“I’m fine, thanks.”
“Good.” He sits back and closes his eyes. “I think I’ll take a nap for a little while and just—”
“Gavino!” Casso’s voice from the house. “If she doesn’t need anything, get your fucking ass back up here, we have work, and find goddamn Fynn before I find him myself and wring his stupid neck.” A door slams shut, the sound echoing off the stone.
Gavino sighs. “It never ends. Have a lovely day.” He puts his shoes back on and stomps back to the house.
“Your brothers are ceaseless, but at least they don’t treat me like a monster anymore. Now I’m just an annoying interloper.” Elise says that like it’s a good thing.
I only smile to myself and close my eyes.
Images of Nico flit across my mind: him kissing me, him fucking me, his strong arms around my body in the pool at the Tuscan villa, the two of us sitting out beneath the stars at a tiny cafe drinking wine and talking about nothing, his hand in mine as we strolled along the streets of Paris in the rain while he held an umbrella over my head and got soaked and never once complained, and a hundred other memories, all of them crammed into such a short period.
And soon, the baby.
I’m terrified. I’d be crazy if I weren’t, but I’m so worried I’m not up to this. I keep wondering if my mental break with all those strange, lost memories will somehow affect the baby or if the stress of being a new mom will shatter me and I won’t be able to handle it—but every time I feel myself on the verge of panic, I remember that Nico’s here with me, that Nico will make sure everything is okay and taken care of.
It doesn’t matter if I’m not perfect. Nico fills in the gaps.
I head inside after a couple hours and find him sitting in the kitchen eating leftover pasta and reading one of the dozen baby books I ordered for him. He looks over and his entire body lights up like it’s drawn to me and can’t help but brighten at my presence. I walk to him and kiss his lips softly and he wraps his arms around me and pulls me into his lap.
“Careful,” I say, scolding. “I don’t want to smash you.”
“Please, princess. You couldn’t if you tried.” He chews my lower lip. “How are you feeling today?”
“I’m feeling fine, thanks, and stop asking.”
He hugs me tight. “Never. I missed you this morning.”
“I know, you were up early. Anything I should know about?”
“Nothing important, just the usual bullshit.” His voice darkens slightly, and I get the sense that he’s not telling me the whole truth—but we have a general understanding around the business. The less I know, the better, and if it’s truly important, he’ll tell me.
“So long as you’re safe,” I murmur, kissing his neck.
“More like, so long as you and the baby are safe.” He practically purrs at my attention. “Have I told you how much I love you yet today?”
“Probably, but you can say it again.”
“I love you with all my body. I love you more than the Earth. I’d give up breathing if it meant spending another minute with you. I love you more than I love brunch, and god damn, do I love brunch.”
“Bastard.” I laugh and kiss him deep.
“Join me for lunch?”
“Always.”
He pulls up a chair and I sit with my feet in his lap, and he absently rubs them as he tells me about his day so far, and I drift down into the deep comfort of his hands on my body and I allow myself to feel happy, truly happy, all because of him.