Page 26 of Mine to Love
22
1 WEEK LATER
As I pull backfrom Gio, my thighs still straddling his, he brings his thumb to my cheek and gently wipes away my falling tears. His touch is something so foreign to me and yet so, surprisingly, welcome. He looks at me then, his amber eyes pouring into my tear-filled gaze. I don’t know how to explain his expression. But it feels…it feels like love, like kindness, like sincerity, like something I’ve longed to experience my entire life. It feels like he sees me, the real me, the broken me. And yet his touch, his very presence, is healing.
Something radiates off his skin, making my insides feel warm. Perhaps it’s physical, natural heat. Or, perhaps, it’s something else entirely, something emotional, something spiritual. Either way, I want more—more of this feeling, more of his energy, more of his touch, more of him.
Slowly, I allow my eyes to drift from his to his lips. My own lips, dry with anticipation, part. I’ve only kissed one other person. And I can’t remember the last time I kissed him willingly. Will I be good at it? Will Gio even want my kiss? Though, as I return my gaze to Gio’s, I have my answer. And,before any more paralyzing thoughts overcome me, I tilt my head and Gio kisses me.
He cradles my face in his palm, anchoring my chin with his thumb as he brings his soft lips to mine. His movements are slow, so slow, I memorize every single one—every tilt of our heads, the way his lips move against mine, the feel of his teeth tugging at my lip as our pace increases, the sensation of his tongue finally entering my mouth, claiming me. As our kiss deepens, our touches become more insistent, more desperate. It’s as if we’ve both wanted this for so long. And yet, the pit in my stomach has me worried we’re moving too fast.
Gio then lowers his hand from my cheek to my neck. The placement of his hand makes me feel vulnerable. It makes me remember every time Clive— “Hey, hey, look at me.” I open my eyes, feeling tension in my forehead. Gio brushes my hair behind my ears as if he can sense it.
“It’s me, Darcy. It’s us. You’re with me here in our home. You’re safe.” Gio’s low and steady voice grounds me. As tears well in my eyes, I nod and lean into him once more. This time, it’s my turn to intensify our kiss. As my lips crash into his and I allow my hands to explore him, it’s as if his lips, his body, are my anchor to the present.
I rest my hands on his stomach and slowly move them upward, noting all his muscular indentions. Gio gives the termwashboard absa new meaning. As I do, his grasp on my neck remains gentle. Though, his grip on my hip is a bit more intense. As he digs his fingers into my flesh, squeezing me, claiming me, I let out a moan and feel a fresh wave of slippery arousal flood between my legs as my body yearns for him in a way my mind is still struggling to understand.
“Yes, baby,” he grits through his teeth. “Let me hear you. Hold nothing back.” His statement makes me feel shy, but the more he touches me, the more I touch him, the quicker I get overit. As I move my hands up his strong, thick arms to his luscious hair, he moves both of his to my ass. Palming me, he squeezes a chunk of each cheek, and I’m not sure how I feel about it. But, as I pull back, breathless, the dark, animalistic look in his narrowed gaze lets me know he likes what he feels. He smiles, reminding me that even though he looks like a predator, he is still my safe place.
“I’m going to take care of you, baby. Will you let me take care of you?” He asks then. I’m not sure exactly what his efforts will entail, but I know for certain I’m not ready for this to end. My pulsating pussy and rock hard, sensitive nipples tell me so. My tongue dry, all I can do is nod. And, without delay, Gio intensifies his grip on my ass and stands with me still in his arms.
“Oh my God!” I squeal. I wrap my arms tightly around his neck, afraid I’m going to fall or, more precisely, that he’ll drop me. I’m no lightweight.
“Hey, hey, I said I’m going to take care of you, and I don’t break my promises,” he says, drawing my worried gaze from the floor back to him.
“Yeah, but you might break your back if you don’t put me down.” Gio rolls his eyes and throws me up in the air like a toddler. “Oh my God, Gio! Stop!” He does it a couple more times and catches me without fail. Now, it’s my turn to roll my eyes. “Are you finished yet?”
“Are you finished worrying?” He cocks his brow.
“If I sayyes, will you put me down?”
“Mmm, I’ll consider it.” Gio smirks, but instead of more words, he brings his lips to my neck. His kisses are wet, intense, yet somehow gentle all at once. That is until they turn to subtle bites. As his teeth dig into my skin, though not enough to draw blood, another memory of Clive forces its way to the front of my mind. Doing my best to refocus on Gio, I shove the thought ofClive’s bites to the back of my mind and try to replace it with this new memory. Gio’s bites are different. I like them. I like?—
With my back arched and my head tilted, I’m too caught up in the moment to realize he’s lowering me until my back rests against the soft sofa. I open my eyes to see Gio crawling between my legs. He notices the wet stain at the apex of my thighs and moans in approval. As he does, he brings his hand to the culprit and brushes his knuckles over my most sensitive spot. I gasp. Even with my pajama pants as a barrier, his touch is still electric. But it is short-lived as his attention switches to my nipples, which are threatening to rip through my gray button-down.
