Sweet Temptation

by Cora Reilly

“If Cassio wants a lady, he should stop robbing cradles,” I muttered. Mom gasped, clapping a hand over her heart like I would single-handedly put her into an early grave. Dad tried to mask a laugh by coughing.

“We shook hands on the engagement, Felix. We settled matters with Luca. Everything is agreed upon. Given that we decided against a separate engagement, that makes Giulia my fiancée, and I’m telling you now that nobody, least of all you, will prevent this marriage.”

Now, as her soft lips touched mine and her sweet scent hit me, a deeply buried desire kindled inside me. Claiming her tonight wouldn’t be a problem. Being a better man definitely wasn’t in my future.

“Cruelty has a place, Cassio. Marriage isn’t it.”

“I never looked at men long enough to make up my mind about them. It didn’t seem wise, considering I wasn’t going to be the one choosing my husband.” That was true. She had no say in the matter.

Giulia raised her chin. “While I understand your need for me to look like a lady in public, I can’t see why I can’t wear the clothes I love in private. Only because I’m your wife now doesn’t mean I’m not still me. I won’t become someone else only because you don’t like who I am. You chose to marry me. You can’t form me into the wife you want. You can’t control everything, even if you think you have to.”

She regarded my arm then looked up. She stepped closer until we were almost touching, throwing me off. “What will you do if I don’t obey?” That goddamn strawberry scent filled my nose. Wrapping an arm around her waist, I jerked her toward me and lowered my head for a harsh kiss. She stiffened in my hold, gasped into my mouth. What the fuck was I doing?

Nothing in this world would make me give up Giulia now that I had her. Maybe she wasn’t the mother my children needed, but fuck, she was what I craved.

“They don’t need a friend. They need a mother figure. They need guidance and someone who leads the way.” “If that was all they needed, you wouldn’t need me since you are so good at leading,” she said.

I couldn’t remember the last time I’d felt almost at peace, but in this moment, it was close.

“Why would I cheat with any of those women? All I can think about is you.”

“First, he’ll have to forgive me for whatever it is he holds against me.”

She wasn’t what I’d wanted in a wife, but hell, if she wasn’t exactly what I needed.

Some lies we told others to protect them or ourselves; others we told ourselves for the same reason.

It was as easy as that. Whenever I looked at the photo of Giulia and our little family that I carried in my wallet, one overwhelming feeling filled me: happiness.