She did what he’d directed, feeling full and incendiary. She held her breath; there wasn’t room for air and Vanni’s furiously throbbing cock in her body.
“I’m going to fuck you hard. I cant’ help it, Emma,” he said, his voice breaking slightly.
“I know,” she whispered. “I want it.”
His face collapsed for a brief second, the vision making her heart squeeze in anguish. Then he was drawing his cock out of her to the tip and thrusting deep again, and then again, a wave pounding at the shore relentlessly. She bit her lip to stop from screaming. His intensity and arousal were such that it was slightly uncomfortable. But she lifted her hips for him nevertheless, wanting this. Needing it. She held her breath as the headboard began to rock against the wall as he drove into her, and she stared up at the wild, fierce expression on his face. Rabid lust had turned his already supertoned body into a rigid coil. Lean muscle bulged against smooth skin, only adding to her impression that he was about to explode. She bobbed her hips, matching his fast tempo. Slowly, the uncomfortable pressure morphed into a sizzling burn.
“Fuck,” he snarled, feeling her excitement. He switched his hands to her wrists, pushing her hands into the pillow. He extended his long legs on the mattress and reared up over her. Emma clenched her eyes shut, intuiting what was coming. He came up on his toes and the balls of his feet, driving his cock into her with the power of his whole body. He fucked her like that for several heart-stopping moments, the headboard clacking loudly against the wall, Emma keening uncontrollably. The friction he built in her sparked and flared. She shook in climax as he power-fucked her, seeking his own relief with blind desperation.
He roared as he came, the harsh sound blistering her ears and echoing in her skull. He caught his breath and thrust into her again, another shout tearing out of his throat. She’d never witnessed him more savage.
She’d never seen him so beautiful.
He collapsed down over her after a moment, gasping wildly for air. In his momentary weakness, she broke free of his hold on her hands. She put her arms around his neck, pulling him to her. Something swelled in her chest, something sweet and huge and agonizingly sharp.
“Shhh,” she soothed, rubbing his back muscles, feeling his ribs expand and contract as he fought for air. His head fell between her neck and shoulder. She could feel the puffs of his warm breath against her skin.
“I’m sorry,” he groaned.
“It’s okay,” she whispered, her fingers delving into his thick hair. “I wouldn’t be here if I didn’t want to be.”
His panting ceased, his rib cage convulsing, before he exhaled again roughly. “I want more time.”
“What?” she asked, her hands freezing.
“Give me more time,” he bit out between clenched teeth.
“I . . . we can talk about it later,” she fumbled. He lifted his head and scored her with his stare. “Don’t, Vanni. Don’t make me decide right now.”
“Why?” he asked, still panting. She felt cornered by the single word and all its meanings.
“Because it’s already happening . . . what I didn’t want to happen,” spilled out of her throat. It was hard to withhold the truth after his fiery, honest lovemaking. He stilled.
“What? What’s happened?”
“I’m starting to fall in love with you,” she said desperately. “It may already be too late.”
His expression flattened.
“Emma,” he whispered fiercely. He shook his head incredulously. “How can you say that to me after what I just did to you?”
She shrugged helplessly. “I think that’s what popped it out of me.”
He stared at her, his face rigid with shock. Then his mouth twitched. His smile broke free at the same time hers did, a brilliant radiance after a storm. An unpleasant thought intruded, but it couldn’t entirely erase her grin.
“What your friends must think of me . . .” she whispered, trailing off as she mentally answered her own question.
“If anything, they’ll think I’m the rude caveman, hauling you off like I did. Rightfully so. You didn’t do anything wrong,” he added darkly under his breath. “And they really aren’t my friends, except for Niki. And he’ll only be glad something has broken me out of my funk.”
Emma thought of how stunned Niki had looked when Vanni charged down the stairwell just now, dragging Emma after him, then how pleased; how he’d called out “don’t be” when she’d apologized for their rude exit from the party.
“You know, I think you’re right,” she mused.
“Of course I’m right. Emma, the whole idea of you walking away at the tick of a clock is ridiculous.”
She opened her mouth to say he was supposed to be walking away, too . . . that he’d taken pains to warn her that he would, but then he was kissing her, deep and sweet, and her thoughts flew away like scattered moths.
She knew only one thing for certain. Despite her thoughts about feeling compelled to the truth just now, she’d lied.