Gio’s eyes flick to mine as if he’s asking permission. The truth is, I don’t know if I’m ready. But my body is riddled with so much desire I can’t resist him. I nod and Gio brings his teeth to the buttons on my shirt, undoing them one by one. As he does, my pussy only throbs even more and my insides feel empty without him. I could scream with how badly I want him. Though, as he undoes the last button, all my desire melds into something else. As he looks at me with those eyes, the gentleness in his gaze gives new meaning to my body’s cravings.Trust—I trust him.
It’s then that Gio pushes the fabric of my pajama top to the side and brings one hand to my breast. As he kneads my flesh and brushes his thumb over my nipple, the pressure between my legs continues to build and?—
I wakeat the edge of the bed with my thighs pressed tightly together. Still, it’s not enough to quell the throbbing between them or the slick wetness that’s becoming all too familiar. Ever since that night with Gio on the couch, my sleep has been disrupted with inappropriate yet escalating thoughts of him.When the dreams first started, we hadn’t even kissed yet. By night three, he’d lifted me. By night four, he’d touched me through my pants. Night five, he unbuttoned my shirt. And, tonight, night six, he finally exposed me, teased me, touched me in a way I didn’t want to end. God, what will happen tomorrow night?
I pinch my eyes closed and let out a sigh. I don’t know why I’m having these dreams. The moment that sparked them was completely innocent. Gio was consoling me, wiping away my tears, speaking kindness into me. He wasn’t seducing me. Although, it felt nice being in his arms, on his lap. And the way he rubbed my back and escorted me to my room… Though, perhaps, the escalation has been induced by what’s happened since.
Gio and I have been spending more time together. Nearly every night, we either play a game of chess or share a beverage after Delilah goes to sleep. He’s also been giving me more compliments, making a point of noticing me in a way that is both nice and unnerving. I’m not sure what to make of it. It’s probably just him being kind in the same way he’s been kind about everything else.
He’s been patient and understanding as I’ve been getting the hang of things around the house. Beyond that, he’s also been pitching in with Delilah, which is totally unnecessary but very much appreciated. I was able to pick up some homeschooling supplies for her on one of my runs into town. But when Gio learned I loathe math, he offered to take over that subject. It’s been a tremendous help. He’s been…he’s been amazingandso has this job.
I open my eyes and watch as the air conditioner makes the linen curtains dance. As they do, so do the shadows on the floor as moonlight filters through the window. It felt nice, I admit once more. And maybe spending so much time with Gio nearbedtime is why my subconscious mind finds him in my sleep. It’s a blurring of reality mixed with an unfounded, unreciprocated, confusing conjuring of sexual desire.
It’s true that Gio looks at me in a way that no one else ever has. It’s true that his touches are soothing and his words…his words make me feel seen and reassured. In my dream, I called him my safe place, and I said I trusted him. Maybe there’s truth in that too. But do I want Gio? Do I want him to touch me? Do I want more with him? Does he want me? None of those things can I fathom. While, on the one hand, if I’m dreaming of it, then, on some level, I must want it. Right? But, even in my dream, I had hesitations about escalating things with him. Now that I’m awake, I still have them. Except now, I have even more concerns seeing as he’s my boss and I’m not ready for a relationship. And I’m quite positive he would never want me like that anyway.
He would never want me in real life the way he does in my dreams, no matter how he looks at me, no matter how he touches me, no matter how many compliments he gives me. AndIdon’t want anyone—that’s the truth. Dreams are dreams. They are not reality, and I cannot confuse them. Not from his perspective, and certainly not from mine. They’re probably just my mind’s way of coping with the obvious depravation I’ve suffered in the love and arousal department. What Icando is take a shower to get rid of the sticky evidence of my sexual, emotional delusion.
23
Restless,I sit up straight in bed and lean against the wooden headboard. My mind is full of too many thoughts to sleep. Though, as the pipes in the walls moan, I sense both the cause ofandantidote for my sleepless nights—Darcy. She must be awake too. I glance at my phone to check the time. It’s three in the morning and she’s taking a shower. That’s weird. Of course, no stranger than me dreaming of her and all the things I’d like to do to her. My subconscious fantasies are on another level compared to my daily thoughts of her. They’re what has me awake now.
I should be ashamed of myself, especially given the way she broke down in my arms just a week ago. She’s starting to trust me, starting to open up. She’s also falling into a routine here—professionally, with Delilah,andwith me. And I’m over here dreaming about eating her ass and watching her tits bounce as I fuck her raw.
