17. Dante
17
DANTE
Dante
I returned to the house in the evening. The excitement to see Nina again kept me distracted all day, but it was my niece who I found finishing dinner in the kitchen, not Nina, as I'd hoped. After that lie about kissing her for practice, my fake girlfriend had consumed my every thought.
Eva kept to herself most of the time, but I knew she’d followed my instruction to help Nina settle in here. Whenever we spoke, she badgered me with questions about her.
Now was no exception.
“Are you going to the Sarround Gala?” she asked after she wiped her mouth.
I nodded.
“With Nina.”
It could’ve been a question but she said it like an affirmation.
“Yes.”
She set the napkin down. “Is that smart?”
I paused for longer than I wanted to. I’d already eaten, and I guessed that Nina had too. Nothing should delay me from taking her out to get a dress, something I had been looking forward to all day. Last time, I foisted her onto that sales clerk. This time, I wanted to participate in the selection of her gown. I’d take any and every opportunity to “practice” anything with the woman who was consuming me, body and soul. Something about her just drew me in, and it felt like I was playing with fire to resist her.
“What do you mean?” Eva had been resistant to the idea of having another woman in the house since the first day. Initially, I'd assumed it was a threat to her. That somehow, having another woman challenged her importance here. My niece had always been protective of me and Romeo, and I appreciated it. Loyalty was important in the family, but she took it to another level.
“She was hurt the last time you took her out.”
I shook my head, guessing where she was going with this. That parading Nina as my girlfriend would endanger her. “Those servers were not connected to any of our rivals.”
“Still.” She shrugged and stood. After she put her dish and glass in the sink, she faced me again. “Everyone will be at the gala. Everyone will see you with her.”
I nodded. That was the whole point, the purpose of throwing them all off.
“I can’t shake the suspicion that she’s keeping something from us. From you.” Her arms folded over her chest, but her haughty stance wouldn’t sway me.
“I applaud you for maintaining a high guard, Eva.” I stepped closer to press a kiss to the top of her hair. She was such a ball buster as a child, and she’d grown into a fierce woman—if a little too much sometimes with her attitude. “But Nina isn’t up to anything nefarious.”
I found her in her room, and I took a moment to appreciate her napping on the lounger near the windows. Like this, she looked so peaceful and content, at ease without any rules about pretending anything or remembering to call me a formal name when no one was around. I preferred her easygoing and relaxed, like she was this morning after her workout. I relished her banter and the ease with which she could meet me in the middle with the desire simmering between us.
Tempted to wake her with my lips, I sighed and willed myself to stay strong. The restraint I had around her was slipping. Too soon, I’d deviate from practicing anything and pretending at all. I wanted her with a stubbornness I couldn’t switch off. She was forbidden, delegated as something to fake, not to treasure. Yet, I wanted to, so badly.
“Nina.” I sat next to her, and that slight dip on the cushions roused her.
“Oh!” She opened her eyes quickly, jarred from her nap with a hint of embarrassment. As her cheeks turned pink, I held back a groan. Seeing how far that flush could spread from her face was one of my biggest fantasies.
“Sorry. I just dozed and…” As she sat up, the book she must have been reading fell to the floor. It bounced off my shoes, but I couldn’t be pulled from staring into her eyes.
She rose to sit in front of me, bringing her face—and those sweet lips—so close to mine. A breath away. An inch apart. So close that all I had to do was bridge this gap and pick up where we left off earlier.
“Mr. Constella,” she said quietly, playful and a little unsure. “If you keep looking at me like that…” Her lidded gaze dropped to my lips and she sighed. “We’ll never find me a dress.”
“Is that so?” I slanted closer, keeping my mouth right by hers. Our breath mingled, and I licked my lips.
She nodded, bumping her nose with mine. “Yeah.”
“Then how should I look at you?” I taunted, lifting my hand to cup her face. The first touch of her smooth, soft skin was my undoing. She pulled me to her. I was drawn to her, wanting it all.
She tipped her chin up in an effort to initiate a kiss, but she lowered again as she seemed to think twice.
Suddenly, that was my goal. I’d pursued her every time. I always took the first step. I made the move. With the rules of pretending to date, maybe that was how it should be. But I wanted her to initiate it. I wanted her to act on this magnetism locking us together.
“We should go,” she said, rearing back.
