Total pages in book: 24
Estimated words: 23833 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 119(@200wpm)___ 95(@250wpm)___ 79(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 23833 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 119(@200wpm)___ 95(@250wpm)___ 79(@300wpm)
The more he thought about it, the more questions he had, and the sheer absence of logic surrounding his own upcoming marriage started to chafe.
"All these years, you acted as if you despised me," he said abruptly.
"You were mistaken."
He stared at her in disbelief.
"Well, you are," she insisted.
"You faked having a broken ankle—-"
"I did have a broken ankle—-"
"I saw you run."
"I have an exceptionally high threshold for pain."
"As well as exceptional skills at lying, it seems."
Her mouth opened and closed.
"Just give it to me straight," Ezio commanded. "Why did you ask my grandmother to marry me?"
Several heartbeats of silence passed before she slowly lifted her gaze to his.
"Isn't it obvious?"
What was?
"You. Me. This."
Ezio stiffened.
Surely, she was not saying...
"There's only one reason for it."
And yet she was, Ezio realized in shock.
This woman actually had the balls to tell his grandmother she wanted to marry him because she wanted to be a part of New England's most powerful famiglia.
And such frankness towards one's ambition, Ezio could only respect and approve of.
Five
CAT'S HEART THREATENED to stop beating the moment she saw Ezio jerk at her words.
This is it.
And he was now looking at her like he had never looked at her before.
Oh yes.
"Do you know..."
She couldn't help but notice how he no longer sounded curt or furious. His voice was once again honey-smooth, but it was no longer as elusive. This time, a touch of broodingness had noticeably underscored his words, and the sound had her heartbeat galloping back into life.
Oh dear.
How hopeless was she that she found Ezio's voice all the more alluring when he started talking and looking at her like Heathcliff with an Italian accent?
"I have always been prepared to do my duty as a Marchetti. I knew my day to marry whoever it was that our nonna chose would one day come. But it was a day that I had not, quite frankly, enjoyed thinking about."
Until...her?
"Until you."
Cat so, so wished she was the type to swoon.
Oh, if only!
Because this was a swoon-worthy moment if there ever was one.
"I have always had misgivings that I knew the entire famiglia would only brush off, and so I had never bothered to speak about it."
Misgivings?
"And when she made her announcement, I had even more misgivings. Because such an arrangement did not make sense to me. These matches are supposed to be mutually beneficial. But what good would it do our famiglia if I were to marry her assistant?"
Cat's euphoria was starting to fade just a little. Where was he going with this? Why were they still not exchanging 'I love yous'? Because that was where this was going. Wasn't it?
"But what you said earlier..."
Oh, thank goodness.
"I'm glad that Nonna knows better than to force her beliefs on me. Or us for that matter." A devastating smile slowly curved over Ezio's lips, and Cat felt like swooning again.
Oh, why couldn't she?
"And I guess I have you to thank for that, don't I? You made her see reason."
Ezio took a step towards her, and Cat's toes curled inside her shoes.
"Just one thing, though."
He took another step, and Cat fought against the urge to step back.
"When a Marchetti marries, it is for life. You should be aware of that by now."
Cat could only nod, no longer trusting herself to speak.
"Then before we become husband and wife, we must make sure of one thing."
Ezio finally closed the distance between them as he spoke, and the Marchettis' game room, which was easily the same size as a commercial recreation hall, suddenly felt too small and hot.
"W-What—-mmph."
His lips covered hers.
Oh.
So this was the one thing—-
"Stop thinking," Ezio growled as his lips pried hers apart, and the moment his tongue slid inside of her mouth, her whole world melted away, and she had no choice after that.
She stopped thinking.
And instead, she just...burned.
Because this one thing that he wanted to be sure of—-
It was so unbelievably hot.
The way his tongue was exploring the moist warmth of her mouth—-
So, so hot.
And the way their breaths had now evolved into pants of desire—-
Oh, the hotness of such sounds!
He swung her up into his arms without breaking the kiss, and all she could do was wrap her arms around his neck.
So, so HOT!
He sat her down on the billiard table, her legs dangling over the edge, and Cat bit back a moan when his mouth left hers.
"Lie on your back, Cattleya."
The combination of his commanding tone and the sound of her name on his lips was almost too much to bear, and moisture pooled between her trembling thighs as she slowly did as asked.
But when she saw him reaching for a billiard stick—-
Cattleya sprang up in shock. "Wh-what—-"
Ezio raised a brow.
"I'm still a virgin," she blurted out. "And I can't have that inside—-"
Amusement gleamed in his dark gaze, and Cat stopped speaking.
"As much as it pains me to admit this, piccolina—-"