I pull up my shorts, and I leave.
Chapter 6
Nikki Love
“Mr. Dario is away,” says Manuel as I come down for breakfast the next morning. The young Filipino man manages the household. Aside from him, there’s the cook Carlos, a young guy called Nathan who takes care of the grounds and the pool, and two women who see to the housekeeping. The place is huge, and I haven’t been here long enough to meet them properly yet.
The news of Dario’s departure leaves me strangely disappointed. I hide my expression by reaching for the coffeepot.
“Oh?” I say. “He never told me he was going anywhere.”
Manuel shrugs and gives a vague smile. The meaning behind it is obvious. We are staff, and Dario Caraldi doesn’t answer to us.
“Is Dani coming down soon?” I ask.
“Mr. Dario took him to school this morning,” Manuel tells me. “When he goes away, he likes to be with him before he leaves.”
I nod my head. I’ve seen how bonded the two are. Although it’s hard for me to reconcile the two images – the doting dad with Dani…the ruthless lover with me. Although “lover” is not the word to describe it. He fucks me. And last night, he left me burning. In fact, I’d been in such a state of arousal, I’d had to resort to the vibrator Andy had jokingly packed in my bag.
It wasn’t the same.
I should be relieved he’s gone now, and I’ll be left alone in my room. But I’m not. He’s built a hunger inside me. A hunger I’m fighting.
“Do you know when he’ll be back?” I ask. I shouldn’t care, dammit. I don’t!
Manuel shrugs again. “Can I get you some eggs?” he asks politely.
I shake my head. “Thanks. I’ll just have some fruit and yogurt,” I say, fighting back disappointment. It’s making me irritable. There’s no reason I should be feeling this way. My tormenter is leaving me in peace. I’m going to enjoy living in this beautiful home with nothing else to do but lounge around until Dani gets home. And then we’ll spend the afternoon playing, being tended to by an army of staff. I should be loving this.
I’m not. By 10 a.m., I’m pacing in my room.
“What’s up, babe?” Andy asks when I call her.
“I need to make an appointment with a gynecologist,” I say. There’s agitation in my voice. I hadn’t done it yesterday for reasons I can’t explain. Maybe I’d thought things would change.As if!Or maybe I was pushing some boundaries. But that just seems perverse. Am I perverse?
“A gynecologist?” Andy says. I can’t see her, but I can tell she’s grinning. “I’m glad you’ve finally decided to put the old baby-making equipment in storage. Especially since…you know.”
“Shut up,” I mutter. I’ve always avoided being on the pill – it’s never agreed with me for some reason. And there’s been no reason to use any other kind of protection, since I’ve been having a dry spell for so long. Far too long, obviously. I wouldn’t be responding to this bastard the way I am if it wasn’t for that. I’m sure of it.
“I can get you a prescription if you like,” she says.
“It’ll take a week before it’s effective,” I answer. “I need something now.”
“Woo-hoo,” she chuckles. “Eager, huh?”
“I don’t want to talk about it,” I grumble. Though I kind of do. The man has me feeling things I can’t quite understand. There’s no doubt he’s as hot as hell. And the things he can do with his hands… I swallow. “I just need to get it sorted as soon as possible.”
“Sure thing, babe,” says Andy. “I’ll ask Dr. Brennan in Obstetrics – he’s great, and he owes me a favor or two. I’m pretty sure I can get you a slot early this afternoon.”
I give a sigh of relief. I might have been pushing boundaries, but when Dario had said that thing about other places he could fill… I shiver. He wouldn’t do that, would he?
There’s no telling what the man is capable of.
“That would be great,” I say. “It’ll keep my day free to hang out with Dani.”
“Hang out with Dani, huh?” she says. “And what about Dani’s dad?”
“He’s away,” I say. “A business trip.”
