Page 12 of Secrets (The Sins Trilogy 2)
Chapter Six
Iris
I emerge from the bedroom, pink and warm and smelling of lavender from the long, sinfully luxurious bath. Thank God that horrible chlorine scent is gone. I’m in my favorite Tweety Bird nightshirt and heart-print shorts.
Tony’s in the kitchen. He’s showered as well, and is wearing a plain white T-shirt and black shorts. I stop at the bottom of the stairs and admire the sight. He’s so beautiful under the lights.
I told him once there’s a difference between handsome and hot. There are men who aren’t that good-looking but sizzle with sexuality. There are men who are ridiculously pretty, but somehow leave you cold.
Tony has both. He’s so beautiful that it feels like I’m looking directly at the sun—perfect, brilliant, maybe even dangerous if you stare too long. Those cut-glass emerald eyes that go tender every time he turns toward me. That sweet, vulnerable smile that always makes my heart ache with yearning. I’ve never seen him show those sides to anyone else. To others, he’s cool and polite, a man difficult to approach and more difficult to get to know.
And even from a distance, he makes my heart beat faster, my skin warm and prickly as my nerve endings come to life.
God, I want him.Not just in bed, but in all the ways a woman can want a man. In my life. In my dreams. Lodged so deep in my heart it’s as though our souls are merged, inseparable.
“You’re out,” Tony says with a warm smile. “I prepared something simple for dinner.”
“You didn’t have to. We could’ve done takeout,” I say, crossing the living room to join him.
“But I wanted to. Don’t worry, I’m not that bad. I promise.”
I laugh. I can’t imagine him being bad at anything. I snuggle against him, inhaling his warm, male scent underneath expensive, minty soap and loving it.
Wrapping an arm around me, he kisses me. “Mmm. Much better.”
“Is it?” I ask breathlessly.
“An appetizer. Very delicious.” He kisses me again, not full-on deep, but not precisely chaste, either.
Heat curls in my belly. “We should have the main course,” I murmur against his mouth.
“Not yet.” He pulls back. “We need to get you fed. You didn’t even have lunch.”
A minor oversight in a messy day. But I don’t want to think about the time at Sam’s. “I’m not really that hungry for food.”
He shakes his head. “Feeding you regularly is part of my promise to keep you safe.”
I’m beginning to realize when Tony says “safe,” he doesn’t just mean “away from danger.” He means in every aspect of my life—from sleep to food to my emotional wellbeing. It’s like he worries constantly that something’s going to happen, and he’s going to lose me. I wonder briefly if he lost someone to illness. Maybe anorexia or depression, but I can’t bring myself to ask, lest I poke a sensitive spot.
So instead, I press a kiss to his shoulder. From the way his jaw grows tight, I can sense he still holds himself responsible for what happened at Sam’s place. It’ll be a while before he can accept that he couldn’t have done anything to prevent it. And the only thing I can do is make sure he knows I will never hold him responsible for things out of his control. “How can I help?”
“By enjoying the food and being with me.” His defenses are down, and his eyes show naked need. Not for sexual gratification but for the assurance I’m okay and with him and everything’s fine in our world.
Damn it, Sam.I hate him for having put that pain in Tony. Just this morning, we were so happy, planning our first trip together and saying “I love you” to each other. If it hadn’t been for my uncle, Tony and I would be in Napa by now, drinking wine and enjoying ourselves without any of this darkness overshadowing us.
“I can do that,” I say lightly. “So what’s for dinner?”
“Let me show you.” He leads me out to the deck, where the air is cool and refreshing. The infinity pool’s covered—most likely in deference to my earlier trauma—and the sight makes me a little sad, because he’s never done that before, and it’s a beautiful pool. My inability to swim is affecting me and Tony in ways I never imagined. But for now, I push away the regret because he deserves a happy evening after what we’ve been through today. Hell, we both do.
Large rose petals are scattered all over the wooden floor, still warm from the earlier sun. Countless candles provide a romantic glow around a huge lounge seat big enough for two and a long table to the side. The table is laden with slices of turkey and roast beef, various cheeses and fruits and thin bread and crackers. There are also four decanters, an ice bucket with a bottle of champagne and multiple wine glasses.
“Wow.” A tender sort of joy pulses through me. I always think there’s nothing Tony can do to make me fall even more in love with him, but he always proves me wrong. “This is amazing. I can’t believe you did all this while I was in the bath.”
“So you like it? I was going to do tiger lily petals, but they don’t work nearly as well as roses.”
“It’s perfect.” I go on my tiptoes and kiss him. “You’re perfect.”
He nips my lower lip. “You make me strive to be better, Iris.”
