28. Niccolò
28
NICCOLò
I had to sneak in through the kitchen of Cucina del Sole. Leo’s cousin’s girlfriend’s little sister or something is dating one of the cooks, so he let me in through the back door. There was no way I’d be able to make it past Rocco without causing a damn scene.
It allowed me to catch Isabella off guard, and put me in an advantageous position. When I saw her get up from the table and head toward the bathroom, I knew that would be my only shot.
I lock the deadbolt to ensure no one can interrupt us. The sound echoes through the bathroom, capturing Isabella’s attention, and she finds my gaze in the mirror.
“What the hell are you doing in here?” she snaps. The corner of my mouth draws up into a smirk as I take in her abrasive attitude and how gorgeous she looks in her tall red boots and beige sweater dress that hugs her body in all the right places. The tie around her waist accentuates her curves, and her long dark waves cascade around her shoulders.
Isabella whips around when I don’t answer her and folds her arms over her chest, giving me a glare that should halt me in my steps, but it doesn’t.
“Why are you giving me that look, Niccolò?” she asks, narrowing her gaze on me.
“What look?” I ask innocently, knowing full well what she’s talking about as I stalk toward her like the predator I am when it comes to what’s mine.
And Isabella is mine.
She drops her hands to her sides and squares her shoulders. “Don’t play dumb. It’s not a cute look on you.”
A sinister laugh comes from deep within my chest, and I close the remaining distance between us in two long strides. Isabella’s hands fly up to my chest, and the heat sears into me through my shirt.
“Nicco,” she gasps.
“Mmm, that’s what I like to hear.” I love the way my name sounds on her lips. It’s been too fucking long.
She presses her fingertips into my chest, but I don’t pull back. I invade her space like she’s been invading my mind, and I cage her in, resting my hands on the edge of the counter I have her pushed up against. Our lips are so close I feel her shallow breaths on mine.
“You can’t be here,” she whispers, her gaze remaining on my chest.
“And why’s that?”
She whips her gaze up to mine, and a fire lights in her dark eyes that could incinerate me on the spot, but I’m here, and I’m not backing down. I’m done giving her space.
“I’m on a date, this is the women’s bathroom, and I don’t want you here. Would you like me to continue with my reasons as to why you can’t be here?” She attempts to push me away from her again, but I remain rooted in place.
“Why’re you here with Massimo?” I can’t hide the disdain in my voice.
Isabella leans back so she’s practically sitting on the edge of the counter and raises a brow at me. “ Massimo is quite nice, so why the hell wouldn’t I want to be here with him?”
I growl at hearing his name roll off her tongue and her quickness to defend him. Closing my eyes, I take a deep breath before releasing it, doing my best to steady my racing heart.
When I open them again and find Isabella’s, I swear that wall of hers that she’s built so damn high when it comes to me, dismantles for a moment before pushing its way back up, shielding her vulnerability from me.
“How did you even know I was here?” she asks, and while I don’t want to tell her I’ve been having Leo and Dante keep an eye on her, I know lying to her won’t do me any good.
She lets out an amused scoff and shakes her head. “Oh my gosh,” she says, taking her hands off my chest and folding them in front of her. The space is so limited between us, her arms brush against me with each breath she takes. “Don’t tell me you’ve been following me.”
“I haven’t been following you,” I state. She tilts her head and lifts her brows as if she doesn’t believe me. “Leo and Dante have been following you,” I add.
Rolling her eyes, she shakes her head once more. “Unbelievable.”
“You’ve been ignoring my texts, and I’m done waiting.”
“Oh, you’re done waiting?” She chuckles softly. “Wow… you’re really something else, Nicco. I’m here on a date, so you need to leave.” She attempts to shove me back once more, but I tighten my grip on the edge of the counter and keep myself planted in front of her. She releases a frustrated sigh. “This is ridiculous. Let me go. Massimo is going to start questioning why I’ve been gone for so long.”
“You think I’m afraid of Massimo? He could storm into this bathroom right now and I wouldn’t give a fuck,” I growl.
Isabella remains silent but continues glaring up at me.
“Do you know how crazy it makes me, knowing you’re out on a date with another man?” My tone is low, and the anger is still prominent, but it’s also laced with a hint of desperation. “Do you know how badly I want to be the fucking guy that takes you out to dinner and gets the honor of being in your damn presence twenty-four seven?”
Isabella remains silent, but her glare softens, and I can tell I’m slowly breaking down her walls again.
