My face became impossibly hot, even when Nino looked as if we were talking about what we’d have for dinner tonight.
“I’m not sure my body is capable of finding anything pleasurable,” I whispered.
Nino angled his body to the side and slowly reached for my ankle. I tensed briefly, more out of confusion than anything else. He paused, his eyes narrowing, and when I relaxed, his fingers brushed my ankle before he cupped my heel. He began to apply light pressure with his fingers as he stroked the underside of my calf and looked into my eyes. His fingers never reached higher than my calf, but the touch seemed to send tingles up my knee, my thigh, and straight to my core.
My eyes wandered over to Nino as he stroked me, over his strong arms, his muscled chest, and his ripped stomach. After a while, my breathing picked up, and the tingling increased until I could feel wetness gather between my legs. Startled, I rocked my hips lightly.
Nino let go of my calf, his mouth curling at the corner. “I think your body will adjust well to pleasure.”
My cheeks heated even more, but more than embarrassment, I felt relief. Nino swallowed once before he murmured, “Now that your body is already aroused, it would make sense for you to explore yourself.”
“You want me to touch myself?”
“Yes,” he rasped. “Not here. Somewhere private, where you feel relaxed. I would recommend you focus on your clit at first. Try to rub it lightly with two fingers, and if you feel close to release, you can try to dip a bit lower and give your labia some attention. That’s a spot many women are very sensitive, some even favor it over their clit. I don’t think you will feel comfortable with a finger inside you yet, but it would add to the overall pleasure.”
My center had become warmer and even wetter, hearing his deep voice.
“It would also help if you imagine something that arouses you.”
“You,” I burst out, feeling suddenly emboldened.
Nino heaved a deep breath and something in his eyes shifted. “If that helps, yes. Imagine me.” His voice had dropped lower than ever before, and a slight stiffness had taken hold of his upper body. Confused, I was about to ask if I had offended him somehow when I registered the way his swim trunks tented.
I sucked in a breath. A flicker of fear coursed through me, but I was far more curious than afraid.
“I told you I desire you,” he murmured. “And if you want to explore physical options, you’ll have to get over your fear of my erection.”
“I’m not scared,” I said then amended my words because of his no lying rule. “Mostly.”
He rose to his feet, and again, my eyes were drawn to his groin area. “Why don’t you go into our bedroom and do what I suggested and find some relief?”
“What about you?”
“I’m going to seek relief as well,” he said matter-of-factly.
Would you prefer if I sated my sexual drive somewhere else? I’d said yes on our wedding night.
“Where?” I asked.
He didn’t say anything, only watched me with cold intensity.
I stood as well because it made me feel stronger, even if Nino still towered a head over me. “I don’t want you to seek out other women anymore.”
There. I said it. And relief washed over me. It had bothered me for a while, ever since I realized I wanted this marriage to be more than about necessity. I wasn’t sure how they handled things here in Las Vegas, if maybe he never meant to be faithful, if he expected to keep sleeping around simply because he could, but it wasn’t something I could ever accept if we really moved our relationship to a physical level.
Nino regarded me. “So you want me to seek you out to satisfy my sexual needs?” His voice held a strange note, and he took a step toward me.
There was the hint of curiosity in his eyes. This was him conducting an experiment, I realized. I’d learned to read him much better. I stood my ground and didn’t back away. He moved even closer until I could almost feel the heat radiating off his body. He wasn’t touching me.
“Eventually, yes,” I said quietly. “Obviously I’m not able to do it yet.” To be honest, I wasn’t sure I’d ever be able to do it, but I wanted to.
“So until you feel ready, you suggest I get myself off with my own hands?”
I frowned. Was he mocking me? Or being serious? It was so hard to tell because he’s said it dryly, without the hint of emotion. Suddenly, I felt foolish for having brought up the matter. This was Las Vegas, he was a Falcone, and despite his consideration toward me so far, he was still a man used to having women, money, and power at his disposal. Why should he give up one for me? I meant nothing to him. I was a pawn in this game for power.