“Morning. I was starving, I’m sorry. I made you a cup of coffee though and it’s in the warmer.”
“Thank you, for the coffee all is forgiven. What time were you up this morning?” He pulls me onto his lap. Then I see it—holy crap. My eyes are wide as I reach out to touch it, and I blush at what I’ve done. Carefully, I pull his shirt away because vaguely I remember another bite. Damn.
“Yes, you were a tigress last night. I’ll admit though at the time I didn’t even feel it.”
I squirm on his lap, embarrassed. “I’m sorry,” I whisper as I bite my lip.
Shaking his head, he pulls me down to him. His kiss is rough, deep, and I melt into him. Sucking on my bottom lip, his teeth score my tender flesh. I’m not even aware he’s pulled my shirt up until I feel him tweak a tight nipple. “I’m not. I love it. I’ll wear them proudly.”
Shaking my head, I laugh. “You’re crazy.”
“Damn, woman, you’re making me hard for you all over again. Go make your breakfast, before I take you back to bed.”
I’m considering my options when my stomach growls. Fine. With a kiss to his cheek I get up.
I make an omelet. As I eat I sip my coffee and we talk about the things he found interesting in the paper. After I clean up he draws me to couch, where we cuddle close. A half-hearted suggestion of a movie is made, but neither of us really wants to move. I’m not sure when I fall asleep, but when I wake up I’m wrapped in Cesare’s arms and he’s asl
eep. I have no idea how long I watch him, unable to take my eyes off him.
I’m content to study him, treasuring this moment, refusing to think about tomorrow or the day after. When he wakes up he begins a steamy make-out session, his kisses light and teasing at first, then rough and demanding until I’m ready to tear off his clothes. The bastard laughs as he catches my hands, then declares he’s starving; one appetite then another. he teases. I’m so mad I refuse to help him make lunch. It’s annoying that it tastes so good and I didn’t realize how hungry I was. We’re cleaning up when Dante and Enzo come through the door.
“I told you, Enzo—Cesare can’t go all day long, he’s an old man already.” Dante laughs and I blush as I realize what he’s talking about. “I’m having a movie night at my place. We’re watching the Bourne movies. Can you believe Enzo hasn’t watched the last one yet?”
Cesare shrugs. “I only saw the first one.”
“Me too, just the first one,” I admit.
Dante’s expression is one of pain. “You guys are killing me. Come on, you have to watch these. I got the popcorn, candy, and nachos.”
Cesare looks down at me. I nod, it sounds like fun. I also might be paying him back by making him wait for making me wait.
Walking into Dante’s condo, I’m shocked by how different it is from Cesare’s condo. The whole setup is different: instead of the kitchen on the right after the foyer, it’s his home office. Dante is proud of his home as he takes me on a tour. Down the hall is a sitting room with a massive grand piano. One wall is covered in books, another is filled with pictures. I’m drawn to all the pictures of Enzo, Dante, and Cesare at various ages. My heart is squeezed tight a picture of all three of them smiling at the camera, Cesare is probably thirteen or fourteen. In the lowest corner of the wall of shelves, almost tucked away, is a family picture. Everyone is smiling, and they look like any happy family. Air rushes out of me when I see Cesare’s father, Vincent. Oh my god, except for Cesare’s beard and Cesare being slightly wider and taller, they could be twins. My stomach flips a dozen times and I blink back the tears as I begin to understand Cesare’s fears. And his mother, Theresa...wow, she is beautiful, tiny, thin, almost elfin with big black eyes and long black hair. I completely understand someone becoming obsessed with her.
Dante takes the picture from my hands. “Only a year later, they were dead and everyone knew this was a lie. As you might have noticed, Cesare doesn’t have any pictures of our parents—he hates being reminded of our father. Only every day he sees our father when he looks in the mirror. It’s why he has the beard and the tattoos.” He puts the picture back on the shelf. “Just a warning, he won’t like knowing you saw this picture. I wouldn’t mention it to him.”
I nod, sad. “I love your home.”
He smiles. “I know. I do too. I cheated and used our interior designers. It only took a few weeks, and I made it worth their while.”
The room is incredibly homey, just like the rest of the condo. All the walls have color on them a dark color below the chair rail, and a lighter matching color above. There is a guest bedroom and a gym that’s almost a replica of Cesare’s. Dante’s bedroom is massive and just as comfy and cozy as the rest of the condo that doesn’t feel like a condo. It looks and feels like a home in the suburbs, like there should be three or four kids running around with a dog and cat.
“Wow.” It’s all I can say.
The living room and kitchen are open plan, with big, soft couches and a farm-style kitchen with white cupboards and butcher block countertops. I would never have expected this knowing Dante as well as I thought I did. I’m also taking notes, wondering if it would be possible for Cesare’s condo to be even half as comfy.
The evening is fun, we order pizza for dinner as none of us are really interested in stopping the movies to cook. It also completes the trifecta of junk food we have going.
Once the movies are over it’s late, far later than all of us thought it would be. Enzo decides to spend the night, he has clothes at Dante’s and in his room at the apartment at work. There is a half-heartened attempt at cleanup, but there is enough of a mess left that we all hope Claudine isn’t annoyed with us in the morning.
Walking back to Cesare’s condo, my hand in his, he asks, “Are you going to be able to get up tomorrow?”
“Of course I can. Although you know I usually like to take my showers at night. It makes getting ready in the morning easy and quick. You want to try it?”
Greedy, hungry, we make love against the wall of the shower, water running over us. He dries me lazily, with lots of kisses in between. As he gets into bed, he pulls me into his arms. I love falling asleep like this. “I think I like taking my shower at night. As long as you take it with me.”
“I look forward to it,” I say as I press a kiss into his chest.
19