Total pages in book: 83
Estimated words: 79833 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 399(@200wpm)___ 319(@250wpm)___ 266(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 79833 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 399(@200wpm)___ 319(@250wpm)___ 266(@300wpm)
He presses a chaste kiss on my lips before detangling my arms from around his neck and taking the shower gel from the rack. For the next few minutes, he washes my body and massages my shoulders. When he’s shampooed and rinsed my hair, he cleans himself.
Ten minutes later, he’s dressed in a silver three-piece suit with a charcoal gray tie, looking hot and civilized but with that discerning dangerous edge that’s so much part of him. I’m still wrapped up in a robe, drying my hair in the bathroom mirror.
He brushes the robe off my shoulder and plants a trail of kisses along the curve. “I’m going to check in with security. We’ll leave in an hour.”
I follow his exit with my gaze. He’s put a ton of security measures in place for tonight, making sure nothing will happen to me.
Swallowing away the knot that formed in my throat, I go to the dressing room and pull on the sky-blue, figure-hugging dress I bought for the occasion at a boutique that Tersia recommended. Everyone is going to notice I’m pregnant, so I may as well give them something to look at. The dress reaches all the way to my ankles. A slit runs up to mid-thigh, making it easier to walk. The cut is simple with diamanté spaghetti straps that run over the shoulders and crisscross at the back.
I take extra care with my make-up and hair, knowing all eyes will be on me tonight. I don’t want to embarrass Saverio by looking anything less than the part I’m playing. Besides, Rachele and Elena will be there, and I won’t give them a reason to fault me, not that I give a damn about what they think, but Saverio may care.
After fitting turquoise stud earrings, I step back to inspect my reflection in the mirror. The blue of the dress brings out the color of my hair. It goes well with the complexion of my skin. The red lipstick makes my lips look fuller. I pinned my hair up and left a few strands down to frame my face.
Saverio appears in the door frame. He opens his mouth to say something but stops dead on the threshold while cutting a path over me with his eyes.
“Anya, you look… I don’t even have words. I want to say beautiful, but it doesn’t do you justice.”
“Thank you.” I take a shaky breath. “You don’t look too bad yourself.”
He drops his gaze to my feet and raises a brow. “Going barefoot?” Teasing me with a soft smile, he continues, “I know barefoot and pregnant is an expression, but I didn’t know you wanted to turn it into a style.”
I laugh at his humor, which is no doubt aimed at putting me at ease. “Sadly, no.” Pointing at the new shoebox on the shelf, I say, “I got a pair of stunning heels that are as uncomfortable as they’re pretty. It’s the price I’m paying for my vanity. I was just going to put them on.”
He chuckles. “Maybe you should go barefoot. It’ll give me an excuse to carry you around all night.”
“Ha.” I roll my eyes. “With this weight on my belly?”
“You only picked up thirteen pounds. You’re still as light as my pillow.”
That makes me laugh again.
“Sit,” he says, going to the closet.
He snatches up the box and carries it to me. I take a seat on the bench while he goes down on one knee in front of me and opens the box. I watch as he carefully pushes the blue satin shoe over my heel and fastens the strap around my ankle. Lingering longer than necessary, he smooths a palm up my calf and caresses the underside of my knee before fitting the other shoe.
By the time he’s done, my breathing has turned shallow.
“There,” he says in a heated voice, carefully lowering my foot.
We hold each other’s gazes for a moment, the atmosphere thick with desire, and then he straightens and offers me a hand.
I stare into his eyes as he pulls me to my feet. I know him well enough by now to recognize the tension he tries to hide. Sometimes, I think he’s permanently tense. It’s a condition that comes with his job and his business, and it rubs off on me. I worry about him constantly. Whenever he’s out somewhere, I lie awake, terrified that he won’t come back. I suppose that’s the price a woman who’s with a crime boss pays.
As soon as I’ve grabbed my clutch bag, Saverio takes my elbow and leads me downstairs. He’s careful with his steps, making them small so that I can keep up. In the entrance, he helps me to fit a coat and winds the matching cashmere scarf around my neck.
“Ready?” he asks.
When I nod, he kisses my cheek and sweeps me into his arms to carry me to the waiting car. He’s pedantic about me slipping on the wet snow even though his men sweep the porch and steps every day.