I want us to lose ourselves in desire, together. And when we emerge, I want that to be together, too.
You feel like a second chance at something I thought I’d lost forever.The words rise to my lips, unbidden, but I bite them back. It’s not the place to say something like that or the time to give her that sort of power over me. Not until I’m certain of her—not until I know that I can trust her to stay.
I’ve only ever been that vulnerable with one other woman. It won’t come easily to me a second time.
“I know the truth,” Caterina says, breaking through my train of thought. “You didn’t want me. You wanted Sofia because she was half-Russian, because of her mother’s pedigree. You would never have looked at me again if you could have had her.”
There’s no jealousy in her tone, only a flat sort of acceptance. But she couldn’t be more wrong.
“I did, at first,” I admit. “But Caterina—” I reach out, tipping her chin up gently so that she’s looking into my eyes. I put all the sincerity that I can into my voice, my expression. “it didn’t take long for me to see how wrong that was. Now that I have you—”
Caterina’s eyes widen, just a fraction, and I know that I shouldn’t say what comes to my lips next. It’s too much, for now. But I can’t help myself. The music is swelling, vivid and intense in the colorful room. My wife is beautiful, in my arms and dancing with me, and for a moment, I’m transported to another place, where the words I have to say can’t ever be the wrong ones.
“I know, Caterina, that in choosing you, I made the perfect choice.”