“I’m not worried. I just can’t sleep naked, that’s all.” She smiles and looks down. “Every inch ofyouis shrinking as we speak.”
My chest shakes with a laugh. “Give me ten minutes and I’ll be ready to go again.”
She nuzzles into me and we just hold each other, her arms clinging to me as if she’s afraid to let go. It’s not just the aftermath of sex. It’s something deeper, fragile and rare, like if she lets go now, we’ll both shatter into pieces. And maybe we will.
She kisses my chest. “You know what I hate the most?”
I swipe the hair back from her face. “What?”
“I hate that we’ve lost so much time together.”
A heavy sigh leaves my lips as I pull her back to my chest, cradling her head. “That just means that we can appreciate the time we have now.” I kiss the top of her head, her dark hair that I love coming through. “And we make every second count.”
My mind wanders. A million scenarios flash through my head of all the different ways I can remove Magnus from our lives. But with my men and Riccardo working on other matters with Matteo, I’ll have to either deal with him myself or wait it out.
Trouble is, he’s back in the UK and time is the one thing I don’t have.
30
ROSE
Sir-Pounce-A-Lot jumps on the bed with a thump as if catapulted from the other side of the room.
I roll over, tugging the duvet with me, last night’s dress open and tangled around my thigh. Inhaling the pillow, the scent of D’Angelo fills my lungs. But he’s nowhere to be seen.
Light shines through the slats of the blind. Sir P paws at my bedding.
I stroke his head, and he rises, pushing against my hand. “You hungry?” As I open the bedroom door, the sizzle of cooking and the aroma of bacon travels up the stairs. My stomach grumbles, but my body tingles at thoughts of last night, and as I pad down the hall, my heart thrums at the sight.
My kitchen has never looked so good, but it’s not the food I’m salivating over.
D’Angelo shirtless in nothing but black boxer shorts is enough to make my mouth water.
I lean against the doorframe as he shakes his hips to whatever music he’s listening to through his ear pods. I fasten the last button on my dress, fiddling with it as I bite my lip, watching this man in my kitchen. My stomach flips. But mybrother’s words ringing loud in my head douse out the heat in my body.What would he want with a girl like you? Are you completely stupid? It's obvious he was using you.I push the thoughts away. I need to believe Dan’s intentions are real. Because if they aren’t, after last night, I don’t know how I’ll survive him leaving again.
I want to know what sort of music he likes. I want to know everything about him. He told me all this before, but I’m not sure what was real and what was fabricated. We’re both different people now. I know I’ve changed.
Maybe this can work after all. I’d certainly like to see him in my kitchen more often. And my bed. And… everywhere.
He cracks an egg with one hand and drops the contents into the frying pan next to the bacon, then does it again before spinning around to drop the shells in the bin.
He pulls a pod from his ear as he widens his grin. “Hey, you’re up.” His lips press against my cheek. “I was going to bring you breakfast in bed.”
“Sounds good. Shall I just go and wait?” I point to the stairs, my smile almost reaching my ears.
“Yeah. Make sure you’re naked, too.”
I roll my eyes, but climb the stairs, my stomach still simmering after last night. Not wanting to pop this bubble, I decide not to mention the ID again. He’ll tell me when he’s ready. Or maybe he won’t, but that’s a problem for another day.
I jump back into bed, fluffing the pillows behind me, grinning to myself as if high on laughing gas. Sir-Pounce-A-Lot settles beside me, curling up like he owns the place. His purr vibrates against my hip as I scratch behind his ear.
“Lazy boy,” I murmur to the cat, though I could say the same for myself, sinking into the warm bedding.
Dan strides in, balancing a tray in one hand like a naked waiter missing his bowtie. Eggs, bacon, toast, a steaming mug of tea. A single pink rose, thorns stripped, rests beside thecutlery and a small bowl of strawberries. He sets the tray across my lap, then drops a kiss onto my lips, lingering just long enough to make my pulse skip.
“Breakfast, as requested,” he announces, his grin flashing wickedly. “Shame you’re not naked like I asked. Toast wasn’t the only thing I wanted to eat this morning.”
“Use your imagination…for now.” I raise a brow while buttering a piece of toast.
