Protecting The Principessa (Complete)

~ Chapter 33 ~

She wasn't sure what came over him, but to be fucking honest, she wasn't sure she cared either. All she wanted was more of this, more of these kisses, more of this passion that she felt, just more, and she wasn't sure she could have it. Her hands slid up over his hips and held on, returning the kiss for everything it was worth. She could feel an underlying anger through it, but she couldn't even pinpoint whom it was directed at. She couldn't understand if it was her, or her dad? Mike? Hell, even Sara? All of those were good thoughts and she wished she could banish them all, not wanting to think about them while enjoying this.

She moaned against his lips, her back pressed up against the wall again. Was this to be their thing? Not that she minded, really, he could have her any way he wanted, and she highly doubted she would object. She melted even more into the kiss, her tongue brushing against his, almost wanting to brand him the way he branded her. His fingers moved from her face and into her hair, holding tightly as he kissed her with abandonment. She moaned, pushing against him and it seemed to douse his red haze of passion for he slowly pulled back, his eyes focusing on her still-glazed ones.

"W...what...was...t...that?" she mumbled, her hands still holding onto him. Though they had kissed, none seemed to rock the ground the way that one did. She knew she wasn't steady and was grateful for both the wall at her back and the wall of the man in front of her.

"That was a kiss, Ignazia," he told her, pulling back even more. She clutched him even tighter, not wanting him to back fully away from her. She wasn't one to say she needed a man or needed anything from them, but there was a warmth she felt with Adriano, and she didn't want to lose it, at least not at this moment.

"I'm aware, smartass. However, I'm asking why was that one so intense?" His knuckles brushed over her cheek as he slowly shook his head. "Adriano, talk to me, what's going on? I don't think you go around kissing any female like that." His eyes lifted from her lips to her eyes and again, he shook his head.

"No, it's not a common kiss for me, but I won't get into it." Her eyes narrowed at that.

"Why? Really, what happened in the last hour or so since we left the hotel? Did my dad do something to you? I can get on his case because nothing of tonight was your fault, you know." He grinned at her.

"Stop, Ignazia, you have nothing to worry about. And I do doubt that your father would listen to your concerns. He's a boss and that boss has a job to do, just like any other man, regardless of if the men like it or not." Well, that was some fucking cryptic shit, and she knew she didn't like it. But she also knew that she wouldn't get any more information out of this man, and that irked her a lot. Why wouldn't he confide in her? She really wouldn't say anything to her dad, she wasn't that way. Hadn't gone crying to him when everything happened in her life, and she sure as hell wouldn't do it now.

"That's a load of shit, you know that right?" This time, he laughed, his hand falling away from her face and grabbing her hand.

"Come talk to me. Tell me about the men you've dated in the past, what were they like, what did you like about them?" She sat down on the couch next to him, all the more confused. He kissed her like that, as he needed her like she was the most important thing, and then turned around and asks about her past boyfriends. That made no damn sense in her head, and she couldn't even figure out why he would want to know. It's not like a relationship was possible between them, not given whatever the hell was going on with Sara.

She pulled her legs up under her as she pulled the dress down over them, not having changed yet. She watched as he undid his tie and then tossed both his jacket and tie on the arm of the chair next to the couch. Then, he undid the first few buttons of his top, a brow raised in silent question for her to start talking. Yeah, if this wasn't awkward, she didn't know what was. After all, they had sex, slept in the same house for weeks, and hadn't even touched a conversation like this before.

"I'm not sure what all you want to know about any of my ex-boyfriends here."

"Did they treat you right? Spoil you? Take you out on dates that you would like?" She rested her arm on the back of the couch and then rested her head on her hand while watching him.

"They did treat me right. I'm not sure spoiling would be a good way to state anything, but they did treat me well. Took me out, bought me gifts, and loved me as they should have. My mom wanted me with men that wanted me, not just wanted to use me. So, she kept a careful eye on them. Come to think of it, I wonder if my dad didn't keep an eye on me either, since he seemed to know more about them than I did."

"And you never got serious with them?"

"What do you mean serious, Adriano? I slept with them, isn't that pretty serious?"

"No, I meant never wanted to get married?" She took a deep breath and then slowly let it out. He was going down that road and how did she explain that one?

"Of course, I want to get married. I want a family. I want a nice house, nice cars, and a man to come home and love only me." He chuckled as he turned to face her.

"And what? No one asked that of you?"

"No, I did get asked. Even thought long and hard over it." His brows came together in confusion because he knew that her dad sure as hell didn't know about that.

"What happened?"

"It didn't work out. He didn't want me that way after all." She wanted to fight the pain that memory always brought up and she really hated this line of questioning for that one reason.

"Why did he ask if he was just going to walk away?"

"Good question. I was the safe bet, not the passionate bet, at least that's what he said. I was secure in my future, and my job, I had life goals, wouldn't do things on a whim; I was also young, and stupid, as was he. He thought he loved me; thought he could find the passion that was needed. However, when it came time for me to answer, and I did, his mind had changed. I was pretty, but I wasn't beautiful. It was a hard hit, but it was one I learned from." She watched him, watched the clenching of the jaw, and grew curious about it. Why the hell would he even be upset over that?

"What did you learn?"

"Men can be stupid creatures, really stupid if given the chance. I never got asked again, thank goodness, because I really believe my answer would have been no. I was happy with things just being my mom and me."

"And now?" he asked.

"Now....now I don't think I have a choice in the matter. I think my dad would step in and even though I'm an adult who can make her own choices, he wouldn't let me, at least not about that."

"Do you still want to marry?" She gave him a funny look.

"Adriano, what female doesn't want to marry? Sure, there are those rare few, but deep down, we all want that. Just some of us won't find it, or it seems hard to find."

"I find it hard to believe, Izzy, that men wouldn't see that in you, see the wifey material. You're gorgeous, smart, funny, can handle yourself well, have a head on your shoulders, can kiss so fucking well, and know how to please a man; what man wouldn't want to swipe you up?" She crossed her arms as she stared at him. When the fuck did he start singing her praises? Up until the other night, he really kept his distance and almost made it seem like he wanted nothing to do with her, and yet, here he is, questioning her past and the men in it.

"What is all of this, Adriano? Why the questions and the concern?"

"I just figured," he said, lifting a shoulder, "you were in my house, we had already fucked, and we know next to nothing about each other."

"So, this is what, a moment to bare our souls?" She scoffed at that. "We don't need it. I'm not some dumb little chick that needs soothing after a one-night stand."

"I didn't say you were, and this is not what that is." She stood up and shook her head.

"I'm going to bed. And by the looks of how tired you are, you could use some sleep too." She turned to walk down the hallway, but his next words stopped her. She turned around and slowly looked at him. "What did you just ask?" He stood up and walked over to her, smirking as he stopped before her.

"Go on a date with me?"