Page 201 of Modern Romance January 2025 5-8

She saw his eyes draw nearer, felt the warmth of his skin even before their lips had met, and she knew she was about to be kissed.

It was thrilling, even though she’d been kissed by Dante many times. This kiss was soft, as were his hands, and feeling his mouth on hers caused an involuntary sob...

She revelled in his citrussy cologne and the warm caress of his tongue, in how he stroked the side of her aching breast as her arms coiled around his neck. His head moved down and he took her breast in his mouth. She heard herself moan again, felt the slide of his hands on her hips, the tempo moving to a mutual urgency.

He pulled the pillows from the bed and she lay beneath him. And even though he moved to his elbows it was the lower weight of him that had her breathless. His hungry kiss made her feel as if she were being crushed by desire.

‘Dante...’

His mouth was at her ear, kissing the shell, and there were myriad sensations. His thigh was between her legs, and she was already parting them, and his groan as he squeezed inside her spoke for them both.

She arched up and pressed her hands into him, her body begging for urgent relief, but his thrusts were slow and measured.

‘Slow down,’ he told her, denying her haste.

‘I can’t.’

She spoke not just for her body, but for every part of her. She did not know how to slow things down now he’d appeared in her life. She was aching with desire, tearful at the prospect of missing him, and reckless with her heart. All Susie knew was that she wanted more than she’d had. It was as if everything was in tune—as if loneliness had been banished and she could not hold back.

And suddenly she felt a rush of fury that he was holding back, taking her slowly. So she arched again, impatiently. ‘Please...’

And at her urging Susie found out just how much he’d been holding back.

He took her with an intensity she hadn’t realised until now that she craved.

‘Suuu-zeee...’ he said, as perfectly as he had that first night, calling her name as only he could. Filling her, consuming her, and making her temporarily his.

And she didn’t want it to be over, didn’t want their time to end. Her eyes flicked open, only to be met by his.

A single look that evoked a thousand questions.

‘How?’ she asked as he took her.

For a second she thought he might answer her nonsensical question, but instead Dante closed his eyes, and went back into his head.

‘How...’ she demanded and if she had nails, they would have dug in his back, but instead she clung on. She kissed his salty shoulder and wanted to bite. Again fury rushed through her—for how could he want her in this moment, then say goodbye the next.

And it was goodbye, for he was releasing into her.

Howcould they be over, she wanted to beg, but there were no words left. Feeling him come, hearing his passionate shout had her fury twisting into desire, delivering an orgasm so deep it took all thought away.

When her eyes opened she saw his were closed as she dragged breath back into her lungs.

‘How?’ Susie asked again, as intimate pulses faded.

Of course he didn’t answer.

Dante rarely allowed emotion in the bedroom.

Pleasure, yes.

But his heart had been sealed so long ago he’d forgotten it existed.

Yet it had emerged in recent days and now it thumped in his chest.

He took in a deep breath, knowing there was no way ahead for them.

He’d heard her question.