Chapter 19 #2
“Yeah,” she ponders with a nod. “He’s an awful man.” Her voice lowers as though she’s afraid he’s listening. I wouldn’t be surprised if he has the rest of the house bugged too.
In the next hour, I cook the best meal I’ve cooked anyone in my life. I’ve never cooked anything from scratch without Ms. Greco there to guide and assist. But I’ve made lasagna with her in the past, so I remember how to do it.
With a beep from the oven, I know the food is ready. I cut two generous pieces for us, placing them on a plate, another one stacked under it.
“Okay, here goes nothing.” My stomach spins with nerves.
“It smells amazing. I’m sure it tastes just as good. I’ll have a piece too.”
“If not, I’m telling him you made it.” I giggle.
She rolls with a warm laugh. “I’ll gladly take the blame. Now go. Enjoy your date.”
“Thanks.” With the CD player in my pocket, I tread into the basement, carefully opening the door.
MATTEO
As soon as she climbs down, her hair high in a ponytail, the ends hitting past her shoulder, I get up, the biggest damn smile on my face.
“Is that lasagna?” I finally look at what she’s holding, taking the plates from her outstretched hand.
“Yes.” She grins, a hint of pink on her cheeks.
“You made that? For me?” Placing the plates on the mattress, I gather her in my arms, cupping her cheek as I kiss her, inhaling her clean scent.
“Mmm,” she groans, her nails raking into my back as her lips slide over mine, her tongue slipping past my mouth.
I capture her hip, pulling my face back, while yanking her body closer, both of us tempted.
“You’re gonna get us into trouble with the way you kiss me,” I groan, my nose brushing over hers.
“I’d say I’m sorry, but I’m really not.” Her lips meet my jaw, her mouth hungry as she peppers me with soft kisses. “Just so you know”—she peers up—“if the lasagna sucks, Ms. Greco made it.”
I burst into a laugh. “You’re amazing, you know that?” I hold her to me, my eyes drifting closed as I appreciate this moment, lost in it.
“I don’t.” She sighs. “But thanks for always making me feel like I am.” I kiss the top of her head, imagining us together someday, really together.
“I brought us something,” she whispers and that has me reluctantly drawing away just enough to see what she’s got.
She slips a hand into her pocket and retrieves a CD player.
“I figured we could, you know have like a date or something…” She shrugs. “I don’t know. Is that dumb?” Her nose scrunches.
“Dumb? You kidding?” I slant my forehead against hers. “Do you know how badly I want to take you on one? Fuck, Aida.” My voice nearly shatters, emotions scratching up my throat. “I’m sorry that this is all I can give you.”
“Hey…” Her brows tighten and both her palms slip over my face. “You’re the most incredible man. You never have to apologize to me for anything. You will always be enough. And this, sharing a meal, music, it’s just stuff. I can live without them. But you? I could never live without you.”
Her eyes glisten with unshed tears, and I kiss her again. Deeply. With quiet passion. She moans in a hushed breath as I suck on her tongue, knowing all the ways she likes to be kissed, because in these past years, that’s all we could do.
When I touched her yesterday, hell, I had no idea what I was doing. But I’m a quick learner. Her body told me what she liked, and I knew just how to listen.
She has taught me so much, but most of all, she taught me love, and for that, I don’t think I could ever repay her.
With another peck to her lips, I gaze into her eyes, the color of the golden sun as it gets ready to set, and I don’t ever want to look away.
Her stomach growls, and it zaps me out of my thoughts.
“Come on, let’s eat,” I say, tugging her hand as we finally sit beside each other, one leg on the mattress, the other on the floor so we can look at one another.
It’s easy to forget the torture, the pain, when we’re this way. My vision grows hazy, and even though I’m strong enough to kill a man, she makes me weak. It’s drowning and saving me all at once.
There’s fragility in love, I know that now. It’ll make you sacrifice everything for her. But it also makes you strong—that fierce protection for the one you cherish, overcasting everything else.
She’s the one I’d give up my life for and she’d never even have to ask.
Pain echoes in the chambers of my heart, wishing I could show her all the ways I could love her outside of this place, where we could be free to do anything. And if we ever get there, to freedom, I’m gonna marry her, and I know she’ll say yes.
I hand her one of the plates, and place one of the pieces of lasagna onto it, taking the other. She waits for me to try it, staring hard as though holding her breath.
Cutting off a sliver, I place it into my mouth, chewing thoughtfully, pretending I’m still trying to figure out if it’s any good. But this is the best thing I’ve tasted.
“So, how is it?” She tilts an eager brow. “I really tried, just so you know.”
“It tastes like shit.” I wink, popping another bite into my mouth, grinning wide as she feigns a gasp.
“Hey!” She giggles, dipping her fingers into the sauce on her plate, then smearing it down my nose.
“I hope you’re gonna lick that off.”
“Nope.” She starts to eat, sucking on the fork as she stares at me in defiance.
“Okay.” My lips slant up as I grab her plate and place it on the floor by my feet, moving in on her, my nose getting closer.
“What do you think you’re doing, mister?” She laughs, backing away, but I gently grab her wrist and keep her just where she is.
“I’m getting you dirty.” Before she can move, I rub my nose on hers.
“Hey!” she yelps, but she’s not the least bit mad, her face shining brightly with her smile.
“Twinsies.” I chuckle, remembering how she called us that when we were kids.
“You’ll pay for that.” She swipes a finger past the tip of her nose and sucks it into her mouth.
“I hope so,” I whisper, watching her watching me, and when she slides her finger out, I take that very same hand and glide that very same finger down my nose. Her eyes pin mine as I guide her hand into my mouth, sucking the finger clean.
Her mouth parts as I do, her chest rising the more I suck. My cock grows stiff from her widened look.
I slip her finger out while she just stares. Now, I’m wondering if I did the right thing. What the hell do I know about girls?
“I’m sorry, Aida. I shouldn’t have—”
“You can do that to me anytime,” she breathes, her gaze still caught in a daze.
“Maybe I will.” I crack a smirk, hit with relief.
We eventually finish our food. I get up before her, a palm outstretched for hers. “I think I’d like to ask you for a dance now, my lady.”
“Yes, dear lover.” She rises, giving me her hand with a bow. “I shall grant you this dance.”
“It’ll be my honor.”
We both let out a laugh, and she removes the CD player, placing it on the mattress. With a press of a button, a soft melody drifts, washing over us.
My arms are around her waist, hers draped over my shoulders, and we sway together, our gazes aligned into one. This moment, the look of happiness on her face…it’ll stay with me forever. Because every moment with her is even better than the last.