Chapter 14

14

Dante watched her sleep. It had only been an hour and he wanted her again. After snoozing a little, he had gotten up; cleaned up, then let Charlie out before returning to bed to snuggle.

He brushed a strand of her hair away from her face. She made sweet little noises, moving this way and that until she found a comfortable position. The sigh of contentment drew a smile from Dante. Hell, she sounded like a satisfied kitten. The fact that he was trying to keep himself from waking her up and taking her again so soon was a testament to the woman and his feelings for her. It was all happening so fast, but he could no longer scoff at his father, uncles, or even his cousins.

He was lost to the Santini curse.

The memories of their encounters over the years played through his mind. That first glimpse of her and the fights that followed. Then, the rush at the sound of her voice just a few nights earlier.

Had he been avoiding her for all those years because his subconscious knew what she was to him? He shook his head. No. The woman he knew at Annapolis was so different, so unshakable. This woman, the one who had moaned his name as he slipped inside her, was vulnerable. It didn’t make her weaker, although he was sure she would disagree. She probably thought the perfect competitor in school was a better woman. She was one of the strongest women he knew.

He slipped his fingers down her spine, smiling when a grunt of irritation slipped from between her lips. She wasn’t a pushover that was for sure. He loved that about her. It irritated him a little that she didn’t want to need his help. But, he wanted a woman who could stand up to him. It was just better for the both of them if she didn’t hesitate to box his ears when he deserved it.

Dante let his hand slide further down, past her lower back, to that great, tight ass of hers. Man, there was something to be said for yoga. She was amazingly agile.

“What do you think you’re doing?” she asked, her voice thick with sleep.

He looked up and smiled. “Admiring all your hard work.”

She grunted again and closed her eyes. He assumed he had permission to play. So he did.

First, he drew circles over the small of her back, then did the same to her taut buttocks. She squirmed and he gave her rear a play slap.

“Watch it, Santini,” she said, but there was no heat in her voice.

He said nothing as he traced the seam between her buttocks. She squirmed. Dante decided to add his mouth to the teasing. He pressed it to her spine and smiled against her flesh when she moaned.

“So sensitive,” he said, teasing her.

“It had been a very long time for me.”

That made him pause. “How long?”

She shrugged and he didn’t like that. The evasion bothered him when it normally wouldn’t.

“Baker, you better tell me.”

She answered him by turning her head so he couldn’t see her face. He grabbed her by her waist and flipped her over. She screamed, which brought Charlie running down the hall barking. But she was giggling when he covered her body with his own. Charlie gave them both a look of disgust then trotted off.

“Now, Ms. Baker, I think I need a direct answer to my question.”

She smiled up at him, her eyes twinkling; he felt his heart turn over. Seeing her happiness, being part of the reason she looked like that, made him feel so damned happy.

“Tell me, or I will punish you.”

She pursed her lips. “What kind of punishment?”

He wiggled his eyebrows, but said nothing as he pressed his mouth against her jaw. He kissed his way down her body, nipping at her soft skin. By the time he settled between her legs, she was already trying to beg for mercy. He had never had a woman react so fast. It was as if they were in perfect harmony.

“Dante,” she said, struggling to raise up on her elbows.

He ignored her. Instead, he set his mouth against her sex. The scent of her arousal hit him the moment before he tasted it on his tongue. Over and over, he thrust his tongue inside her, teasing her clit each time. Finally, she surrendered.

“Before Afghanistan. Alright? God, just...”

When he got her answer, he slipped his tongue inside of her again, then pressed the bundle of nerves to send her flying over the edge. She screamed his name, bucking up against him as she came. He held her down and continued his assault. Over and over, he propelled her over the edge. By the time he moved back up her body, his entire body shook with the need to thrust inside of her and lose himself.

He grabbed another condom, and then cursed when he realized his hands were shaking so badly, he could barely open it. This time, she took charge. She grabbed it from him and tore it open. She pushed him, urging him on his back. Straddling his hips, she scooted down. With ease, she wrapped one hand around his erection and rolled the condom down his length, slowly. Her fingers danced over his flesh and brushed over his sac.

Holy Christ, she was going to kill him.

With a smile, she moved back up, then hovered her sex over his cock.

If she was going to tease him, he might just lose it. Instead, she smiled and sank down on his erection. Slowly, she began to ride him. He watched her, mesmerized by her movements and the reactions she was pulling from him. With wild abandon, she tilted her head back. The ends of her silky tresses brushed against his thighs.

She was the most beautiful woman in the world.

As his orgasm grew closer, she seemed to sense it. She straightened, then she leaned closer, placing a hand on either side of his head. Her rhythm increased and just when he thought he couldn’t handle it anymore, she leaned down.

“Come for me, Dante,” she whispered.

He did as she requested, closing his eyes and giving over to the pleasure that washed over them.

She collapsed on top of him with a sigh. He stroked her spine with his hand, happy that neither of them felt the need to rush off.

“So, over three years, huh?”

She laughed and he felt her muscles tighten over his penis. “I should have known you would remember.”

He wanted to tell her that he would always remember this, every moment in the late afternoon sun, as they lay in bed. But, he didn’t. Somehow, he knew she needed time to get accustomed to the idea that she was his.

Dante just hoped he had the patience to wait.