He chuckles. "Yeah." I stare at him. "You? First time?"
He smirks. "I’m so sorry for saying this, but every single time before you, I used protection. Always. Hell, I wrapped it like it was going to war. Full gear. I never trusted anyone enough to do otherwise."
"Why me?"
He leans in a little. "Because you're not just some body I want. You're…you. And for once in my life, it feels like I'm doing something real." I swallow, eyes locked on his.
"I was still getting tested, though," he adds gently. "I'm clean. I swear. I'd never do something that would hurt you. Not ever."
"I trust you," I say instantly. "I didn't even think about that, I just— wow."
"Yeah I know," he murmurs. We sit in silence for a moment. My fingers are laced with his, resting on my stomach. Then he smirks again.
"Still. Bold-ass guest, Ravioli. First night sleeping over and you're already asking to take my ass."
"Oh my god," I groan, sliding lower into the water, wishing it would drown me. He laughs, tilting his head back. "I'm joking. Mostly. But I'll keep you in mind." He grins and pulls me even closer.
"You know what, it's fine, I don't even want it now. Keep all that ass to yourself," I say, pretending to be annoyed.
"Yeah?" he grins, and then, out of nowhere, he scoops a handful of water and splashes it right into my face.
"NOW WHY WOULD YOU DO THIS?!" I gasp, wiping my face as he laughs uncontrollably. Before I can even look at him, his hands find my neck. They curl around my throat gently as he leans in and kisses me, slow, but deep enough that it makes my heart stop. His lips barely pull back, but his forehead stays pressed against mine. His voice drops to a whisper.
"Don't ever change, Ravioli."
I smile. Suddenly, we both hear the faintest little scratch on the door. Then it slowly creaks open.
Lulu.
She slips into the bathroom, totally unfazed. Gio laughs. "Well, well, look who's here." I gasp, throwing my hands up dramatically. "Noooo Lulu, don't look. You're too little for this!"
Gio is laughing loud as hell behind me. "She's fine," he grins. "She's seen worse, probably. She lives with me." I groan, burying my face in my hands. "This is supposed to be our moment."
"Ravioli," Gio smirks, wrapping his arms tighter around my waist, "our moment just got interrupted by a six-pound furball. I think we'll survive."
I bite my lip, still smiling. "Yeah," I mumble. "But next time we lock the door."
…
We walk into the kitchen, Lulu still tucked into my arms like a little queen.
Gio flips on the light and stretches his arms out, glancing over his shoulder. "So, what do you wanna eat? I'm not going to bed hungry."
I chuckle, running my fingers through Lulu's fur while she purrs. "I don't know…you pick."
He grins, turning to face me fully. "Alright, leave it to me. I got this. In another universe, I swear I'm a chef. A very sexy, very talented chef." I laugh. "Is that right?"
He moves closer to the counter, opening a few cabinets. "You can help me while you tell me about your life in Canada."
I blink. Wasn’t expecting that. "You want to hear about that?"
"Obviously." He glances back at me like it's obvious. "Why wouldn't I want to? Tell me everything." His eyes are so warm. He really wants to know. About me. "Alright," I say, smiling like an idiot. "Well…where do I start?"
"Start with the good stuff," Gio says, leaning casually on the counter, arms crossed, watching me. I shake my head. "Okay. The good stuff it is. I mean, when I first got there, it was weird, you know? Everything felt huge and cold. And I didn't know anyone. It felt like everyone already had their little groups, like I came in too late."
Gio pulls the tomatoes out of the fridge, nodding as he slices through one of them. "Sounds kinda lonely."
"It was, at first," I admit. "But then Noah found me."
