Chapter 23
Chapter
Twenty-Three
KATE
Elation fills my chest as I touch Angelo’s cool skin. “Your fever finally broke.” I whisper, not wanting to wake a sleeping Dante in the corner. He looks so innocent as he sleeps, not a care in the world as he walks in Dream Land.
“Now, it’s time for you to wake up.”
Checking him over, I can't contain my relief as I notice all positive signs he’s out of danger.
“Your family is waiting for you, so go ahead and push through the fog.”
Changing his IV bag, I grab my backpack and make my way to my place in the corner of the room. As I open my study guide, my gaze drifts to Dante who is still fast asleep. My lips still tingle from our kiss earlier in the day, even the heat of my shower couldn't wash the feeling away.
A sadness falls over me as I think of him leaving. It won’t be long before Angelo wakes up and the weather clears enough to get him on an airplane. It had been our agreement after all, the kiss had been a bonus.
As I attempt to settle into studying, the aroma of cooked meat fills the room, my stomach rumbling, reminding me I hadn’t eaten since early this morning. With a final look at both men, I set my backpack on the floor and walk quietly down the hall to the kitchen.
Frankie stands at the stove stirring whatever he is cooking. Even with his back to me, he was a handsome man.
“Any change?” He questions without turning around.
“How did you know it was me?” Separating the distance between us, I come to stand beside him and his cheshire grin.
“When you’ve walked in my shoes long enough you grow eyes in the back of your head.”
Lifting a discarded spatula, I turn the green beans cooking in the pan. “Given my medical background I can say with certainty that is impossible.”
I love talking with Frankie, his quick wit and strong character make conversations interesting. Much like Dante, he doesn’t filter his words or dilute anything for me. If anything he becomes more colorful.
“I dated a nurse once,” he chuckles, reaching for a clean plate beside me. “She believed you should never say never when it came to medicine.”
“Well, not one to argue with a fellow nurse.” I tease, bumping my hip against his. “But having eyes in the back of your head would be problematic unless you were bald.”
Sliding a steak on the plate before handing it to me. “It’s your foot falls. When you try to tip-toe, you drag your feet,” he winks as I take the plate from him.
“Good to know, I’ll work on that.”
“Have a seat, it’s not often I get to share a meal with a beautiful woman.”
Not bothering to argue, I take my plate and sit at the tiny kitchen table.
“Beer or water?” Frankie calls from the open fridge, and as I turn to answer, I see the look on his face. “Sorry, I forgot.”
As he set the bottle of water in front of me, “Forgot what, exactly?”
Dropping his large body into the wooden chair, Frankie dove into his steak without a second glance in my direction.
“There are no secrets in the Cavaletti family.”
“Dante told you?”
“No, you did,” he smiles as he chews his steak. “Dante has a thing with monitoring everything, including this house.”
I wanted to be mad, but recalled how he knew I needed coffee that morning.
“So in other words, no masturbation outside of the bathroom.” Keeping my emotions in check, I send Frankie a wink as I chew my food.
“Trust me, Kate. If you started touching yourself, Dante would be there in an instant to finish you off.”
Continuing to chew, I ruminate on what Frankie said. Clearly there were cameras all over the house, which made me wonder if there was one in the room I slept in.
“I know Dante told you about Bellamia.” Frankie reaches for his beer, taking several pulls before setting in on the table. “What I don’t know is how you feel about it.”
Shrugging, “She was a beautiful woman, it’s clear she left a hole in his world.”
“Not what I mean, Kate.”
Reaching for my bottle of water, I feign ignorance. “Please, enlighten me.”
“With the exception of the color of your eyes and she was a few inches taller, you’re her doppelg?nger.”
Donning the best smile I can muster, “Like I told Dante when he showed me her picture, I don’t see a resemblance.” The lie feels bitter on my tongue, but as Frankie remains stoic, I feel confident I’d hidden it well.
“Dante is awake.”
Glancing over my shoulder, expecting him to be standing behind me. When all I see is the yellowing walls of the vintage farmhouse, I turn back to Frankie.
“How do you know?”
Tapping his phone, “His alarm went off. It’s his turn to watch Angelo.”
