Venice Vampyr (Venice Vampyr #1)

the surface. “My husband drowned in the canal.”
    Shock registered in his eyes. Then he pulled her close to him and cupped the back of her head, pressing her against the crook of his neck. “Oh, my angel, I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to stir up bad memories.”
    “It happened almost a year ago. And I’m fortunate in many ways. But …” Her voice became thick with the threatening tears.
    “You miss him,” Raphael whispered into her hair.
    She nodded.
    “Tell me what happened.”
    “Giovanni was good to me, generous and kind. He taught me how to run his business. I think he did it merely because it amused him, not because he knew how much it meant to me. He spent lots of time with me, despite the fact that he and Massimo often went out without taking me along or telling me where they were going.”
    “Massimo?” Raphael asked.
    “Giovanni’s cousin. They were close. But then, about a month before my husband’s death, something changed. He started avoiding Massimo, made excuses when he came by. I had to lie for Giovanni when he didn’t want to see him. He avoided me too. Suddenly, he didn’t want to share my bed anymore. He stayed away all night. I think he might have had a mistress.”
    The thought still hurt, even after all this time. “He lost interest in me. He stopped loving me.”
    Isabella felt Raphael’s hand on her chin as he tilted her face up to make her look at him. “I can’t imagine how any man could ever stop loving you. I’ve never met a more lovable creature than you, my angel.” He planted a tender kiss on her lips.
    “You flatter me, but I can’t ignore the truth. He was gone almost every night, until that one cold December night. Nobody knows what really happened, but by the time two footmen managed to pull him out of the canal, his lungs had already filled with water, and his heart had stopped beating. They said they were lucky to even find his body. Had his coat not gotten tangled up in some fishing hooks that hung over a moored boat, he would have drifted away.”
    “So you thought if you saved me, you’d save your husband. Why?”
    “I was so angry with him. I wanted another chance. If I’d done something wrong that made him pull away from me, I wanted a chance at undoing it. Don’t you see? When he drowned, I never got to ask him why he didn’t love me anymore.” She’d cried so many nights, trying to understand all that had happened.
    “I’m sure there was some other explanation for him being away at night. A man married to you would not need a mistress. Believe me when I tell you that if I had you in my bed every night, there’d be no reason to ever seek pleasures elsewhere.” Raphael traced her lips with his thumb, then slipped it between them. She instantly sucked on him and saw him close his eyes. “See? That’s what I mean. With your lips on any part of my body, I would never have the strength to leave your bed.”
    When Raphael opened his eyes, his gaze collided with hers. His eyes had gone dark with passion. He pulled his thumb out of her mouth and lowered it to her breast, where he rubbed his digit over her nipple.
    Her breath hitched.
    “I want you to ride me. You’ve got me under your thrall, and I’d like to offer my body to you. Take your pleasure. I’m here to serve you.”
    His strong hands supported his words as he pulled her on top of him. Her legs automatically fell to each side of his hips, and her core aligned with his hard length. Isabella sat up and looked down to where their bodies were joined. His manhood was swollen, almost purple in color, evidence of the blood pumping it full. She reached for it with her hand and stroked against it.
    He jerked at her touch and moaned. “Tell me, Isabella, did you touch me when I was unconscious?”
    She felt her cheeks color with embarrassment.
    “Please, I want to know. There’s no need to be ashamed.”
    She avoided looking at his face when she answered him. “I washed you and dried you.”
    “Did you stroke your hand over me as you just did?” His voice was hoarse. She snapped her gaze to him and could see excitement shine in his eyes.
    Isabella nodded. “Just once.” She felt herself get wet at the memory.
    “Did you touch my balls? Did you cradle them in your palms?”
    She ran her hand along his shaft again, up and down. “I only let my fingertips slide over them.”
    “Did you like it?”
    “Yes.”
    “And now, do you like it that I’m awake?”
    Isabella wrapped her