Fragile Longing

by Cora Reilly

Thou shalt not covet. I’d pined for Danilo even when he had still been engaged to my sister. It had been an innocent infatuation of a young girl, fantasizing how things would be if he were mine. My knight-in-shining armor, my Disney prince.

“You look like a bad copy of your sister. Do you want people to badmouth your family again because of what happened?” “I–I didn’t mean it like that.”

“I’ll ask for a fucking pay raise once I’m back in Chicago,” Santino growled as he got up and began to undress.

Already at our last encounter I’d noticed a change, and now it was impossible to ignore. I noticed Sofia, not because she deserved my attention due to our planned future together. No. I noticed her curves, her beautiful face. Sofia wasn’t a kid anymore. She was a young woman with a desirable body. Now, her flirting didn’t seem amusing or like a game. It felt like a promise of what would soon be in my reach, a dangerous temptation.

“I’m going to fuck you hard right against this tree. I’m not in the mood for fucking foreplay, so you better tell me now if your pussy is ready to take my cock,” he growled.

I’d messed up often in the past, and now I needed to figure out a way to make it up to my fiancée. Problem was my pride. It had always been and would always be a problem.

“Be selfish for once, Sofia. In this world, we women get so few choices, so little freedom. We have to grasp happiness by the collar and drag it with us. We can’t hope for happiness to jump into our lap. Be selfish. You deserve it.”

But I was done finding excuses for his actions, done trying to be what he wanted, what he needed, because so far, he’d done nothing to deserve my kindness or affection. Anna was right. I needed to stand up for myself for the first time in years, not just against Danilo, but also against my family. I needed to make them see that while they’d lost Fina without a choice, they’d willingly given me up.

I wanted passion and love, tenderness and lust. I wanted Danilo fully to myself. I wanted him to forget what was and realize what he had.

“You’ll get all the time you need, Sofia. I’ll take what you’re willing to give, just never mistake my patience as disinterest again, because if it was up to me, your body would be mine tonight.”

Danilo caught my wrist and pulled me down so he could murmur in my ear. “How are those panties? Soaking wet?”

“You haunt my nights and days, and no matter what I do, I can’t get you out of my head.”

Fuck, she sounded as if my mouth was her salvation. She’d soon realize my tongue was better than any device.

Where I was prideful, Sofia was humble. Where I was vengeful, she was forgiving. Where I was short-tempered, she was patient.

“I’ll protect you till the end of my days.”