“Michael!” With difficulty, Dara Jensen tore her mouth away from the hard, demanding lips that determinedly ravished hers. “I’ve got to go!”
Her words fell on deaf ears. Former Mob boss Michael ‘Sonny’ Corinthos merely pressed Dara more firmly against the front door of his newly purchased home and ground his burgeoning hardness against her. “Michael, please!” Dara struggled briefly as her lover lifted and then wrapped one lithe leg about his waist. The action left him seated intimately against Dara, who silently blessed and cursed the layers of clothing between them. “You always do this. You promise to let me go…”
Sonny reluctantly ceased his passionate assault. He gently lowered his forehead to Dara’s and took several deep breaths. “I always believe I can,” he murmured against her mouth. “But then you head for the door and…”
Dara closed her eyes against the wave of desire his words generated. One of the things she loved most about Michael was his willingness to put his heart on display where she was concerned. “It’s only for a few hours.” Dara caressed his face and feathered kisses all along his jawline. “I need to go home and change for court. I don’t want to be late.”
The beautiful attorney hoped Sonny would not try to change her mind. With him pressed so intimately against her, she had no willpower left to deny him. To her relief, Sonny complied.
“It won’t always be this way,” Dara promised. “Mama is leaving in a few days and I won’t need to go home every morning.”
Sonny chose not to challenge her statements. They had already had several pointed discussions about that particular subject. Sonny would never understand Dara’s reasoning where Carlotta Jensen was concerned. It wasn’t, after all, like the older woman didn’t know that her daughter had spent the night somewhere.
With hungry eyes, Sonny watched Dara straighten her clothing. He almost smiled when he realized that she had no idea how …well-loved she looked. Her hair was slightly in disarray from his fingers and her lips were swollen from his kisses.
“There. I’m ready,” Dara announced. She spied Sonny’s dimpled grin and frowned. “What are you smiling about?”
Sonny took Dara by the shoulders and turned her to face the mirror by the door. “Your mother’s gonna take one look at you and see what I see.” His voice was raspy with renewed desire. “She’s gonna see a woman who looks thoroughly fucked.”
“Michael!” Dara’s ears grew hot. She grabbed the front doorknob and hurried to put some distance between herself and the dark-eyed temptation behind her. “You are so whipped!” a tiny voice mocked as Dara climbed into her car on legs that shook.
The fifteen-minute drive home was filled with one-sided conversation. ‘You know he’s right,’ the little voice continued. ‘Your mama’s gonna look at you and know you’ve been doing everything she ever taught you not to do!’
“As long as she doesn’t know who I am doing it with,” Dara thought wryly, “I can deal with that.”
Far too soon Dara spied the brick and steel façade of the condominium complex she called home. Her unit was one of three designed for the major investors of the complex. The other tenants assumed Dara had been allotted the spacious dwelling in exchange for free legal work on behalf of the complex. Only the other two owners knew that Dara had consolidated all her savings and borrowed against her retirement in order to become a partner. It was a move that had already returned her investment and provided a hefty profit.
Dara wondered what her mother would think of Dara’s uncharacteristic gamble with her entire lifesavings. She wondered if Carlotta would be even more concerned to know that Dara’s financial decisions were just a small part of her daughter’s new philosophy of life.
Quietly Dara unlocked the door and slipped inside. “Don’t bother to creep in,” she heard from the kitchen doorway. “I am already awake.”
“Good morning, Mama,” Dara replied calmly. She continued on to her room without further comment. If she hurried, she could grab a few things and manage a quick shower before she had to leave for court.
“Dara, what is going on with you?”
“I don’t have time to have that discussion with you now, Mama,” Dara replied. “I am going to be late for court.”
Halfway to the bathroom, Dara’s front doorbell sounded. Impatiently she changed directions and pulled the door open. “Michael!” she gasped.
“Counselor.” Sonny smiled unapologetically. His gaze fell upon Dara’s mother Carlotta, who observed their exchange through narrowed eyes. Sonny crossed the room and extended his hand. “Mrs. Jensen, I am glad to finally meet you. I am Michael Corinthos – the man your daughter has been spending her nights with.” Sonny ignored Dara’s audible gasp behind him. “I hope,” he continued, “that she will soon spend all her days with me as well.”
