Page 166 of A Second Dawn
Heat rushes to my cheeks at his innuendo. Last night seems like eons ago. I want more of him.
I let my hands travel beneath his shirt, my fingertips grazing over his washboard abs until I reach his nipples. Drawing featherlight circles around them and plucking them like he does with mine, I delight in them turning hard. Hmm, guess I’m not the only one who likes their nipples played with.
“You know, they say pregnant women are super horny. Do you think you’ll be able to keep up?” I ask, putting on an air of innocence as I bat my eyelashes at him.
His smile broadens and turns downright predatory.
“Oh, I’ll keep up, princess. My woman will never go unsatisfied. I’ll take every single opportunity to be inside you. But not tonight.” He grabs my hands and pulls them from his delectable body.
“Argh!” I let out a frustrated groan.
“You heard the doctor. You need to rest and save your energy.” He places a caring kiss on my forehead, and then turns me around. Swatting my ass, he points me toward the bathroom. “Get ready for bed. I had some pajamas and toiletries brought in for you.”
“Tiero,” I whine. “I don’t want to go to bed. We haven’t even had dinner yet.”
“You’ll get dinner in bed. It’s already on the way.”
“But you don’t know what I’m in the mood for,” I whine as I walk toward the bathroom.
“No, I don’t,” he replies patiently. “But have a little faith in me. I’ve ordered a lot of your favorites and some other options in case your tastebuds have changed. There’s bound to be something you’ll like and if not, we’ll start over again.”
“Fine,” I huff. “But there better be dessert… something disgustingly sweet so I can go to bed at least partially satisfied.” I grin at him. “And I also want Rhia, Claudette and Aiden to join us.”
As expected, Tiero doesn’t like that idea. “You need rest, princess.”
“I need my friends around me. After we leave the hospital, I have no idea when I’ll see them again.”
He stares at me, and I can tell he wants to argue with me.
“Please.” I bat my eyelashes at him.
He grits his teeth, but mutters, “Fine. But make sure you’re wearing your robe.”
Dinner is over, and Tiero and I are cuddled up together in bed.
Aiden didn’t join us. When Tiero took a phone call, I asked the girls if Ade was still angry with me. Claudette admitted he was more hurt than angry and that he didn’t want to have to watch Tiero and me together. As much as I missed seeing him, I understand. If I were him, I wouldn’t have come either.
How am I going to make things right between us? Should I even attempt it or let him be?
The girls said he needs time. But we don’t have that. Not with us leaving in the next few days.
“We haven’t discussed what will happen from here on out,” I say as I snuggle deeper against Tiero’s body. “Where are we going to live?”
Tiero told the doctor he wanted to return to Europe, which was diplomatic of him. It avoided a fight right then and there. I’ve made my wishes clear, but that doesn’t mean Gualtiero De Marco will listen. Well, he’ll listen, but he won’t necessarily agree.
Tiero draws lazy circles on my back. It’s soothing, and my eyelids grow heavier.
“I know you don’t want to return to Sicily. So how about we live on the island for a while? Just you and me. We were happy there.”
Oh! His island—why hadn’t I thought of that?
“What about your responsibilities?” I deliberately don’t call it work. To me that would imply something legitimate.
“Mateo can take over the ones I can’t run remotely. A lot of it I can manage from there. And once or twice a week, I’d have to take the helicopter back. This arrangement wouldn’t be forever, angel. Just until I can firm up our other plans.”
“Which are what exactly?” I can’t help asking.
He looks around us with an exaggerated head roll, trying to make me understand that this isn’t the time and place.