Page 133 of Corrado

“Are you about ready to go?” he asked.

Ginevra’s brow dipped. “They haven’t cut the cake, yet.”

“I’m not in the mood for it tonight.”

“It’s not really about you, is it? Seems like this was more for your mother and father, Corrado, and since they threw the party for you and your brothers, the least you could do is make an effort to please them and stay.”

His jaw stiffened at that.

Ginevra arched a brow to dare him to deny it. “Well?”

“Ginny—”

“Something is wrong. I can see it in your face. What is it? It’s not … New York, right?”

Corrado cleared his throat. “Not even close.”

“Then, what—”

She didn’t get to finish her sentence before Corrado closed the distance between them entirely. All at once, the space she had to breathe was gone when his lips crashed down on hers. The soft curves of her body fit perfectly into the fold of his as he leaned over her, a hand falling to her lower back to keep her from falling to the ground entirely. As his lips worked against hers, his tongue seeking the heat of her mouth, she fisted her fingers into the lapels of his suit jacket, needing him closer.

The kiss felt like heaven.

And just like sin, too.

How could a kiss make her entire body wake up like fireworks had been set off inside her bloodstream? Because that’s what it did.

It felt like a hello.

And a goodbye.

All in one.

Corrado’s lips slowed against hers, then, kissing her softly once, twice, and then a third time to her lower lip, whispering, “I had to do that one more time.”

Ginevra blinked up at him, feeling entirely too high. Right then, she would have asked him to take her anywhere. Somewhere. As long as there was a bed, or a useable flat surface, she would have been up for it.

Except it was the look in his eyes that kept her quiet. That pain—the storm she found warring in his gaze—stopped her from saying anything at all.

Because a part of her knew, then.

She just knew.

His heart was not all in with her. Maybe that was why he’d constantly kept a distance, even though he clearly wanted to get closer. There was a piece of him somewhere else. Maybe she had known it from the start, or perhaps she pieced together the pieces overtime.

What did it matter?

She knew now.

She felt it now.

“I’m selfish,” he murmured, “so I had to do it one more time, Ginny, before I can’t anymore.”

Her lower lip trembled.

“There’s someone else, isn’t there?” she asked.

“There is. It’s not as simple as it seems, and we’ve always been different and open in our relationship. This wouldn’t have been a big deal except I fucked up and started feeling shit about you that I had no business feeling. At that point, I should have done the right thing, but I didn’t and here I am.”