“Doesn’t it feel better to let out what you feel than to bottle it in you?” Dante asked as we took our seats on the couch. “Yes, it does.” I nodded and smiled. Talking to him really did make me feel a whole lot better. It was like I was no longer being crushed like a grape under an invincible weight of worry. “Thank you for being someone I can talk to, Dante. It’s really relieving.” “I’m glad you trust me enough to confide in me.” He smiled back at me. “And I hope you would tell me anything that’s bothering you instead of shutting yourself up. I’ll always be here to listen to you.” “Anything bothering me…” I mumbled under my breath. ‘It seems like a good moment to tell him about Laura and the messages she sent to me, but is it really necessary? I don’t think so. I think my threat is more than enough to scare her off. I don’t think she would try anything stupid now that she knows, I know, that she’s behind those messages. And she was most likely bluffing when she said she would get
“Dante!” My whole face, from the tip of my ears to my neck, turned the reddest, brightest shade of red known to the entire human race, and my head jerked towards him. “Don’t say that! No flirty-flirty, remember.” “Can it be qualified as flirting if I’m saying the truth?” Dante grinned, and I wasn’t surprised by the amusement shining on his face. “And it’s not my fault you look like a cute little newlywed wife, shy and flustered because she’s giving her husband lunch to work for the first time. And I don’t mind being the lucky man.” “Dante! Enough!” I squeaked, praying to disappear from his presence before I died from embarrassment or insufficient blood flow to other parts of my body because of the excessive amount on my face. ‘How the heck can he say all that without being flustered?’ “I-I only did this because your eating schedule is not nice. Not because I’m trying to act like a newlywed wife or whatever your weird fantasy is coming up with.” I puffed my cheeks and drew the lunc
“Really? You want to learn how to bake?” I blink and cock my head to the side. I didn’t know whether I was supposed to be surprised, but I was. I was surprised that he wanted to learn how to bake. He had never hinted his interest in it before, so his just suddenly wanting to learn by eleven p.m. was very shocking. “Yes.” Dante nodded. “Why?” I squinted my eyes at him. “Because I want to. Why are you suddenly suspicious?” He frowned, mimicking my facial expression, and the corner of my lips tipped to a small smile. “Nothing. I’m just surprised, but sure, I’ll teach you.” I stood up from the couch and stretched my body. “Thank you.” His frown turned to a small smile, and I didn’t miss the happiness in his face. ‘Wow, he must really be excited about learning how to bake, which seems so strange.’ “But I’m curious; I never thought you were interested in cooking stuff. So why the sudden want to learn?” I asked him as we walked out of the library. “I have always had an interest, but
‘Oh my…’ My breath stuck in my throat as I took in Dante’s gloriously tanned body, which looked like it glowed in the kitchen light.My leery gaze travelled from his broad shoulders, which I wanted to throw my arms on, pass his firm chest covered with light chest hair, which I so wanted to snuggle into. To his abs and packs that seemed to beg me to run my hands over them.Everything about him called out to me, and a wild heat prickled every sensitive part of my body. My legs pressed together, trying to quench the desire pooling in them.I knew I was supposed to look away. I wasn’t supposed to be drinking in his figure like a tall glass of the finest wine. He was my baby papa and friend. And friends don’t ogle at and get all hot and bothered by their friends bodies, no matter how drop dead gorgeous they looked. But sheep! He was too irresistible to stop looking at.My attention went a little bit lower to the large tent on his shorts, and a small, quiet gasp escaped my lips.‘Oh! Sheep!
“I said I find you attractive, ok!” I blurted out, tired of our little games. “I find you really, really attractive. Heck, attractive can’t even cut it. You’re fricken gorgeous. A fine piece of male specimen So yes, I was staring at you because you were magnetising my attention no matter how hard I tried because you’re too good-looking for your own darn good, so please put on your shirt so I can get rid of all these dirty pictures in my mind.” ‘Geez Olly. You were just supposed to tell him he was attractive, not blurt out a whole epistle about him.’ I scolded myself, not knowing if I wanted to face palm myself for saying too much or hide my face in chronic embarrassment. ‘I can’t believe I said all that. A piece of male specimen, really Olly?’ And the look on his face didn’t make me feel better. I wasn’t surprised to see satisfaction and pride radiating from him. “See, that wasn’t so hard, was it?” Dante winked, giving me a cheeky grin, and I want to claw at his eyes. “Have I told
“As a young girl, I always thought my family was the most perfect family in the world, every other came second to mine. I always loved boasting to my friends about how much my parents loved each other and how much they loved me too.” I started and a small smile bloomed on my face as heavy nostalgia washed through me.“They were the most hopelessly in love couple I had ever seen, even though they had completely contrasting characters. Dad was gentle, cool, and temperate, while Mom was loud, outgoing, and wild, yet they were still perfect together. I was an only child, and I was their pride and joy, and gosh, they gave me all their love and attention, especially my dad. I’m sure I would have ended up being a spoilt brat if my mom let him pamper me as much as he wanted.”“So you’re a daddy’s girl?” The corner of Dante’s lips curled up the slightest bit.“Just a teensy, tiny little bit.” I chuckled, which didn’t help make my lie seem less than a lie.“Really? Just a teensy, tiny little bi
Love.That was the only thing that could explain all the jumbled and wild yet fluttery and beautiful things I was feeling.I was in love with Dante Romero.When Laura had asked if I had ever been so crazy about someone that it seemed my world revolved around them. That my soul constantly called out to them. My answer was no. But now, some months later, I understood what she was saying because I had fallen for Dante. The man who I swore to myself that I would avoid like a plague on the first day I arrived at his mansion—the man I was sure was heartless and cruel— I had fallen in love with him.A part of me told me to fight it. To rebel against this new found feeling I had for the man, but no. I wasn’t going to. I was going to embrace it instead. Even though I know it may forever be unrequited love, I was still going to enjoy every second of it.“Because you what?” Dante asked, curiosity burning in his eyes.“Because I…” My voice waned.There was no way I would ever confess my feelings
I knew I should have backed down the moment Dante’s voice changed and the dark look crossed his face, but I desperately wanted to see where our conversation would lead. A part of me warned me to chicken out and stop this drama, but I shut it down. Just this night, I was going to throw caution away and indulge in the sexual tension spiralling around us.“Take it however you wish, Mr. Romero.” I said, holding his gaze without flinching. “I’ve had three months to build my defences against you, so there is nothing you can do that would affect me.”Another big lie. There were many things he would do that would turn me into a flustered and squirming mess on his lap. And I wanted him to do them— a lot of them. So what better way to get what I wanted than by pushing his buttons? Dante loved challenges and the hunt; there was no way he wouldn’t try to prove himself, and that was what I was banking on.“So the little bunny is trying to show she has grown steel skin. Isn’t that adorable?” His de