Chapter 7 Lorenzo
LORENZO
Holy shit. What just happened?
I mean, I know what happened. The strongest, most beautiful, and witty woman I’ve ever met came like a goddess and fell apart in my arms. She’s still shaking from the earth-shattering orgasm she just had, but I feel like a monster.
Untangling myself from my sexy siren, I take a step back, feeling shame pour over me like ice water. She’s vulnerable, not to mention trapped in here with me, and I mauled her like the rabid beast I am. Jesus, I’m fucked up.
“Sorry,” I choke out, unable to look Florence in the eye. “I shouldn’t have… I’m sorry.”
Before I can make an even bigger fool out of myself, I turn on my heel and head toward the bathroom. “I’m going to shower,” I call out over my shoulder. I’m not sure if she heard me or not, but she’ll figure it out when the water starts running.
I tear at my clothes, feeling suffocated by the fabric. God, I can’t even fucking look at myself in the mirror as I step into the cold shower, letting the sting of the icy water pelt my skin.
I was so sure Florence was feeling what I was feeling, her urgent cries of pleasure encouraging me to go further, take more and more, but… I couldn’t live with myself if she felt like I was taking advantage of her. “Idiot,” I mutter to myself while splashing more cold water on my face.
After a few minutes, I step out of the shower and towel off.
I can’t avoid her, especially since it’s now my job to protect her.
I’m done lying to myself or pretending like this is all about the documents.
It’s not. It hasn’t been since the first moment I laid eyes on the curvy angel with bright red hair and a grin that makes me weak.
I look at my suit pants and button-up shirt in a wrinkled heap on the floor of the bathroom, frowning.
I can't put them back on in that condition.
While I haven't been to this particular safe house, I know we keep the kitchen stocked with food and the closets filled with clothes in an assortment of sizes and styles.
Luckily, there's a small linen closet in here that has joggers and a black T-shirt in my size.
It's far more casual than my custom-tailored suits, but it will have to do.
Drying off my hair, I slip on the clothes and steel myself for whatever is on the other side of the door.
I peek my head out, looking around the small space for Florence. When I don’t immediately spot her, I fling the door open and stomp into the living room. Did someone kidnap her in the five minutes I was in the shower? Oh, Jesus, did she leave?
When I catch sight of her, my heart sinks to the floor and splinters into a million pieces.
Florence is curled up in the bed, a blanket wrapped tightly around her while she makes a concentrated effort to ignore me.
Shit, I messed everything up. I’m a fucking monster.
I don’t deserve to be in the same room as this goddess, but I have no other choice.
She can hate me, but I will keep her safe at all costs.
I return to the linen closet where I find a spare pillow and several blankets.
I notice Sprinkles yawning from his spot in the laundry basket outside the bathroom.
He gives me some serious side-eye and I back away slowly, not wanting to anger the little demon.
He seems satisfied after I leave his immediate presence. I’ll take that as a win.
Once back in the living room, I spread one blanket out on the floor, close to the door so I’ll be alerted immediately if someone tries walking in. As I set the pillow down and get ready for a sleepless night, Florence stirs in bed.
I’m almost afraid to look up, but I can’t help it. She sits up and scoots to the edge of the bed, her eyes red and puffy from crying. I did that to her. I’m a fucking lowlife degenerate for causing her pain.
Beneath her barely contained tears, I see a fire in her emerald eyes. Good. I deserve her wrath.
“Do you regret kissing me that much? Are you really so disgusted by me that you can’t even share the same bed after what we did?”
I blink a few times, not sure I heard her correctly. Florence puffs her chest out and holds her chin up, trembling though it may be. She thinks I’m disgusted by her? What the fuck…?
I drop the pillow and blanket, closing the distance between us in three long strides.
Florence stands up when I get to her, crossing her arms over her chest. She’s trying to keep herself together, shaking with the effort of protecting herself from me.
My chest aches knowing I made her feel rejected.
“I will never regret kissing you,” I tell her firmly, staring down into those endless green eyes.
“I thought…” I look away, rubbing the back of my neck as I search for the right words.
“I thought I was taking advantage of you. I was disgusted at myself for pressuring you into something you weren’t ready for. ”
“Who said I wasn’t ready? I was an equal participant in everything that happened. A willing participant,” she clarifies.
