by A. m Madden
In twenty-four hours, I’d be heading to the airport. Tomorrow, I’d be in Dante’s arms, wishing him a happy New Year in person and starting my new life. If I could have scheduled a flight for today, I would have. Considering it was a holiday week, I was lucky to get one at all. The fact he had no idea I was on my way should have caused my nerves to spike, but excitement trumped that feeling.
With Luca and Sabrina in Italy and Vanessa and Kyle in Canada, Brae planned to ring in the New Year at home relaxing with Jude. She hated that I was home alone, insisting I should join them. Because of my flight the next day, I declined. Besides, it was hard enough saying goodbye to them during our last brunch, and the realization that I’d be saying goodbye to Luca over the phone saddened me. We’d become such good friends, and even through my issues with Dante, he remained impartial and steadfast.
With my hands on my hips, I perused my space to ensure I hadn’t missed anything. All I had left unpacked were toiletries and tomorrow’s clothes, which hung in my closet. I ran through my mental checklist for the tenth time, made sure my passport was still in my purse, and double-checked my flight time.
There was only one more chore I needed to do before the mail was picked up. Even though Des was right, and my class would be fine, each one of those smiling faces stole a piece of my heart. I may have only had them for a few months, but my attachment to them was no less than to all the students I had taught before. Melancholy hit full force as I sat at my desk to write them a letter. It was imperative to mention each one individually, as well as their unique personality traits, which I would never forget. Tears blurred the words pouring out of me, and once done, I sealed it with love.
Just as I grabbed my keys to head downstairs to my mailbox, my phone buzzed.
Are you home?
Seeing the text was from Dante, my pulse spiked. I didn’t want to engage in conversation for fear I’d let my surprise slip, but ignoring him wasn’t an option.
Yes.
Open your door.
I was too startled by his text to respond. Three light taps on my door sounded, and even then I continued to stare, frozen in a stunned tableau.
“Cassandra, open the damn door or I’m breaking it down,” he bellowed from my hallway.
Leaving the keys behind, my feet finally carried me closer to the door, where I pressed my palms against the wood, afraid to believe he was really here. “Dante? Is that really you?” Remembering I had a peephole, I rolled onto the balls of my feet and peered through the small circle. My breath caught in my throat when his eye locked on mine.
“Twist the knob, beautiful, and see for yourself. I’m giving you until the count of three, then I’m busting in. One…”
My fingers couldn’t manipulate the locks fast enough. But once they did, and I pulled the barrier between us open, I catapulted right into his arms and wrapped my legs around his waist. He caught me with a chuckle before he buried his face in my neck and inhaled.
Not wanting to let go, I tightened my hold on him. His arms mimicked mine, pulling me close to his body, not leaving a sliver of space between us. I felt a bottomless contentment being in his arms.
Even though I knew I’d be seeing him tomorrow, it didn’t come close to what I felt at that very moment. This man… this glorious man… was meant to be in my life.
Without further hesitation, he pinned me up against the wall in my hallway and locked our lips together in a violent kiss. Our tongues tangled like long-lost dance partners. My heels anchored him to me, creating the friction between my legs that I desperately needed.
Large hands gripped my ass while he used my body as shamelessly as I used his. “God, I’ve missed you,” he hissed through gritted teeth. He held my gaze, taking the time to study me. “I need to be inside you, now.”
“Bedroom,” I uttered, panting. He set me down and grabbed two suitcases I hadn’t noticed were there. Crestfallen at seeing them, I asked, “You’re back? You gave up the job?” Panic replaced the euphoria I felt just a few brief seconds ago.
“I have a lot to tell you.” He moved past me, wheeling his luggage behind him and stopping in his tracks when he saw the boxes stacked up against my wall. “Where are you going?”
“To Italy. I leave tomorrow.”
My statement was received with a blank stare before he asked, “What?”
I closed the door, took his hand in mine, and led him to my sofa. “You first. What is going on?”
He dragged his thumb over his bottom lip, a move that always sparked a desire to molest him. “Every time you do that, it’s an instant aphrodisiac for me.”
“Is that so? I’ll be sure to do it more often.”
“Then I can’t be held responsible for how I react. Anyway, continue.”
“Well, Matteo said I can renegotiate the contract. Even though I love what I do, since meeting you, it doesn’t hold the same place in my heart. Matteo saw that, and when I finally came clean to him, we talked it over. There was only one conclusion, and that was to rework the terms and hope it would be the best solution for both you and me. That’s why I’m here, to talk it over. But first, tell me why you were coming to Italy.”
“Because I decided you were more important to me than anything else. These past few weeks have been hell on Earth. I finally realized the reasons for me staying didn’t matter if we weren’t together. So I took a leave of absence, called my landlord, and was due to be on a flight tomorrow.”
He glanced down and noticed the black and yellow book, Italian for Dummies, sitting on my coffee table. It had been my nighttime read of late. Not waiting for him to ask, I let him in on my secret. “I thought it would be beneficial,” I said with a quick shrug.
