Matteo turned off the TV completely and sat up, leaning his forearms on his knees, so I had his full attention. His eyes tracked my movements – slow, patient, calculated.
His golden-brown eyes burned into mine.
“Come here,” he murmured.
I didn’t move, which made him sigh and get up instead. He walked toward me, barefoot on the hardwood, hands in his pockets. The dim lamps spilled light across his features, all sharp cheekbones and amber eyes.
“You’re stuck with me,” He said quietly. “At least until the end of the year. Might as well make the best of it.”
“Still doesn’t mean we should complicate things,” I argued. My voice felt too small for the room.
“We already did.”
Heat rose in my cheeks.
“That was… Different.”
“How?”
God, he was too close now – all warmth and quiet confidence, and it wasn’t fair. I stared at the gold cross hanging off his chain instead of his eyes.
“Francesca,” he continued, softer this time. “You don’t have to complicate anything. We’re married. There are worse things than enjoying each other… While you’re stuck in this.”
I swallowed. Hard.
“I just – ” The words jammed in my throat. I didn’t know how to finish the sentence without sounding like an idiot. Without revealing the real reason.
He waited, reading me like he always did. For a moment, it almost felt like he could see straight through the armor. His voice dropped even lower.
“Don’t talk yourself out of something great just because it scares you.”
My pulse stumbled.
“I’m not scared,” I whispered.
He didn’t call me on the lie. He just watched me, eyes lingering on my face, patient but unyielding.
“We’ll figure it out, baby,” He reassured me.
I wished I didn’t believe him.
His eyes stayed on me, searching, like he could feel the hesitation I hadn’t voiced out loud. The room felt too still, too warm, the city a slow glitter in the windows.
“You’re still not convinced…” He murmured. “Then let’s spend the day together.”
“I have a lot of work to do – ”
He stepped closer, expression unreadable but frustratingly calm. “Francesca.”
“Yes?”
“Let’s play a game.”
I stared at him, arms crossed. “What game?”
“Let’s see who breaks first.”
I raised a brow.
