Once I approached my bedroom, David opened the door a crack, bowed, and left me to Simone.
“Thanks again,” I called over my shoulder.
“No problem, sir.” And then he stopped and looked at me. “This is a good thing.”
“You think so?”
“Yes.” He gave me a knowing smile and left.
I nudged the door open further with my foot and walked in. Simone rolled over and slowly opened her eyes.
“Good evening.” I set the tray down on my nightstand. “How did you sleep?”
“That was probably the best sleep I’ve ever had. I usually pass out on my couch with a keyboard weighing down my legs.”
“Workaholic.”
“At times.” Her eyes widened as she drank in the tray.
“This is your breakfast. I wasn’t sure if you had any allergies.”
“No allergies. I eat pretty much everything but octopus and brains.”
I smirked. “That’s my type of eater.”
Shock flashed across her face. “This looks amazing.”
“You’ll have to think the chef later. Her name is Judy.”
“I definitely will.” She sat up. “Can I eat here on the bed or—”
“Go ahead. My bed is your bed.”
She giggled.
“What’s so funny?” I gave her a wicked grin. “You don’t want the comforts of my bed?”
“I do. I just shouldn’t get used to it.”
“Why not?”
She took a piece of her biscuit, nibbled, and groaned with joy. “Because I won’t be sleeping here the whole time. In fact, you’ll have your bed tonight. I’m in good health. I feel amazing, like I went to a spa retreat for several days. I can go to the room you have set for me.”
Disappointment hit me. I didn’t want her to leave my bed, but I didn’t have any good excuse to keep her in there.
“Hmmm.” I sat down next to her. She unfolded the napkin, placed the tray on her legs, and sampled the quiche.
“Wow.”
“I had some too. Judy is showing off her culinary skills today.”
“I could eat this for the rest of my life and be fine.”
“Good. I’ll make sure she makes this tomorrow.” And not able to let her thoughts of moving go, I said, “You should stay here another night.”
In between bites, she mumbled, “Where?”
“In my bed.”
She swallowed and stared at me.
“I know you feel fine, but you’re still weak and I want to take care of you.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yes.”
“But I worry about your neck, Mr. Ferraro.”
“My neck is fine. The chair is comfortable. And...”
“And?” she whispered.
“And I enjoy watching you sleep. It’s comforting.”
“Do I snore?”
“No. You just peacefully lay there. It relaxes me.”
She didn’t return to eating. “Okay. Maybe another night would be okay.”
“It would.” I decided not to push for more days. Tomorrow was another day to get her to stay in my bed again.
“Will we be working tomorrow?” she asked, all business.
“I’ll show you the studio, but we don’t have to start writing. We have plenty of time.”
“I definitely don’t have anything on my calendar, but you.”
I licked my lips. “Good. I want to be your only focus.”
She looked away and continued her quiche. “I had the oddest dream. I was dancing in this fantasy land with you and everything was made from fur. We were also wearing fur from head to toe.”
“Hilarious.”
“I know.” She shook her head and ate some more.
“I dreamed of you too.”
She quirked her eyebrows. “Really? What did you dream about?”
Those visions of her naked and coming hit my mind.
She giggled and widened her eyes. “You’re blushing.”
“I’m not.”
“You are.”
“I don’t blush.”
“Oh ok. Because you’re a manly man?”
I shrugged.
“Now, I must know what the dream was about,” she said.
“It wasn’t a...PG situation. And remember, it was a dream. I can’t be guilty for having a dream like this.”
She leaned back on her pillow, forgetting the tray. “We were having sex?”
I didn’t respond. I let my eyes tell her the truth as I drank her in. My shirt had never looked as good on me as it looked on her, but in that moment, all I wanted to do was tear it off.
Heat pulsed between us.
“Are you done eating?” I asked.
She cleared her throat. “Yes, thank you, and I loved the roses too.”
“Do you need to go to the bathroom?”
Giggling, she covered her face with her hands. “I already went, and I can walk on my own, Gio.”
“I’m here, though.”
She removed her hands. “Thank you, but you have gone above and beyond. I am able to walk.”
I removed the tray from the bed and set it back on the stand. “I’ve got you, Simone.”
“You do.” She moved the fur blankets off her. “I’ll take a bath and then we can check out your studio if that’s fine.”
“Sounds good.” I swooped her up before she could place one step on the carpet.
She shrieked. “Gio!”
“I told you that I’ve got you.” I carried her into the bathroom, sat on the edge of the huge tub, and placed her on my legs, hoping she wouldn’t want to move.