Page 172 of Modern Romance January 2025 5-8

SUSIEWOKEWITHher face buried in the side of Dante’s chest, and it took her a moment to work out not so much where she was, but how they’d made it to his bed.

He’d carried her.

All limp and sated from her first orgasm.

He had carried her here, and then they’d done it again.

With Susie on top.

Gosh.

She rolled onto her back and saw stars. Literally. His ceiling was an artwork of stars and moons and angels and just so many beautiful things that she thought she could stare for ever as she remembered last night.

And then what had mattered little last night suddenly mattered a lot, and she screwed her eyes closed.

Oh, God. They hadn’t used anything.

‘I know.’ His deep voice answered her frantic thoughts and she turned anxious eyes towards him. ‘Common sense seems to have eluded us both last night.’

‘I can’t believe it,’ she groaned. ‘I mean...’ She had known they were unprotected, and so had he! ‘I’m usually so careful.’

‘You said you were on the pill.’

That’s right...

Somewhere before their second time they’d both rather feebly addressed the matter.

‘I am.’

Susie nodded. She was more cross with herself than him. Or simply stunned that she, Susie Bilton, could so completely lose her head.

‘Then we have nothing to worry about. I’ve never had unprotected sex.’ Perhaps he saw the doubt creep into her eyes, because he added, ‘Susie, last night really was an anomaly.’ He seemed to consider. ‘Maybe it’s because...’ His voice trailed off as he attempted to rationalise what had occurred. ‘The change in routine.’ He turned and gave a slow, triumphant smile. ‘That must be it.’

‘That is the most ridiculous excuse ever,’ she chided lightly. ‘So, I’m a change in routine?’

‘You are.’

‘I’m not sure I want to know your usual routine.’

He gave a soft laugh. ‘I meant I’ve never brought a lover here...’

‘Never?’

‘Absolutely not—you saw what that waiter was like this morning...way too interested...’

‘It was lovely, though, wasn’t it?’ Susie said.

‘Very,’ Dante agreed, although he didn’t tend to discuss such events afterwards.

He was about to climb from the bed. Do his usual and offer coffee, to be polite, in the hope that she’d say no. Especially as—bonus—he didn’t have any milk.

It didn’t feel like a bonus, though.

The bonus was her wide-eyed smile.

‘Twice,’ she said, and took a happy breath.

Yet still he lay there.