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Dante rolls to the side and wraps me in his arms, my back to his front. We’re covered in sweat and panting, but neither of us has the strength to move.
“Is it always that good?” I eventually ask as our breathing slows.
Dante hums and kisses the back of my neck. “I don’t remember anyone before you, sunshine,” he whispers into the shell of my ear. “But I promise you, it will always be this good for us. You know why?”
I look at him over my shoulder, hanging on his every word. It almost sounds like he’s going to profess his love to me, but I know that would be preposterous.
“Why?” I ask, nibbling my bottom lip.
Dante leans in, his lips barely brushing mine when his phone rings. “Shit,” he groans, nipping my lip before rolling over to grab his phone. Frowning at the screen, Dante jumps up and silences the call, then gives me an apologetic look. “I have to take this. It’s my boss. Might be a little while.”
Though I'm a little disappointed, I nod and give an understanding smile. Dante sees right through me, throwing on his pants and a shirt before kneeling beside me on the bed. His phone rings again, but he silences it. I get the feeling Dante is always on call for work and never lets something go unanswered, so I appreciate his attention and knowing he chose me over answering right away.
“I’ll make it up to you later,” he murmurs, pressing a kiss to the side of my neck.
“It’s not that. I just…” I sigh and look away, but my man isn’t having any of that. He cups my chin and draws my face back toward his. “We’ve slept together twice now, and I don’t even know what you do.”
Dante’s eyes flash with something fierce, but it’s gone before I’m even sure what I saw. He dips his head, shielding his face from me as he kisses my cheek. “I’ll tell you everything soon,” he vows.
“When?”
Dante gives me one last kiss on the nose, then stands up, searching for his shoes. “Tonight. I’ll pick up groceries while I’m out and make us my mother’srigatoni alla carbonarafor dinner at the main house with Raul.”
“You cook?”
I never thought I’d see Dante blush, but here he is, cheeks flushed all the way to the tips of his ears. “I haven’t had a reason to cook in years, but yes, sunshine. My mother taught me everything she knew before…”
I’m out of bed in the next instant, throwing my arms around him. He catches me and stumbles back a bit, looking down at me with confusion and amusement. “Thank you,” I whisper. “Thank you for making an effort. Thank you for showing me more of who you are. Just… thank you.”
He gives me that same look from the other day like he can’t believe I’m saying these things to him. It hurts my heart, but I’m determined to keep filling his head with positive things until he sees himself the way I see him; worthy of love.
“Never thank me, Cambria. You’re the one working your magic. I’m happy to be along for the ride.”
I smile and lean in for a kiss, but Dante’s phone rings for a third time. He gives me a peck on the lips, then untangles himself from my embrace and answers the phone.
“Yes, Boss, everything is fine. Trouble getting out of bed this morning.”
Dante is almost out the door when he turns to me and winks, mouthing the wordstotally worth it,andI’ll see you for dinnerbefore stepping outside.
I take my time in the shower, lounging in my robe with a cup of tea before getting dressed for the day. It’s Saturday, so Raul and I have a more relaxed schedule. During the week, I like to keep him to a routine, but everyone deserves to relax on the weekends. Except for Dante, apparently.
As I make my way up to the main house, I try not to obsess over why he wouldn’t tell me what he does for a living. But how hard is it to sayI’m a lawyerorIdon’t have a traditional job? People pay me to take my clothes off so they can stare at my glorious body.
Okay, so that second one probably isn’t the case, but good lord, the man could make a living as a nude model. Not that I want to share him with anyone else. He’s all mine and finally trusting me with all the little pieces of his story. I have to be patient while I wait for him to tell me everything.
Raul and I have an easy breakfast of toast and fresh fruit, followed by a few rounds of Connect Four and reruns of Matlock. It’s a pretty typical Saturday, but something feels off.
At first, I think I’m just missing Dante. It’s crazy, but the enigmatic man has become essential to my being in the five days he's been here.
While I do wish Dante were here, this is something else. Dante makes me feel on edge, but in a thrilling way. I always feel safe with him, so I’m excited about whatever his dark looks and sinful smirks mean.
This nagging feeling in the back of my mind isn’t safe. Not at all. It has the hairs on my neck standing up, making me jump at every slight noise.
Still, I go about my daily chores, picking up clutter here and there, gathering trash bags and replacing the lining, and washing the sheets. The sense of unease grows with each new task, and my stomach is twisted into knots by the time I’m ready to take the garbage out.
“I’ll be right back!” I call to Raul as I hoist a trash bag over my shoulder. He doesn’t answer, and I assume he’s passed out in front of the TV. Nothing puts him to sleep like Matlock, but I learned my lesson not to change the channel, even if he’s snoring. Somehow, Raul knows when Andy Griffith isn’t on the screen.
I head outside, walking faster than usual to the bins on the other side of the garage. I get a whiff of cigarette smoke, which is odd. According to his medical history, Raul quit smoking a decade ago, and I haven’t seen him light up once since I’ve been here. Plus, it’s not like he can hop in a car and buy himself a carton of Marlboros.
