Ways To Ruin A Royal Reputation (Mills & Boon Modern) (Signed, Sealed…Seduced, Book 1) by Dani Collins (best ebook reader ubuntu .txt) 📗

“I took the job and slept with you. I caused us to be seen. I know how much of this is on me and that’s hard, too. I’m worried about how our efforts to turn this around will pan out.”

“It’s going to be harder if we’re fighting, no?”

“Whose fault is that?” she admonished, but grew pliant, leaning her thighs against his.

“Guilty.” He let his fingers fan out to graze the upper curve of her backside. “Maybe we should kiss and make up. For the sake of our image.”

“Humph.” Her lips twitched. “Here in the privacy of this bedroom? Where no one can see us? A strong brand has to be reinforced consistently.”

“Ooh. More shop talk, amata mia.” He nuzzled his mouth into her throat, groaning with mock lust. “It makes me so hot.”

She laughed and tried to shrug away from his tickling kiss. “Does it? Because I was going to say that I’m currently with the only man who interests me, but okay. Let me tell you about shareable infographics.”

He lifted his head, accosted by the most intense flush of pleasure. The kind that should have had an orgasm as its source. And yes, he hoped to experience one of those very soon, but this was even more deeply affecting because it wasn’t a biological reaction. It was an expansive, chaotic and thrilling reaction to a throwaway remark she had buried in nonsensical teasing. It was terrifying how much it meant to him.

“What?” she asked, smile faltering.

“Nothing.” He cupped her cheek and set his mouth across hers, the avaricious beast in him howling to consume her, but something soft and equally ravenous urged him to be tender. To savor as he plundered. To pour himself into her even as he felt her start of surprise and tasted her broken sigh of capitulation.

Amy had been confused after their rooftop discussion, coming away wondering if she was allowing herself to be used again. She had wanted desperately to reach out to her friends to start putting all of this into perspective.

Neither had been available and for a few minutes, when she’d come back to the lounge, things between her and Luca had seemed to devolve into chaos. She had stalked up here insulted and filled with misgivings and now...

Now she was more confused than ever.

If he was using her, it was in the most tender way possible. His kiss was fierce and insatiable and shatteringly gentle. He was treating her like she was precious and irresistible. He unraveled her ability to think clear thoughts.

She knew nothing but her body and the feel of him where he touched her. The fingerprints he traced on her cheeks near her ear, the playful scrape of his teeth on her bottom lip, the brush of his thighs against hers and the wonderous way he cradled her breast.

The onslaught wasn’t only physical. There was tremendous emotion welling in her as she heard his muted groan ring in his chest. She thrilled to the press of his erection into her middle and sighed with adoration when he touched his lips to her brow.

And she trembled. It was nearly too much, the way he made her feel so beautiful and treasured at once. The way he had shared his struggle. She felt it in the brief bite of his fingertips into her hips before he slowly eased her clothing away. Tasted it like whiskey on his tongue when he made love to her mouth before he kissed the nipples he’d exposed and slowly, erotically, made her writhe with need by sucking on them.

“Luca,” she gasped.

His eyes were incandescent as he backed her toward the bed. Then he was over her, both of them with their clothing askew, but neither was willing to break apart to undress completely.

“I need you to take me inside you. I need that like I need air to breathe,” he said, making her shiver.

With damp eyes, she nodded, needing it too. Needing the physical closeness to seal the schism that had been wrought by the betraying photo and everything that had come after.

Moments later, he had sheathed himself and, both still half-dressed, disheveled and frantic, they came together with a shudder of grand surrender to the passion they couldn’t resist.

He held himself inside her as he brushed her hair from where it was caught on her eyelashes. She turned her mouth into the flexing curve of his biceps, tasting his skin and feeling drunk.

“I don’t know if I’ll ever be able to live without this.” As the words left her, she realized she had spoken them aloud.

She saw the beast then. Caught the flash of feral possessiveness before his mouth was at the corner of hers, soft and tender and sweet again.

“Be with me now,” he commanded.

He began to move. She had no choice but to lose herself to the exaltation that was the result of their lovemaking. The pleasure lifted her even as it seemed to strip her of any outer, protective layers, until she was nothing but pure being. Pure reaction.

Undone and completely vulnerable.

But he took care of her. Such care. Drawing her to the peak with those kisses of reverence and blatant hunger. Watching her with such pride and pleasure in her joyous ascent to climax.

“I want you with me,” she gasped.

“I’m right here.” His voice seemed to speak inside her head, they were so attuned.

And then they were splintering together, writhing and groaning and throbbing in perfectly synchronized culmination.

It was so powerful and magnificent, she couldn’t open her eyes after. She stayed in that state of mutual bliss for ages, convinced they were actually one being.

“That was incredible,” he whispered when they finally disengaged. He discarded the condom and they shifted to a more comfortable position. His fingers sifted through her hair then settled against her scalp, tangled in the strands. “Green-eyed monster slayed. I was a fool to think any man from your past could have any bearing on what we have.”

His words should have been reassuring, but