Sincerely, Your Inconvenient Wife (The Harder They Fall, #2)(61)

I almost asked him to give in to the urge, but the elevator doors slid open before I could, which was for the best. I had work to do, and there were most certainly security cameras recording everything.

“See you at home, husband.”

He mumbled something under his breath that sounded an awful lot like, “You’re asking for it,” but I couldn’t be sure.

I must have been smiling as I strolled past Niddhi’s desk. She cocked her head at me and smiled back. “Good lunch?”

I paused, pressing a hand to my stomach. My inner muscles clenched, still feeling the ghost of Luca inside me.

“It was a great lunch.”





Chapter Twentyfive





Luca





Running late for Frank’s party, I asked Saoirse to meet me outside our building, where I was waiting by the car. She appeared a minute later, pausing to have a chat with our doorman on her way out, giving me the opportunity to take in what exactly she’d scrounged up to wear.

Her dress fit as if it had been sculpted to the shape of her body. Black, with long sleeves, it hit her midthigh. Modest on some women. On Saoirse, miles of legs were on display, her spiked heels only making them longer.

All that made my throat go dry, but when she turned to finally face me, tossing her blonde waves over her shoulder, smiling like seeing me was the high point of her day, my heart rate became erratic.

Straightening, I reached out my hand. She slipped her palm against mine and tipped her face to the side, offering me her cheek. Cupping her nape, I brought her the rest of the way in and touched my lips to her jaw, then the corner of her mouth. I would have tasted her lips, but they were painted cherry red. Off-limits to me for now.

“Gorgeous.”

Her smile widened. “I wanted to look good on your arm.” She slid her fingers along my lapel. “No one wears all black the way you do.”

Pleasure shot through me. I’d taken the time to change my shirt, ridding myself of the starched white button-down in favor of black on black. I’d done it knowing Saoirse would appreciate it, remembering the way she had the night we met.

“I wanted to look like I deserved you on my arm.”

Her lashes fluttered. “Smooth, Luca. No wonder you had to marry me. Women must have dropped like flies around you when you turned on that kind of charm.”

All that pleasure plummeted like lead. I jerked my chin. “Get in the car, Saoirse.”

She slid in the back of the limo, and I climbed in beside her, placing the small bag I’d brought with me on her lap.

“I wasn’t sure what you were wearing tonight, so I brought choices. You can decide which goes best.”

She peered in the bag. “What did you do?” Reaching in, she plucked up the two black velvet boxes and carefully opened each one. Inside the first was a necklace with multicolored gems. The second held platinum and ruby chandelier earrings.

“The earrings, I think.”

She turned to me with wide eyes. “Luca…you’ve already bought me so much jewelry.”

“And yet, you’re not wearing it.” Scooting closer to her, I traced a finger over the necklace. “What do you think? Earrings or necklace?”

She rubbed her lips together, a small puff of air releasing. “They’re really beautiful. I don’t know what to say. No one’s ever—Luca, this is…”

Taking her chin between my fingers, I raked my gaze over her. She’d taken her time getting ready for me. Her hair had been straight this morning, but now it was in soft, perfect waves. Her makeup was flawless. Thick lashes, highlighted cheeks, smoky eyes, those cherry lips. It pleased me to no end that she’d put in this much effort for me. Giving her jewelry was the least I could do. A drop in the bucket compared to the sudden urge I had to give her everything.

“It’s not too much, and I’m really fucking glad no one has ever,” I told her. “Choose which you’d like to wear tonight. You’ll keep them both and wear the other piece another night.”

Her exhale grazed my hand. “I think…you’re right. The earrings will look best with my dress.” She slipped them in her ears and pushed her hair away from her face. “What do you think?”

“Perfect.” Unable to resist putting my mouth on her, I dipped my head to the crook of her neck and trailed my lips up the graceful column of her neck. The earrings were extravagant. On another woman, they might have been too much. But with Saoirse’s height and timeless beauty, they were made for her.

She sighed as I sucked the hollow beneath her jaw. “If you give me a hickey, I’m not going in there.”

Darting my tongue out, I gave her smooth skin a lick, and fuck if she didn’t taste sweet. I hadn’t been able to find time for a repeat of our lunchtime hotel meeting this week, and it had been too long. I was craving her. “It’s a husband’s right to suck his wife’s neck.”

Laughing, she shoved me away, and I went because she was right. A hickey wasn’t the right accessory for tonight.

“You can suck my neck later,” she promised. “Time to act respectable. I think we’re here.”



Frank was one of the few board members I actually liked. Part businessman, part biker, he had more of a live-and-let-live attitude than the rest of the board. He was keen to see what I could do with Rossi rather than pushing me to follow in my father’s exact footsteps.