Gritting my teeth, I turned my back to him and slid my tanktop over my head. I reached behind me to open the clasp of my bra, but Luca’s hand was there and did it for me expertly. Bastard. Of course, he could open a bra with one finger. I grabbed my jogging bra and put it on, trying not to think about Luca who was undoubtedly watching every move. I stripped off my shorts and could have kicked myself for choosing a thong this morning. I pulled it down as well, and heard Luca sucking in his breath when I bent forward slightly. My cheeks blasted with heat, realizing what kind of view I’d just given him. I snatched one of the plain black panties I always wore when I worked out on the treadmill, then I put my jogging shorts on over them and turned back around to Luca. He’d put on black sweatpants and an ultra tight white shirt that showed his spectacular body. There was a bulge in his pants. All because of my butt?

“That’s what you’re wearing for self-defense lessons?”

I looked down at myself. “I don’t have anything else. This is what I’m wearing when I go jogging.” The shorts were tight and ended high up on my thighs, but I didn’t like too much fabric when I ran.

“You realize I’ll have to kick every guy’s ass who looks at you the wrong way, right? And looking like that my men will have a hard time not looking at you the wrong way.”

I shrugged. “It’s not my job to make them control themselves. Just because I’m wearing revealing clothes doesn’t mean I’m inviting them to look. If they can’t behave themselves, that’s their problem.”

Luca led me out of the changing room and toward the sparring mats. The men there immediately backed away and they were pointedly not looking at me. I followed Luca toward a display of knives. His eyes scanned them, then he chose one with a long smooth blade and handed it to me. He didn’t take one for himself.

He positioned himself across from me, looking utterly relaxed. He must have known everyone was watching us, but he acted as if he couldn’t care less. This wasn’t private. He had to put up a show for his men. “Attack me, but try not to cut yourself.”

“Won’t you get a knife too?”

Luca shook his head. “I don’t need one. I’ll have yours in a minute.”

I narrowed my eyes at his self-assured tone. He was probably right, but I didn’t like him saying it. “So what am I supposed to do?”

“Try to land a hit. If you manage to cut me, you win. I want to see how you move.”

I took a breath and tried to forget the men watching me. I tightened my grip on the knife, then I dashed forward. Luca moved fast. He dodged my jab, grabbed my wrist and whirled me around until my back collided with his chest.

“You don’t have my knife yet,” I gasped out. His fingers around my wrist tightened a fraction, uncomfortably but not painfully. His lips brushed my ear. “I would have to hurt you to get it. I could break your wrist for example or just bruise it.” He released me and I stumbled forward.

“Again,” Luca said. I tried a few times, but didn’t even get anywhere close to cutting him. For my next try, I decided to stop playing fair. I advanced on him, then as he made a grab for me, I aimed a kick between his legs. The men cheered, but Luca’s hand caught my foot before it could make impact and before I knew what was happening I landed on my back with a heavy thud. My breath rushed out of me and the knife slipped out of my hand. I squeezed my eyes shut. Luca touched my stomach and my muscles constricted under his warm palm. “Are you okay?” he asked quietly.

I opened my eyes. “Yeah. Just trying to catch my breath.” Then I scanned the crowd. “Don’t you have a soldier who’s only five foot something and terrified of his own shadow who would be willing to fight me?”

“My men aren’t terrified of anything,” Luca said loudly. He held out his hand and pulled me to my feet. He addressed his soldiers. “Anyone willing to fight my wife?”

Of course nobody stepped forward. They were probably worried Luca would skin them alive. Some of them shook their heads, chuckling.

The shadow of a grin crossed Luca’s face. “You’ll have to fight me.”

A few more attack attempts later, I was out of breath and annoyed by my inability to hurt Luca the tiniest bit but then a chance offered itself. He held me against his body and his upper arm was close to my face, so I turned and bit him. He was so startled he actually released me and I tried to jab him with the knife, but he gripped my wrist. “Did you bite me?” he asked as he stared at my teeth marks on his bicep.

“Not hard enough. There isn’t even blood,” I said.

Luca’s shoulders twitched once, then again. He was fighting laughter. Not the effect I’d intended when I bit him but I had to admit I loved the sound of his deep chuckle. “I think you’ve done enough damage for one day,” he said.

***

We grabbed something to eat on our way home, then settled on the rattan sofa on the roof terrace with a glass of wine.

“I’m surprised,” I said eventually. Luca and I sat close together, almost touching and his arm was thrown over the backrest behind me but so far he had held back. “I didn’t think you’d really try.”

“I told you I would. I keep my word.”

“I bet this is hard for you.” I gestured at the space between us.

“You have no idea. I want to kiss you really fucking bad.”

I hesitated. Kissing him had felt good. Luca set the glass down, then he moved a bit closer and touched my waist. “Tell me you don’t want me to kiss you.”

I parted my lips but nothing came out. Luca’s eyes darkened and he leaned toward me, capturing my mouth in a kiss and I lost myself in the sensation of his tongue and lips. Luca didn’t push it, never moved his hand from my waist but he’d begun rubbing my skin there lightly and his other hand massaged my scalp. How could I feel that all the way between my legs?

Eventually I lay back on the sofa, Luca propped up above me. I could feel myself getting wet but I didn’t have the time or necessary focus to feel embarrassed. Luca’s kisses kept me busy. The tingling in my center became difficult to ignore and I tried to alleviate the tension by pressing my legs together.

Luca drew back with a knowing expression. Heat rose into my cheeks.

“I could make you feel good, Aria,” he murmured, his hand on my waist tightening. “You want to come, don’t you?”

Oh my God, yes. My body was screaming for it. “I’m fine. Thank you.”

Luca choked on a laugh. “You are so stubborn.” He didn’t say it in a mean way. His lips came down on mine again and I could tell he gave it his all, determined to break my resolve and a few times I got close. I was throbbing between my legs but I wouldn’t give in, not so soon. I had more control than that.

That night I fell asleep with Luca’s arms around me and his erection an insistent presence against my upper thigh. Maybe we could really make this marriage work.

CHAPTER ELEVEN

When I woke the next morning, I was alone in bed. I sat up, disappointed that Luca hadn’t woken me. I slipped out of bed when he came into the bedroom from the hallway, already dressed in black, with a chest holster that held two knives and two guns, and who knew how many more holsters on the rest of his body with more weapons. “Are you leaving already?”