Page 124 of Arturo's Temptation

Shit, I actually cried today. That’s not happened since…

I squeezed my eyes shut. I couldn’t think about her now. Not today. Not when I’d come so close to losing another woman who’d become my whole world. If I was being honest withmyself, I had revelled in my inability to feel. Feeling nothing gave you an intense sense of invincibility. No happiness, meant zero pain, zero fear.

“Arturo, a man without fear is a man without treasures.”

My father’s words rang in my head. He’d been right. The second I had given into my need for Bella, the wall in my head that had kept me numb all these years began to crack. Clearly the terror I had experienced today had pushed me over the edge. Without thinking, I touched my face, still expecting the tear I had shed to be there, rolling down my cheek.

“Arturo, this is beautiful.” I pulled my hand away from my face and gave her a small smile. Damn, that woman. Looking at her you’d think she was a woman without a care in the world. You wouldn’t suspect she’d come so close to real danger only hours earlier. But I knew the truth. She was as shaken as I was.

I hated that she felt she needed to put a strong front on for me. She wanted to show the world she could do what her father had asked of her and do it without ever revealing her vulnerable side.

Well, fuck that.

No matter what it took, I’d help her face her fears, just as she’d guided me to face mine.

“I like that you like my place. Thought we could have a couple of days here, just the two of us.” I wandered over to her. My hands eager to touch her soft skin.

“Are you saying you want to play house with me, London Boy?” Her angelic voice teased.

“Too fuckin’ right I do,” I smirked, throwing her over my shoulder.

“Where are we going?” she giggled, straining to look up at me.

I darted towards the bathroom, not answering her. Her hands swatted at my arse, which did fuck all. I placed her downon the tiled floor, noticing how small she looked in my over the top, extravagant bathroom. I flicked on the tap and poured a good amount of bubble bath into the water as steam began to fill the room.

“Youare going to take a bath and relax while I make us somethin’ to eat.” I turned my attention back to her. “Arms up.”

She lifted her arms above her head as I made quick work of removing her tank she’d changed into before we’d left. I dropped to my knees before her and pulled her leggings off, before discarding them in the corner.

“You’re so fuckin’ beautiful,” I dipped my head, breathing her in. “Y eres toda mía.” Standing, I pulled out the band holding her hair up in a bun, letting her hair tumble around her shoulders. She was a goddess.

I shut off the tap and helped her in. Hopefully the warmth of the water would wash away the adrenaline of the day and help sooth the aches and minor grazes she hadn’t yet allowed herself to feel. A soft moan of appreciation left her lips, and I knew this had been the right call.

“For once,hermosa, let someone look after you.” Her tired eyes met mine. I swallowed and whispered, “Let me take care of you.” With that, I kissed her head. She sighed softly as she nuzzled into my chest.

I’d never done this before. It felt more intimate than anything I’d ever done with a woman, but it felt… good. Felt right. After rubbing soap into her skin, focusing on her tight muscles, I carefully washed her hair… and completely underestimated how much work it would be.

“You seem to be struggling there, fella?” she laughed, her mood lifting the second she heard me huffing and puffing.

“No, you just have a lot more hair than I realised.” Not that it would stop me doing it and doing it well. “What do you fancy to eat?”

“As I said… a man of many talents.” Water trickled down her cheeks from her hair, as she flashed me her heart stopping smile.

“Yeah, right. You can decide if it’s a talent when you taste it,” I bantered. Cooking was one of the few things I had loved doing as a kid. From as early as I could remember, my parents began teaching me all sorts of recipes. Up until now I’d never had a reason to put my hiddentalent, as Bella liked to call it, to the test.

“Arturo, I don’t think there’s many things you can’t do. I have no doubt you’ll be amazing in the kitchen just as you are everywhere else.”

“Oh,hermosa, are you referring to my ability to lose myself in your pussy?”

“Get your mind out of the gutter,” she tutted, rolling her eyes.

“When it comes to you, princess, that ain’t never goin’ to happen.” I pecked her lips softly, before rising to my feet. “Now, you chill out in here for a bit, and I’ll come get you when food’s ready.”

“I’m perfectly capable of getting myself out you know,” she laid back in the bath, her gorgeous tits bobbing beneath the bubbles.

“That might be true, but it ain’t happenin’.” I winked, before leaving her alone to relax.

Humming,I began to prepare the ingredients for dinner to make Bella a paella, something I could make with my eyes shut. I rolled my shoulders back. Here in the kitchen I was in my element. For the first time in weeks I felt close to being relaxed.

---