Shifting my gaze to the clock on the wall, a teapot whistled the hour, I find it’s nearly one in the morning.
Jumping to my feet, I wipe my lips with a napkin. “I need to check on his wound.”
“Tell Dante his steak will be in the oven when he is ready.” Frankie calls as I head down the hall.
Stepping over the threshold, I notice the chair Dante slept in empty, the fan from the bathroom humming from behind the closed door.
Slipping on a pair of gloves, I pull the bandage from Angelo’s chest, pleased to see the redness was all but gone, the swelling non-existent.
“Do you know how sexy you are when you’re working?” Dante’s voice is like the richest chocolate, deep and sultry.
“I thought you didn’t like the sight of your brother’s bodily fluids,” I tease as I feel Dante’s hands slip around my waist.
“I don’t,” he places a kiss on the crook of my neck. “But I’d love to see yours.”
I try to remind myself he’s leaving, back to his life on the wild side and all that it implied.
“His fever is gone,” I croak, my ovaries ready to explode with the sexual tension.
“Mine isn’t, Tesoro.”
Dante spins me around, crashing his lips to mine. His kiss is raw and domineering, and I can’t get enough. Wrapping my arms around his neck, I feel him pick me up before spinning on his heels and moving us across the room.
He breaks the kiss as my back collides with something solid.
“I want to do this right, Tesoro, but you make me want you so fucking bad.” He emphasizes his point by grinding his erection into me.
How long has it been since I’ve had sex? A year, two? I forget.
Silencing my mental ramblings by pulling his mouth to mine, I spear my fingers into his thick hair, pleasantly surprised it is everything I imagined it would be. A moan escapes my throat as I feel his hands migrate down my sides and under my shirt.
“Fuck, Tesoro.”
Knowing he isn’t violating any marital contracts makes the term of endearment music to my ears.
“Yes, please,” I acknowledge breathlessly, wanting nothing more than to be so close to him we taste the same. Right now, in this moment, I don't want to think about him leaving, or spending the rest of my life wondering what could have been.
Frankie’s admission of the cameras placed around the house tickles at the edge of my conscience. “Bathroom,” I pant as his thumb brushes against my nipple.
“Not on your life, Tesoro.” Dante releases me long enough to toss me over his shoulder and run down the hall. My breath is robbed of me as he lays me sideways on his bed before covering me with his body. Looking in his deep eyes, I understand his desire to be in here. No cameras, no prying eyes, just us.
Pushing at his chest, I force him to sit up as I remove first my shirt, then his. With desire in his eyes he drinks in my bare chest, taking one nipple between his fingers, the other between his lips.
“Oh, fuck yes.” Tilting my head back, I allow a moan to leave my throat. Dante takes the sound as encouragement, pushing me onto my back. “Use your teeth.” I demand, placing my hands under my breasts in encouragement. Dante knows his way around a set of tits, a skill I’m grateful for.
His face is covered in want, as he unbuttons my jeans before lowering them down my legs. There is no awkwardness, no worry if I will disappoint him.
Dante holds my gaze as he lowers himself between my thighs, my back arching in a severe curve as his tongue slips between my folds.
“Fuck.” The oath leaves my lips. I’ve never been a big on using foul language, always conscious of how I address patients. However, in this instance, with the skill Dante is showing, the word is completely fitting.
Stretching my arms over my head, I feel him insert a finger as his tongue circles my clit. I won't last ten seconds at this rate, and as I feel him add a second finger, my body spasms with my first orgasm.
Before I can take a breath, he’s sliding into me, covering my body with his. I’m too lost in the intense pleasure to do anything more than wrap my arms around him and hang on.
Broken Italian sounds in my ear as he pistons in and out of me, each stroke bringing more pleasure than the last. I catch a word or two as he pants in my ear, nothing I can make sense of.
When he reaches down, moving my leg toward my chest, the change in angle sends me over the edge in an orgasm so intense it is nearly painful. Dante captures my lips in a searing kiss as he too finds the edge.
Closing my eyes, I snuggle into Dante. No words are said, they aren’t needed. His fingers gliding up and down my back are enough to soothe me into slumber.