“How badly I want to fuck you every time I see you?” I murmur. “The way it drives me crazy that I can’t act on my innate sense to pull you into my arms and treat you like the fucking queen you are?”
“Nicco,” she nearly moans out, and I can’t help but wrap my arm around her, pulling her toward me. Raising my other hand, I cup her cheek and angle her head up, forcing her to look at me.
“ This is how it was always meant to be between us. Please, Isabella. I fucking need you.” My tone has surpassed desperation and is dripping in a word that doesn’t even fucking exist in the English language. I need Isabella the way I need air to breathe. I need her to give me life.
She’s relaxed in my embrace, and I lower my gaze to her pouty lips. They’re parted slightly and a perfect shade of pink with a little gloss that makes me want to bite them.
As if she can read my mind, Isabella rolls her lower lip into her mouth before releasing it, and the sight makes me buckle, getting rid of any self-restraint I had before.
Letting out a groan, I drop my mouth to hers, and she stiffens in my embrace. I pull her impossibly closer. “ Please , Isabella,” I groan into her lips.
I just need a fucking taste.
Running my tongue across her lips, the taste of cherries infiltrates my taste buds, and just when I think she’s going to push me off her, she does what I least expect her to do.
Her stiffened embrace loosens in my hold and her lips part slightly. I take advantage and find her tongue with mine. It’s the biggest relief when she comes alive in my arms, her hands finding their home around my neck and her tongue meeting mine with each thrust.
She lets out the prettiest little moan when I wrap my hands around her ass and lift her to the counter behind her.
“You have no idea how many times I’ve fantasized about this moment, Isabella,” I mutter against her lips. Knowing that one day she would be mine again is the only thing that got me through doing what I did to her. Breaking her heart was necessary for us to have our fucking forever.
“Stop talking,” Isabella says while running her fingers through my hair, and I abide only because having her in my arms again is too damn intoxicating to argue with.
She arches her back, shoving her perky-as-fuck tits in my chest. I tear my mouth from hers, causing a soft whimper of protest to pull from her lips. Before she can protest even more, I trail my mouth along her jawline to her neck, pressing a kiss at the sensitive spot right below her ear.
Throwing her head back, she lets out a moan, and the sound goes straight to my cock, making it harder than it’s ever been before.
I grunt as she pulls at the strands of my hair. I feel how needy she is by the pressure and the way she spreads her legs to make room for me.
Grabbing her ass, I pull her into me. If only these damn clothes weren’t in the way. The way I’m lined up with her pussy, I could sink balls deep into her right now. The thought of that pulls a groan from my lips, which causes Isabella to arch into me even more, thrusting her hips forward, and that’s when I decide I can’t take anymore.
I slowly lower myself, peppering kisses down her dress, stopping at her breasts to give them each a bite before continuing my journey lower. I make it to her stomach when she says, “What’re you doing?” It’s not shock or confusion in her tone but neediness, and it makes me smile against her stomach.
“I seem to remember you used to like it when I got on my knees for you, Isabella.”
I glance up at her, and she’s staring down at me with lust-stricken eyes and parted lips. I can tell her heart rate has picked up because her breaths are more sporadic now.
Her lack of response tells me all I need to know as I sink down to the floor, spreading her legs even farther to make space for myself. I hike her dress up, giving me a peek of her black lace underwear, and pull her so she’s on the edge of the counter.
Planting myself between her legs, I drop kisses along the inside of her thigh, slowly making my way to the place I’ve been dreaming about since the last time I had her. I can practically taste Isabella now with how often I thought about the memory of having her on my lips.
“Nicco, I don’t think?—”
I run my tongue over her underwear, and Isabella lets out another needy moan.
I smile against the fabric before doing it again, and the way I have her squirming tells me she’s just as desperate for me as I am for her.
“Do you know how often I’ve thought about doing this again, Isabella?”
She lets out a mewl as I run my finger over the thin piece of fabric that separates me from my favorite fucking thing in this entire world.
“Replaying every time we’ve been together just to get me by while I was in Sicily.”
“Oh, please,” she says, bringing her head upright again. “I’m sure there were plenty of women in Sicily that were eager to help you pass the time.”
Eager, yes, but there was no way in hell I could ever let another woman touch me after being with Isabella. The want and need for anyone else disappeared the moment I laid eyes on her in college.
“You think I’d ever be with another woman after having you?” I say, lifting her legs so they’re laying over my shoulders.