“Cassandra.” I guessed confusion was what caused his hand to rake through his hair, which I knew to be as soft as spun silk. And then his brows rose in amazement. “You were coming to me?”
“Yes.”
“But you didn’t know about the revisions to my obligation.”
“No.”
“I can’t believe you did all of that for me,” he said, revealing his surprise with an incredulous grin. In one swift move, he lifted me onto his lap. I knew I had missed him, but being able to touch him again, feel his arms around me, his desire for me, stirred not just want… but also a wonderful sense of peace.
My fingertips danced over the scruff on his jaw, trailing up and over his face, recommitting it to memory. “Dante, I’d do anything for you.”
“And I you.” A sensuous light passed between us. He felt it too, and when he softly touched his lips to mine a shudder moved through me. “Which is why I’m proposing this… what if I only had to travel a year before opening the gallery in Milan? Then after a short stay, I’m going to suggest to Matteo he open a satellite gallery in New York. What do you think?”
“I think, yes, especially since I was prepared to accept the original terms. When do we leave? Can we look to see if there’s a seat on my flight tomorrow?”
The vibration of his deep chuckle against my body was a reminder of what I’d deprived myself of. If I could, I’d mold myself around him like a monkey on a tree—and never let go. “We have some time, and I have plans for us.”
“I’m sure you do.” I positioned myself on my knees to straddle his hips.
“That’s next, but first…” His body shifted, allowing his hand to reach into his coat pocket. Feeling momentarily rebuffed at the sight of the black velvet box, my ass fell to his thighs with a thump. An intensity I had never seen before revealed itself in his mocha eyes. “Marry me, Cassandra.”
“What?”
That devilish smirk I adored spread over his edible lips. He opened the box, exposing a brilliant round diamond resting on top of two platinum, diamond-encrusted infinity bands. It was the most gorgeous ring I’d ever seen, even more so because he offered it to me.
“Cassandra, I know we’ve only known each other a few months, and we started out with lust, but being without you for these past f
ew weeks solidified the fact I need you. While I stood beside my brother as he recited his vows to Sabrina…”
“Wait… what?”
“Oh, right. You don’t know, but Luca and Sabrina got married on Christmas Eve in Milan.”
“I can’t believe he did that without telling me! I’m going to kill him. He…”
Dante gripped my face and waited until he had my attention again. “Sweetheart, please focus.”
Instantly, my scowl morphed into a radiant smile. “Sorry.”
“It’s okay.” He then adorably cleared his throat and began again. “I love you, and I know you love me. Why prolong the inevitable? Be my wife. Share this life with me. This might seem irrational to some, but this is us. We’ve never been rational. We now both know desire always trumps logic. What do you say, beautiful? Will you be my wife?”
“Yes,” I said with a hard nod. I’ll marry you today, tomorrow, or as soon as we can get a license. Just say when.”
He slid the ring onto my finger. “You don’t want a big wedding or the white dress?”
“No, I just want you. I don’t care where it is or what I’ll wear. I’d marry you naked.”
“Be careful what you offer, Cassandra.” One brow lifted in challenge before he added, “And your parents? Your friends? They’ll be very upset with us.”
“I don’t care.” I kissed him long and hard, and declared again, “I’ll marry you anytime, anywhere, but preferably soon.”
“Well, I do have the perfect place in mind.”
“Yeah? Where?”
“You’ll see… and you’ll need clothes. But for now…” His nimble fingers flicked open the buttons on my cardigan. “Naked is fine with me.”
Dante
Kneeling between my knees, Cassie dragged her thumb across her lips, collecting remnants of my orgasm before popping her thumb into her mouth. “You’re right,” I admitted with a nod. “That move is an instant aphrodisiac… one that makes me want to do filthy things to you.”
“Told you so.” A wicked smile lifted the corners of her full lips as she crawled up my body, framing my thighs with hers. The new position nestled her warm pussy over my cock, slowly bringing it back to life after the draining blowjob she’d given me. “But be specific,” she said, seductively rocking her hips from side to side. “Tell me what kind of filthy things.”
I placed my hands on her waist, and her squeal as I flipped us turned into a giggle. “I’d rather show you,” I said, taking a long swipe over her hardened nipple with my tongue. The sexiest purr rumbled through her bare chest, egging me on to suck her nipple into my mouth.
She arched her back, force-feeding more of her breast for my tongue to lavish. Her legs fell open, bringing my abs to rest against her pussy, spurring my mouth to travel down her body. I mapped her skin, marking her along the way, reminding her she was mine. With each bite, she mewled while raking her nails over my back. After each assault, I soothed her tender flesh with a kiss. Repeating the pattern—bite, kiss, bite, kiss—I ended the last sequence on her clit.
“Dante…” she pleaded, her voice hoarse with desire. “Please, I need you.”
My eyes met hers as I slowly moved up her body. “I’m not going to fuck you, Cassandra.”
“Why?” The pain my teasing caused was evident in her expression. “Stop taunting me.”
Confusion now marred her brow as I slid my head from side to side. “I’m not taunting you, baby. I’m making love to you.” On my announcement, I buried my cock deep inside her. An instant tidal wave of delirium surged through me, no different than the first time we did this. Actually, the difference was I loved her, and she was about to be my wife. In just two days, this gorgeous woman would truly be mine.
