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Where I could lay with her in that bed and touch whatever I wanted to touch, claim whatever needed to be claimed—possess in a way that she’s never experienced.
My body shuddered as if it knew how good it would be—could be. Maybe because it had been so long.
Or maybe because I’d been with the wrong woman this entire time—not that I could fix any of that since it was basically an arranged marriage, and I’d told my grandfather that I’d rather marry for purpose than love.
“Santino…” she whispered in her sleep. “Safe?”
“From nightmares?” I asked, wondering if she was actually asking me or just dreaming. She smiled. “I can do that.”
“What?”
She kept smiling and teasing my fingertips. What the hell was going on? Was she dreaming about me?
Featherlight touches of her fingertips made small circles on my arm, and then those gorgeous blue eyes blinked open, locking on mine.
She jerked her hand back.
I smirked. “It’s okay if you want to keep touching me.”
“I was dreaming.”
I grinned. “Good dream?”
Her cheeks flushed. “It wasn’t bad.”
“Do you want to tell me about it?” I licked my lips slowly as her eyes darted to my mouth and then back to my eyes. “I’m a great listener…”
She scowled and then chewed her lower lip. “I was naked, I think.”
“I think this might be my favorite bedtime story ever.” I grinned. “You were naked, and what? I wait with bated breath.”
“And…” Her eyes flickered to my bare chest. “And you were there.”
“What was I doing, Katya?”
She squirmed a bit under the covers. “Making me feel better.”
“Oh?” I leaned up on my elbows. Well, things just got interesting, and of course, right after I had a serious talk with myself about darkness, self-control, and staying away. “And how was I doing that?”
She seemed to snap out of a daze and fell back against the bed, awkwardly trying to pull the covers over her head. “Never mind…”
I leaped to my feet and then braced a hand on either side of her head, pressing my palms into the mattress. “Are you really going to get me all hot and bothered and then not finish?”
Her cheeks flamed bright red. She looked away from me but not before scowling. “Get off me before I knee you in the balls.”
“Is that any way to talk to the guy you’re dreaming about?” I let out a haughty sneer and then leaned down and whispered in her ear, “Did you at least get off, Katya? I mean, in your dream…”
“You’re disgusting.” Her breath came out in short pants as she jerked her head to the side in an effort to look farther away from me.
I was being a dick, but she’d dreamed of me, and now I couldn’t let go of it, of the thought of her thinking of me, dreaming, of her being naked.
I never promised I was a gentleman, not when things like that came out of her mouth at midnight.
I pressed my lips against her neck, right where her pulse hammered. “Your heart’s racing.”
“Fight or flight.” She gulped.
“Do I get a vote?” I reached for her chin and forced her to look at me. “Normally, people choose flight when facing me down—but I think I’d like to see you fight.”
