I turned to him.“This is just as much your fault.You could have worn a—” I peered up to make sure the partition between the front seat and us was still closed.And it was.Even so, I whispered the word, “condom.”I swallowed over my dry throat.“You can't tell me that a man like you doesn't have a stash of them somewhere.Don't you?”
He tossed the bag and the rest of the contents onto the seats across from us.“I do.What's your point, Francesca?”he said each word slowly.
My head fell back, and I exhaled in a huff.“Then why the heck didn't you use anything?”Stefan didn’t seem to care all that much at the moment.But I bet he would in nine months.
There was no delay in his answer.“Because I didn't want to.”
I shook my head and looked out my window.“Oh, my gosh.You're impossible.”
We drove like that for a while.The small town or village that we'd been in so briefly fell behind us.There was nothing but mile after mile of beautiful, bare land all around.
No pharmacies.No stores.
And the clock was ticking on how much time I had left before the pill would no longer be effective.
6
Francesca
About twenty minuteslater, we turned, and headed down a smooth, winding road.A few minutes after that, a large castle came into view.It was beautiful.Like one right out of a romance novel.
I finally broke our silence.“Why are we stopping here?”
He didn’t answer.But when I looked at him, he was frowning.“Well?”I frowned right back at him.
“Why do you think?”he answered back, making me want to kick him.
So, I raised my voice to meet his ignorance.“I don't know, Stefan.You want some postcards to send home?Can't we do that later?Or on another day?”I shook my head and looked back out my window.And then Stefan—
Laughed.
Hard.
I wasn't sure why he was laughing, but darn, I loved that sound.Even if he was acting like an idiot.
“Why are you laughing?”
The limo came to a halt in front of the wide stone steps.It led up to a huge, ornate door.
“Are they even open?You should have looked them up first.”
The car door opened and shut.When I turned to look at Stefan, I saw he was already out.
Fine.
He wanted it like that.
I reached to open my door—but I was too late.Stefan swung it open.“Come.I'll buy you as many postcards as you'd like.”The smirk on that man's face melted my tiny heart.Gosh.He was so handsome.But when he smiled?Stefan Sovrano was a real heartbreaker.
Against my better judgment, I slipped my hand in his, and he helped me out.
“I don't see anyone.”I looked around.“They're probably closed.”
Stefan didn't laugh this time, but he grinned wider than I'd ever seen.“They're open.I promise.”Then he pulled my hand, guiding me up the steps.The air smelled and tasted almost salty.In a nice, fresh way.I filled my lungs with a deep inhale.
When we got to the top, Stefan opened the door.I gasped and backed up, nearly falling down the steps.Luckily, Stefan pulled on my hand and saved me from my demise.
“You didn't even knock first.”I scolded him like a small child.“You can't just go walking into—”