“I plan to do this every day for the rest of my life, Cassandra.”
“You won’t get a complaint from me.” She lifted her hips to meet mine, mimicking my favorite dance, but better.
With each thrust, her channel constricted tighter around my cock. Our mouths fused, abetting our rapture. “Get there,” I demanded.
“You first.” Like the kinky girl I craved, she stared me in the eye as her teeth scored my bottom lip. And fuck if that didn’t have me coming like a porn star.
I squeezed a hand between us, pinching her swollen clit as my retaliation. Before I was even done, her pussy contracted around me and milked every drop I had to give. “Jesus Christ.”
“I know.” She pushed my hair away from my forehead with a contented smile. “And we get to do this every day, forever… maybe twice a day.”
“Is that a challenge?”
“Up for it?” With our bodies still connected, she clenched her Kegel muscle, eliciting my growl. “Can we install a swing in your bedroom?”
“I’m always up for it. And it’s our bedroom now. I’ll have one installed as soon as we get back to New York.”
“Until then, we’ll need to rely on toys and blindfolds while traveling, though. Oh, and Dante… next it’s my turn to use the handcuffs.”
“Goddamn, I created a monster,” I teased, kissing the tip of her nose.
“You created a woman who is madly in love with you.” Her lips pressed against mine, and just as another wave of carnal desire shot through me, she broke our kiss. A sly expression narrowed her eyes, a look I knew well. “Now tell me where we’re getting married,” she said, batting her lashes.
“Nice try… but no.”
Chapter 27
Cassie
This is bullshit. I’m coming up there.
No, you’re not.
This man was driving me nuts. Yet I couldn’t help but chuckle with every text Dante had sent since I had sequestered him in Luca’s apartment last night.
Yesterday was filled with wedding preparations—license, witnesses who weren’t our friends, a dress, and wedding-night lingerie. During my mini shopping trip, he secretly disappeared, claiming he had a few tasks to take care of on his own.
He couldn’t wait to get back to his apartment and fuck me… his words, not mine. That was when I told him to get lost, and he subsequently lost his mind.
You’re breaking our daily sex resolution, he argued.
No, I’m not.
Are we having sex right now?
No, but we will later, and we did yesterday morning. So, technically, no rules have been broken.
Three dancing dots appeared, disappeared, and then reappeared.
This is bullshit.
My laugh was instant.
I waited a full minute for that? My fiancé is so eloquent.
I’ll show you eloquent.
More dots, and then an image of his dick appeared.
Eloquent enough?
You’re ridiculous. I’ll be seeing you in an hour. Let me get dressed and as instructed, I’ll be waiting for you.
I love you, Cassandra.
I love you too. See you soon. Xoxo
I had no idea what he planned for today, except that our ceremony would be before the crack of dawn. Most people would pick sunset as a backdrop, but not Dante. For some reason, we wouldn’t see the sunrise before we said I do. When I asked why, all he said was, “You’ll see.”
So there I was at five in the morning, showered and putting on the little white dress I bought over new lingerie that would make him lose his mind. Exactly one hour later—not a minute before or after—Dante was in the living room calling out for me.
He strolled toward me, his eyes perusing every inch of my body. “You look beautiful,” he exclaimed with intense pleasure.
“Thank you. So do you.” And that wasn’t a lie. He looked jaw-dropping in his dark suit, his crisp white shirt open at the collar to reveal that sexy patch of toned skin. But it was his seductive smirk, hot scruff, and just-fucked hair that he knew I loved. Instantly, I wanted to be late to my own wedding.
“You do realize, I’m seeing you on our wedding day. So your reason to confine me to my brother’s apartment was futile.” He wrapped his arms arou
nd my waist, tugging my body to his. “I have something for you.”
“Does it involve us getting naked?”
“Such a dirty mind. I should bend you over the couch and take what you denied us last night. But we’ll save that for later. For now, I have this for you.”
He moved one hand off my ass and into his jacket pocket. Handing me a rectangular wrapped box, he said, “Happy Wedding Day.”
“Wait, I have something for you too.” Before taking his gift, I scurried into the bedroom and retrieved the one I bought for him.
We swapped boxes, and like two kids on Christmas morning tore open the wrapping. When I flipped the velvet hinged top, I couldn’t contain my gasp. “Dante.” With trembling fingers, I gently touched it, completely tongue-tied at what to say.
“Do you like it?” he asked, searching my face.
“It’s beautiful.” Beautiful seemed too ordinary a word to describe the diamond-encrusted watch.
“Turn it over.” I did as he asked and read the inscription on the back out loud. “Our love is timeless.” Below those poignant words was today’s date. His hand was instantly on my cheek to catch the first tear, his other taking the watch out of the box. The contentment in his deep-brown eyes was palpable as he fastened it to my wrist. Turning it over, he then placed a kiss where the watch met my skin. “I picked it up in Milan when I got your ring but got it engraved yesterday.”