Total pages in book: 123
Estimated words: 118245 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 591(@200wpm)___ 473(@250wpm)___ 394(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 118245 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 591(@200wpm)___ 473(@250wpm)___ 394(@300wpm)
Of course, she put on quite the innocent performance last night. Perhaps that was why Antonia wore her sister Antonella’s perfume. I had already noticed her studious attention to detail when playing the part of virginal ingenue. She found inspiration nearby. Clearly Antonia was mimicking her sister.
My gaze drifted to her mouth. It shouldn’t have. It was wrong. I definitely should show more discipline, especially toward my future little sister-in-law.
Still, Antonella had the most adorable mouth. Pink and full, with a small Cupid’s bow indentation over the top lip. She only wore what looked like a simple neutral gloss which enhanced her lips’ natural blush tone.
The tightness I had felt earlier suffering through that terrible dinner returned when I thought of the thick coating of red matte lipstick on Antonia’s lips. It was so heavy it formed a ridge down the center of her bottom lip and often smeared over her teeth.
Again, I thought of last night, when Antonia was mimicking her sister and wore only a sheer gloss over her lips. While it was clearly an act on her part, I wished it were real.
Wished I was at least marrying the sweetly innocent sister with the sharp wit.
Instead of the sharply experienced sister with the dull intellect.
It wasn’t possible, of course. For the same reason, Antonella needed to stop her dangerous interference.
“Perhaps that will change when you are in Abruzzo.”
Her eyes widened and she lowered her arms to grip the trunk of the tree behind her, as if to steady herself. “Abruzzo? Why would I be going to Abruzzo?”
“That is why you are subtly interfering with the marriage your father arranged for your sister with those poisoned darts about the Cavalieris, is it not? Because you don’t want her to move so far away from you. I came out here to tell you that I would be more than happy to welcome you into our home.”
She snorted. “I just bet you would. I’ll remind you again. I’m nothing like my sister.”
Too late, I realized how lascivious my offer sounded. “You have my word that my offer, and my intentions, are honorable.”
Her arms crossed over her middle, a defensive sign of unease. “Your word means nothing to me, Signore Cavalieri.”
“Matteo.”
“What?”
“My name is Matteo. If I’m to be your brother, I’d prefer you use it.”
“No, thank you.”
I took a step closer. “You used it at dinner.”
She inhaled sharply. “My mistake. It won’t happen again.”
I was enjoying this cat-and-mouse game with her far too much. “I’m going to have to insist that you do.”
She rolled her eyes before lowering her gaze. “Fine.”
“Say it.”
She raised her head to me again. “Say it?”
“My name. I want to hear you say it.”
This was a dangerous game, and Dante’s warning thrummed in my head.
Stay away from the sister. Focus on your bride.
I now knew why he had issued such a stark warning.
The sister was enchanting, especially when confronted with the brute crassness of her twin. Between her engaging conversation at dinner, the serene, almost sorrowful, way she carried herself, and her witty banter now, I was finding my bride’s sister extremely intriguing. I couldn’t resist teasing her, just a little bit.
She licked her lips, and my traitorous cock hardened.
“Matteo.”
Fuck. My cock lengthened further.
It’s fine.
As long as I didn't touch her, I was still at least in the realm of respectable behavior.
My thoughts, on the other hand…
She continued. “You are mistak—you’re wrong. I have no desire to follow my sister to Abruzzo. I just know what she’s like and doubt she will be happy there.”
“I agree.”
“You agree?” She stepped forward, almost brushing my chest. “Then why not call off this ridiculous wedding proposal?”
“Not an option. There are elements at play.”
“Now who is playing games?”
I reached out and cupped her chin before she had a chance to lower her head and hide her expression from me. “Listen to me, you need to stop interfering. Now.”
My jaw clenched as I ruthlessly attempted to ignore the shiver that coursed over her body at both my touch and commanding tone. The Dom in me rose up. Literally.
Fuck, she’d be absolute perfection as a submissive. A concept that would probably send her sheltered life into a tailspin as she clutched her pearls. Still… Again, my thoughts betrayed my dubious but honorable intentions.
Ignoring the pulsing need in my cock, I focused on the matter at hand. “You need to trust that I am what’s best for your sister right now. Her troublemaking is coming to a head. She needs to get out of Sicily.”
Her head jerked to the side as she tried to loosen my grasp.
It didn’t work.
I shifted my hand to wrap it around the side of her neck to hold her steady.
Her soft brown eyes darkened to a smoldering black. “Says you. And what? You’re doing this out of the kindness of your heart? What do you get out of this? I know it’s not money. You have plenty of that, or are you one of those men where more is never enough?”