It was time for me to grow up.
It was time for me to do the right thing and it started right now.
“I love you, Donatella. Marry me?”
“What?” she gasped, slowly removing herself from my embrace. Well, that wasn’t a good sign. I tried moving closer to her but she shook her head, taking another step back. I could see the fear and trepidation on her face. I wasn’t entirely positive but I thought when a man asked the woman he loved to marry him, she would at least be a smidge happy. While men worldwide got screams of joy, I got a woman who wouldn’t even let me touch her.
This did not bode well for my future.
“You don’t even know me.” She whispered, her back hitting the wall of my office.
“That’s why I want to marry you.”
“We don’t have to marry for you to know me, Lorenzo.”
Moving carefully towards her I looked her directly in the eye and said, “My father met and married my mother within three weeks. They were married for thirty-seven years before he died. Though they barely knew each other, my father knew my mom was the woman for him and he refused to live without her.”
“That’s great but we are not your parents. I am not your mom.”
“Thank God for that,” I smirked, then added. “I love you Donatella. I can’t explain it but I know what I feel. I want to spend my life making you happy, give you what you deserve, love only you. I want to hold your hand, kiss your lips, have you fall asleep in my arms. I want your messy hair, your horrible fashion sense. I want to listen to you drone on about science shit that I will never understand and I really want to fuck you into eternity.” I finished.
“I’m only nineteen.”
“You’ll be twenty next month.”
“What about school?”
“I’m twenty-six and though I barely graduated, I know Loyola University has a great science department,” I said, gently touching her cheek.
“I’ll lose my scholarship.”
“I will pay your tuition,” I said, wrapping my arm around her, bringing her closer to me.
“But all my belongings, my apartment.”
“I will help you pack everything. I won’t even complain.” I whispered, lowering my lips to hers, knowing I was wearing her down. When my lips touched hers and I heard her moan, I knew she would eventually say yes.
I was relentless when it came to something I wanted.
And I wanted her.
Needed her more than she would ever know.
Sighing, I released her lips, then kissed the tip of her nose.
“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t rush you. You need time to think and I haven’t been the most reliable person lately.”
“Hey,” she whispered, taking my hand in hers before I could walk away. “Where’s that coming from. A minute ago, you were determined. Now you’re second-guessing yourself. Why?”
Shaking my head, I refused to say anything more. I wanted to tell her everything from what I read to meeting the stranger who saved us. I felt she had a right to know but I wasn’t sure if Guardian even wanted her knowing. Until I could talk with him and verify, I was going to leave her in the dark. Besides, regardless of her decision, I had already made up my mind regarding Guardian’s offer.
I was in.
Now, I just needed Donatella to agree to marry me, then I would be good to go. I wasn’t leaving Chicago without her. I didn’t know how much time I would have until Guardian returned, so by my calculations, that didn’t give me enough time to get her to say yes, let alone have her standing before a judge at the courthouse.
Twenty-One
Donatella