Page 56 of Amore
“Will you sleep with me tonight?” I asked.
“Franks—”
“Not sex, Luke. Just sleeping.”
“Are you sure?”
I nodded without lifting my head from his shoulder. “I think maybe I need to feel you next to me, so my brain knows it’s okay. Does that make sense?”
“I think I know what you mean, and I’ll do anything you want.”
“Even if I’m broken?”
“You’re not broken, baby.”
“I feel that way,” I admitted.
“Then I’m the glue that will put you back together.”
* * *
The baseball gamewas finally over.
Thank God.
Not that I was opposed to sports, but they just weren’t my thing. It seemed everyone in Hollywood liked the Dodgers, so I’d gotten a Dodgers hat to fit in.
While Luke watched the game, I did my own thing, but I enjoyed being with him, even if he bitched when they lost. “So …” I hesitated, unsure of the plan. “Now what?”
“Now”—he yawned—“I think it’s time for bed.”
I yawned too. “Bed sounds good.”
“Do you still want me to come with you?”
I nodded. I wasn’t ever going to change my mind. “Yes, please.”
We both stood, and Luke and Amore followed me into Luke’s bedroom. I was already in my pajamas, so I pulled back the covers and slipped in. Amore jumped onto the bed at my feet as Luke went into the connecting bathroom.
When he came out, he asked, “Do you want me to sleep on top of the covers?”
“Um, no.” I snorted.
He smiled and slid under the covers.
After we turned off the lights, I scooted closer to him, and without saying a word, he wrapped me in his arms and held me as I drifted off to sleep.
* * *
Over the next two weeks,Luke and I went back to my house and boxed up my personal items. My realtor had agreed to put my house on the market while I was in British Columbia. I would have no house to come back to, even if mine didn’t sell, because there was no way I could spend another night under that roof. Luke and I had looked at other houses, but none sparked my interest.
The memories of the attack weren’t as prominent as they had been weeks ago, but Luke and I still only slept in his bed. He held me each night, so I could drift off to sleep, knowing I was safe.
We’d heard from the district attorney, and with the evidence they had, they were going to prosecute my attacker. He had pleaded not guilty, and he’d denied being the one who had followed me in my neighborhood, but it had been confirmed he had installed my alarm. He was out on bail, but his fate was hopefully sealed, and he would go to prison for a few years.
On our way to the airport for our private flight to Canada, we picked up Emily. Since she was my assistant, I needed her with me for coffee runs, phone calls, walking Amore, or whatever else I needed. Luke was staying in my room, but Emily was able to get the production office to get him a connecting hotel room because I could already see the headlines:
MYSTERY MAN SEEN HOLDING HANDS WITH FRANKIE BORELLI IS HER NEW BODYGUARD. IS HE HER SECRET LOVER TOO?
