Total pages in book: 40
Estimated words: 40037 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 200(@200wpm)___ 160(@250wpm)___ 133(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 40037 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 200(@200wpm)___ 160(@250wpm)___ 133(@300wpm)
I blushed and turned away, putting my view on all the dancing Killer Crows decked out in their best clothes and in full party groove.
My gaze centered on a couple who took up most of the dance floor and captivated everyone with their performing. It was a tall man and a short woman. And he was so delicately attentive to his partner that I felt like I was watching an expertly choreographed dance. They danced in perfect harmony, the gentleman twirling his lady around with precision. With each turn her dark red skirt swayed like a bell as she twisted and turned.
A few clapped.
The man spun around again.
That made me clap.
She was so graceful, in heels no less, spinning so quickly that she resembled a blur of color. Red material, puffed out of the bottom of her skirt. Her legs flashed, revealing more layers of fabric beneath.
All around them others gasped and laughed. Their hands covered their mouths as their eyes followed her twirls.
I turned back to Santino to see if he was as impressed as me.
But, the gorgeous man only held my gaze and curved his lips into a wicked smile. I wondered if he was used to women throwing themselves at him.
I must be different.
I had to keep this whole arranged marriage set on strictly business. I didn’t know what the DeLuca Family’s plan for the Killer Crows was, but I would keep my eye on Santino.
His dark voice left those sexy lips. “Do you like to dance?”
“It’s okay.”
“Then, what is it that you do like?”
“It doesn’t matter.”
“It does.”
“I know that you’re trying to get to know me, but we don’t have to put in so much effort.”
He frowned.
I shrugged. “Let’s just smile for the crowd.”
“But, I only want to smile for you. And I would love to learn all the ways to make you smile too.”
I blushed. “What do you mean?”
“You know exactly what I mean. I want to make you smile, laugh, and definitely moan. I want to learn how to please you.”
My heart raced in my chest. I had to restrain myself from fluttering my lashes. I wondered if he knew the effect he had on me.
I cleared my throat. “We should probably set some things straight, Mr. DeLuca.”
“Santino.”
I grinned. “Santino.”
“Yes, my love.” He cocked his head and smiled, revealing two rows of perfect teeth and making my heart pound faster.
“How may I please you? Tell me all the ways.” His eyes wandered to the swell of my breasts and then back up to my face, which grew hot under his gaze. He was making me feel naked without even looking under my clothes, which was strange since even though I felt a strong attraction to him I wasn’t necessarily a highly sexual person, at least not under normal circumstances.
My face burned with embarrassment and desire.
I shook my head slightly to clear it and started again, this time with a steady voice. “This marriage won’t be real.”
“You smell delicious.” Santino leaned closer to me, placed his nose near the arch of my neck and inhaled deeply. “What’s that perfume? I’m going to buy you tubs of it.”
I bit my lip. “Back to what I was saying.”
“Yes. Tell me more about how our marriage will be fake,” he said, his voice husky and deep with desire.
I didn’t know what to say or how to proceed past this point so I gathered all of my strength—which was considerable—and repeated my earlier words in as severe a tone as possible. “This won’t be a typical marriage.”
“Oh really?”
“You can have as many women as you want but you’ll have to be discreet about it.”
He snorted. “And you assume that I’ll allow you continue your sexual escapades?”
“I assume that I can do whatever I want to do… as long as I keep everything secret.”
“When we marry, you will be wearing my mother’s wedding ring.”
I blinked.
“Don Enzo, made sure it was delivered here. It arrived before me.”
I shook my head. “I couldn’t wear her ring.”
“Why not? On her death bed, she gave it to Don Enzo. She told him that I was supposed to put it on my wife’s finger.”
I parted my lips in shock.
“And that’s what I will do.”
“But this marriage is fake.”
“The arrangement is, the symbolism of marriage is not.”
“There is no symbolism. I just found out about this a few hours ago.”
He frowned. “This wasn’t my choice either. In fact, I planned to never marry.”
I widened my eyes.
“Last year, I’d faced the reality that there would be no woman for me. I went to Don Enzo and gave him the ring back.”
“Why would you give it to him?”
“My mother was his baby sister. I figured it would mean a lot more to him than me.”
“Listen. We can’t use her ring for this marriage. This isn’t serious.”
“We can and we will. I see this as a very serious situation spoken under God.”