Brielle’s brain fogged. Her body went into meltdown, an instant response, electricity running along her nerve endings, crackling with life, like little lightning strikes running all the way from her breasts to her sex, straight to her clit. There was no thinking, only reacting, only kissing him back, surrendering. Giving herself wholly to him.
Elie’s kiss was gentle. Tender even. Filled with fire. With possession. With hunger. He wasn’t rough at all, but the hint was there in that edge of hunger. In the dark lust stark in his eyes when he lifted his head and his gaze roamed her face with satisfaction.
The fingers surrounding her throat slid lower to stroke the bare skin exposed by the open buttons of her blouse. The pads of his fingers rasped across the swell of her breasts. Immediately her nipples were little hot points of flames begging for his attention. Blood pounded in her clit.
Her gaze dropped from his to the front of his trousers. The bulge there was satisfactory, hard and thick, pressed tight against the immaculate pinstriped material. At least she wasn’t alone in her reaction. She licked her lips, her mouth salivating. She wondered what he would do if she lowered his zipper and tried to swallow him down the way she did in all her fantasies.
She was too shy to follow through, but she hoped he would at least want to consummate their marriage. She felt desperate for him. Elie brushed a kiss on top of her head and slid into the chair beside her. As he did, he removed the towel she’d wound around her hair like a turban. Her hair fell in spirals and ringlets down her back.
“Why do you have your hair wrapped up in a towel? It will dry fast in this heat.”
She held out her hand for the towel, annoyed that she couldn’t quite control the trembling. She was still shivering with need. “My hair is really thick and wavy. In this humidity, it will get frizzy. I’ll need to put tons of product in it to manage any kind of decent hairstyle.”
“Your natural hair is beautiful.” He tucked the towel on the other side of him.
“I appreciate you thinking that, but it won’t be once the humidity gets to it. Really, Elie, if I keep my hair in a towel, I can deal with it later.” She was reasonably proud of her voice. It didn’t shake nearly as bad as her insides. She wrapped her hands around her coffee mug and stared at the lake. They really did have a wonderful view.
“For me, would you just this once let it go natural? No one is around. You can always put it up and get it wet again tomorrow morning.”
When he asked in that low, gentle voice, how could she possibly resist? It wasn’t that big of a deal and he’d see what a complete fiasco her hair would become. It could grow enough for six people and frizz so she looked silly. But he was right—she could put it up or braid it.
“Sure. As long as no one else is coming around. I’m feeling as if I made a bit of a fool of myself yesterday. Facing your friends isn’t going to be so easy.” She flicked him a quick glance from under her lashes. “I’m sure you noticed how attractive all those women are.”
“The Ferraro women?”
Elie very casually cupped the side of her face, which made her almost drop her coffee mug. She’d just gotten the courage to raise it halfway to her lips, believing she wouldn’t spill the contents all over the table. His thumb slid over her lips.
“Not a single one of those women is more attractive than you. In any case, no one heard anything said when we were talking in the middle of the aisle. Stefano is bound to secrecy by the oath of his office as head of the riders of Chicago. He can’t even talk to Francesca about anything said between us. You have nothing to worry about, Brielle.”
The pad of his thumb caressed her lips one last time and then slipped away, leaving her heart beating a little bit too fast. She was too aware of him, and this close, she couldn’t quite breathe right.
Elie leaned back in his chair. “Have you thought about what you want to do other than ride shadows?”
She lifted her chin at him. “You’re really serious about me not taking rotations, aren’t you? I worked very hard to become a rider, Elie. My times are good. I can keep any map in my head. I never lose my way. I have no problem with technique. I would be an asset to the Chicago riders and I know riders are needed here.”
His eyes took on an ominous glint. “I’m well aware you worked hard, Brielle. I have no doubt you’re an excellent rider. You seem to excel at anything you put your mind to.” He leaned close to her and took possession of her hand, threading his fingers through hers. “If I didn’t care, maybe it would be easy to say go ahead, but unfortunately for you, I do care about your safety. I’m not willing to take chances with your life and neither is Stefano. You may not be aware of this, but he lost a brother in the shadows.”