CHIARA
He rubbed my back with one hand and caressed my hair with the other. His hot breath fanned my forehead.
"How about your trip?" He said after a while.
"I cancelled it."
"But you have to go. They will look after me."
"And leave you like this? Have you seen your face? You look like a low budget zombie."
His chest rumbled as he snorted weakly. "I'll be fine, tesoro."
"I'm not leaving you. I want to remain with you. I'll leave tomorrow."
He was quiet for a short while before saying with a grin, "Okay."
Then silence came. Followed by his peaceful breath. He dozed off again. So I shut my eyes as well.
It felt weird. My hand searched around but his end of the bed was empty. My eyes shot open and sat up abruptly. I went downstairs. Hands balled into fists when I heard the tapping coming from his study. I was going to kill him!
I pushed the door open and found him sitting on his desk. In the darkness and the only light in the room was coming from his monitor. I switched on the light and crossed my hands on the chest. He froze. "What do you think you're doing, Carmelo?"
His head slowly raised up, "I was bored." I glared at him, "No, you are just sick." He rubbed the back of his head, "Can I at least finish this email? Just one." I walked up to his desk, shut off the laptop and dragged him out of the office. "I swear to God if I find you in that room again today, I'm kicking your ass."
He chuckled, "I won't, I promise. But then I would love to see you do it, so I might not keep that promise." He followed me to the kitchen and sat down on a stool, leaning against the island. "Try me." I got the soup Francesca had made for her son before she left from the fridge and heated it. This man thought I was joking. I wasn't.
I placed the bowl before him and handed him a spoon before sitting beside him. "Eat." He lowered his head and placed the spoon down. "What? You'll need your energy if you want to reply to those emails of yours." He looked up at me with pouted lips. "Feed me tesoro," I stared at him and then breathed out a laugh. He fucking pouted. This grown man did. "Are you shitting me right now?"
He lowered his head again and this time around his shoulders slumped too. I shook my head, "Who is the baby now? You are unbelievable, Carmelo." I picked up the spoon and stirred the soup. He grinned at me, "Just Melo, please." I blew the soup before raising it to his lips. He ate, and did it with so much enthusiasm. Shameless hot man.
Once done, we shifted to the living room, watching a certain drama on a huge flat screen mounted on the wall. The lights switched on automatically once the clouds got dark outside. I sat at the end of the couch, while he laid down and his head resting on my lap. I was never one to sit and watch TV. I had no time for nonsensical love stories that made me want to crush down the screen with a bat most of the time. However, this didn't feel bad at all. Again, it is becoming a habit nowadays for me to find odd things normal when done together with him.
I pulled the cover up to his chest, not wanting him to get any sicker. At least his temperature has gone down a little and he ate well earlier. This whole thing reminded me of Marco and Luca and the days I took care of them when Mama wasn't in a good shape. My heart clenched at the memories of those days.
He caught my hand before I could retract it to the handrest. I glanced down at him with a raised brow, "I need it." He murmured.
"You need what?"
"The kiss."
I scoffed, looking away, "Says the traditional man," I pursed my lips, trying my best not to grin. He pressed my hand to his lips, "Please, tesoro." Traditional, my foot!
I stared into his softened black eyes, looking like a big, cute puppy. "Just one," I murmured. He nodded like a rattle. I smiled, because how could I not? One kiss was not far enough for me. Hell, I wanted more than a kiss, but he was sick. I leaned down and connected our lips, shutting my eyes as I relished the tension that pooled below my stomach. He pressed my head right back when I attempted to pull back. His hand caressing my nape, eliciting danger without his knowledge.
He finally let go of me, nipping my lower lip as he did. "You cheated," I narrowed my eyes on him. He shrugged, "Couldn't help it. Your lips are delicious." I covered his eyes with my hand, not wanting him to see the state my cheeks were in. Fucking hell. "Let me see,"
He tried to remove it, but I didn't budge. A wide smile cracked his swollen lips, "You look so adorable when you blush, tesoro." I shut my eyes, ignoring how good my nickname sounded from his mouth. "Go to sleep, Melo."
"I can't," he shivered, making me uncover his eyes and glance at him "Why? What's wrong?"
"I feel cold. Don't you?" He shivered again. I looked around, "I don't." It was strange because I turned off the AC earlier. "That is because you are always hot, tesoro." He replied. Sighing, I got up and opened the covers before laying with him. Thankfully, the couch was wide enough to occupy us both.
His hand wrapped around me instantly. Engulfing me with his heat. "Mission accomplished." He whispered to my ear. He cheated me again! This handsome motherfucker who worried me to death. My nose flared, and I pinched him hard on the back. "Ouch, that hurts. I'm a sick person. It's not ideal to hurt a sick person, tesoro." He cried out. "Bastard." I smoothened the part I'd pinched and shut my eyes.