CATERINA
At first, I don’t know what’s happening when I feel light pressure against my temple. Once, twice. Ugh, something keeps touching me. I try to shrug it off<b>, </b><b>since </b><b>all </b>I want to do is sleep. My body is limp with exhaustion, and I’m sofortable. It feels like the bed has molded itself around me. I burrow deeper against it, hoping for sleep to grip back onto me and pull me under.
It’s the soft, deep chuckle in my ear that brings me back to the present. My lips turn up at the sides as Gianni pulls me close, making me the little spoon to his bigger one. His strong arms wrap tightly around me, and I bask in the warmth of his body heat. Now I really don’t want to get up<b>, </b>ever. Never. I could,happily spend the rest of my life wrapped up in him and these amazingly soft sheets.
Too bad my anxious brain has other thoughts. “How are you feeling?<b>” </b>I whisper, just in case his head’s about to split open after all the drinking he did. I’m surprised he even has the energy to.kiss me, which is what woke me up in the first ce. His soft, tender strokes against my temple and ear.
“Surprisingly well,” he murmurs between kisses. “You are the ultimate hangover cure.”
“I don’t know about that.” I can’t believe he feels okay, although I do believe he would try his best to make it seem that way for my sake.
“Do you have to go to work today?” he asks. When he strokes my arms, his fingers trailing over my breasts, I instantly wish the answer was no. I wish I could stay here forever. Connecting the two of us. It’s the most natural, crucial thing. I haven’t felt this good, this right, ever.
It’s unfortunate what being an adult has turned me into. “I’m afraid I’ve already missed enough workdays<b>.</b><b>” </b>
“If I had it my way, you wouldn’t have to worry about going to work.”
“I know, but your alpha tendencies get slightly out of hand. I sort of like having a say in my own life sometimes.” Even if it sucks having no choice in getting up and facing the world when it’s thest thing I want to do. Especially now, with the first rays of dawn’s light streaming through the window. Everything is hazy and golden outside, and everything in this bed is peaceful and sweet. One of those perfect moments you want to capture to hold and try to freeze, so it never changes.
Sadly it never works. All we can do is try to be where we are when we’re there. Allowing myself another minute, I close my eyes and melt into his arms, smiling at the kisses he keeps raining on me. “You’re going to rub your lips raw,” I finally point out with a softugh.
“I would rather rub your lips raw.”
Immediately, heat res in my core. The only thing stopping me from inviting him to do that is knowing I have to go back home to get dressed for work. I should have known better than to think I wouldn’t stay the night once I got here. I wasn’t thinking clearly.
The reminder of how real life exists outside this bedroom makes my heart sink. Not because of the baby itself but because of everything that apanies pregnancy. It would be the simplest thing if I told him right now it would seem almost poetic in way, considering the baby might have been created in this very bed. And with Gianni in such a soft, gentle, romantic mood, he has a better chance of taking it well. Of being happy.
Just do it, then. He deserves to know.
I open my mouth, ready to blurt it out. Only, I can’t find the words. You’d think it would be easy. I’m pregnant. I’m going to have your baby. I don’t know how it happened, but it’s true.
And then there are all the unspoken feelings that go along with that. Please, love me anyway. Please, love qur baby. Let’s do this together.
I’m a coward. I can’t bring myself to say it. I guess it doesn’t have to happen right away, this very minute, but I have to tell him soon. Eventually, he’ll be able to realize it without me breaking the news–even now, at this very moment, he’s running his hand over my stomach, teasing me, acting like he’s going to dip lower. His touches have the power to make mete for work,
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make me wish for this to never end. My stomach’s not going to be at forever.
“I have an idea.” I roll onto my back, gratefully epting his kiss. would never have imagined him being this sweet and loving. It’s almost like a reward for hanging on all this time, refusing to give up on him. On us.
“You’re going to stay in bed with
mne
all day?” he murmurs, nuzzling my neck. “Yes, yes, I think that is an excellent idea.”
“I was thinking more along the lines of taking a shower together. ll do that here, but then I have to run home and get dressed.”
