Read Online Beauty and the Barracuda by Nikki Winter - Free Book Online Page B

Sansone!
    “You’re not breathing,” he noted. “You need to breathe.”
    Exhaling, she tried to think of something sensible to say. Anything. But all that came out was, “I have a meeting at noon and I need my panties.”
    His silence caused her to chance a look in his direction—which was possibly the worst decision she could’ve made because she found herself caught in that goddamned stare! “Sunny—”
    “No,” he said softly.
    Her brows lowered and Sansone leaned closer until he practically had her bent backwards over the arm of the love seat. “Whatever it is you’re thinking, whatever it is you were about to say, no .”
    Nyssa swallowed and parted her lips to respond but he gave a slow shake of his head so she halted. “ This is not something to regret. This is not something to be ashamed of.”
    “I just think,” she retorted in a quiet tone, “that things got a bit out of hand.”
    Sansone’s mouth curved. “And I think you should be sitting on my face right now rather than trying to rationalize something that was two thousand nine hundred and twenty days in the making. It seems we both have opinions, sweetheart.”
    Tucking in her lips, she sat backwards and rolled the ceramic mug in her hand between her palms, trying to figure out how to answer that withoutgiving into the hysteria that was steadily creeping through her. She’d allowed Sansone Sultana to bend her over her desk and fuck her. Unintentionally, she’d started a small flame with that kiss, and an inferno had engulfed them both.
    “Do you trust me, Nyssa?”
    She had to set the cup down before she dropped it. Her hands shook so she balled them up and placed them in her lap. “What?”
    “Do. You. Trust. Me?”
    So much that sometimes it hurt just to look at him. “I um…I…”
    “It’s a yes or no answer, baby.”
    Closing her eyes, she whispered, “Yes.”
    “Then you have to trust that what just happened wasn’t some sporadic fuck because we’re feeling lonely.”
    She could’ve lied, could’ve told him that was exactlywhat had happened because she’d been feeling as though her romantic life had taken a backseat to her career, but Sansone was right when he’d said she couldn’t lie to him.
    “Look at me, cara .”
    God, that endearment had ruined her from the moment it had been uttered. The way he said it, the warmth behind the word, did nothing but make her heart skip several beats.
    Turning her head, she faced him and felt hot moisture prick the backs of her eyes at the expression on his face. It was so incredibly open, so loving, that she had no real idea how she hadn’t noticed it before now.
    Reaching out, Sansone ran a fingertip down the bridge of her nose, that one touch causing her belly to quiver. “Do you believe I’d ever intentionally hurt you?”
    She slowly shook her head. “No.”
    He brushed her cheek with the back of his hand. “Then why do you look so destroyed?”
    Nyssa grabbed his hand. “Because if something happens—”
    “Stop,” he demanded.
    She did.
    “I am not going anywhere ,” Sansone said, now cupping both sides of her face.
    “We’ve crossed over into different territory, Sunny. This isn’t the friend zone anymore. We’re going to fight.”
    “Which we already do.”
    “I’m going to throw things at you.”
    “I know a few coaches who can spare a helmet.”
    “I’m going to be a bitch to work with.”
    He simply smirked.
    She took his hands from her face. “Sansone, this is serious .” Did he not understand exactly how many people could be affected by this relationship? Their family, their friends, their employees, their clients?
    “Nyssa.” He moved closer, his gaze focused solely on hers with a solemn finality that made her feel as though she were coming out of her skin.
    “Yes?”
    “When you say my name like that…all it does is make me hard.”
    A quick glance at his lap confirmed that statement and despite the fact that he still hadn’t given her