Mistakenly Yours: Contract Marriage With The Billionaire-Chapter 104: Now, lift your arms

Chapter 104: Now, lift your arms
"They seem so desperate for their son’s closeness," Sara murmured, crossing to the large bed. She sat down, leaning back comfortably against the propped pillows, resting her weight on one elbow.
Luca stood by the small, round end table, his hands clenched. "I have no desire for their affection any longer," he stated, his voice devoid of warmth. His gaze fixed on the document folder his father had presented him earlier. He reached out and picked up the file.
He walked over and settled beside her on the mattress, then quietly offered the folder.
"What is this?" she asked.
"Examine it for yourself," Luca replied. She accepted the folder and lifted the cover to read the contents.
"You are now a part of this family," Luca declared, preempting her protest. "Keeping these assets is your privilege. Do not refuse this."
Sara sensed that rejecting the file again would deeply disappoint her father-in-law. Choosing to honor his intent, she decided to retain the documents. "Very well. But once we–"
"Stop. Do not utter that phrase," Luca interrupted abruptly. "I will not permit you to leave my side." His eyes held hers steadily as he shifted nearer. His hand settled gently over hers, which was still resting on the file. She dropped her gaze because of the apprehension brought on by his sudden proximity and touch.
"Tomorrow is a sports event for all the secretaries," Sara informed him, suddenly changing the topic of their conversation. "I’ll go after attending the morning meeting."
Luca’s expression, which had just softened with closeness, tightened slightly. He pulled his hand back, though he kept his body turned toward her. "A sports event?" he murmured, a hint of disappointment in his voice. "I was hoping we could go somewhere, just the two of us, this weekend."
Sara shrugged lightly, though she avoided his direct gaze, perhaps sensing his mood. "Well, this will let me get to know more of the company staff. I’ve hardly interacted with them outside of the department," she explained, a pragmatic note entering her voice.
"Hmm. I’ll come too then," Luca mused, a faint smirk playing on his lips, turning the idea over in his mind. "You absolutely should interact with them. But you aren’t exactly known for your athletic skill, as far as I recall."
Sara’s eyes widened slightly in surprise, her posture stiffening. "Why would you come? The event is exclusively designated for the company’s secretaries," she asserted, emphasizing the word exclusively.
"And I happen to be the CEO of that company," Luca countered smoothly, his tone shifting from playful to authoritative. He leaned back comfortably, crossing his arms. "Of course I can attend my own company’s function. How is it that I wasn’t already informed about this event?" he pressed, his question laced with a mild, rhetorical challenge.
"I don’t think you’ve ever been interested in that kind of event," Sara pointed out, trying to match his casual confidence. "That’s probably why Fabio neglected to mention it to you."
Luca let out a short, soft chuckle, dismissing her claim instantly. "I wholeheartedly approve of such morale-boosting activities, darling. And Fabio did inform me; it simply slipped my mind until now," he admitted with a careless wave of his hand. "I’ll be there to cheer you on from the podium. You used to do the exact same thing for me when we were in school."
Sara flushed, blinking rapidly in quick denial. "I—I never did that."
"Oh, but you did," Luca insisted, a mischievous glint entering his eyes. "You were present at every single sports contest I ever participated in. Always sitting discreetly in the back with your friends, lugging that enormous bag full of books. You came to see me, didn’t you?"
"No," Sara lied immediately, her denial firm but perhaps a beat too quick. "I simply wanted to enjoy the game and observe the performance of the other players." Her tone suddenly turned low and slightly defensive as she finished, "Besides, you were always surrounded by your legion of fangirls. You never even glanced my way."
"Huh?" Luca countered, his dark brows arching in disbelief at her quiet admission. "My focus was always on you," he corrected her softly. "Those other girls never mattered to me. Your presence, for some reason, filled me with confidence. I feel suddenly energized just recalling those happy memories."
A soft, small smile finally formed on Sara’s lips, a genuine expression blossoming as she registered Luca moving even closer beside her.
"You have to win tomorrow," Luca declared, his voice firm yet encouraging.
