Page 77 of Marry Me Not
Slowly, he lifted his hand and cupped my entire jaw.
The contact was firm enough to make every nerve in my body pull tightly.
His thumb swept over the drop on my cheek, as if he meant only to wipe it away. But then it moved lower, tracing the corner of my mouth before dragging over my bottom lip.
My lips parted. The tip of his thumb slipped inside, and a swipe of my tongue had me tasting salt andhim.
Sparks moved through me, bright and shocking, settling just between my thighs.
“Maybe I wouldn’t mind that either,” he murmured, his palm tightening around my jaw, while his gaze burned.
My damp swimsuit was suddenly too tight and abrasive against my breasts. I bit down, my teeth scraping against his thumb as he slid it farther. His eyes had gone so dark they were almost black, and I knew then that if I didn’t stop this right now, chances were that I’d give this man everything he wanted.
Even if it killed me in the end.
I sat up abruptly. I couldn’t. Some women could indulge an explosive attraction for six months and walk away unscathed, but I wasn’t one of them.
“Fine,” I said. “It’ll give me something to do.”
My intention was to get up and leave, but when I glanced his way, I froze.
He was hard, his towel tenting in his lap.
Ohmyfuckinggod.
He sat there, looking utterly unashamed, while I was on the verge of a complete meltdown.
“I do plan to parade you around town. There’s a gala coming up. We’re going.”
“When is it?” I choked out.
“Friday.” He leaned back, and the towel bobbed slightly. “Wear something nice. There’ll be photos.”
I knew I shouldn’t stare, but I couldn’t look away. “It’s really hard to have a conversation with you when that’s in the room with us.”
“Whose fault is that, Fabiana?” Frustration bled into his tone. “Maybe you should’ve thought of that before you invaded my fucking sauna in that fucking bikini.”
I got off the bench and made it to the ground. “There’s nothing wrong with my bikini. It’s modest by most people’s standards.”
“Nothing modest about the way you look in it.”
My heart pitter-pattered inside my chest beneath his hungry gaze.
“Now get out before you really piss me off,” he growled.
He didn’t need to say it again. I swung open the door, and I ran.
CHAPTER 26
FABIANA
The Guggenheimred carpet was studded with celebrities, business leaders, and the who’s who of New York society. I held onto Cosimo’s arm as we shuffled along, waiting for our turn to be photographed.
Earlier today, it had been all hands on deck to get me ready. The hairstylist and makeup artist had spent four hours smoothing, curling, painting, and polishing me into someone who’d look picture-perfect from every angle.
Having a stylist as my best friend meant that my first instinct had been to ask Mia to dress me, but then I’d remembered Anthony’s card still sitting at the bottom of my purse from the funeral and decided to give him a chance. After all, we were family now, and family supported each other.
He sounded delighted when I called. After seeing his work, I genuinely had no idea why he was struggling with his clientele. I suspected he just needed to get better at marketing himself. The designs he’d shown me were exquisite. Unusual, yes, but beautiful and artistic.