Before she could retreat fully, I slid my fingers on the back of her head and kept her close. “How do you want me to look at you?”
Breathing quickly, she reacted with some kind of naughty idea. But she wouldn’t share it with me.
Slow down. This is too much. I couldn’t assume she was an expert at this game of seduction. Because that was what we were playing with here. We weren’t pretending anything. We were caught in a layered battle of wills, of trying to stay afloat in this desire.
I compromised, pressing a quick kiss to her cheek. “Let’s go.” I took her hand and led her to the car, hoping she realized that I wanted to touch her, even with this simple gesture of our fingers entwined, even though no one was watching.
“More practice?” she teased, squeezing my fingers.
“Yes. Brace yourself for more lessons,” I warned.
“Lessons about what?” she asked at the car.
“About what it looks like to be my woman.”
The ride to the dress store was a quiet one. With the constant thrum of sexual tension and attraction burning between us, it seemed we didn’t need to talk. We conveyed our thoughts with little stolen glimpses of each other. Secret smiles and avoiding eye contact. Accidental brushes of our hands as I shifted the sports car.
Once we got there, I told the attendant that I wanted multiple options laid out for Nina in the private fitting suite. Nina raised her brows at me, not expecting my supervision over this dress selection.
“No phone calls tonight?” she asked as the woman measured her to better gauge what to bring out for her.
I shoved my hands in my pockets and raked my stare over her standing on the dais with her arms outstretched. The woman brought the tape measurer length up near Nina’s breasts, and my fingers itched to be the one so near her like that there.
“No. No phone calls.” Tonight, I’m all yours. She seemed to read that in my gaze because she blushed and lowered her gaze.
The shop attendant picked up on the cues that I wanted privacy with Nina as well. She led us to the massive changing area and pointed out the racks that she and her assistant had chosen for us.
“If you need anything, please let me know.” With a dip of her chin, she bade us farewell and closed the door behind us.
“Aren’t you going to step out?” Nina asked.
I lowered to the chair and hooked my hands behind my head. “Do you want me to?”
She opened and closed her mouth, too intimidated to look me in the eye. After she turned in a slow circle, browsing the dresses instead of facing me directly, she found my reflection in the mirror. “Is this more practice?”
I smirked. “Show me the dresses, Nina.”
She bit her lip, teasing me with that telltale show of her nervousness. “All right.”
I steadied my breaths as she removed her clothes. This personal, private show was torturous hell. With every inch of her taut, smooth skin that she bared, I fought the urge to get up and claim her.
No longer blushing, but modest to avoid eye contact, she walked over to the first rack and picked up two options. “Blue or green?”
“Neither.”
She jerked her face up, surprised and confused.
“I prefer you like that.” In a lacy black bra with her breasts almost spilling out, and the tiniest black thong that showcased her perfect ass.
“You want me to go to a black tie event like this?” she teased, falling into the playfulness she saved for me when we were alone.
I shook my head and growled. I want you dressed like that, and in less, just for me. For my eyes only.
“How about this?” She held up an inky black dress.
“Try it on.”
Watching her slide the clingy material over her hips was just as sexy as watching her take off her shirt and shorts. It suited her. I bet all of them would. This was only the beginning, though, and I intended to get my fill of watching her dress and undress. Each time she changed and then did a twirl to show off the gowns, her eyes grew darker with desire.
Showing herself off like this, putting on a show for me, was turning her on too.
When she struggled with a zipper, I curled my finger and beckoned for her to come to me.
“Did you like that one?” she asked as I dragged the metal tab down. Seated like this, I was at a perfect level to stare at the expanse of her tanned flesh. The slender curve of her back taunted me, and I reached up to push the gown off her.
Touching my fingertips to her caused goosebumps to raise on her skin, but she didn’t flinch or step away.
“I like you ,” I replied as the silver garment slithered off her, cascading to the floor. Catching her reflection in the mirror, I spread my hands over her hips, bracing her to stay between my knees.
Her breath hitched as I lowered my hands to rub over the cheeks of her juicy ass.
“I like you looking at me like this,” she admitted as she stepped back toward me.
I hummed my approval, taking my time to feel up her almost naked body.
“Do you now?” I tore my focus from her backside and stared into her reflection. As I moved my hand forward, I slipped my fingers beneath the elastic of her thong. Urging her to back into me, I spread my legs wider and pushed on her stomach.
