Black

Funny, because that’s my favorite thing about him.

Tunneling my fingers in his hair, I pull Rex’s face close to mine. “You shouldn’t say such sweet things,” I whisper against his lips.

“Why not? You deserve them.”

“Because they make me want to take back everything I said before about not being ready for anything more than a physical relationship.”

He smiles as he kisses me. “Then my evil plan is working.”

“Your evil plan is making me want to sample you for breakfast.” My stomach picks that exact moment to let out an unladylike gurgle, and we both laugh.

“Lucky for you I have an entire feast waiting in the other room.”

I slide my hands down his back, my nails digging into his skin, and his eyes glaze over. He stands up and swiftly tugs off his sweats.

“Forget it. The bacon can wait.”

I giggle when he pounces on the bed, but my laughter quickly turns to a moan when his mouth finds my breast.

It’s almost noon by the time I make it to Ambrosi’s, a place I’m not thrilled to be coming back to after what happened with my father last n

ight. Especially since I had to leave Shae. I was supposed to be here thirty minutes ago, but Shae was all soft, warm, and sated in my bed, and after feeding her breakfast I couldn’t help but take her delectable body one more time, in the shower up against the wall—something else she’d never done.

There’s something to be said about introducing a woman to new things, and when you have an eager student like Shae, it makes it even better. I’ve pushed her, trying to find out what her limits are, and I’m learning quickly that Shae doesn’t seem to have many limits. She’s submitted to me several times, allowing me to take the lead sexually, and I’ll be damned if that alone isn’t a fucking turn on.

Which is why it was so difficult to drop her off.

If I could’ve kept her naked in my bed all day, I would’ve, and she wouldn’t have balked. It was me who had plans, and though I’m someone who enjoys work, I found myself wishing I could take a day off and spend it worshiping her body.

“You’re late,” Dante grumbles as I approach the table.

My brother and I are complete opposites. He’s funny and easygoing. I’m sarcastic and uptight. We fight all the damn time, but he’s my best friend, and I know that life or death, he’s got my back.

Ambrosi’s is already bustling, but like always, we have a table reserved for us in the back, away from the prying eyes of society men and women wanting to get a closer look at our family. They’d be saddened to find out that the three of us—Dante, myself, and my mother—are about as far out of the family loop as you can get.

“Sorry. Traffic,” I lie, kissing my mother on the cheek before taking my seat next to Dante.

Isabella Ambrosi is a beautiful woman and damn good mother. Unlike my father, she never missed a little league game, graduation, or special event. She picked me up from school every day, tucked me in every night, and sang to me when I was sick.

I’ve often wondered how she ended up with someone like my father, but every time I try to broach the subject, she blows me off. Where he’s large and arrogant, she’s gentle and kind. They’re complete opposites, but somehow they’ve made it work.

“Hi, sweetie,” she croons. “I hope you don’t mind that I ordered for you.”

“Not at all. Thank you.”

“Pasta three-way, one of your favorites.”

Memories of dinner last night with Shae pop into my head. Her delicate lips wrapping around the fork, the gentle moan she made every time the food hit her mouth, but it’s the smile she had on her face as she fed me bites of her dinner that push their way to the forefront.

Dante slaps my arm. “Dude, what the fuck is your problem?”

“Language,” Mother scolds.

I blink twice. “Nothing.” I clear my throat. “Nothing. Yes, Mother, that’s perfect. Thank you.”

Dante opens his mouth, no doubt to probe me further. He doesn’t miss a damn thing—something he learned from our father.

“Drop it,” I murmur, shaking my head.