My gaze meets hers, and thank Christ, she has a playful spark shining just beneath the surface.
“Thank fuck,” I reply, some of the tension in my neck and shoulders relaxing. “Everything about you calls to me, angel. It has since day one.” Never again will my woman feel unwanted. I could punch myself in the goddamn face for making her doubt herself.
“That would have been nice to hear after my first kiss. Instead, I was left breathless and abandoned on a desk while you sulked off to the bathroom. What else was I supposed to think?”
“I’m so sorry,” I tell her earnestly, begging her to believe me. I take a step closer, breathing in her peaches and cream scent and searching her eyes for her true feelings. I finally process the entirety of what she just said. “First kiss?”
Florence’s cheeks turn pink and then crimson as she bows her head, breaking eye contact. I cup the side of her face, gently drawing her gaze back to mine.
“I had no idea,” I murmur. “Thank you for trusting me, for sharing that part of yourself with me. I’m sorry I messed everything up.” I’m an idiot, but for entirely different reasons than I previously thought.
“I just need you to talk to me. We have to communicate,” she says softly. “And don’t leave me,” she adds.
“Never,” I vow, dipping my head and brushing my nose against hers.
She’s holding her heart in her hands, presenting it to me even though I’m an undeserving oaf who doesn’t know how to handle something so precious.
“I’ve wanted you for longer than you know,” I murmur against her lips. “I’ll show you how much if you let me.”
Florence nibbles on her bottom lip, drawing my attention there. I comb my fingers through her silky locks, giving her time to decide. “Show me. Don’t hold back. I want it all.”
I hum in approval and wrap her long, red hair around my fist, pulling her head back before sealing my mouth over hers. I slide my tongue past her lips and dive into her depths, tasting every inch of her, claiming every inch of her, whether she knows it or not.
Florence fists my shirt and pulls me closer. She wraps her arms around my neck as I slide my hands down her body and grip her ass, grinding her against my swollen dick.
“How do you want me to show you, beautiful? With my fingers?” I brush the back of my knuckles over her cheek and across her jaw, then drop my hand down and wrap my fingers around her throat, in a light hold.
“Or maybe my tongue?” I ask, pulling her towards me by her neck so I can lick the seam of her lips.
“Or are you ready for more? Do you want me to show you who you belong to, Florence?”
Wide, green eyes peer into the very depths of my blackened soul, shining light into the shadows and giving me my first taste of hope in decades.
I wait for her to wrap her mind around everything that’s happened between us.
I’m barely able to comprehend it myself, but I know I can’t ever be without this woman. I pray that she feels the same way.
“I meant what I said. I want it all. Everything you have to offer. I trust you,” she whispers.
This time, I don’t hesitate. I know exactly what she’s asking for.
I lift Florence in my arms and set her at the foot of the bed.
Pressing my lips to hers, I kiss her softly while slipping my hands barely underneath the hem of her shirt.
My fingers play with the waistband of her leggings, dipping inside and caressing her sensitive skin and then pulling away.
Florence shudders, but I keep kissing and teasing her, working her up, and letting her know she’s worth me taking the time.
Slowly, I continue my exploration, inching her shirt up higher and higher while I kiss down her neck, lower and lower. Finally, I pull back just enough to slip the fabric over her head, revealing her perfect breasts. I kiss them, too.
My mouth never leaves her skin as I kneel in front of her, catching the elastic waistband of her leggings between my teeth. I pull it and release, letting it snap against her soft belly. Florence inhales sharply and rests her hands on my shoulders to help keep her balance.
I peel off her pants, kissing every new inch of smooth skin as it's exposed to me.
All that's left is a scrap of pink cotton covering her hot little pussy.
I can see she's already dripping, and fuck if that doesn't have the beast in me roaring to life.
I want to fuck that cunt. I want to shred the offending garment and shove my dick so deep inside that she'll never want anyone else.
I watch the wet spot on her panties grow bigger, and I can’t stop myself from leaning forward and sucking her essence from the fabric.
“Lorenzo!” Florence whimpers, her fingers digging into my shoulders.
I grunt and grip her hips, stopping her from squirming. I know I need to pull back to get the last piece of fabric off her, but it feels physically impossible for me to be separated from her even that much.