Rafe’s fingers kneaded the flesh of her behind as his mouth devoured her heat, his tongue igniting sparks that shot through her limbs. Without conscious thought, she moved her h*ps in rhythm with his tongue, seeking more pleasure.
When he sucked her swollen pearl into his mouth and caressed the flesh with his lips, she shot over the edge, and continued to crash over and over again, her body shaking with the intensity of her release. He slowed his movements, drawing out her pleasure as she cried out, giving her much more than she’d expected considering his state of anger and agitation.
Before the last of her spasms ended, his strong arms lifted her up before he slid out from under her, leaving her gripping the headboard as her body continued to quiver. When he stood she thought he was done with her, but instead, he gripped her legs, twisting her body around so her back was flat against the mattress as he tugged her to the edge of the bed. His pulsing erection poised at her very wet entrance as he loomed above her.
“Don’t ever kiss another man. Not in roulette,” he demanded as he plunged forward. “Not in blackjack.” He slammed hard inside her again. “Not in poker.” He forced his entrance again as she tensed for his anger. “And certainly not for Any…Other…Entertainment.” He bore into her with a momentum unlike anything before, emphasizing each word he spoke with his powerful thrusts — filling her to absolute capacity, rocking her entire body. He pushed her legs up high, exposing her core fully to him as he plunged in and out of her swollen flesh.
“I won’t,” she promised with a moan of painful pleasure.
“You are mine. I want to hear you say it!”
“I’m yours,” she gasped, the pressure building higher within her.
“Say it again!” His movements were furious as he buried himself deep inside her again and again.
“I’m yours, Rafe — only yours,” she cried and her body shattered, the orgasm even more intense than the first.
“I want your beauty all to myself,” he called out as he shuddered, and his body collapsed on top of hers. She knew now how he felt — she felt as if she’d been ripped to shreds and was still searching for the pieces. Being with Rafe was like surviving a class five tornado. They would destroy either everyone and everything around them or each other — maybe both.
“I don’t ever want to find out you’ve been out with another man — do you understand?”
“I already said it was a freak occurrence. I didn’t mean for it to happen,” she answered with exasperation. How many times was he going to bring this up? She just wanted to enjoy the afterglow of some incredible sex, not fight with him over a triviality.
“I’m a possessive man, Ari, and I’m used to controlling my world. You are not making my life easy. You break every rule I set, ignore my wishes and then flaunt your freedom in my face. With you, I do not feel in control, and I’ve had it. I want you to understand that this won’t happen again — or there will be consequences.”
Again, his overbearing attitude just rolled off Ari’s back. Instead of shaking with fury, her body stirred to life, to her utter amazement after two incredibly electrifying orgasms.
As his body melded with hers, the message behind Rafe’s words hit her. Between what his sisters had said and his bizarre behavior, her heart cracked open a bit. Maybe he had been wounded more deeply than she’d thought possible. He did a great job of presenting a cold, calculating face to the world, but in rare moments with her, his mask slipped.
Could it be that he did want love? Was he afraid of being hurt? Could she open up her heart and give him a chance, or would that only end up making her a fool?
All Ari knew was that, in this small moment of time, she was satisfied, mentally and physically. She ran her fingernails across the damp skin of his back, breathed in his spicy scent, and felt her heart beat strongly against his.
She didn’t know how things would progress, but somewhere along the line she’d started to develop feelings for this man of steel. She’d started to let her guard down. He’d been a downright bully, but she couldn’t help but get back to her old habit: dwelling on what ifs…
“If this is your idea of consequences, then maybe I should go look for another drunken bachelor party and have some more pics taken,” she said with a relaxed laugh.
With a furious growl, Rafe pounced, his body pinning her to the bed, the fire blazing again in his eyes. She couldn’t keep the smile from her face as he tried to sear her with his gaze. What brought her joy was the laughter behind the ire. He might have wanted to be angry, but he seemed to be enjoying their moment as much as she was. It appeared that Raffaello Palazzo had a sense of humor.
“You are nothing but trouble,” he accused with a smiling glare.
“I never promised to be anything but trouble,” she reminded him as she pushed her chest against him, loving the feel of his muscular chest rubbing against her peaked ni**les.
“Let’s shower,” he said, surprising her. Before she could agree or refuse him, he was out of the bed and lifting her into his arms.
As the hot water cascaded over them, and her soapy hands massaged his rapidly recovering arousal, Ari couldn’t remember ever being happier. If only this small moment would last forever.
Chapter Twenty-Five
“Hurry up, Ari. You are really dragging today.”
“That’s because you kept me up half the night, and then your brother woke me up way too early, Lia,” she answered grumpily.
“It’s two in the afternoon. You’ve had plenty of time to sleep. We’re in Las freaking Vegas. You can recover once we get back home to our boring lives,” Rachel said.
“I have to go back to work as soon as we’re home. I won’t get to recover even then,” Ari replied, though they did have a point. When would she get to come back to Vegas again? She didn’t see it happening anytime soon.
“We know your boss. We’ll put in a good word for you so you have adequate time to rest,” Lia assured her. If anyone could convince Rafe to give her a day off, it would be one of his sisters. They were the only two she could envision getting their way with Rafe. Ari certainly didn’t win rounds with him often — not once that she could recall.
“OK, let’s go for coffee and then I promise to be in a better mood.”
The three girls made their way across the casino and found a coffee shop; Ari guzzled down her first cup there, then ordered one to go before she let the girls drag her to who knew where next.