Read Harmony for Free Online Page B

hollow space in his throat. One could easily forget that this man was as ruthless as he was handsome. His humor simmered to a low groan. “Smart girl.”
     
    Romano’s arms tightened around her waist. She was crushed against every hard angle of his chest, and it felt good. Though she knew it was well past what her Grams would have called appropriate, having a man hold her was near sublime. She took a deep breath and adjusted her smile. The heat of lust spread so fast under her skin she could feel herself vibrate with need. “Maybe I should go now.”
     
    “ I’ve always wanted to do this.” Romano pulled back and straightened from the way he held her. His hands went to her neatly pinned hair. Harmony stilled. She steadied her breath in anticipation while he pulled the pins out and let them drop to the floor. Her thickly wound pin-curls fell free in frozen spirals about her face. His fingers ran through the coarse strands, and more pins dropped to the floor, raining small metallic sounds. He began to massage her scalp gently with the pads of his fingers. It felt sinfully divine. Her head rolled back slowly and her eyes shut. It was shameful how much she enjoyed the game. Romano then combed his fingers from the roots through her tangles and spread her untamed tresses over her shoulders.
     
    Vinnie. The name buzzed through her skull with such potent force she felt herself go weak around the knees, so her hands lifted to hold his sides. All ideas of how she'd escape a night in his bed dissolved. “I… I thought… I never, uh… Mr. Romano… Vinnie,” she stammered.
     
    Realizing how undone she’d become, she snapped out of it. With her locks falling freely over her eyes, Harmony nervously touched her hair and stepped back from him. What just happened? In an instant she had lost her senses. How was that even possible with a man like Vinnie Romano? The pounding of her heartbeat made her short on breath. Lewis was a demanding lover. Even in her inexperience she knew her man was a tiger. Most nights she’d have to fight her way out of his bed just for relief, and pray Willie would come home from those streets so Lewis would give her a break.
     
    The loss of her man hurt. It hurt to the core. She never even dared think another man could spark the flames of desire in her again. Romano reminded her of Lewis. His touch firm and commanding, his hold strong, and that look in his eyes had her stomach doing flips. It wasn’t just the physical. Lewis said he stumbled into church one Sunday, a bit inebriated he mistook it for the boarding house next door. But he said he first saw her in the pew and heard her voice. Said he fell in love with her instantly. Romano had that same smoldering look in his eyes. She wasn’t crazy, she’d lived for that look from Lewis, and she’d recognize it anywhere.
     
    She needed to get out, and now.
     
    “ Excuse me,” Harmony stammered.
     
    “ For?” he asked.
     
    She couldn't answer. All she knew was in a blink, desire had rolled its way up through her with such force she forgot her middle name. Who could blame her? Power rippled off him in sexy waves hitting her with full intensity. Instead of reclaiming her senses that brief connection they shared melted away her defense.
     
    Again he spoke his language and she frowned. He smirked and translated the words.
     
    “ Trust me.”
     
    Is he serious? Grams always said, with a man trust is a trick horse, turn your back on common sense and get kicked in your head for it. Of course a mob boss like Romano thinks it should be given freely if he asked. Well, I’m no fool. Sure he may like to hear me carry a tune. Sure he wants a little something extra. But he’s like any man. Once his appetite is satisfied that maid Mabel is going to be showing me to the door.
     
    Romano stepped back, but continued to hold her hand. Expectation weighed in his gaze. “You always this jumpy Songbird?”
     
    “ No,” she said honestly, gauging his