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“I know you do, Bella. I know. Being near you now is right. I don’t have it yet, but it looks promising.”
I hope he can hear the smile on my face. “I can’t wait to see you. Four weeks has been too long.”
“It has for me too. Nearly intolerable.” His voice lowers to barely a whisper. “I can’t wait to kiss you.” Just the thought of that sends shivers down my spine. “I will be there within the hour. Is Sylvia home this evening?”
“She is, but she’s going out on a date. We will be alone for dinner and dessert.”
“I hope dessert means to you what it means to me.”
“Trust me, it does.”
“Order dinner in. I don’t care what, as long as I share it with you. See you soon, Bella. Ti amo. Ciao.”
The call disconnects as I put my car in park. I can feel that familiar heat rising through my body. He’s going to be here with me, in my space. It’s nearly too good to be true.
I race around for twenty minutes doing a spot clean in the common areas of my apartment and my bedroom. I want him to feel at home here. If he does, maybe he will stay more often. I don’t want to get too hopeful, but I also don’t think there’s any way to stop that now.
I have a few short minutes left to change into a pair of jean shorts and a black flowy tank top with pink and white abstract floating flower petals on it. I pull my hair back into a messy ponytail, letting all the baby hairs around my face fly in whatever direction they choose. When I look into the mirror, I have a natural pink flush to my face and lips. My heart is racing in my chest as I stare at myself in the mirror. This is what being in love feels and looks like.
I’m slightly startled by a knock at my door. That same racing heart skips a beat as I hold on to my vanity for one last deep breath. “I’m coming,” I call out as I walk to the door.
His low chuckle on the other side of the door is music to my ears. I turn the deadbolt and open the door to the image I’ve kept close to my mind and heart for weeks. His gold-rimmed sunglasses and his hair shade his eyes. His smile is as warm and wonderful as ever. We stand opposite each other in the doorframe, just taking in the moment.
Rafael removes his sunglasses, hanging them in the open button of his blue button-down shirt. The shade only makes his eyes bluer than they already are. “God, I missed you.” He tosses his bag behind me before wrapping me in the hug of a lifetime. I can feel the subtle heat of his body. His lips press softly against my neck as his hands massage my neck and lower back.
“I can tell.” I giggle. “I missed you too. Come inside so I can show you how much.”
He takes two giant steps forward as I push the door closed, still elevated in his grasp. Rafael presses my back against the now closed door. “Has Sylvia left already?”
“She did. Ten minutes ago.”
“She won’t be returning for a while. Correct?” My teeth begin playing with my lower lip. “I’ll take that as a yes.”
He reaches down to grab hold of the backs of my knees and locks my legs around his waist. The weight of him keeps me against the door as he threads his hands through my hair. I instantly regret wearing shorts as our inability to wait takes over. I’ve never been so impulsive as I have with Rafael. I’ve confessed things and done things I hadn’t thought of, except for in my dreams or fantasies. One thing I’ve become keenly aware of in the last two months, fantasy and reality don’t have to be opposite ends of the spectrum. They can be one in the same.
I end up answering the door for our food delivery in his shirt. It fits me like a dress. The kid who brought it took one look at me, turned bright red, handed the food over, and quickly left. When I return to Rafael, he is already laughing while lounging in his jeans on my couch.
“Okay that was funny, but not that funny. You’re a coward, by the way. You could have answered the door.”
“You’re right. I could have. Watching it was so much better though, Bella.”
“He knew exactly what we just did.”
“Do you care, honestly?”
“Well…no. But that’s not the point.”
“We’re in love, Ava. What other point is there?”
I set the food on the floor in front of us and crawl across his body. Rafael slides farther down so we’re lying flat. He tucks a hair or two that’s escaped from my hair tie behind my ear. “I like you in my shirt. I should have had you wear it before now.”
“That would have taken an overrule on your no-clothes clause though.”
“True. You’re simply beautiful all the time.”
“You spoil me, Signore.”
“I wish I could spoil you more than I do.”
