.