My fingers find the rosary around my wrist, fingering it in a nervous habit I developed.
“Do you want to head to Copley Place?” Her eyes turn to me and I can see her ready to challenge me but instead she bites back whatever remark she was going to say and only gives me a soft nod of her head. Deciding to be agreeable or maybe actually liking my choice.
I want to know what’s wrong with her but we don’t have enough time to dig into everything that is happening.
The traffic isn’t bad, fifteen minutes and we’re parked in the lot below.
Ilaria hasn’t spoken on the ride but we both have so much to think about and process I’m not going to hold her quietness against her. My own mind was going over opening night for the club and trying to figure out what to do about all the wedding arrangements.
So much is changing and I’m not sure how to keep up.
Inside the shopping plaza she looks around once before forming a plan in her mind. Which is good because I’m lost, a bit overwhelmed by everything.
“Follow me.”
Her demand is easy and I’m her shadow as she moves around the place like it’s her second home. I’m not quite sure what to make of it but I’m very glad for the success of my family with how at ease she seems to be about shopping.
Ilaria spends money without even thinking about it. She glances at things, picks them up and swipes a card without seeming to hear the prices of the outfits.
I follow her into Alexander McQueen, watch her pick out a dress and spend $3400 on it without thinking. She spends $3600 on some new shoes, $6,500 at Neiman Marcus in a blink of an eye.
All these dollar signs and she hasn’t made a face like she’s liked a single thing yet.
When she is done spending money she looks at me like she is bored by it all. As if all that she just spent doesn’t matter. That all the pretty things she picked out were just okay.
I’m confused.
“We’re going to do three outfit changes for the photos. Something casual you know a jean and t-shirt, maybe something Boston sports so it’s fun local stuff. We will have a more dressed look, like our brunch look but maybe elevated a bit. And a final look we are going to do in your office. Something that shows you working on building your empire and me, your faithful little mouse, squeaking in the corner.”
My heart jolts as she calls herself my little mouse.
Her eyes are on her phone and she sighs, content with whatever she has just done. Her head turns, looking at me, still frozen from her comment.
“Can I drive, Dante?” The way she looks at me, my hands full from the money she spent, tilting her head I realize she’s trying to flirt with me, “Please?” Her pretty little mouth forms a pout, all pink and kissable as she looks at me with those blue eyes of hers.
One word shouldn’t make my mouth water. Or make my cock stiffen. I wanted to reach down and adjust myself but I wouldn’t give the minx the satisfaction of knowing how she got to me.
Ilaria would never let me hear the end of it.
“Maybe you can earn it, principessa.” I take a step towards her, watching the way she gives me a short look of displeasure.
So used to getting her own way hearing any form of no has her thinking of how to get back at me.
But instead of asking what she could do to earn it Ilaria turns walking towards the car, texting on her phone and acting like I don’t exist.
My anger spikes as she ignores me, leaning against the car as I fill the trunk with the money that she spent so easily.
I’m not going to let her get away with ignoring me.
Ilaria looks up as I slam my hand against the top of the car, her eyes on mine as I cage her in with my body pushing against hers. Her head tilting to the side as she blinks at me, something is spinning in her head. I can see her thinking and I want to know everything that goes on in her mind.
Everyone is entitled to their thoughts but Ilaria needs to be mine in all things. Her thoughts included.
“I was going to say we should do this back at the penthouse but if you can’t wait.”
She trails off, catching me off guard as her hands slide up, over my chest, hands slipping behind my neck as she pulls me down close to her mouth.
I can taste the mint of the gum she was chewing, spearmint.
Her blue eyes search mine like she’s checking in with me like I should be doing to her. Instead one of my hands slide off the roof of the car, pulling her to me by her hip, letting my fingers form a fist as I bunch the silk of her dress, watching it pull up. I drag my hand, exposing her knees and then some thigh so that I can fit between them easier.
Ilaria’s tongue darts out, wetting her lips as my movement stops, locked in on the target as she lets out just the softest whimper like she realized what was about to happen. But before I can bring our lips together she is pushing up, pressing her pink lips to mine.
I’m caught off guard.
My eyes stay open as I watch her, her eyes closing as she leans into me, pulling one leg off the ground. My hands on it, tugging at her thigh as I pushed her back against the car, letting her wrap her legs around my waist. Her feet are off the ground as we push together, getting lost.
Lost in her. Lost in a moment.
The kiss isn’t sweet.
It goes from a test of a kiss, to our tongues sliding over each other. Ilaria is gentle as she slips her tongue through my lips and I let her explore before pressing my tongue along hers, rolling it over the minty freshness of her mouth.
She’s god damn delicious.
I groan, a hand slips off her thighs and buries into her brown hair, tugging until her bun falls out and I can lock my fingers in the silky locks of the curls that have me hypnotized.
Hips grind into hers, the dress bunched around her thighs as I deepen this kiss, making out with her like a frantic teenager who can’t get enough.