"You know, I’m hopeless at sports or any kind of game," Sara murmured, leaning into her pillow. "I’m only going to enjoy the atmosphere. Please, don’t expect anything more from me."
He reached out, his fingers gently grasping her chin, tilting her face up so that her eyes met his. "The contests aren’t difficult ones," Luca stated, his gaze unwavering. "You can absolutely win them, but only if you maintain a winning attitude." He paused, his voice dropping slightly. "There’s one event that requires partners. Choose me, and we’ll secure the victory together."
A wry look crossed Sara’s face. "You’re cheating by giving me insider information about the game already," she remarked, half-amused, half-chiding. "That’s completely unfair to the other employees."
"You should say it’s getting a perk of being the CEO’s wife," Luca corrected, his grin widening, choosing to focus on the lighter side of his position.
"You don’t call yourself a mafia," Sara mused, her playful tone fading as she looked thoughtfully into his eyes, "when you are one of them."
Luca’s expression instantly turned serious, the flippancy vanishing. "That label doesn’t define my identity wholly," he stated promptly, his voice firm. "Besides you hate me being a mafia, doing shadowy business. You don’t trust me that I don’t do anything illegal. But it’s important for me to stay in the mafia business too."
"Your two aunts’ husbands are also mafia, aren’t they?" Sara asked, the question a quiet statement of fact rather than a query.
"Yes. They are," Luca replied, his gaze sharp as he waited for her reasoning. "Why do you ask?"
"I’m wondering if you remain in this kind of business solely to keep your family safe from them," Sara remarked, leaning closer, her voice barely a whisper as she searched his eyes for confirmation.
Luca grew silent for a moment, his eyes holding hers as he processed her perceptive question. "No," he finally asserted. "I told you I have always enjoyed this kind of life." His hand, which had been holding her chin, moved slowly, tenderly tracing the curve of Sara’s jawline before slipping into her soft hair.
"I have to freshen up and change now," Sara murmured, trying to sit up and break the intimacy, a nervous need to escape the sudden intensity.
But Luca’s strong grip remained, pinning her gently yet firmly in place on the bed. "No. You can change after dinner," he stated, his voice a low command.
He leaned down, closing the remaining space between them. His fingers brushed lightly against her earlobe, sending a shiver through her, and she let out a small gasp just as his mouth captured hers, beginning to devour her with sudden, passionate intensity.
Sara felt her body reacting once again differently to him. Her hands slowly moving to his back when he suddenly pulled up, confusing her.
Sara felt her body reacting once again differently to him, the familiar rush of heat intensifying. Her hands slowly moved to his broad back, fingers gripping the fabric of his shirt, when he suddenly pulled away, interrupting the kiss and confusing her.
"Ah!" She let out a soft, low gasp of surprise as Luca swiftly maneuvered her, lifting her so she was straddling his lap, facing him, while his own head settled back against the headboard.
"What are you doing?" she whispered, licking her lips where the remnants of his kiss lingered, her eyes wide. His hands were already beneath the hem of her white top, the warmth of his palms a shocking contrast against her cold skin.
"Making love to my wife," Luca answered simply, his voice husky. His large palm began to move upward across her torso, but Sara’s hand instantly clamped down on his wrist, stopping the movement.
"Don’t," she pleaded softly.
"Why?" he asked, his brow slightly furrowed in question.
"I’m shy," she whispered, her gaze dropping to his shoulder. She added, a little voice of protest, "Besides, you’ll stay in your shirt. That feels... wrong," she muttered, feeling exposed while he remained partially clothed.
Luca’s smirk widened, reaching his eyes, which glowed with amusement and anticipation. "Then, undress me, wife," he commanded softly. "I’m entirely yours, so take the pleasure in unbuttoning my shirt."
Sara hesitated for a brief moment. ’He is my husband. I can do this,’ she thought. Reaching up, her fingers found the first button. Slowly, she worked down the placket, opening the buttons one by one. As the final fastening gave way, his broad, taut chest was fully exposed to her view. Her fingers curled slightly, almost involuntarily, against the edge of the loosened fabric as she lifted her gaze to meet his intense, waiting eyes.
"Now, lift your arms," he whispered.