Chapter Fifty-Nine Ella
Chapter Fifty-Nine
Ella
We return to the hotel late that afternoon and spend the night in a haze of kisses, whispered touches, and the quiet desperation of two people who know their time is running out.
Only when we’re beyond exhausted do we finally drift off, holding tightly to each other.
Sometime later, soft kisses brush along my jaw, pulling me from deep sleep. Tiero’s long fingers stroke my cheek.
Noooo. No more sex.
The thought surprises even me. Apparently, my body has reached its limit.
My eyelids refuse to open, too heavy to lift even an inch.
“Angel,” Tiero murmurs, his deep timbre somehow cutting through the fog in my head.
Seeking his warmth, I rub my cheek against his hand. With a sleepy smile, I force my eyes open. They might as well be weighed down by sandbags.
Tiero sits on the edge of the bed, already fully dressed.
“What time is it?” I croak, noticing it’s still dark outside.
His other hand finds mine and squeezes gently.
“It’s just past four o’clock. I have to go. My plane to Rome leaves in half an hour.”
He leans down and kisses me with such reverence it startles me. It’s the complete opposite of the demanding, forceful kisses he showered me with all night.
Hmm… this is nice.
I try to get out of bed but wince the moment I move. My body is so sore it doesn’t want to cooperate.
Before I can get any farther, Tiero stops me, his hand pressing gently against my shoulder.
“No, cuore mio. Stay in bed. Get more rest.”
I smile at him, grateful I don’t have to move. More rest sounds wonderful.
My head sinks back into the pillow while Tiero tucks the sheet around me tenderly. With a quiet moan, I burrow deeper into the covers. My eyes fall shut again, already drifting.
My brain is foggy. It doesn’t quite register that this is goodbye.
Tiero brushes his lips over my forehead.
“Go back to sleep,” he whispers. “A presto, angelo mio.”
Then he leans down and kisses me once more, slow and lingering.
His hand slips gently from mine.
Somewhere in the distance, I hear the door close.
I turn onto my side and hug his pillow. It smells like him.
Hmm. I love his scent.
With a soft, contented sigh, I float back to sleep.