I pull the fabric aside, exposing her bare pussy. I swear I nearly come in my pants at the sight of her glistening cunt. So fucking needy and so fucking ready for me. My cock throbs in my jeans, but as much as I want to take her on the counter, this will not be the first time we make love again.
“What do you mean—” Isabella says, but I slide my tongue along her slit, and another moan falls from her lips. “Oh my gosh,” she says, throwing her head back.
“Just as fucking sweet as I remember.” I slide my tongue along her pussy once more.
I’ve missed this so fucking much.
Losing my girl was torture, but having her back in my arms like this makes everything worth it. Her taste is an addiction, and now that I’ve finally had the hit that I’ve been itching to have for over three years, I’ll never be able to go another day without it.
I increase my tempo and pressure along her pussy. “Oh fuck, Nicco,” she pants, and it sends a thrill down my spine hearing her say my name the way I’ve missed so much.
“ Please , don’t stop doing that,” she cries out, running her hands through my hair and putting pressure on the back of my head as if she’s trying to bring me impossibly closer to her.
Finding her clit, I flick the tip of my tongue against it in rushed movements that have her shuddering in seconds as her orgasm builds.
I suck on her clit before finding her opening and thrusting my tongue inside.
She used to always love it when I did this to her.
“Oh gosh, Nicco, yes ,” she pants out. She writhes around me, meeting each of my thrusts with her own and grinding into my face. I glance up at her, and the sight is fucking phenomenal. Head back, hand squeezing one tit while the other is glued to my head, pressing me into her as if I’m the one thing she needs in life.
She’s so damn close.
I lap at her clit with my tongue again before sucking it into my mouth, and that’s when the shudders grow so wildly out of control, Isabella nearly bucks her ass off the counter.
She slides her other hand into my hair and holds me to her. “Holy shit, I’m coming,” she cries out. I continue licking and sucking her clit while she rides out her orgasm, enjoying the way her fingers cling to my head as she comes undone.
Once she’s come down from her high, she releases her fingers from my hair. I glance up at her, satisfied I made her feel so damn good until I take in her absent expression. She’s staring down at my chest, and that wall I thought I’d finally bulldozed through is back up.
Taking her legs off my shoulders, she presses the sole of one of her boots into my chest, pushing me until I fall back onto my ass. The distant look in her eyes has me fucking speechless.
Isabella slides off the counter and turns around to look at herself in the mirror. She pulls her dress down, straightening it before running her fingers through her hair.
I push myself up, my eyes remaining on hers. She refuses to make eye contact with me even after giving her the best damn orgasm she’s had in years.
I stand here studying her, shocked that after the way I had her writhing on my tongue and coming all over my face, she’s put herself back together as if nothing happened. All while not even fucking looking at me.
After giving herself one last lookover in the mirror, Isabella turns back toward me, finally meeting my gaze with hers. I look into her eyes to see if I can get any read on her, and for the first time since I met Isabella, I can’t. I get absolutely nothing. It’s as if she’s unaffected by what just happened between us, and it’s messing with my fucking head.
A knock sounds on the door and a woman’s voice comes through. “Is someone in there?”
Isabella pauses for a moment before she takes a step to move around me, but my hand shoots out, wrapping itself around her slender wrist, stopping her in her tracks. Slowly, she slides her gaze from where my hand rests on her wrist to my eyes, and it’s still blank behind those brown irises of hers.
“Is this really how we’re going to end things right now?”
“This is how we’re ending things permanently, Niccolò.”
I give a low, dark chuckle, not one that holds any humor but one that holds the desperation of a man who’s about to go insane over his woman. “If you think we’re anything close to being done after that, you have another thing coming. You can go back out to Massimo, but just remember who you really belong to.”
A fire lights behind her eyes, giving me the satisfaction I wanted. Giving me the reassurance I needed. Nothing will ever be done between Isabella and me.
Just as quick as the fire started, it sizzles out, and she hardens her glare on me. She stays mute and simply slides her gaze down to my hand on her wrist once more before looking back at me with a raised brow.
Another knock comes through. “Hello? Do I need to get someone that works here?”
I reluctantly release my hold on Isabella, and she gives me the smallest smirk, as if she’s won, before walking toward the door. I turn around, letting my eyes track her movements.
She unlocks the door, but before she pulls it open, she glances at me one last time with a look I don’t think I’ll ever forget and says, “You might’ve still had my body in that moment, Niccolò, but you’ll never have my heart again. I promise you that.”
With no hesitation, she pulls the door open and exits, leaving me confused and speechless.