“Penny?”
He saw the determination in her blue eyes, and it scared him and excited him at the same time.
“We have to talk.”
“I know…”
“So, let’s do it here. Now. No more mysteries and half-spoken truths. We’re grown-ups. We can deal with this.”
He sighed but nodded in approval. He took the empty mug from her and placed it on the ground, so he could hold both her hands.
“You’re right, cielo. We can’t avoid this forever.”
“You’re avoiding it, Enzo. To me, everything is as clear as day. I know how I feel, and I know what I want.”
“Yes, but do you also know the risks?”
She swallowed hard. “Yes.”
He looked at her for a long moment, then smiled.
“You’re so beautiful in the sun… Your hair looks like pure gold.”
Penny chuckled. “You’re very bad at this. Let me go first.” She cleared her throat, fixed him with her confident gaze, and prepared herself to pour her heart out. “I understand what the Aries curse means. I can see the tattoo is still there, on your forearm. It might vanish, or it might not. Maybe soon, or maybe in another hundred years. I know that if we do this, if we decide to be together, it might only last for one year. If the curse takes you away from me, I will be powerless to stop it. Enzo, I know all this, and none of it makes me love you and want you less. Yes, I understand the risks, and they are worth it. If we only get one year together, so be it. I will enjoy it with all my being, and I will never regret my choice.”
“Penelope, I…” He was at a complete loss for words. He shook his head, tried again, but he realized he was exhausted. He couldn’t stay away from her anymore. So, he said the only words that were worth saying: “I love you.”
“I love you, too.”
He pulled her into his arms, and they kissed passionately, their hands exploring, caressing, pulling at clothes… Enzo lifted her up and started carrying her back toward the house, all the while his lips never leaving hers. He knew the way by instinct.
***
Penelope chuckled when Enzo tripped over the threshold and almost lost his balance.
“Careful, big guy. Are you sure you don’t want to put me down now?”
“Shush. I got this. I got you.”
She nuzzled his neck, then playfully nibbled at his jaw.
“Here come the stairs,” she whispered. Her naughty tongue explored the shell of his ear.
Enzo hummed deep in his chest. Apparently, Penny had no idea what she was doing to him. He was so hard that he could barely walk, but he was determined to carry his beautiful, curvy burden up to his bedroom.
“If I fall, it’s going to be your fault,” he said huskily.
She laughed, but held on to him tightly when he started climbing the stairs. As much as she loved teasing him with little nibs and kisses, she knew better than to distract him when there was real danger of them both tumbling down the stairs and breaking something. Once he reached his bedroom, he kicked the door open, made sure to close it back behind them, and gently lay her on top of the covers.
As Enzo took a step back to admire her, Penny stretched lazily.
“Like what you see?”
She ran her hands through her long blonde hair, then down her rosy cheeks and smooth neck until she reached her heavy breasts, which she cupped sexily.
Enzo couldn’t suppress a low, needy moan. He immediately began undoing the buttons of his checkered shirt, and when the piece of garment was off, he climbed on top of her.
“You have no idea,” he whispered against her lips.
