Let Me Love You (50)

“I’m going to leave so you can get ready.”

“Because we won’t leave otherwise?” I asked, taken aback by the husky tone of my own voice. That’s what a top-tier, best-in-your-life orgasm will do to you, though. Make someone feel like a sex goddess who can read the phone book and make it sound good. Well, that was my working theory. I’d need a few more orgasms from this man just to be sure.

Enzo’s gaze went to my cleavage. “Because I’ll put a child in your womb if we stay, I can promise you that.”

Ohhh. Well then. I mean . . .

He lifted his chin, eyes moving to the ceiling. “God help me, woman, I don’t know how I’m going to survive this week at my parents’ without touching you.”

“Who says you can’t?”

His attention returned to my face, and he captured the edge of his lip between his teeth. He didn’t answer and only stared at me with a touch of uncertainty in his eyes.

“So, don’t wear the red dress to dinner?” I teased.

“Fire,” he rasped.

Fire, huh? Was he inviting me to play with fire or warning me not to? I didn’t always know when it came to him.

He reached out and yanked the fluffy white cotton free from my body in one fast movement, then flung it to the floor.

A fleet of goose bumps set course, traveling over every inch of my skin as I stood there naked with only my phone in my hand.

“Cold?” His hand smoothed along his hard jawline.

“Yes.”

“Wet?” His gaze fell between my legs, and I was still pink and swollen.

“Very,” I murmured, then caught a whiff of his cologne. He always smelled so damn good. I had no clue how to identify scents, though. Sandalwood? Cedar? Juniper berry? I mean, what in the hell did juniper even smell like? The best I could do was maybe identify lavender and vanilla.

My shoulders slumped. Vanilla had been my life up until Enzo, too. And I didn’t want that. I wanted something dark and spicy. Bold and seductive.

Enzo.

I just wanted Enzo.

“I lost you.” Enzo cupped my chin, reminding me I was still naked and cold. And a bit speechless even though my brain was nonstop all the time.

“I was saying you, uh, smell good, right?”

He smiled. “Maybe you were thinking it.”

“Oh.” My embarrassment came out as a grin, and I probably looked ridiculous. “And what is the cologne you’re wearing?”

He closed one eye as if not sure. “I forgot the name. But it smells like black orchids and notes of truffle, and maybe—”

“Of course, a chef would describe his cologne like it’s food, making me both hungry and . . .” Wanting sex.

I jolted at the sudden rumble of thunder. Had the clouds rolled in while we’d been inside? And why did an impending storm and ominous gray sky feel fitting for today?

He released me. “I should let you get ready.”

“Mm. Yes, please leave me alone while I’m wet and naked.” The taunt tumbled from my lips at the same time the sky groaned, threatening to unleash hell.

And the way Enzo peered at me right now, it was as if he wanted to unleash something as well. But that tight lock of his jaw meant he was going to restrain himself. One of us needed to behave, I supposed. “Maria.”

My hand lifted between us as I said, “I know, I know. Fire. And you need a phone because you probably have a ton of important calls you can’t miss, and I’m a distracting pain in the ass.”

He snatched my hips, his hands cut around to my backside, and he squeezed my flesh to that torture-pleasure point he seemed to know so well. “You are distracting. And a pain in my ass. But I . . .”

You what?

His eyes closed, and there was that battle. The war. Didn’t he ever get tired of fighting it? I was exhausted for him, and I was only on the outside looking in, catching a glimmer here and there.

He freed me from his strong hands and turned. But he stopped just outside the doorway, and his hands went to the frame. They turned to fists as he bowed his head. “Wear the red dress. No panties,” he ordered, and with that, he left.

Frustrated by the fact he was leaving but also turned on by his order, I hurriedly grabbed what I needed and went into the bathroom.

Maybe he was right to walk away, though. We were in New York to find his sister’s killer, not to check off my sexual fantasy list. Enzo going down on me had been on the list, but I’d never pictured it happening in that hotter-than-sin way.

I unceremoniously dropped my things onto the vanity and combed my wild hair. I was a mess. On the inside and out, so it would seem.

Once I managed to tame my wet hair, I wrangled it into a side braid so I wouldn’t have to dry it and slipped on the bra and modest but slightly sexy red wrap dress.

I finally unlocked the phone, and all of Natalia’s messages were still unread, which meant Enzo had only seen the notifications and hadn’t invaded my privacy.

Natalia: I’ve called five times. No answer. I’m worried.

Natalia: Okay, Enzo’s not answering his phone either. Do I need to call Constantine?

Great, if she called Constantine and then he tried to get ahold of his brother, why’d I get the feeling he’d send the cavalry?

Me: Sorry. I was distracted.

Natalia: Oh, thank God. I was two seconds away from phoning every Costa I know.