VITTORIO'S MISTRESS (The Vittorio Series) by Kimberley Reeves Read Free Book Online

“You are a witch for beguiling me with a smile that promises the very thing you tell me I cannot have.”
    “And you are wicked man for tempting me after I told you I didn’t want to rekindle an old flame.”
    Dante’s brows furrowed.   “An old flame, is that what I am?”
    Paige couldn’t help but laugh.   “It’s not an insult, Dante.   It just means we were romantically involved once but now we’re not.”
    “But we will be,” he said with certainty.
    Paige’s smile faded.   “Maybe if things were different, but they’re not.   I’m sorry, Dante.”
    “What things?”
    “Just…things,” she shrugged.
    Dante’s voice dipped an octave as he advance on her.   “I will change your mind, carissima .”
    “You won’t,” she said with much more confidence that she felt.
    “I will,” he persisted.   “You see, I know your weaknesses.”
    Paige held her ground, albeit on shaky legs.   “I don’t…have any…” a soft moan vibrated in the back of her throat when Dante threaded his fingers through the hair on either side of her face and silenced her with a very long and thorough kiss.
    “You were saying?”   Dante murmured against her lips.
    Paige’s eyelids fluttered open.   It would be so easy to give in to her own desires and let him seduce her back into his bed, because the truth was she wanted him to make love to her more than she wanted her next breath.   Oh yes, he knew her weaknesses all right, and nearly all of them had to do with Dante.  
    But there was one he didn’t know about; a dark haired little girl with her father’s eyes who trusted Paige to keep the happy smile on her beautiful face.   If only she could be sure Dante would welcome the idea of being a father and that he wouldn’t try to take Daniella from her.
    “Dante, I…I think you should take me home now.”
    “Of course, cara mia , if that is what you want.”
    His immediate and almost cavalier acquiescence made her wary, and it must have shown on her face because he drew her back in his arms and just held her for several minutes.   How many nights over the past four years had she lay awake aching for the feel of his strong arms and praying for a second chance to build a life with him?   And now that there was a very real possibility of it happening, she was running like a scared rabbit.
    Dante absently stroked her hair, savoring these precious few moments with her.   It was difficult to harden his heart against Paige and remember the reason he was being so relentless in his pursuit of her when he still found her kisses as intoxicating as they’d always been.   He couldn’t even be in the same room with her without wanted to caress her soft skin or get close enough to inhale her sweet scent.  
    That’s why he’d so readily agreed to take her home; he was afraid if she stayed much longer he wouldn’t be able control himself and they’d end up in bed together.   It was thoughtless of him not to consider she’d find that a little suspicious after he’d taken advantage of every opportunity to kiss her the entire evening.   He’d just have to put her mind to rest and then everything would be back on track again.
    “I wish you could spend the night with me,” he said softly, “but it is probably best that I take you home.   In spite of what I said earlier, when I make love to you I want both your mind and your body to say yes.”
    She didn’t tell Dante this was the last time she’d see him, he wouldn’t have listened to her anyway.   But she couldn’t risk being alone with him again because she didn’t trust herself not to succumb to his considerable charms.   Paige was under no illusions; the only reason she hadn’t slept with him tonight was because he had been strong enough to stop it from happening.   And since he’d told her in no uncertain terms that he was going to be her lover, she had no choice but to cut off all contact.   Her heart ached just thinking about it.
    Her mood