The Temporary Wife: Luca and Valentina's Story(40)

The minutes trickle down, and with each passing second, my irritation increases. I rise to my feet at the three-minute mark, fucking fuming. Why the fuck is she still laughing with him like that?

I walk out of my office, and she looks up, her expression sobering. It’s like just seeing me sucks all the joy out of her, and I fucking hate it. Meanwhile, Theo looks at me in surprise and pushes off her desk, the smile melting off his face. “Looks like I’m interrupting something,” I say, my voice far calmer than I feel. Valentina has the decency to look somewhat embarrassed, and she averts her gaze. “What exactly has you two laughing like that?”

I feel like an irritating teacher, and it pisses me off that she brings out the worst in me. When have I ever cared about a woman I’m seeing laughing with someone else? This is a first for me, and I hate the way it feels. My wife turns me into a childish, petty, fucking fool, and there’s not a thing I can do about it.

Valentina clears her throat and looks up at me, giving me one of those irritating smiles when she gave the fucker next to her such genuine ones just moments ago. “It’s nothing,” she tells me, her tone as cold as it usually is. “Theo just came to hand me a report I’d asked for.”

“Why?” I snap. “If there’s an issue with your email, you should be speaking to IT,” I tell him, my eyes on the documents on Valentina’s desk. What kind of bullshit excuse is this? Who even prints reports anymore?

Theo cups the back of his neck, clearly embarrassed, and Valentina rises to her feet. She shoots me an annoyed look, and that just infuriates me even further. Is she seriously trying to stand up for him?

“Can I have a word?” I ask my wife.

She nods and grabs a parcel from her desk. “Of course. This just came in for you, so I was about to bring it in.”

I nod and extend my arm toward my office. Theo watches her as she walks away, and I raise my brow at him questioningly. He snaps out of it and nods at me before rushing off, unaware that he’s now officially on my shit list. I’m going to watch him closely, and if he fucks up even remotely, I’m demoting or firing him. Probably the latter. I don’t give a shit that he’s one of our best assets. I gave him a chance after he took my wife out on a date. One chance is all he gets.

I walk into my office to find Valentina standing in front of my desk, my parcel in her hands. She’s the only one authorized to sign for anything on my behalf, and I’m hoping that parcel is what I think it is. It arrived quicker than I was expecting.

I close the door behind me and press the button that makes my windows opaque. Valentina’s eyes widen as I walk up to her, and she takes a step back, her hips hitting my desk.

I smile humorlessly as I lean in and press my palms on my desk on either side of her, caging her in. “You weren’t there when I woke up. Avoiding me isn’t going to help us put on a convincing act.”

She looks away, her cheeks flushing. “Luca, we’re at the office.”

I smile at her and tip my head toward the opaque windows. “No one can see us, Valentina. You told me you didn’t want anyone to know, and I’m abiding by your rule. Had it been up to me, Theo Miller would’ve already been made aware that you’re mine.”

She narrows her eyes at me. “I’m not yours, not truly.”

I clench my jaw involuntarily. “It looks like there’s a misunderstanding of some sort.” I press my body flush against hers and bury a hand in her hair, tipping her face toward mine. “I was gentle with you last night because it was obvious you were nervous, but that is not how things are going to be between us. I told you in clear terms that I wanted your body. For the next three years, every fucking inch of you is mine, Valentina. Every smile you just gave Theo should’ve been mine. How are you going to compensate me for that?”

“You’re insane,” she whispers, her gaze dropping to my lips. One look, and my cock hardens. She’s fucking irresistible.

“Yes, wife,” I tell her. “We’ve long determined that you drive me completely fucking insane, so take some responsibility.”

I tighten my grip on her hair and pull her closer, taking her lips with an urgency I can’t suppress. She moans into my mouth and instantly wraps her arms around my neck, pushing herself up against me as she kisses me back. I don’t think I’ll ever get enough of her. She tells me she hates me, but her body says otherwise.

My hands wrap around her waist, and I lift her on top of my desk. Valentina spreads her legs for me, and I pull her close, my cock pushing against her as I kiss her. She drives me fucking mental. Never before has anyone been able to make me lose control the way she does.

My hand brushes over her thigh, and she pulls away, her eyes wide and her breathing irregular. “We have a meeting in a couple of minutes, Luca. We can’t be doing this.”

I pull away a little to look at her and shake my head. “A few minutes is all I need to make you come.”

She blushes and bites down on her bottom lip as my fingers slip between her legs. That needy look of hers instantly takes the edge off my anger. “The next time I see him hitting on you, we’re going to have a problem,” I tell her, my voice soft.

“I know,” she murmurs, her voice husky. “I’m sorry.”

I smile in satisfaction as I rip her tights right between her legs, the sound of fabric tearing fucking music to my ears. Valentina gasps, her gaze heated. I thought she’d protest, but she looks at me like she wants this more than I do. “Wet,” I whisper. “You soaked through this, baby, and all I’ve done is kiss you.”