Page 49 of Taking His Heart

“My mother loves you. Trust me. She’s just a little dramatic sometimes. It’s the Italian in her.” CJ leans over and presses his lips to mine. “We might have a bit of work to do together, but we will get there. We’ve already tackled our biggest problem, Dani. Everything else will just come as it comes.”

“What was our biggest problem?”

“You weren’t my wife. And now, you are.” CJ smiles wide. I like this version of him. Happy. Content. Easygoing. The man who doesn’t look at me like I stomped on his soul.

“I’m going to be a better wife,” I tell him.

“You’ve been a wife for less than twenty-four hours, Dani, and already you’ve been the best one I’ve ever had.”

“Funny.” I roll my eyes. “We should sleep a little.” I turn onto my side to face him. “Wake me if you need anything.”

“Ditto.”

“CJ, close your eyes and stop watching me.”

I hear his chuckle, but after a while, I can feel his body go lax. Peeking an eye open, I find his have closed, his chest rising softly. Finally, he’s asleep. I don’t dare move, knowing he needs rest to be able to recover better.

Chapter Twenty-One

Istare at my wife as she piles her hair up into a ponytail, only to pull it out and let the blonde strands fall over her shoulders. She’s done this six times in the last ten minutes while frowning at her reflection.

“You have the most beautiful hair I’ve ever seen, Dani. It doesn’t matter how you wear it.”

“You have to say nice things because you want to get into my vagina later,” she retorts.

“Correction: I want to get into your vagina now, not later. But you seem to think we need to go to dinner at my parents’.”

“We’ve put this off for five days, CJ,” she says.

Five days. This woman has been my wife for five days and I’ve never been happier. Especially now that the doc’s meds have kicked in and the infection I was suffering from is on the way out. Daniella and I have locked ourselves away in this apartment. After the first twenty-four hours, I got tired of everyone being here and kicked all of their asses out.

We needed the time alone, without the opinions of everyone else. We needed to reconnect with each other. There isn’t a doubt in my mind that I’ve made the right choice in marrying her. That doesn’t mean we don’t have a lot of issues to work through. Especially the self-doubt that weighs her down.

I can’t begin to even pretend to understand what she’s been through, how not being able to have children affects her. She says she’s come to terms with it, but I don’t think she has. Of course I’m not fucking stupid enough to tell her that. I have, however, started to look for a therapist. I want her to talk to someone about it. Really talk, without the fear of judgement. I also want to do sessions with her, so when I tell her I accept her and that she’s enough for me, she doesn’t question it.

Again, not something I’ve brought up with her yet.

“Seriously, Dani, they’re our parents. They don’t care what you look like. Why are you trying to impress them?”

“I’m the woman who went and took your mother’s son away, CJ. I’m also the woman who isn’t going to be able to give her grandchildren. At least if I look good, she won’t think I’m too ugly for you.”

“Even a blind person can see your beauty, Daniella. Because it doesn’t come from the package. It comes from what’s inside you.” I run my eyes up the length of her. She’s dressed in a light-pink, skin-tight dress with nude heels. “Not that the package isn’t a fucking knockout,” I add.

“Again, you just want to get into my vagina.”

“Again, yes, I do. So I think you should let me.” I step towards her.

“After dinner. You are not ruining my makeup.” She holds out a hand, stopping my advance.

“I’ve never hated family more than I do right now,” I grunt. “Let’s go. The sooner we get there, the sooner we can leave.”

“Okay, this will just have to do.” Daniella huffs as she picks up a purse. I reach out an arm and she places her palm in mine.

“You really do look gorgeous, and I’m not just saying that because I want to get into your pussy.”

“Thank you,” she says. “You don’t look too shabby yourself.”

“Thanks.”