10. Lucia
Chapter ten
Lucia
T his kiss might have begun with me reaching for him, but soon Ant’s seizing control. Thick, corded arms tie me to him. And like the earlier kiss, he’s stealing my breath. My body trembles with need as we tease each other with our tongues.
Our breathing fast and heavy, we break apart. “I never realized …” he begins, then stops, leaving the thought unfinished. He searches my gaze for answers, but I’m not sure what the question is.
“I like it when you kiss me,” I admit. It’s the truth, and we’ve always been honest with each other. A clandestine wedding won’t change that.
He runs a finger along my jawline. “And I want to keep kissing you.” His thumb drifts to the corner of my mouth. My lips part when he rubs it gently over the bottom one. “But we should take things slowly.”
“That would be sensible.” My tongue darts out to lick the tip of his thumb before I tease, “Except tonight is our wedding night.”
“What are you asking?” he growls.
I swallow deeply. “I’m asking for more.”
He leans forward, and this time I wait for him to make the first move.
I know what I want, but does Ant want the same?
It’s hard to tell with his face an unreadable mask as he stares at my mouth.
My tongue runs over my bottom lip, following the path of his thumb, tempting him.
And he closes the final inches to press his lips to the pulse point below my earlobe.
My mind short-circuits as he trails scorching kisses down my neck to above my collarbone, where his mouth lingers, sucking gently on the soft skin.
I never knew it could be like this. Kisses so incredibly hot that a wildfire takes hold beneath the surface, and every spot he touches is another ignition point.
With his teeth, he moves the thin strap of my silk slip dress away so he can sprinkle a necklace of kisses along my shoulder. It’s another sexy move, and I realize my previous partners were sadly lacking in them, more focused on getting naked as quickly as possible than a slow seduction.
The strap slips lower down my arm, and so does his mouth, dipping to the swell of my breast. I stretch up higher on my toes, wanting his mouth on the peak.
As I teeter on my heels, he wraps one muscled arm around my waist, pinning our lower bodies together, and I bend backward against it. He won’t let me fall.
Ant stares down at me, embers of heat in the smoky depths of his eyes. My nipple has popped free from the thin veil of silk. “Fuck, you’re gorgeous.” He groans, and I’m sure his erection pressing against my hip grows harder.
Never-ending tingles ripple through me with each swipe of his tongue. And with a flick of Ant’s thumb and forefinger, the other strap falls, releasing the fabric to fall to my waist.
While he sucks on one nipple, his palm massages the soft flesh of the other.
I thread my fingers through his hair, tethering myself to him with handfuls of thick dark brown clumps.
He’s worn it a little longer this last year, so there’s plenty to hold on to.
I like the feel of it almost as much as the stubble on his sharp jaw, which brushes against my breasts as he licks and sucks on the taut peaks.
A whimper wheezes from my chest as his teeth graze over one pebbled tip and waves of desire rush to my core. “That feels amazing.”
“Good,” he growls, lifting his face to mine, “because I don’t want to stop.” Again, he seeks my consent.
“Don’t stop,” I confirm before he sweeps me completely off my feet. My yelp of surprise quickly turns into a giggle as I anchor my legs around his waist, and he walks us into the closest bedroom.
He drops me on top of the king-size bed with a bounce.
His grin holds a promise of more surprises as he stares down at me half naked and laid out before him.
Slowly, he removes his jacket, tossing it across the room to land in a heap on a chair in the corner.
Next, the silver tie is unknotted, dropping to the floor.
Then he’s unbuttoning his shirt, and I hold my breath in anticipation.
I’ve seen Ant bare-chested hundreds of times at the beach, but never with the prospect of being able to run my hands over the contoured muscles.
How did I miss how damn sexy my friend’s body is?
I guess that’s the point; he was my friend, and it felt wrong to ogle him.
But now he’s my husband, and I drink in the sight of him like it’s the first time.
I want to kiss every inch of his bronze skin.
Lick my way up and down every ridge and groove of those toned abs.
A sigh full of desire falls from my lips, bringing a smile to the mouth that, moments ago, was feasting on my tits. I wiggle farther up the bed.
