Page 65 of Beni

“Yes.”

“And what if I could sweeten the deal, too?”

August arched a brow as he reached the top step. “How so? That a challenge?”

“You,” he said, crossing the porch in two strides, “tell me.”

She pulled the door open wider as he came to stand on the threshold, so close she could smell his unique scent, and new leather. That jacket. “Sweeten it, Beni.”

He leaned down just enough that their lips were a whisper apart as his husky voice murmured, “Ma chérie … sei bella, sempre.”

August blinked.

Shocker.

It took her a couple of seconds, and with each passing one, Beni’s grin grew into something far more sinful and sexy.

“Is that … French and Italian?”

“It is.” He winked, adding quickly, “But my French is far more limited than my Italian. I know enough to carry a very simple conversation. Italian was a … must for my father, and mother’s side of the family. No excuses—I had to learn. French was a choice, although I just never picked up on it as well.”

“Huh.”

Why was her mouth dry?

Beni’s tongue peeked out to wet the line of his lower lip before he said, “It worked though, didn’t it?”

Her gaze snapped up to his. “What did?”

His laughter washed over her senses in the best way before his form filled the doorway entirely, pressing against her body with one movement, and then he was kissing her. A kiss so hungry, and brutal, and yet now familiar and addicting to her. Every stroke of his tongue against hers took away what little sense she seemed to have left. Supple leather smoothed against her fingertips, and his three-day stubble sharpened her senses as it dragged along her sensitive skin with every sweep of his lips.

Though it felt like the last thing he wanted to do, if the look in his stare was any indication, Beni pulled back a bit to say, “Definitely sweetened that deal.”

August swallowed hard, nodding. “I guess so.”

“Perfetto.”

That reminds me …

“And what did you say, huh?”

“Before?”

August nodded. “Yeah, what was it?”

Beni cleared his throat, long lashes fanning downward when he lowered his gaze. Was that … shyness?

Oh, my God.

This man was killing her.

“It was …” he said low, “My darling, you are beautiful, always.”

Lord.

Of course, that was what he said. Because that just made her heart feel like it was going to beat right out of her chest.

“You are something else,” she told him quietly.