Total pages in book: 79
Estimated words: 77205 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 386(@200wpm)___ 309(@250wpm)___ 257(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 77205 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 386(@200wpm)___ 309(@250wpm)___ 257(@300wpm)
I knew it was just an easy alias.
But even the mention of being thought of as his wife had my belly doing a little flip-flop.
“Michael, huh?” I asked, trying to cover up the warm feelings moving through me. “Very normal for a man named Silvano.”
“Silvano isn’t even the craziest name in the family,” he said, shrugging.
“Cesare, Cosimo, Salvatore, Brio…”
“Good memory,” he said. Was that something like, I don’t know, approval in his eyes? Was I projecting my hopes onto him?
“Well, this looks like a place where I won’t have to worry about using hangers to lock the door,” I said as we pulled up to a three-story white stucco hotel that looked like it had been constructed recently.
“Yeah, it had good reviews,” Silvano agreed. “Kinda surprised to find this place in an area that really isn’t known for tourism, but I’m glad it exists.”
With that, we climbed out. And while I walked Storm again, Silvano shoved all the stuff he’d bought into duffel bags he’d purchased as well.
Finally, about twenty minutes later, we’d made it to the front desk, where I went ahead and leaned into the role of a lovesick Mrs. I wrapped an arm around his waist and leaned into him.
Then, after handing his ID to the desk clerk, he bent down to press a kiss to the top of my head.
“The dog bed and bowls should already be in the room,” the man at the desk said as he handed the key card to Silvano. “Can I give him a treat?” he asked.
“Sure,” I agreed, smiling as Storm immediately sat and offered his paw without being asked.
“Oh, this is nice,” I declared as we moved into the luxury suite.
The place was bigger than Silvano’s apartment with its own little kitchen, massive, sun-soaked living room, and two separate bedrooms.
Storm, finally free of his leash, rushed around the space, sniffing everything, but nothing quite as thoroughly as the giant round bed that he quickly started to fluff relentlessly while Silvano brought the bags into the primary room of the suite.
The space was dominated by a king-sized bed covered in white bedding. Across from that, a massive flatscreen television atop a dresser.
Nothing in this room was bolted down.
“What?” Silvano asked, head ducked to the side.
“I bet nothing is carved into these nightstands,” I said. Then, silently adding I won’t need to hover over this toilet seat.
“Alright. Come here,” Silvano demanded as he unzipped the duffel bag.
I moved toward him, then noticed the plastic wrap he was holding.
At my raised brows, he shrugged. “Figured you want a shower,” he said. “After that hellhole you were holed up in.”
Of course that was on his mind.
Because this guy was a neat freak.
“Are you going to join me?” I asked as he wrapped my cast.
His eyes flicked up at me, an undeniable heat there.
“You want company?” he asked.
“Only if you’ll help me wash my hair. It sucks doing it with this on,” I said when he was done, waving the cast at him.
Then, taking a step back, I quickly shimmied out of my pants, then shirt, watching his hungry gaze move over me.
Finally, I reached to lower my panties.
Then, naked, moved past him.
“I’ll get the water warm,” I said, actually feeling his gaze on my backside as I moved into the bathroom.
It was straight out of a design catalog with a shower niche that was big enough for half a dozen people to move around each other comfortably, and featured four shower heads and then a central rainfall shower.
I moved inside, letting the water wash away the sticky feeling of exercise and stress sweat from my body as Silvano came into the bathroom, lining up some items near the sink, then turning to watch me for a moment, his gaze moving up and down me as he approached, slipping the shampoo, conditioner, and two separate body washes into the shower before stepping back.
Then I got to watch as he slowly stripped out of his shirt, then pants, and, finally, his boxer briefs, leaving him stark, wonderfully naked in front of me, his cock already hard, shamelessly straining at the idea of being close to me again.
Need, buried under all the stress of the past day, grew and spread as he approached, then finally stepped inside the shower, letting the water cascade down his back as he reached for me, pulling me up against his chest.
Just holding me.
And, God, if I’d been falling for him, I fell right that moment. Hard. The impact leaving me breathless as I sank into him, just stealing some of his strength.
“Thought I fucking lost you,” he admitted, arms tightening.
“I couldn’t call you,” I told him. “And I didn’t know where you went. I would have come to you if I could.”
“When we get back to the city, I’m gonna force you to memorize the addresses of every member of my family,” he said, making my lips curve up.