“With your skillset, Tessa, you could go anywhere. The look you designed last year for the house—the one that went viral? It brought in millions to the brand in major collaborations.” He ducks his head, looking directly into my eyes. “Your talent is remarkable.”
Exquisite. Exceptional. Remarkable.
It’s not the compliments that I’m focused on—it’s who’s saying them. With Gio’s words, that thread of resentment, the one that’s wound up so tight around my heart, starts to unravel.
This man doesn’t say things he doesn’t mean.
“Thank you,” I whisper. “I’m sorry I misinterpreted?—”
Gio shakes his head. “You have nothing to apologize for. I made an assumption on your behalf. I tried to fix a problem for you before it even became one. I should’ve been clearer. I wouldn’t have ever…”
“I believe you.” I climb into this lap. The most refreshing thing about becoming close with Gio is that I know his heart. He doesn’t need to launch into explanation after explanation, apology after apology, rehashing things until he’s blue in the face. I know him. I trust him. And I’m just…happy.
Gio reaches behind me to roll down the cover. We both lay back down, and he turns us on our sides, holding me from behind, before pulling the blanket over us. I put my hands over his hands, which rest on my stomach.
“Tessa?”
I lazily hum in response.
“It feels like both the right and wrong time to ask this, but… Do you want to be with me? As my girlfriend?”
His throat bobs against the back of my neck, fingers idly stroking my stomach.
“The right time,” I murmur.
He gently squeezes my side. “Everythingwith you feels right.”
I turn to face him with a smile. “And.” I kiss him softly.“My answer.” I kiss him again.“Is.”Kiss.“Yes.”
He presses his lips underneath my chin, followed by a second kiss at the base of my throat.
The exhaustion from the day sets in, and I yawn. “I don’t have my sound machine with me. Will you talk me to sleep, Gio?”
He hums. “What do you want me to talk about?”
“Anything. As long as it’s your voice.”
Chapter 36
Tessa
“I’m craving food like I craved air conditioning in Italy. Plus, I’m sore,” I whine, trudging down the stairs to the lobby. The plan is to grab coffee and breakfast essentials and bring them back to the room.
Gio snorts. “At least it’s not the hills.”
“Hey, that’s my joke!”
“Sorry,” he apologizes through a smile. Tapping his temple, he adds, “Last night is on repeat up here.”
“It was pretty great.” I’m not able to hold back my smile either.
The sex. The confessions.Thetruth.
I’m a few stairs behind him, and Gio pauses on the small landing between floors one and two. “Okay. So we get in, and we get out, right? Because I have to have you again before we go.”
I feel his hands on my waist, and he picks me up to join him on the landing. He dips his head and presses a kiss to my lips. I don’t think I’ll ever get used to the feeling of his lips on mine.
He lavishes me with a few slow kisses before playfully nipping my bottom lip.
