“Giacomo …” her voice was a whisper, a moan that sent blood pulsing through him, the hot rush of it to his cock making him groan.
“Tell me how much you want me,Bella. Tell me as you think about my fingers rubbing you, caressing you, feeling how wet you are for me.”
“I want you so badly, Giacomo …” Norah was panting now.
“My lips are on your nipples,il mio amore, then on your belly, your soft, soft belly, my tongue deep in your navel …I push my finger inside you…’
A sharp intake of breath, then her moan. “Giacomo, my love, your cock is in my mouth and my tongue is tracing up and down the length of you, tasting you, sucking you …”
Giacomo felt his cock harden almost painfully at the thought of her warm mouth enveloping it. “I’m going to fuck you harder and longer than you’ve ever been fucked, Norah …my cock is pushing inside you now, filling you …you are mine now. Do you understand?”
“Yes,yes, god…”
As he felt his orgasm build, he closed his eyes and almost growled down the phone. “I’m going to come inside you, so hard and so long. My seed will fill your belly and mark you as mine …Norah …Norah …”
He heard her cry as she came, her long pants for air, her moaning of his name, and he too peaked, imagining his cum shooting deep inside her or over her beautiful body—her belly, her breasts.
For a few moments, both of them were breathless. Giacomo wanted to be inside her so badly it was killing him, but the mere thought of her responding to just his words was thrilling enough for tonight.
“Anima mio, ti amo. Io e te per sempre, per sempre.”
Norah gave a little chuckle. “That’s beautiful, my love, what does it mean?’
“My soul, I love you. It is you and me forever, forever.” Giacomo knew he shouldn’t say ‘forever,’ but he didn’t care. He meant every word.
He heard her breath catch and when she spoke again, her voice broke. “I love you, Giacomo, like I have never loved anything nor anyone before. You are my world. How do you say that in Italian? You are my world?”
Giacomo smiled to himself. “Tu sei il mio mondo.”
“Tu sei il mio mondo,” she repeated and laughed softly. “Ti amo,Giacomo,Tu sei il mio mondo.”
Zulika wished shehadtold Norah as she sat in the small waiting room at the hospital. In a few minutes, the nurse would take her to see the oncologist, who would push a thin needle into her left breast to draw out a sample—fluid or tissue—to check if it was benign or malignant. She kept telling herself this process over and over so it became familiar and she wouldn’t freak out with no one there to calm her down. For the first time in a while, she thought about Lucian. Was there ever a time in their relationship when he would have come with her and supported her?
She almost laughed out loud. Lucian? No freaking way. He hated needles for a start, the loser.Jeez, stop tormenting yourself,she told herself sharply. She toyed with calling Norah and asking her to come sit with her but she figured Norah would be shocked and maybe even angry that Zulika had kept this from her. Zulika could do without the argument right now.
She stepped into the hallway, heading for the water fountain. She bent her head to it, grateful for the cool water.
“Zulika?” She felt a hand on her arm and looked up. Orlando Price was looking at her, his worn, tired eyes friendly. She half-smiled at him, surprised.
“Hey, Orlando …” She hesitated before giving him a quick hug. “What are you doing here?”
Orlando showed her an envelope. “Picking up some of Carmel’s personal belongings. Didn’t even think about it before. But …her wedding ring, you know?”
Zulika’s heart ached for him. “Of course.”
“Why are you here? Visiting someone?”
For a second, Zulika was discombobulated. She couldn’t help glance at the oncology suite door and Orlando followed her gaze. “Zulika?”
“I have a biopsy …this afternoon.” She couldn’t help but blurt it out and Orlando looked aghast.
“Oh, god, I’m sorry,” he said, then seemed to realize she was really alone. “Is no one with you? Norah?”
Zulika’s shoulders slumped. “I didn’t tell her. I don’t know if it’s …cancer …or not yet so …”
“You shouldn’t be alone.”
“I’ll be fine.”