I knew I would never be rid of my nightmares. I wasn’t that gullible, but I refused to let them stop me from living my life anymore.
I wanted my life back.
I wanted that closeness with Giovanni and my family again.
I wanted to live.
So, when I asked Giovanni to bring me back to the island, he dropped everything, and I found myself sitting next to him on his plane that night. We’d been here for a week now, and during that time, I found myself lighter, freer, more alive than I had been.
There was just something about being isolated on an island in the middle of nowhere, safe without any fear of harm.
The sun and sand weren’t half bad either.
Though Gio spent a lot of time with me, he still had a family and corporation to run. During those moments when I was alone, I did a lot of reflection and came to the decision that I was not going to be defined by my past. My future was what I made of it, and I did so want a future with Giovanni. All I needed to do was reach out and grab it.
And grab it, I did.
Stretching, I sighed, feeling the soreness of my body.
God, that man was insatiable.
I would never tire of him.
I grinned when I felt the bed dip and a warm hand stroke my hair.
“Wake up, Layla,” Gio whispered as he lightly kissed my lips.
I rolled onto my back, looked at him, and smiled.
“Bath time,” he said.
He took both of my hands in his and led me from the bed to the bathroom, where I saw the tub full of warm water.
“Into the tub, you go.” He told me.
As I stepped into the tub, he got in behind me and sat down first.
He took my hands and pulled down, signifying for me to sit down too. She did as he wished and sat down in the warm water in between his legs and leaned back on his chest.
The warm water felt so good and Gio’s skin was warm and sultry as the water caressed my body. His arms wrapped around me as he used his hands to cause water to lap around my breasts. He kissed my shoulder then whispered, “Just relax and let me wash you.”
His words were gentle and tender but commanding.
I knew he was not asking, rather instructing.
Gio’s hands caressed my body and splashed water upon all parts of my exposed skin.
He reached for a large cup sitting on the nearby ledge, then began to wet my hair. He said nothing as my hair became saturated with water and I enjoyed his hands running through it. He squirted a large dollop of shampoo into his hands and began to work it into my hair.
Occasionally, I offered a small sigh of contentment.
When my hair was thoroughly soaped up, he asked me to scoot down and lean my head back as he carefully used the cup to rinse my hair. His hands worked gently, making sure not to get any soap in my eyes. When my hair was rinsed, I felt his hands move to my upper back as he lightly pulled me back against his chest. He reached around me and grabbed a bottle of body wash, pouring a good amount into his hands.
Taking his time, I closed my eyes and just felt as he started to wash my arms.
He stretched my arm out in front of me, as he reached around, enveloping me in an embrace. His hand caressed my arm and hands. He washed between each finger and around my nails when I realized, not only was he washing me, but he was also studying my body. What I looked like, what I felt like.
He was memorizing me. Closing my eyes, I felt like crying. No one had ever taken the time to truly know me, everything about me, accept Gio. From the moment we met, he was attentive, understanding, caring, and genuinely wanted to know about me. Not even my brother knew everything and for the first time in my life, I found myself wanting to tell Gio everything.