Page 268 of Modern Romance January 2025 5-8

His mind shouted it. After this, she would be his. Celeste was in his blood. He was marked. He lowered his head to the crook of her neck, kissing her there. Sucking on the skin. Now she was marked too.

A coiling began at the base of his spine. He would not last much longer. It was beyond any comprehension that she should feel this good, that she would affect him so. But he felt her arch under him, felt her tightening hold around his hardness, and knew she was equally affected.

He held her to his body, his pace becoming rapid. They were soaring together, and they would fall together. It was never something he’d needed before, but this time was different.

‘With me,tesoro.’ He could hear the strain in his own voice. Barely a breath or pant or a growl and yet, somehow, all three.

And then she was right there with him.

His rhythm faltered as she squeezed around him, calling his name as—just like a firework exploding brilliantly and loudly in the night sky—they burst in rapture so intense it had Enzo seeing stars.

In the aftermath, the room was silent save for their breaths. Enzo had lost touch with time, not knowing how long it was before he could gather himself enough to slide out of Celeste and look down at her. She was beaming at him, and he kissed her temple in a tender touch that he didn’t think came naturally to him.

‘We should do that again,’ she said before he could ask how she felt. The real Celeste, never failing to surprise him.

He laughed, eyes crinkling, feeling lighter than he had in an age. ‘I concur.’

‘Smart of you to agree with me,’ she teased.

He kissed her passionately, tugging on her lip with his teeth. As he got out of bed, he knew he wasn’t anywhere close to done. He wanted to keep Celeste in his bed all day, and that was exactly what he was going to do.

Charlotte watched Enzo disappear into the bathroom. She lay back on the pillows, taking in the room for the first time. The giant vase of flowers in the corner, another on the coffee table. Framed artwork hanging on the various walls. It felt wrong that the world around her should seem so unchanged when her own had been changed irrevocably.

Enzo had been so thoughtful with her and yet so powerful. A perfect summation of the man she knew. He had more power than most people could even dream of, was ruthlessly efficient in business. And yet, hadn’t he shown his thoughtfulness in small ways over the years? With his mother and her kitchen, with Charlotte.

‘What are you thinking so hard about?’

Charlotte gave a small start and turned to look at the man himself, leaning casually against the doorframe.

‘We need to put a bell around your neck,’ she said.

He pushed off the wall and stalked to the bed, sliding between the sheets and pulling her close. He took one of her hands in his and placed it on his neck.

‘This space is reserved.’ His light kiss made Charlotte melt into him. ‘But I believe I asked you a question.’

Charlotte thought about lying but found herself wanting to tell him the truth. ‘I was just thinking about you. This... What we did.’

‘Do you regret it?’ Despite the way Enzo held her, caressing her skin, his light touches, she could see caution in his gaze.

‘No.’ She shook her head. ‘Is it always like this?’ She hated that she had to ask at all. That her life hadn’t really been hers to live. That even before Grant, she’d had to maintain a certain amount of caution. It had been a necessary part of being who she was. There was always someone who would want her for her family’s money, so making them wait for her to be ready to share such a physical connection kept her safe. It weeded out those who weren’t worthy. Who she couldn’t trust. Of course, the list of people she could trust had shortened drastically over the years.

But it was different with Enzo. She didn’t mind asking him. She only hoped the answer wouldn’t be something to make her run.

Enzo brushed her hair back away from her face. ‘No,tesoro, it’s never like that.’

It wasn’t just the answer—it was the fact that he answered honestly that settled her.

‘You are incredible,’ he said.

‘Why do I feel like there’s abutcoming?’ she joked.

‘I don’t understand why I was your first.’

That was a fair question. She was a twenty-five-year-old woman who was a PA to one of the most powerful men in the world. Academically, she had achieved so much, and in working at De Luca and Co. her business acumen had only grown, but she had stagnated in this one area of her life.

‘Because I was running from it. At first sex was a test to see if someone would stay with me on my terms. Respectmeenough to respect my wishes.’

‘I take it there were those who chose to leave,’ Enzo guessed.