Never question their manhood.
Merissa’s advice resolved my plan to handle Romeo. She’d told me to fawn over him, make noises that told him I was enjoying it. Even if I wasn’t. Luckily for me, it was extremely pleasurable to watch him swallow the ‘fertility tea’ and try valiantly to salvage the mess. I smiled into the wine I was drinking.
The wedding night had exceeded all my expectations. I’d left the room, thrumming with vindication. I had sated my body. Blood rushed through me with a curious high. One I’d never experienced before. The way his face had crumpled when I orgasmed was something I would treasure, always.
“What has you smiling, wife?” Romeo drawled, startling me so hard wine leapt over the glass lip and splattered on my cotton blouse. “Here, let me.”
His long legs carried him closer, and I noted the stubble on his face. It made his prowl seem sinister.
I waited, dumbfounded, as he kneeled beside me. He plucked a napkin from the table and dabbed it over my breast. His eyesglinted with relish at the intimate touch, and I was too shocked to react.
“Romeo. What are you doing here?” I spluttered. Hadn’t he slunk away like the dog he was, tail between his legs? But here he was, with the scent of faint cologne and cigars, with his dark hair slicked back, the way I preferred it. His hand slowed, and heat radiated through to my skin. Turned feverish. My pulse thudded in my ears as his blue eyes caressed me like the lazy lick of the afternoon sun.
“Oh, will you look at that?” He broke his intense gaze to look at his crotch. Where a prominent bulge made my heart skip. “It works, after all.”
I made a noise in the back of my throat, tugging the napkin out of his grip.
“Congratulations. Did you want me to prepare you a cup of fertility tea?” I couldn’t help myself. Romeo’s muted chuckle was more of a murmur as he reached out to tuck a lock of hair behind my ear. I stayed frozen as he groaned and flopped into the seat at the head of the table.
“I don’t think that will be necessary.” He palmed his straining slacks, rolling the hardness slow and deliberate. “Perhaps we can give each other a show this time. Would that thaw your ice, my wife, if you saw me spill my cum all over myself, wild for the thought of your body?”
I set my wineglass on the table and leveled a scathing look at him. It only made the smile on his face widen. The heat creeping up my neck and flooding my cheeks made me want to flee, but I forced myself to stay.
“Don’t be unseemly. Anyone could hear you,” I muttered, clutching the napkin to my damp chest. Now I couldn’t stop picturing him, his hand on his impressive cock, his muscles bunching in pleasure as he thought about me. The sight of him naked made me lightheaded. The revelation of his sculptedbody and softened cock still made adrenaline rush through my body. Merissa had explained about a man ejaculating. The mess it could create. She’d wrinkled her nose and warned me it was inevitable and unpleasant at times. That made me more curious about the mysterious substance.
“Better to swallow it,” she’d added. I hadn’t believed her when I’d asked for clarification, and my cheeks flamed hotter. His palm gripped the hardness in his pants, and I wondered what it would look like now my tea did not affect it. But I had no intention of ever sucking Romeo’s cock. Romeo flicked his top two buttons open, stretching. A patch of dark hair poked through, and my ears buzzed. I didn’t want this. I might despise Romeo, but there was no denying he was handsome. What he was doing right now was easy to resist. He was toying with me.
“It’s no sin to find pleasure. We’re married. I look forward to many nights of teaching you. Or has someone already usurped that role?” His eyes glittered like icy diamonds. My nose scrunched, and I tried to speak, but it came out as splutters. My throat narrowed with indignation.
“Just know if you share your body with anyone else, I will have to kill them.” Romeo snatched my forgotten glass of wine and poured the remains down his throat. What was he talking about? I hadn’t been with anyone, ever. And why would he care?
“Didn’t you listen to me the other night?” I shook my head, mystified by the tight lines on his face. “I heard you. You don’t love me. So you can drop the possessive act.”
Romeo hooked his foot around my chair and yanked me toward him. I squeaked at the sudden movement and the dangerous tension that stiffened his limbs. He bracketed me with his arms. Raw anger pulsed off him.
“And you didn’t hear me. My wife. I love you.” His words ricocheted like a shot, and I didn’t heed it, rolling my eyes. His hand shot out, and he gripped my chin in one large hand. Hedidn’t hurt me, just angled me so I was caught in his furious gaze. My pulse thundered at the proprietary touch.
It was mesmerizing. We were mirrors of rage. Smoke and flame buffeting against each other, climbing to the ceiling. Bound to burn each other to the ground and everything else in our path.
“You. Lie.” I carved at him with cold ice. I wasn’t going to fall for his pretty words. He’d fooled me once, never again. His exhale was sharp, and he let my face go. My skin throbbed with the grasping remnants of his touch.
“I did. I lied when I told Paolo I couldn’t love you and when I said you were mousy. I was frustrated and lashed out at your cousin. Was it wrong? Yes. I never wanted to hurt you, Anita. Why do you think I tried so hard to stay away from you?”
I didn’t bother giving him a response, tilting my nose up in wordless judgment. He fell back into his seat and groaned.
“I love it when you do that.” He cursed under his breath, but the words had no bite, laced with desperate need instead. “You cut me with one slice of those icicles you call eyes. But I deserve it, don’t I, my wife?”
“Such language in front of a lady.” I sniffed. My body hurt from my frozen, stiff back. Romeo shouted with sharp laughter. He slapped his hard thigh, over and over, until I couldn’t stand it.
“What?” I snapped. His laughter cut off, and some of the anger bled back in. It occurred to me I should be more careful, but Romeo had a way of sliding under my skin. I could feel him there, grasping at my heart, wanting back what he had tossed away.
“But you’re not a lady, are you, Anita?” His lip curled up. A shiver went through me. Did he realize what I was? He couldn’t have. He wouldn’t be able to sit with such languid power if he knew.
“Of course I am.” I widened my eyes, attempting to inject some hurt into them. As an afterthought, I poked my bottom lip out, channeling my inner toddler. But Romeo was unmoved. He threaded his hands over his chest.
“No. I married a lady. I married a sweetheart who blushed when I leaned in close to her. But I wasn’t the only liar, was I? Because she doesn’t exist. You told me that yourself.”
I inched up from the table, smoothing out my skirt. His words unsettled me, but I couldn’t let him see that. I hadn’t expected this. I thought after our spectacular failure, he would leave me in peace. Perhaps seek a mistress. I never thought he would come at me as hard as ever. In my fury, I had revealed parts of myself I shouldn’t, but I couldn’t take those back. My heart thumped against my ribcage, and the wine-soaked material moved with imperceptible jolts. I winced. For a millisecond, I wanted to blurt out who I was, to peel back the sordid layers and show him what lurked underneath. I walked to the window and stared out into the inky black.
