already was though.
His soul already entwined with mine.
“Fuck, Bambolina. Nothing,” he gathered the hair off my face and pressed a kiss to the underside of my jaw, “will ever feel as good as this.”
“I’m close,” I panted, my body trembling.
“Together,” he murmured, kissing me so intensely I felt myself begin to fall. But Nicco was there to catch me as we came together, the rise and fall of our chests quick, the beat of our hearts hard.
“I can’t promise that things won’t get worse before they get better...” Nicco met my heavy-lidded gaze. “But I promise I’ll be waiting at the end.”
I nodded, too choked up to reply. In our bubble, I felt safe. I felt safe and loved and cherished. But out there, without him by my side, I felt lost. Adrift without an anchor.
Nicco pulled us down onto the bed and pulled the sheet over our bodies. He held me, his fingers dancing along the curve of my waist as the silence crashed down around us.
“What are you thinking?” I leaned up to look at him. He looked so good. His hair was ruffled and damp, while his eyes glowed with possessiveness and love.
“Everything... and nothing.”
“Sounds complicated.” I shrieked as he rolled me underneath him.
“I’m wondering how I'm supposed to leave you tomorrow. How the fuck am I supposed to let you go back there, to him? Tell me, Bambolina, tell me how?” Pain edged into his words, making my heart ache.
I lifted a hand to his cheek and gave him a sad smile. “You just do, Nicco. This is bigger than us, you said so yourself.”
He grabbed my hand and kissed my palm. “I know, Bambolina. Are you tired? Hungry? I could order something...”
“Nicco, stop.” My arm looped around his neck, drawing his face to mine. “I have everything I need right here.” I kissed him, running my tongue along the seam of his mouth and teasing him. Nicco took control, deepening the kiss and stealing my breath. Heat pooled low in my stomach and I felt Nicco hard and ready against my thigh.
“Again?” His intense gaze pinned me to the spot.
Suppressing a coy smile, I nodded.
“Jesus, Arianne.” He dropped his hand between us, finding my center. I gasped as he pushed a finger inside me. “You’ll be the death of me.”
I pulled him closer, until we were nose to nose. “I can think of worse ways to go.” My lips curved against his.
“I love you, Arianne. With everything that I am.”
“Show me,” I moaned already feeling the waves of ecstasy rise inside me.
He gazed at me, his eyes looking right into my soul as he whispered, “Senza di te la mia vita non vale niente.”
I lifted my face into the stream of sunlight. It warmed my skin, coaxing my spent muscles from their slumber.
“Good morning.” My lips curved as I reached out for Nicco, only to be met by cold empty sheets. “Nicco?” I sat up, pushing wild curls from my face.
The room was quiet. Still. I pushed back the covers and found a clean t-shirt and panties from my overnight bag. Pulling back the curtains, I scanned the parking lot, but it was as empty and still as our room. Dejection swarmed my chest. Nicco wouldn’t just leave me, he wouldn’t. Not again.
Not after everything.
Panic flooded me. What if something had happened...? What if—
The door handle rattled, and I froze, my heart beating wildly in my chest. I clutched my cell phone ready to call Luis.
“Morning. I have coffee.”
“Nicco,” I cried.
“What’s wrong?” Nicco paled. “Oh, you thought I’d left, didn’t you?” His head hung low, guilt swirling in his dark eyes.
“I... I didn’t...”
“Hey, come here.” He placed the coffee and brown paper bag down on the table and stalked toward me. “I’m sorry, I didn’t think.” Nicco pulled me into his arms and I went willingly, falling against his solid chest.
“I don’t know what I thought.” I buried my face in the crook of his neck.
“Bambolina, look at me.” His fingers slid under my jaw and tilted my face up to meet his. “I won’t ever do that to you again.” Nicco seared me with his gaze.
“I know.”
I did know.
But the deep sense of dread I’d felt when I woke up to an empty bed had been real. A natural reaction to everything I’d been through over the last few weeks.
“I was awake early, and you looked so peaceful. I didn’t want to wake you.” His arm looped around me, as he swayed us gently.