Page 59 of Legacy of Deception

“We are?”

Nodding, he moved my hand so he could walk closer to my side. As a bonus, he rested it on his backside, and I found my rhythm immediately, cupping his butt as we walked. No one else was around. Staff was minimal. Lauren was with my mother. We were basically alone.

Taking advantage of the situation, he whispered in my ear, his breath skimming the shell of it in a way that caused the blood to rush to my head. “You’re going to use that voice of yours and tell me what you want before I give it to you and have to muffle your screams with my hand.”

I licked my lips, fluttering my lashes. “Maybe I want what you want.” It sounded wrong as soon as it came out of my mouth.

A deep chuckle erupted from him. “You’re not a people-pleaser.”

I wanted him to feel satisfied too, but I’d noticed how my orgasm did satisfy him. What I wanted happened to be what he wanted in the sexual sense, and who was I to deny a man’s satisfaction like that?

Returning to the first floor, I craned my neck and glanced up at the extremely high gold leaf ceiling, feeling the extension of my body as I stayed like that to study it. It was nothing short of magnificent. My pulse jumped in my throat, and I wrapped my arms around my waist, holding myself close as I took it all in.

“What’s going on in that head of yours?” His voice felt like it was one million miles away as I closed my eyes and envisioned us sharing our first dance before I would change out of my timeless princess ballgown for the ceremony and into my reception dress.

“This is what I want,” I told him, butterflies erupting in my belly as I opened my eyes and was awash once again with how perfect this space was. It had been rushed when we’d come in, but now that I was able to really see it, I knew this was the spot. It was warm and inviting and everything I could’ve wanted. I didn’t want to be hidden away on one of the other floors. I wanted to enjoy the grandeur of the first floor.

He cocked a brow.

“What do you think of having the reception here?” I circled, waving all around us as my voice echoed a bit in the emptiness.

Standing there, his expression didn’t waver. He only locked his jaw and stared at me. “Is that what you want?”

Placing a finger on my lip, I bit on the tip of my nail. “It is. I want to walk myself down the aisle at the church, but I want to walk down those stairs with you,” I said, pointing to the dramatic circular staircase carpeted in red.

“Then that’s what we’ll do, but you’re telling your mother.” There wasn’t iciness in his voice. It was almost like it was coming from a different place, one that was just as unsettling, though.

Swiveling on his Italian loafers, he stalked off without me.

That—

That—

He was such a—

Catching up with him, I whisper-shouted, “I don’t know where you think you’re going.” When he didn’t answer or make me think he was about to, I only got more enraged. “You’re not coming to that bathroom with me. So, I suggest you make that imaginary call now.”

No answer as we continued to the restroom.

“Marco, I’m serious. I’m going to pee. I’m actually going to go to the restroom to use the restroom, and so help me—”

He rounded the corner and entered the ladies’ room, moving the caution wet floor sign from between the middle of the two bathrooms to the one he had an interest in keeping people out of.

“Don’t think this is over. If you go in there—”

I hardly stepped one foot in before he yanked my arm, pulling me flush against him, his mouth colliding with mine. He took advantage of my mouth being open, escalating things immediately, but our teeth clashed for a second. Ignoring the faux pas, we gave into the sloppy, anxious kiss. It was clumsy and frantic as our tongues met, both demanding the spotlight and neither of us getting it. Instead, he stroked his tongue over mine, and I fought to do the same.

This could’ve maybe made sense as a first kiss between couples, and even that might’ve been a stretch. It definitely didn’t belong in this part of our relationship. If we were referring to it as a relationship now. Honestly, I wasn’t sure, and I didn’t really care about labeling things.

Threading his fingers in my hair, he drew me closer as our actions slowly reverted to a steadier, more consistent rate of need. Until he pulled back momentarily, our chests heaving as words slipped from his mouth. “Sei stupenda piccola. Ti voglio da morire.”10

My eyes darted, watching his closely, but I only exhaled before wrapping my arms around him as he brought his lips down on mine again. My hands drew up his back as I grazed his corded muscles. I had no idea what he said, but he could talk in Italian to me anytime he wanted to.

As I moaned, he undid the button on my blazer, exposing my naked breasts to him. The blazer was cut too low to accommodate a bra, so I went without one. I didn’t regret a thing, only that he wasn’t giving me what he teased. Pushing my chest into him, I thought about opening my eyes to see what the holdup was, but he stroked the seam of my lips with his tongue, a rumble coming from the back of his throat. “I should leave you just like this, breathless and wanting more.”

My eyes enlarged. “You wouldn’t.”

A smug grin took possession of his expression. “It would serve you right for lying to yourself, and me, that you didn’t want me to come in here with you, that you didn’t want this to happen.”