“I like cupcakes. Especially red velvet, with lots of cream cheese icing to smear all over your naked body.” His smile is wily.
“Don’t be ridiculous. You would never ingest that much sugar.”
Baz chuckles. “If I get to lick it off you, I’d make an exception.” He tilts my chin up for a kiss, but our intimate moment is interrupted when Frederick walks back into the room. He clears his throat apologetically.
“I just received word Master Gianni is on his way home and eager to speak with you.”
My stomach bottoms out at the mention of Gianni’s name.
“I’m sure he is.” Baz drops his head back on the couch. “Can you get Stevie set up in one of the spare bedrooms while I wait for him. The back left one, maybe?” He talks to the ceiling.
“Of course.” Frederick nods zealously.
“You don’t want me to stay and wait with you?”
“You’ve been driving for hours.” Baz lifts his head. “You look exhausted. Go get some sleep. I’ll try not to be long.”
I’m torn between leaving him and passing out. I’m so tired but hesitant to leave Baz’s side.
“I’ll stay with him, Miss Stevie, after I show you upstairs. There’s nothing to worry about. Master Benjamin is in expert hands.” Frederick offers a reassuring smile. I believe his sincerity.
“Go on, baby. Go to bed. Make it warm for me,” Baz encourages lovingly, coiling a lock of my hair around his finger.
Conflicted, I glance between Baz and Frederick before I finally concede. “Okay.” I steal a kiss from Baz before I get up. It’s technically not stolen since he hands over the warm, lingering embrace freely.
Just before Fredrick and I leave the room, Baz’s voice floats through the air.
“Frederick, is Desmond here?”
“No, sir. He accompanied Master Gianni to the city.”
“Ah, okay.”
“Who’s Desmond?” I ask Frederick as we climb the shiny black staircase.
“My son. He also works for Master Gianni. He and Master Benjamin are close in age. They grew up in this house together.”
“I see.” Baz never mentioned him. But I remind myself Baz and I still have a lot to learn about each other.
We can spend the rest of our lives getting to know each other.
I play with each of my rings as I follow Frederick down the white hallway. Jumping back and forth between the white and yellow gold, I twist and turn the metal around my fingers compulsively. From this part of the house, you can hear the waves lapping against the shore. I’m sure to anyone else, the sound would be relaxing. It just reminds me Gianni has a massive body of water readily available to dump my body.
“This should suffice.” Frederick flings open a pair of white double doors.
“I think suffice is an understatement, Frederick.” I walk into the spacious room. Like the rest of the house, it’s decorated in all white. The furniture, the bed linens, and the flowy curtains. But the waft of the sea breeze through the bay windows gives this room a completely different feel. I close my eyes as the air caresses my skin like an invisible piece of silk. The smell of the salt infusing the room. I inhale so deeply my lungs expand. For a fraction of a second I find serenity.
“There are spare towels and a robe in the bathroom. If you need anything else, don’t hesitate to ring.” An appeased smirk dances across his lips.
“Thank you.” I tuck some hair behind my ears modestly. New place, new people. It takes a minute to get used to it all.
“Night, miss.” Frederick backs out of the room, closing the double doors with a soft click.
Exhaustion immediately inflicts me. I cross the expansive room, kick off my Chucks, spin around, and free fall back onto the luxuriously made bed.
I WAKE UPto the soft breeze and a light touch circling my belly button.
I don’t want to open my eyes. I’m too comfortable. Too content. My mouth curves, but my lids remain closed.