“Where do you think you’re going?” he asks, grinning from ear to ear as he wraps his hands around my calves and pulls me back toward him.
The silk skirt of my dress rides up, bunching at my waist. Ant’s gaze drops to the juncture of my thighs, where a tiny triangle of white lace is all that hides my pussy from him.
“So pretty.” His hands slip down to my ankles slowly, like he’s unsure of his next move.
We’re crossing lines that, up until tonight, we only inched our toes up to. His gaze pins to mine, and a myriad of questions swirl through the gray depths. I lift my leg higher to rest a foot on one shoulder, an unspoken invitation.
My face heats, knowing the thin strip of lace running between my legs has me completely exposed to him.
He bends forward like he needs a closer look, then draws in a deep breath.
Every movement is deliberate and unhurried.
Another wave of fire floods my body, soaking through the sheer fabric of my G-string.
He can probably see my arousal, and my cheeks burn hotter.
“You have the prettiest pussy I’ve ever seen. Even more beautiful than I imagined.”
“You imagined me naked? When?”
For the first time tonight, a flush coats his cheeks under the perma-tan. “I know we’re friends and I shouldn’t have, but you’re a gorgeous woman. It’s hard to ignore that fact. Especially when you’re wearing a skimpy bikini.”
“So you think I’m hot?” I push, leaning up on my elbows, enjoying his revelations.
“Fuck yeah,” he exclaims.
“I guess that makes this all easier.” My grin is so wide it hurts my cheeks.
His brow wrinkles. “Does it? Or does that just complicate everything?”
I shrug, my smile dimming, and I lie back down. He might be right. But he could be wrong. Only time will tell.
All I’m sure of is that the man who has me literally spread out like a holiday feast is my husband, and I want him with a passion that overrides any other rational thoughts. I need more than torrid kisses and steamy stares.
With a wiggle of my hips, I inch along the mattress, closer to him. “Ti prego.” I’m not above begging him to fulfill my needs, especially when I can already tell he’s more than capable.
The consequences will just have to wait until tomorrow.
Antonio understands my not-too-subtle hint and hooks a finger under the strip of lace, then follows it like a guideline up to my clit.
“Ohhh!” I sink into the mattress, my body heavy with need.
And when he runs it back again, the tip of it dipping inside, my eyes flutter closed. I’m soaked.
“Open your eyes, Luce,” he demands, and I do. “Look at how wet you are for me.” He shows me his fingers, liberally coated with my arousal, then brings them to his lips and sucks them clean.
Moans fill the silence, a mingling of his and mine.
“Fuck, you’re delicious,” he mutters before he leans forward to place a kiss on my right hip.
Rip! The thin lace band of my G-string snaps.
My eyes pop wide open. “Did you just break my G-string?”
“It’s quicker than taking it off,” he says with a wink. And I giggle as he does the same to the other side.
“That’s better.” He peels the lace off me, and his irises grow darker. “Now I can see your full beauty.”
He drops his head closer to my pussy, and my hips buck up to meet him halfway. But his mouth doesn’t land where I want him. Instead, he places teasing kisses on my inner thighs. He’s so close that I feel his cool breath on my damp flesh as he swaps from one thigh to the other.
“Antonio?” His name is a breathy request falling from my lips as I embed my fingers in his hair again, forcing him to the juncture of my thighs.
Deep laughter rumbles up from his chest, and I’m about to complain when he lavishes me with a long stroke of his tongue.
My eyelids flutter closed on the wave of pleasure zinging through my body.
I’m already so close to letting go, the ache stretching the muscles of my core like a rubber band pulled too tight.
He licks another wet path to my clit, then flicks his tongue across the hard nub. I’m about ready to drown in the pleasure of his touch, when he stops.
My eyes fly open to find him grinning at me. “You like that, wife?”
I glare at him, tugging on his hair.
“Don’t you dare stop,” I warn, and the only response is a deep, sexy chuckle that turns my bones to jelly.
“Wouldn’t dream of it,” he says before burying his head between my thighs again and placing scratchy kisses on my tender flesh. Flicking his tongue across my clit again, then sucking on it.
My head thrashes from side to side. But when he grazes his teeth right across the nub like he did on my nipples, I explode.
