Daniel’s mouth tightened into a small smile. Then his gaze shifted to something behind me. He bit his lower lip. A shadow fell over us and a moment later, Alessio leaned down and kissed Daniel’s forehead. “Sleep soundly.”
I got up and with a final nod to Daniele, turned off the lights and closed the door. I followed Alessio down the hall, but before we could reach the stairs, he turned to me, grabbed my neck and kissed me deeply, taking my breath away. My body immediately came to life as he pressed me against the wall, his big palm on my chest, kneading, his hips squealing against me. He was hard, digging into my belly insistently.
“Bed,” I whispered. “Fuck, no.” I blinked, but Alessio wouldn’t let me get my bearings. With his mouth on mine, he grabbed my upper thighs and lifted me up. “Right here. Against this wall.” My eyes went wide. Alessio bit my throat, then prodded the spot with his tongue. “What about Sybil?”
“Gone.” His growl vibrated against my skin. Supporting me with a muscular arm and the pressure of her strong body, she slid her hand between our bodies. The hiss of his zipper sent a shiver down my spine a moment before he unzipped my panties and entered me with one stroke. I arched, half in pain, half in pleasure. It was the first time he had taken me without much preparation.
His mouth pressed against my ear. “Didn’t I tell you to stop wearing those over-the-knee socks and those ridiculous clothes?” I met his gaze, pressing myself against him, chasing pleasure even as my body struggled to adjust to Alessio’s length. “Is this my punishment?” My lips lifted in a defiant smile. Alessio’s grip on me tightened as he stood up, pushing me back against the wall. I sank my heels into his lower back. “No, honey,” he said in a shrill voice, and that word warmed me like hot chocolate. “It’s a warning.”
I laughed. This was not a good choice. The words never left my lips because Alessio started pounding me, harder and deeper than before, forcing my body to yield to him, and it did. Soon I was so smooth around him that the wet sound of our bodies coming together filled the hallway. Alessio’s harsh kiss swallowed my cries of release as I came in a violent shudder. He lowered me to the floor and my legs almost gave way. “Down,” he ordered.
My eyes lit up with indignation at the request, but his commanding expression and the primal hunger in his eyes spoke to a part of me that surely didn’t mind his authoritarian attitude. I fell to my knees. His fingers tangled in my hair as he took my mouth. I kept my eyes fixed on his face, loving to watch him let go. After that, he pulled me to my feet, tilting my head upward. “Is it okay or is it too hard?”
I stood up on tiptoe and pressed my face against the crook of his neck, touched by the consideration in his voice. I was a little sore and would probably continue to feel this way until tomorrow, but I felt good in a mischievous way, as if Alessio had left his mark inside me. “Gianna?” The soft rumble of his voice penetrated my thoughts. “Too hard?”
I shook my head with a small sigh. He touched the back of my head, then kissed my crown. The gesture was so affectionate that it ignited emotions in me that I was afraid to allow. After all, this was first and foremost a marriage of convenience. I did not want to love him before he loved me. What a silly thing to think. As if you could put off your love until it was convenient for you. I pulled back and allowed him to lead me to the bedroom. Later, in bed, I snuggled against Alessio, my cheek on his chest, his fingers tracing the upper part of my arm. We had already turned off the lights and were trying to fall asleep. From the persistent alertness in Alessio’s body, I could tell he was nowhere near sleep. “You can’t with me in your arms, right?” I didn’t want to sound hurt, but I did.
Alessio paused to stroke, his rib cage opening under my head in a sigh. “Let’s see. I promised you I’d try.” “All right. Like you’re trying to trust me.” Silence followed. He was trying. I couldn’t ask for more. “Has Daniele said anything yet?” “No,” I said. “Just communicate with a nod. His birthday is in two weeks, right?””Yes. Three years. I still remember when I held him for the first time.”
“I saw a picture of a newborn baby. They don’t look very cute with all the dirt on them.” “He was already clean when I held him for the first time, a few hours after he was born.” “Don’t nurses hand the baby over to the parents right after birth?” “I wasn’t there when Daniel was born.” “Oh, labor?” I guessed. Tension radiated from Alessio, and I knew it hadn’t. “Gaia preferred to give birth alone.” I was glad the darkness hid my expression. Why wouldn’t a woman want her husband with her when she gave birth to their child? “Oh.” Silence filled the darkness. “What about Simona?” Alessio shook his head.
“Isn’t it unfair to you not to let you experience the miracle of birth?” That wasn’t what everyone called it, although I couldn’t see the magic in squeezing something so large from my vagina. “I have a busy morning on Friday, but I want us to go to my beach house in the afternoon, so we’ll have all day Saturday to enjoy our time there.” “Why don’t you tell me about the past?” I said in a low voice. Alessio shifted, his mouth warm against my ear. “Stop prying, Gianna. You won’t like what you find. Now go to sleep.”