Total pages in book: 122
Estimated words: 115291 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 576(@200wpm)___ 461(@250wpm)___ 384(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 115291 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 576(@200wpm)___ 461(@250wpm)___ 384(@300wpm)
The look in Aria’s eyes hammered away at another of my walls, but I couldn’t let her. I turned off the lights, needing the dark to hide the emotion in her face. “They won’t ever find out,” I said.
Aria released a small breath, deflating against me. She needed to stop wishing for something I couldn’t give her, wouldn’t give her for both our sakes. It would have been easy to crush her hopes, to nip her emotions in the bud. A few cruel words that always came so easily for me. I got what I wanted, stop the fucking emotional bullshit. All I give a fuck about is your tight pussy milking my cock. You’re nothing to me but spread legs to relieve tension. Those words would have cut Aria to the bone, they would have stopped her from prying past my walls ever again. She would have believed them to be true, no doubt, because they were words more fitting to the man I was than the sweet nothings I’d murmured while taking her virginity. Everyone would believe them to reflect the true nature of my feelings for the woman beside me. The words lingered on my tongue, needed to be said to protect Aria and my claim to power, but I couldn’t get them past my lips. I couldn’t fucking lie to Aria like that, couldn’t crush her like that.
But most of all, I couldn’t bear the thought of how she’d look at me afterwards, of how she’d never give me that small, trusting smile again.
CHAPTER 20
I woke with Aria pressed up against me, her forehead leaning against my chest, our legs scissoring. Her stirring had woken me. She tried to untangle herself from my hold without waking me, which was a futile endeavor. My sleep was light, and I woke at the smallest sound or movement. “What’s wrong?” I rumbled.
“Need to go to the bathroom,” Aria said in a sleepy voice.
I loosened my iron grip around her and she pulled back, peering up at me. I watched her through half-closed eyes. Aria bit her lip, smiling uncertainly. She was shy because of what we’d done last night.
I rubbed my thumb over her swollen lips, watching the blush bloom on her cheeks. Slowly she climbed out of bed, her movements stiff. My eyes followed her beautiful ass as she walked toward the bathroom. Her gait was slightly off from discomfort. I was glad for the reminder because my cock was already erecting a tent with the covers. Groaning, I reached for my phone on the nightstand. It was only eight, and Romero was supposed to arrive at nine to guard Aria.
I sent him a short text, telling him to be there at twelve, then another text to Matteo informing him that business would have to wait until later. Then I shut off my phone, not in the mood for my brother’s annoying questions just yet.
Aria returned ten minutes later, her face twisting occasionally.
“Sore?” I asked, even if it was a rhetorical question. Even someone less familiar with the signs of pain would have seen that she was in discomfort.
Aria stopped in front of the bed, nose crinkling in shame. “Yeah. I’m sorry.”
“Why are you sorry?”
Aria stretched out beside me, her eyes briefly darting down to my groin then back to my face. There was no way I could have hidden my desire for her, but that didn’t mean I’d disregard her body’s needs.
“I thought you might want to do it again, but I don’t think I can.”
I caressed her ribs and side. “I know. I didn’t expect you to be ready so soon.” Aria’s skin pimpled under my ministrations. I stroked her belly then the edge of her lovely blond triangle. She held her breath. “I could lick you if you’re up for it.” Desire consumed my insides at the idea of burying myself between her thighs.
Aria swallowed. “I don’t think that’s a good idea.”
I leaned back, but I didn’t take my eyes off her. Her nipples puckered under my attention.
Aria leaned over me, her gaze lingering on my chest and abdomen. Her expression wasn’t sexual, so she wasn’t admiring my muscles, but I knew they turned her on, just like Aria’s body drove me raving mad with desire. I reached up and stroked the pad of my thumb over her pink nipple. Every inch of Aria was perfection, not just the outside but also her sweet persona. I’d been with so many beautiful women who’d fulfilled my every fucking desire. Women who had never known a single truth about me, women who had never wanted to know more than what I could give them.
I had taken everything I desired without a fucking care for their emotions, had chosen them by their looks, the size of their tits or shape of their lips, by the skill of their tongue or willingness to take it up their ass.