“A-A-Antonio-o-o.” My shout bounces off the walls as my release consumes me. My nails dig deeper into his scalp and my thighs squeeze against his shoulders.
Every muscle in my body clenches as he wrings the orgasm from my body. And when his mouth doesn’t relent and I think I’m going to pass out from the intensity, he plunges two fingers deep inside me.
“Ahhhh.”
I’m climaxing again, gasping in short breaths as he drains every ounce of pleasure from my body. And only when the sounds coming from me are incoherent squeaks does he stop. Finally releasing me from the uncontrolled spasms of my orgasm.
Gasping, I lie limply on the bed, sucking in deep breaths like I’ve just sprinted a one-hundred-meter race.
When I’m able to blink my eyes open, Antonio is kneeling above me, looking down, a self-satisfied smile plastered across his face. His hand rubbing his erection, which is still trapped behind the zipper of his suit pants.
“You look pretty pleased with yourself,” I say in a voice that’s now husky from all my shouting.
“And you look very satisfied.”
“Don’t get too cocky,” I joke, although he has every right to be.
“I’m very cocky around you.” He lifts his hand, showing me the tent of fabric underneath.
“I can see. And what would you like to do about that?”
He chuckles, then stands and walks toward the bathroom. Where is he going?
I drag myself up onto my elbows, and my brow creases into a frown as I stare at the lit doorway he disappeared through. The sound of running water registers before he strolls back in, still wearing his belted pants.
“What are you doing?”
“I’m filling the bath for you,” he says, like it should be obvious to me, and my mouth drops open.
“But …”
He steps closer, reaching his hand down to thread his fingers into my hair, cupping my head and lifting me up to sit on the edge. “Tonight is for you, Lucia.” He kisses me on the forehead.
What? My brow wrinkles as I stare at him, and he deliberately ignores the look.
I stand, placing my hands on my hips. Another move that he chooses to ignore.
“Turn around.”
I’m so shocked by his words, I do as he asks. And his fingers brush against my bare skin as he unzips my dress so it slides over my hips to pool at my feet in a puddle of silk. He sweeps my hair over one shoulder before laying his hands atop them.
Close to my ear, he whispers, “Honestly, I want nothing more than to spend tonight filling your delicious pussy with my cock, watching orgasms turn every inch of your soft skin pink.” His warm breath against my neck, along with his words, sends a shiver skittering down my spine. “But …”
“Why is there always a but ?”
“Because …” He places a light kiss below my earlobe, and I can feel his grin.
“Because I don’t want to screw things up between us.
Today was huge, and we still have the hardest part to come, announcing our marriage to your family and the world.
” He turns me around within the circle of his arms. “Luce, these next few weeks are going to be difficult, and we need to stay strong together against the backlash. Let’s take this slowly. ”
I drop my head on his chest and breathe in the lingering scent of his cologne, a poignant reminder of our friendship.
I know Ant’s right; we should be careful with this newly discovered attraction between us. What’s more important now is that we support each other like we’ve always done.
“Okay,” I whisper into his chest.
He tucks a finger under my chin and lifts my face to his. “Thanks. And thank you for agreeing to be my wife. I’d never want to do this with anyone else.”
My eyes widen. But before I can ask him what that means, he drops his arms to take my hand and leads me into the bathroom.
The bath filled with perfumed bubbles looks inviting, and I guess if my husband isn’t going to be stripping naked and giving me a wedding night to remember, this is the next best thing.
He drops a kiss to my forehead, then leaves me standing there, the door closing with a click behind him.
The woman staring back at me in the mirror is barely recognizable as the same one who stood here earlier today.
My hair is wild, and what remains of my makeup is blotchy.
But it’s the pink marks across my breasts and thighs from my husband that draw my attention.
It wasn’t a dream. Ant really does want me, and my explosive orgasms were evidence that I want him.
I grab a hairband from my makeup bag on the vanity to gather my hair up before stepping into the water. Sinking down into the warmth until the bubbles are tickling my chin. My head lolls back onto the folded towel on the curved edge. Seriously, he thinks of everything.
I’ve married the sexiest, most thoughtful man I know.