“You were so young, sweetheart.” Raul stares hungrily at my red lips. He’s so much taller than me, so broad and strong. He smells like soap and balsam fir, and there are stray pine needles clinging to his sweater after carrying the tree from the car. “I have more than a decade on you. I didn’t handle it well, I know that. But I thought you’d get older and want someone closer to your age; I thought you might want someone like Santo.”
Ew. I wrinkle my nose. “Gross.”
“You know what I mean.” Raul slides one hand into my hair and I sway, already so woozy from his touch. He grips me steadily, and heat pools low in my belly. “You might want another mob boss. Someone who can give you the world.”
Yeah, no.
I clear my throat, and I wait for him to meet my eye, because I need the doctor to feel these words down to his soul. “Ossani, if I want a criminal empire,I’llbuild it. I don’t need to marry some loser for one like I’m chasing a dowry.”
Raul’s grin is like a blast of sunshine. It’s all the fresh air and daylight I’ve been missing all week, and we’re still so close, and this is happening. Holy crap.
When he kisses me, mouth slanting over mine, the doctor leaves no doubt about what kind of kiss this is. It’s notpolite.It’s not friendly, and it’s not an innocent peck goodnight. Nothing he could explain away to the boss.
It’s so filthy it makes my toes curl.
“Mmph,” I say against his mouth, kissing back hard. When Raul’s tongue nudges past my lips, I suck on it and draw out a tortured groan, the doctor’s sculpted shoulders trembling under my palms.
Perrrrfect.
Yes, this is a wonderful new game. And kissing this man is everything I’ve daydreamed about for years—so sweet it makes my head spin, so dirty that I can’t catch my breath. See, Dr Ossani may look like a boy scout, he may seem like the calm, collected one, but I’ve always known the truth.
He is a very,verybad man.
But not bad enough, apparently, because when I reach for his belt, he steps back and breaks the kiss. “We shouldn’t—the brandy—”
I roll my eyes so hard, they may get stuck pointing at the back of my skull. “You break literally so many laws.”
“Not this one.” Raul’s gone all stern again, and I whimper, reaching out. He catches my hand, presses a kiss to my inner wrist, then lets go. “I’m never risking you, Allegra. Never going to make you unhappy.”
“Well, you know what would make me happy right now, Dr Ossani? Riding your Hollywood chin.”
“Allegra.” Raul’s exasperated, but it’s undercut by the fact he still has the pout from earlier on his cheek. I reach up, trying not to sulk as I rub it away, and he says: “Tomorrow. With clear heads, I promise we’ll do all that. You can, ah, ride my Hollywood chin for hours if you like.”
Ah, crap. I can’t resist those twinkling eyes; can’t be mad at this bespectacled dork.
Not when he’s finally taking this leap with me. Choosingme, and this sizzling connection we’ve always shared.
“Tomorrow,” I agree grudgingly. “And if you change your mind…”
He kisses me again, deep and slow.
When we break apart, I’m floating somewhere near the ceiling.
“I won’t change my mind. Now let me cook you dinner.”
Six
Raul
Santo De Rossi may not be as psychotic as many others in his position, but he still has a ruthless streak a mile wide. Disobeying his direct orders to keep my distance from his baby sister… well.
I’d better be pretty fucking sure she’s worth the danger.
I am, though. The younger De Rossi grew up a long time ago, and she’s an incredible woman. Powerful and sharp-witted; Allegra is nobody’s fool. God knows why I’ve taken so long to give in to these feelings for her, but now that I’ve done it, there’s no turning back.
I’ve wanted her for years. My need for her has been a constant dull pain, like a throbbing toothache I couldn’t treat, even when months passed while we barely exchanged a word. And I suppose I convinced myself that she’d moved on; that it would be selfish to dig up those hurt feelings again.
I’m done being an idiot.