Sincerely, Your Inconvenient Wife (The Harder They Fall, #2)(39)

With a groan, she tossed my hand back at me. “I was alone with him for maybe five minutes while Niddhi and Amelia—who are women, by the way—were in the restroom. If you would have spoken to me or thought before acting, you would have known this.”

Her explanation made sense, but I still didn’t like the way that guy had been looking at her, getting close to her. I’d set that right. He’d know better in the future.

Now wasn’t the time to tell Saoirse any of this though.

“I hear you, and I understand my knee-jerk reaction was misinformed. I don’t regret it now that it’s over and done with.”

“You can’t make decisions that involve me without a discussion, Luca. That isn’t fair.”

“I get that. Believe me, Clara came back to my office after you left and tore me a new asshole. I had to take a call with our legal department while she stood over me. I’ve been properly chastised.”

“Not by me.” She folded her arms over her chest. “We’ll have to go to Wyoming this weekend, you know. There’s no way we can delay that now.”

“I told you I’d go. I meant it.”

“Okay. Then I should probably give you a crash course on the Kelly family so it seems like we actually know each other.” Her jaw cracked when she yawned again.

“I know a lot about you.”

“Oh yeah? What do you know about me that you didn’t learn from my background check?”

“What you taste like.”

Her mouth fell open with a huff and she kicked her foot out from under her blanket, connecting with the side of my leg.

“I know a lot about you too, Luca.”

She tried to draw her foot back, but I caught her by the ankle, giving her a sharp tug, which landed her flat on her back. I tugged her again, bringing her legs over my lap, her ass bumping against my thigh.

Leaning over her, I braced a hand beside her head. “What do you think you know?”

“I know you’re a brute.” She shoved at my chest without any real force.

“First a prat, now a brute. Those words sting, Saorise.” I lowered my face close to hers. “What else?”

Her eyes danced with mischief. The little firecracker was all lit up again. “You’re a mama’s boy.”

My mouth hitched. “Guilty as charged. What good Italian boy isn’t?”

“It’s cute. I like it.” Then she lifted her chin. “I know you talk a big game, but there’s nothing to back it up.”

Rearing back, I stared down at her. “What’s that mean?”

“It means you told me we were going to end up fucking, but this is the closest you’ve been to me unless we’re playing a part.”

My head tilted. This woman remained a mystery to me. I had no idea where she was going with this except for the obvious. “Are you feeling needy?”

“Not right now. As you know, I can take care of myself. I’m simply making an observation. You’re all talk.”

Goddamn mystery.

“I don’t think you can make a definitive opinion on that subject. Just because it hasn’t happened doesn’t mean it won’t.” I trailed my finger along her cheekbone. “I know you’re a naughty little fucking tease.”

Her mouth spread into a slow grin. “You make it so fun.”

Pushing upright, I grabbed her hands and tugged her up with me so she was half sprawled across my lap. “Why are you bringing this up right now?”

“I’m trying to figure you out, Luca. You’ve made no effort to spend any time with me since we got married, but the second you see me with another man, you go all caveman. You switch between hot and cold in a blink. I’m trying to find a pattern, but I don’t think there is one. Who are you, Luca Rossi? I have no earthly idea.”

My gut clenched as she laid out the bare facts as she knew them. The things I’d let her see. She wasn’t wrong. I was so fucking off-kilter I barely recognized myself.

I took her chin in my hand, tipping her head back. “Luckily, we have two years for you to figure that out. When you do, let me know.”

“Cold,” she whispered, taking my hand in hers. “So cold.”

Before I knew what she had planned, she bit down hard on my fingertip, never breaking eye contact. I didn’t pull back, letting her grind her almost-too-big front teeth into my ring finger.

“If you’re going to bite it off, do it already,” I gritted out.

Something behind her chocolaty eyes lit up, and her teeth were replaced with warm lips and her tongue stroking away the sting she’d caused.

Then it was all gone. Saoirse hopped up from the couch, stretching her arms over her head.

“Glad we had that talk,” she chirped. “Good night, husband.”

She sauntered out of the den, and my head fell back with a groan.

My finger pulsed to the same rhythm as my rock-hard dick. I’d married a madwoman. Either that or an evil genius.

Most nights, I left the condo to do my own thing without giving her a second thought. Thinking about Saoirse was not what any of this was about. But that little brat had locked herself into the forefront of my mind.

Something told me that was exactly what she’d intended.

Well, she had my fucking attention now. And I looked forward to seeing what she did with it.