CHIARA
My head felt heavy. You'd think I carried the entire world. It hurt so bad.
I opened my eyes slowly, taking in the place. I tried to sit up and groaned when pain shot on my ribs as well. "Don't move. You had a concussion, just lay down." Storm came into view. "You were in a bomb explosion." I glanced down at my body, "I remember," I replied in a small voice.
"Good. That means your mind is working very well now." I faced her, furrowing. "He hasn't left that chair since you were brought back." She pointed at a chair an inch from the bed "He kept chanting your name like it was a prayer. Fuck, he almost took his life when they told him you were dead!" She sighed, "Don't play with my boss's emotions, Chiara.
He is a good man, he doesn't deserve it. If you can't return his affection just leave while it's not too late for him." She turned and left the room. What?
I stared at the door, blankly. Only a second later it was flung open, then the man with a bottle of water stood between the door. His red eyes sparkling and his chest rising and falling restlessly. Without breaking eye contact, and as if I would disappear if he did, he made his way to me. "How long was I out?" Why would you want to kill yourself for some unworthy person like me? That was what I wanted to ask him instead. He stopped before bed.
"Seven hours, four hundred and twenty minutes, twenty-five thousand two hundred seconds. You have no idea tesoro," He whimpered, falling to his knees, the bottle slipping away from his hold. He covered face with his hands, his shoulders shook. My heart hurt so much to see him crying. He was crying. God, no. I dragged myself up and then moved to him, squinting, hissing, as my entire body was in pain. And the dizziness wasn't helping it.
My hand reached for his head as I stood before him, "Hey," I uttered. He retracted his hands from his face, moisty eyes looked up at me. "I'm fine." I uttered. How could I be so cruel to this man? I pulled him to me and he hugged my lower half, his hands wrapping around my waist and his head came to rest just above my tummy due to his height. I held him for a while, until he relaxed.
I let out a breath, "What happened? I can't recall anything after the accident." I asked. "Your heart stopped beating and I lost my mind thinking you left me. I was so fucking terrified." He hugged me tighter while I caressed his hair, gently.
My heart stopped beating? I couldn't register anything after that. "Then like a miracle you came back to life. To me. Chiara I don't know what I would've done without you. Don't you ever scare me like that again, tesoro. My heart can't take it. I will die." He said. His pure words did something to me. Something strong, something real and dangerous, something I'd never felt before. But Storm's words were clouding my mind as well. He didn't deserve it.
For once in my life I was greedy for someone. Could I not have both, my mother and him? Must I have to pick between the two? Because my heart has already made a decision of its own, even if my mind was strongly against it. I wanted this man. I wanted everything about him. Couldn't God just spare me this once? "Tell me, what happened? How did you end up in a bomb explosion?" he asked, facing me again.
"It was Antonio. He found me." I uttered. He pulled back and stood up on his feet, "Hmm," he grunted, leaned down, carried me princess style and brought me back to bed. I noticed a bandage around my head as I grazed it. He pulled my hand down, gently. "He won't touch you. I will protect you." He tucked my hair behind my ear. Yes, please! "I don't need protection. I can look after myself." I replied. Our gazes held, enchanted. Fuck! Those words felt so good coming from him.
"Tesoro, I know you are capable of many things as a woman, and I admire you for that. But you don't always have to be tough and take care of yourself, especially when you are with me. I want you to loosen up a bit and relax like the Queen that you are while I serve you. I waited for it for so long. Hell, I dreamt of the day." He said, making my eyes sting. "Why are you being so nice to me?" I let the tears flow. "I don't know. It is just something I wholeheartedly feel like doing. You are extremely special to me, tesoro." He wiped the tears on my cheeks and placed kisses in its stead.
I sniffled, "Carmelo," my lips trembled, "Yes, tesoro." A deep breath left me, "Lay with me," I uttered. His gaze was quizzical and then he smiled. Of course he smiled. Ugh, this man. "Okay." He took off his shoes, rounded the bed and slid in the covers behind me. I exhaled and whispered, "Closer." He moved in further, his hand rested around my waist and his face nestling in my hair. His cold feet tangled with mine under the sheets. "Better?" he asked, "Hmm," I hummed. I wished to forget the accident. I knew it was going to haunt me in my sleep from now on, just like many others did before. Today that son of a devil almost took mine and the lives of innocents as well. I squeezed my eyes shut wanting the horror to get out of my system.
"I was wondering," I stated,
"Yes?"
"How come a full grown man like you haven't thought of sleeping with me yet?" He chuckled, "How random,"
"I'm seriously curious."
"Okay, how about this… I have made an oath to never touch you until it is the right time." He said. I rolled my eyes "Bullshit. Traditional, are we?"
"Call it whatever you want, but the anticipation of that day feels so good."
"So are you really not going to touch me at all?"
"No."
"Huh? How about kissing? I swear to God if you are celibate from that too…" He laughed, his voice sending tingles on my nape. "What if I am?"
"Good news. I'm gonna find some other man to kiss me,"
"You wouldn't dare."
"Try me."
"Chiara," he warned.
I flipped around so now we were facing each other and our bodies separated a little bit, though his hand still rested on my waist. My eyes traveled his whole length and then purposefully landed on his center longer before returning to his face. "But honestly, I would love to see it," He swallowed "See—see what?" I smirked. Look at this adorable pervert. "How long it would take you to give in," I winked at him.
He laughed awkwardly, red tinting his cheeks. Who would've thought a man blushing would be a sight to behold. Ah, this was going to be so much fun.