“I made a mess,” Her face crumbled.
Cesare looked at her like she had a third eye, and tried very hard not to laugh. “You are fucking perfect. I’m the one that came all over your perfect tits. You did nothing wrong. You took me so well, baby.” He praised.
He wrapped his arms around her once more. “I’m taking you to bed,to hold you, and when Monte drops off dinner I’m feeding you too.” He muttered as he lifted her from the counter. “And then we’re going to sleep.Together.”
Sabrina wrapped her arms around him, resting her head in the crook of his neck and gave a wordless nod.
Cesare laid her in the bed, wrapping her robe closed and tying it before joining her in the bed. Despite the intimacy of the moment, Sabrina couldn’t help a growing sense of frustration.
“I can see the wheels turning in your brain. Talk to me.” He muttered, tugging gently on one of her copper curls.
“I liked what we did.” She paused, trying to find the right words. “I didn’t want it to stop, because I could see how much pleasure it was bringing you, and it made me want to give youthat feeling forever.” Sabrina whispered, her voice still feeling hoarse from taking him down her throat.
“It’s a big feeling, wanting anything forever.” Sabrina continued. “And that feeling hit right as I remembered you’re flying out tomorrow. As stupid as it sounds, for just a few minutes when we were… doing what we were doing… I’d forgotten you were leaving.” Tears welled up again in her eyes and she wiped at them as Cesare listened.
“And then I remembered all over again. And it made me sad. And I’m mad at myself that it’s made me so sad.” She muttered, finally meeting his gaze. “I feel like I need you now, and that’s kind of scary. Not because of you, but because vulnerability is fucking scary.”
Cesare nodded, pulling her closer and kissing her forehead.
After a long silence, she pulled back. “Cesare?” She asked.
“Yes, tesoro?” He answered gruffly.
“This is where you say something back.” She mock-whispered.
Cesare’s jaw clenched as he raked his gaze over her face and pulled her curvaceous body closer to his; visibly deep in thought. “Do you trust me to take care of you, tesoro?” He asked.
Sabrina nodded silently, her eyes searching his.
After a moment of consideration, Cesare nodded to himself, seeming to make his mind up about something. He wordlessly reached across her for the cell phone on the nightstand and pressed a number in his recents.
A moment later, Sabrina heard a woman’s voice answer on the other end. “Good evening, Mr. Lombardi.”
Cesare met Sabrina’s gaze and held it with his own. “Good evening, Marci. I need another ticket for Sabrina Hamilton for my flight tomorrow. She’ll be flying with me to Philly. And please let Mrs. Bonetti know she’ll be staying at the house as long as Ms. Hamilton chooses to stay.”
A wave of relief washed over Sabrina as Cesare continued to speak directions into the phone. She leaned forward, pressing a chaste kiss on his cheek. He blinked, pausing mid-sentence, and swallowed thickly, his jaw clenching as he finished the phone call.
“Your turn.” He said, handing Sabrina the phone.
“My turn?” She asked, confused.
“Walter.” Cesare nodded.
Walter, as it turned out, was so supportive that he offered to pack for her. “You haven’t taken a vacation in years, Sabrina.” He told her. “I think it’s a great idea.”
He asked where she’d be staying, and when Sabrina told him Cesare’s, Walter was unexpectedly quiet. After a pause, he said in a classic Mainer accent, “Our seal pup took a shine to ‘im. Text me his address when you get there, and if you need anything, you call me, Bubbie. I mean it.”
Sabrina emailed Kathy at the college, establishing Walter as the main point of contact for the next few weeks, and texted Marie about coverage at Society.
It was a mind trip, realizing that most of her life could be rescheduled or delegated in a matter of minutes.
???
The flight to Philadelphia was mercifully uneventful, and Cesare enjoyed the novelty of having a travel companion for the first time in years. He also enjoyed fanaticizing about a slow, painful death for every man he caught staring at his tesoro.
Marci had booked them two seats in first class, and Cesare took great pleasure in every smile Sabrina sent his way, and each new delight she shared.
Sabrina had told him that while she had no regrets growing up in a refuge, it had meant their family could rarely travel away from the animals. Her family had made it a point to go on local adventures and staycations, but Sabrina had only ever left New England once for a senior trip in high school.
