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Concern floods me. “Caterina?”
There are tears on her cheeks.
Fuck. What did I do?“Caterina, I’m so sorry, I…”
“No, Elio. It’s not you,” she smiles and wipes at her tears with the sleeve of her shirt. “You… this… this has never been the problem.”
I frown. “What is the problem?”
“We didn’t use any protection.”
I bristle. Of course, I had forgotten. I don’t date, I don’t bring women here, and even if I had condoms in the home, I wouldn’t have remembered.
Caterina, and her sweet body, were all that existed for me.
“Are you…” I start.
She laughs and shakes her head. “No, Elio. I don’t date. I’m not on any kind of birth control.”
“Oh,” I say quietly. I study her. “You don’t date?”
“That’s what you got out of this situation?”
I shrug. “I cannot help who I am.”
Caterina sighs. “No, Elio. In six years, there’s never been anyone but you.”
The words hit me like a bullet. “You’ve never been with another man?”
She shakes her head. “Only you.”
I can’t help the possessive growl that comes over me. I sweep Caterina up into my arms, kissing her as I walk into the bathroom with her. She squeaks, the noise half joy, half surprise. “Elio!”
“I would be lying if I said that does not greatly excite me,” I growl.
She throws her head back and laughs as I set her on the toilet, then turn the shower on. “You’re impossible.”
“I am that and more, and it thrills me to no end that I am the only one who has enjoyed you,” I rumble at her.
Caterina rolls her eyes. “Well, no protection. I’m not at the right time in my cycle, but still…”
“Caterina,” I cut her off. “Nothing would give me more joy than another child with you. I know you may not feel the same, but,” I shrug. “It would be my greatest honor.”
Caterina’s face falls slightly. “I know, Elio. And if things were different… it would just make things more complicated between us. That’s all.”
I shut my eyes.
Yes, things are already quite difficult. Complicated.
Instead of acknowledging this, I turn and deposit another kiss on her lips. “I am okay with complicated,” I whisper.
Her eyes shine up at me when I pull away.
“Shower,” I command, well aware that my demand will likely rile her further. “Shower, I will fetch you clothes, and we will plot with my sister and your brother to return to New York.”
“And you’ll draw up the papers again?”
My heart crumples at the words. Caterina and I have just shared each other in a way that I had hoped would connect us.
