Lover in Lingerie (Lingerie 15)

Maybe even respect me.

Because I looked him in the eye and said I loved her. I didn’t flinch or blink, meaning it from the bottom of my heart. Being loved by a powerful man like me wasn’t the worst thing in the world, regardless of how I earned my money.

And it would be hypocritical for him to think otherwise.

Perhaps Crow’s relationship with his son-in-law had paved the way for my success.

But Cane Barsetti was no longer the problem. It was Carmen Barsetti. She had a perfect picture in her mind of what she wanted her husband to be like. She wanted a quiet and simple life, four kids running around while she took care of them. If I couldn’t offer her that, it would never work.

But maybe I was prepared to offer her that. The picture wouldn’t look exactly as she imagined, but it would be as close as I could possibly make it.

I almost forgot what Ronan said. “They just care about her. I can’t hate a man for that.”

“Still stupid to march down here.”

“They had no other choice. They can’t reach me any other way, and a phone call is cowardly.”

“And you aren’t going to tell Carmen?”

I told her everything, but I would keep this secret to myself. I wouldn’t want her to know that her father overstepped his bounds. It might create problems between them, and that’s not what I wanted. She wore that diamond necklace around her throat just because he gave it to her. Her love for him was written all over her face. I was never threatened by their relationship. I just wanted to be welcome in their circle. “I think her father respects me a little.”

“I doubt it’s very much. You did force her at one point.”

“But I was honest about it. And I was honest with my feelings now.”

He grinned. “My big brother is in love. Who would have thought that would happen?”

I drank from my glass then licked my lips. “Certainly not me.” I’d been with beautiful women all my life. They were lovely people with kindness in their hearts. Even the ones who wanted me for my money weren’t bad. But Carmen had something the others didn’t…and that was why everything changed.

“So, what now?”

Carmen was home at that very moment, waiting for me to return to the penthouse so she could finally go to sleep. Sometimes I stayed out a little later just because it made me feel more powerful. This woman was at my mercy, and I liked seeing how much she needed me. “I give her a reason to stay.”

I watched her through the window for a moment, seeing the way she worked in her shop. She was focused on her job, grabbing handfuls of flowers and throwing together beautiful arrangements like it wasn’t a challenge at all.

My objective was to go in there and actually talk to her, but I was so entertained that I chose to stay put. I watched the way her fingertips tucked her hair behind her ear, the way her beautiful cheeks were revealed, slightly rosy from her makeup. She did her eye makeup differently today, giving it a smoky look that was innately sexy. She wore light colored jeans that were skintight, brown boots, and a loose sweater that still managed to capture her curves. She was beautiful and classy, a queen without a crown.

Minutes passed before I finally crossed the street and entered her shop. The place smelled like fresh flowers right after the rain, along with her perfume. My footsteps sounded against the tile, and I slowly moved up behind her.

She set down her shears and pulled off her gloves before she looked at me. “How may I—” Surprise entered her gaze before it quickly changed to joy. A soft smile appeared on her red lips, her eyes softening at the same time.

I pressed her against the counter and slid my hand into her hair as I kissed her. The public could watch us through the windows, but I didn’t care. My hand glided up under her sweater, and I felt her tummy underneath. My cock was hard from watching her from across the street, and I wanted her to feel it, to know I wanted her all the time. My kisses moved to her neck, and I gave her soft embraces, my warm breath moving across her skin. She’d told me not to make an appearance here again, but since Griffin knew about us, there was no harm anymore. My lips moved back to hers, and I gave her another kiss before I pulled away.

She was winded by my affection, like always. Her hands rested against my chest, and she wore that sexy look in her eyes, the same expression she showed when she was on her back and her legs were wide apart. “What brings you here?”