“If I ever say no to that offer,” he growls, nibbling my neck until have to stifle a moan, “I want you to get me checked out by a doctor, because obviously there’s something wrong.”
I can’t help stroking his scruffy cheek when he lifts his head, grinning. The way the sunlight hits his eyes makes them gleam and sparkle. He has the face of an angel–dark angel or not, it doesn’t matter which. He’s absolutely handsome. I wonder if the baby will look like him.
“Why are you smiling?” he whispers before kissing the tip of my nose.
“I don’t know. ‘Cause I’m happy.”
“That’s how I want you always to feel. Happy.”
“It’s not possible to always be happy,” I point out, still stroking his face, his dark russet brown hair, memorizing every fleck of light in his green eyes. “Or else we would never appreciate it, right?”
“That doesn’t stop me from wanting it for you, for making it happen. You deserve nothing but happiness.”
“A few minutes ago, you kissed me awake. If that’s not happiness, don’t know what is.”
He closes his eyes, groaning. “And you expect me to let you out of this bed after saying something like that?”
“Come on.” I give his ass a yful smack before wiggling out of his embrace, as much as I really don’t want to. “We’d better get moving before I do something stupid like let you convince me to stay.”
“Oh, no, we wouldn’t want that.” He reaches for me, but I manage to get away. However, I’m barely on my feet before he scrambles off the foot of the bed and throws his arms around me. Myughter rings out as he lifts me off my feet and carries me into the bathroom. He’s like a little kid–yful, silly. Is this the effect I have on him? Do I make it so he feels safe to show this
side of himself?
“What’s wrong?” he asks after returning to me once the shower is running. “You have a funny look on your face.”
“Not a thing in the world,” I assure him. “Everything is perfect<b>.</b>”
The curve of his lips is soft, and before we step into the shower, he takes my face in his hands and kisses me. Those tentative lips of his own me, stealing the air from my lungs. The sweet taste of whiskey still lingers on his tongue, but I don’t mind. I sink deeper into his embrace, clinging to him. He is the stormy sea, and I am the cliff’s edge. The circumstances in which we meet are always different, yet no matter what, we’re always linked. I can see it always being this way. This simplicity of being together, of being content because I’m here and he’s here and we don’t have to hold back. Nothing is standing in our way–no more secrets or lies.
Well, almost nothing. He doesn’t know about the baby, and he doesn’t know about the run–in with Amalia or her stupidments that may or may not have made me second–guess things. She doesn’t matter. I don’t want to think about her now<b>, </b><b>or </b>ever. I close my eyes once I step under the warm spray, willing myself to let all thoughts of her wash away.
“Just think.” Gianni steps in behind me, and I turn to him, wrapping my arms around his waist while the water runs over our skin. “If you lived here all the time, we could do this every day.” His perfectly sculpted body molds against mine. For an older man, he sure does have the physique of a twenty–year–old.
He genuinely is like a little boy trying to get his own way. And I love him for it. Nevertheless, I have to at least pretend to be stern. “Are you trying to convince me to move in with you?”
“Is it working?” he counters with a devilish smile that makes me weak in the knees.
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“You know how much I love this. Being together.”
“But…”
“But it’s not fair to say things like that when we’re both naked in the shower.”
“Oh, sweet Caterina. You know I don’t y fair.” His grin deepens, and his dimples pop out. “Why would you pay rent somece else when you could live here for free?” As I open my mouth, he adds, “Don’t talk. Just stop and think for a minute. You wouldn’t have to worry about your dad anymore.” He groans, his rock–hard cock growing between us.” I think I’m losing my mind because I can’t believe I actually mentioned him while in this position with you.”
“Yeah<b>, </b>not very sexy.” I grab a loofa and put some soap on it. He takes it from me and begins running it over my neck, chest, and shoulders. There’s nothing sexual about his touch, though it warms me from the inside out. Is this what it would be like, the two of us together all the time? Both of us, just vaguely horny, morning, noon<b>, </b>and night?