She obeyed, retreating until the backs of her thighs bumped into me. Under the pressure of my hand, she lowered onto my lap, straddling me.
“How about now?” I asked as I kissed up the side of her neck. With her legs splayed apart, she couldn’t miss the movement of my fingers stroking along her wet pussy lips.
She nodded, panting as she melted against me. “Yes, Dante. Yes.”
“I like it when you say my name like that.” I rubbed against her clit, suckling at her neck.
“I’ll say whatever you want, as long as you don’t stop.”
“Not even to do this?” I dipped my fingers lower, pushing them into her tight, wet heat.
“ Oh …” she moaned, closing her eyes as she rolled her head on my shoulder. “Dante. Please.”
Fuck, I liked her begging. I couldn’t get enough of her. Those sexy, breathless gasps. The desperation in her grinds down on my lap.
“What about this?” I asked as I brought my hand up over her stomach to her cleavage. One twist of my fingers unclasped her bra. As the satiny fabric dropped to the floor, her tits fell free. Perky nipples pointed at our reflections in the mirror, and I didn’t waste time covering her breast with my hand, weighing it, stroking and cupping it. My thumbs flicked over her nipples, and she arched her back.
“Dante. More.” She pushed into my hands, both on her breasts and her pussy.
I nipped at her neck and pushed her to stand. “More?”
She stood, staring at us in the mirror. “Please. I want you, Dante.”
“Then get these off.” I pulled up the band on her thong and let it snap back onto her skin.
While she shimmied out of the now-wet lingerie, I unzipped and lowered my pants and boxers. I didn’t leave the chair, pushing up only to shove my clothes down. By the time I had my dick free, jutting up and eager to sink into her, she crawled back toward me. Keeping her legs apart, she lowered to my lap again, rubbing her bare pussy lips along my cock.
“Do you like me looking at you like this?” I asked as I guided her to my dick. She stared at it, lust clear on her face as she nodded. Nothing could pull her gaze away from my glistening dick so near her entrance. Smeared with her cream, I was ready to thrust into her, and I lined her up. My cockhead spread her open, and although I wanted to slam her down on me in one rushed drop, I dragged it out.
She sank down on me slowly, and with every inch of the stretch as I impaled her, she moaned and breathed frantically, overwhelmed with the tension. My dick was so hard it hurt, but I gritted my teeth and avoided rushing it. I wanted to savor every second, every moment of her gloving me so tightly. All the sensations of her small body seated on mine, lax and trusting and so warm to hold.
“Yes, Dante,” she replied once she caught her breath.
I was all the way in, and I let her acclimate to the fullness while I cupped her breasts and rubbed and tugged at her nipples. Kissing along her neck, I tasted the essence of her surrender.
“How about this?” I teased, pushing her hips so I could slide out of her, then slam back in.
She cried out, so loud anyone outside this suite could hear. “Yes!”
“Watch us, Nina. Watch how we fit.” I urged her to lean forward, resting her hands on my knees. With her slanted forward, she could arch her back and push her ass toward me, meeting me thrust for thrust.
I held her thighs, gripping her legs to force them apart. Her breasts jiggled and swayed. Her pussy clenched around my hardness. And with a few more faster thrusts, I pushed her over the edge.
“That’s it. Just like that.”
She groaned, trembling and losing her strength to brace herself over me like this. Before she fell, quivering and shaking as her orgasm overwhelmed her, I hugged her back to me and pushed into her sweet pussy three more times. That was all it took to make me lose my load. I flooded her with my hot cum, and with each pulsing jerk, I dug my fingers into her hips and secured her down on my lap with no gap between us.
For several long moments, we sat there united. She lay against me, limp and sated as I rubbed her upper arm and helped her come down from the high of her climax. Eventually, we’d need to get up, to clean off the mess and get out of here. Right now, I was content to stare at our reflections and admire the union of my dick deep inside her.
After all the waiting and denying, all the suspense and resistance we instated between us, we were left without a single word. We didn’t need any words, either. We’d fallen, mutually surrendered together to this unshakable need that burned from the instant we ran into each other.
But I finally broke the silence. “Get the black gown,” I told her, looking forward to seeing her at the Sarround Gala at my side.