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She grins. “Just take a chance. I know in my heart that Victorio will make things okay. If you let him love you, honey, he’ll help you to erase the memories of that day with much, much better ones.”
I nod. I’m still scared, but Emilia has reminded me that Victor has always watched out for me. He won’t hurt me, and if I fail epically, he’ll get me through it. I’m still kind of sick to my stomach. It’s not because I doubt Victor—not at all. It’s because if I can’t be the woman he deserves, I have to let him go.
And I’m afraid that might kill me.
victorio
. . .
“Did you have a nice visit with Emilia?” I look at her as I ask the question. She’s been quiet since we came home. We cooked dinner together and she spoke here and there, but she’s been uncharacteristically quiet. I don’t know if it’s nerves because of everything we did last night and today, or if something else is bothering her. Is she having regrets? We kissed and made out, but I didn’t let it go too far. Is she worried? I need to figure out what is going on in that head of hers and fix it because I’m not letting her go.
“It was good. I don’t see how she can go much longer. If it was me, I’d be begging the doctor to induce my labor. She’s adamant that the baby will come out when he’s ready.”
“I know. We have a pool going on.”
“A pool?”
“Yeah, we’re betting on when she has the baby.”
“You are?”
“Yep. If she delivers on March twenty-third, I win the pot.”
“How much money is in the pot? Wait! March twenty-third?”
“Yeah,” I respond, grinning.
“That’s my birthday.”
“I know, Kitten. It happens to be my favorite day of the year.”
“It does? But why?”
“Because it’s the birthday of the woman who owns me.”
“Owns you?” she laughs. “Be serious, Victor.”
“I am, Gia. Did you think I was lying when I told you how I feel about you?”
“I don’t think you would lie to me.”
“Good.” We had been doing the dishes, cleaning up from dinner. I take the dish towel out of her hand. Her eyes follow me, but she doesn’t say anything or move. She’s waiting to see what I’ll do. That makes me smile. Once I put the towel on the counter, I pick her up, holding her against my chest, cradling her gently.
“What are you doing?” she questions me, but I notice she’s curling her body into me.
“You and I need to talk.”
“We’ve talked a lot today,” she points out.
“Okay, so now it’s time to explore our new boundaries.”
“We have boundaries?”
“Not really, but you probably have some. They’re boundaries we will keep until you’re comfortable to go beyond them.”
I feel her body tense with my words. When we make it to her bedroom, I walk us over to the bed and lay her down gently. Her beautiful auburn-copper hair spills over the pillow. The blonde she used to dye it to is now nothing but a memory and I’m glad. This is my Kitten. Her beauty is beyond compare and the dusting of freckles over her body calls to me like a prayer in the middle of the night. I love everything about this woman.
“I don’t mean to have boundaries.” Her words are but a mere breath, so quiet that it is hard to grasp them over the beating of my heart. “It’s just?—”
