him. “He’s pretty good that way. As long as you don’t take advantage of him.
“Please thank him for me.” Matteo started rummaging through the cupboards, pulling out bowls, ingredients, pots and pans. Pretty much everything he needed to make a meal.
“I will,” I said, watching him. “What are we doing tonight?”
“We are going to cook our dinner, maybe have a bath, have some wine.” He winked at me. “Maybe more.”
“More. I always want more.” I walked up to him, wrapping my arms around his waist.
“I know.” Matteo pinched my chin, stealing a toe curling kiss. “My greedy pet always wants more.”
My cheeks heated. “Is that bad?”
“Never. As long as you only want more from me and no one else.”
“You are all that I want. And,” I cupped him over his pants, giving him a light squeeze. “You are all that I need,” I purred, licking my lips.
He chuckled, grabbing my hand and kissed my knuckles. “You are too much.”
I smiled, heading to the counter to make a salad.
“Just for that, I want you to strip.”
My heart jumped at the deep firm tone of his command. “You…what?”
“I want you to strip. And if you keep hesitating, your punishment will only be longer.”
I swallowed hard, a flush of excitement washing over me. Pulling off my clothes, I removed every last piece of clothing until I was standing naked in the kitchen.
Matteo scratched his chin, a small grin spreading on his handsome face. “Perfect.”
“You want me cooking naked? Isn’t that a little dangerous?” I asked, folding my clothes and placed them on the dining room chair.
“No. I want you to make the salad. I’ll cook.” Matteo brushed the backs of his knuckles down the center of my chest. “And I want you naked whenever you are here.”
“Why?”
“Because clothing is a barrier. I want to strip you of them piece by piece until nothing is left and help you build them back up.” Kissing my forehead, he took a deep breath. “Do you trust me?”
“Of course.” I searched his face, wondering why he would even think to ask me that.
“How about now? Without the barrier of clothes protecting you.”
“I trust you more now. You can do anything you want to me. You can spank me. Bend me over and…”
Matteo smirked, releasing me. “You don’t have to be naked for me to bend you over and fuck you. But that’s not the reason I want you naked. I’m trying to break down your walls. I am determined. And I will succeed.”
Oh I knew that. It was working. Because I was also determined to break down his. One brick at a time.
We started making dinner, working in a comfortable silence. Matteo made pasta, I made the salad and by the time we were done, my stomach was rumbling.
“Hungry?” he asked, hooking an arm around my waist and leaned his chin on my shoulder. He handed me a glass of red wine, brushing his other hand over my lower belly.
“I am.” An unexpected thought hit me. Baby.
It was way too soon for that. I was careful in taking my birth control but the idea of having Matteo’s baby made my heart beat soar.
Clearing my throat, I stepped out of his embrace.
“What was that?” he asked, wrapping his fingers around my arm.
My back stiffened. “What do you mean?”
“It got weird all of a sudden. Why?”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Damn him and his knowledge of the human psyche. I shoved out of his grip, taking a sip of wine when a sharp pinch landed on the cheek of my rear. I let out a yelp, spinning on my heel.
“How about we try that again and do not lie to me this time.”
“Matteo, honest. It’s nothing.”
His face hardened. “I’m going to give you one last chance.”
There was no way I could tell him that I was daydreaming about having his baby. We had enough shit to deal with. I didn’t want to scare him off. I would take the punishment first. “Nothing was weird,” I reassured him. Taking my glass of wine, I headed out to the dining room table when I was shoved from behind. The wine glass was pulled from my hand, before it shattered to the floor.
“I gave you a chance to tell me what changed,” Matteo growled in my ear, his big body towering over me. He slammed the glass on the table beside my head, the liquid sloshing over the sides.
“Nothing changed,” I whimpered.
He kicked my feet apart, roughly pushing his knees