“How about lunch? It’s almost two now.” I guide her toward the elevator.
Sighing, she shakes off my hand. “You don’t need to oversee my every move. I’ll do better. Go on, you don’t want to miss any work.”
Biting my tongue isn’t easy. “I haven’t eaten either. I’m asking you to join me for lunch. Is that really too much to ask?”
“Considering you haven’t seen me for two weeks despite us living together and working in the same damn building, yeah, it kind of feels like it.”
I manage to hold my tongue as we cross the lobby toward the parking garage. The moment we’re in the garage I let loose. “I’m done with doing what you want. You wanted me to go away so I fucking went. Now I find out you aren’t taking care of yourself. Well tough. You can’t take care of yourself then it’s back on me, you had your turn, it’s over. No more hiding at work, no more giving you your space, and no more fucking separate bedrooms. All that shit is over.”
She blinks. “Have you lost your fucking mind? I didn’t want you to actually go away, you moron. I was mad at you, you hurt me; what I wanted was for you to put your arms around me and tell me you were sorry, not move out of our fucking bedroom.”
Fuck, Dante was right. “How many times have I told you to communicate with me? I told you to talk to me. I’m not a mind reader especially when it comes to you.” It’s been too long; I pull her into my arms. When she sags into me all the anger and frustration I’ve been feeling disappears. “Why can’t you be normal?”
“Normal is boring.”
“Sometimes boring isn’t a bad thing. Come on, I’m hungry.”
***
Chloe
Enzo goes into bossy mode. I’m to leave the office no later than five, he’ll meet me at home. He’s home before I am, frowning at me as I walk through the door. I’m up in his arms before I can blink.
“Enzo, what are you doing?”
“You need a nap. You’re taking naps now when you get home.” Gently he lays me on the bed.
“I’m not tired.” I’m not.
Shaking his head, he takes off my shoes. Then slides off my skirt. “I’m not trying to start a fight, but you look tired. You can just lie in bed and read for an hour or so if you aren’t tired enough to sleep.”
I’m down to my panties and bra. Disappointment hits me when he disappears. He’s back with an oversized shirt he’s trying to put on me. “I got it. I can do it.”
With a nod he steps back. “Sleep, for an hour. I’ll make dinner. What do you want for dinner?”
I’m annoyed at him for being so nice when it’s all for the baby. “Lasagna.”
He only smiles, showing no annoyance at the idea of the upcoming hour it will take to make it. “One lasagna coming up. You rest.”
Rolling onto my side, I sigh. I’m not sleepy. This is stupid. It’s my last thought before I fall asleep.
I come awake slowly, blinking. I wonder if I’m dreaming to find Enzo in bed, on his side watching me.
“Hi.”
“Hi.”
“I’m glad you’re awake. Lying in bed with you while trying not to touch you has been damned hard.”
“You’ve managed not to touch me for several weeks; a few hours doesn’t seem so hard.”
A sigh, he reaches out to catch me behind my neck. “You told me to go away so I went. I get I fucked up, I’m sorry. I was trying to honor what you wanted. There was no way I could have lain beside you in bed and not touched you. I’m so much bigger than you, I never wanted you to feel as if you had to do something to please me.”
I blink as I understand what he’s trying to say. “That is the stupidest thing I’ve ever heard. You would never do that. I have never not wanted you the moment you looked at me, let alone touched me.”
His kiss is soft, gentle. “Dante told me I was stupid. He was right. I was wrong.”
My chest is tight at the sorrow on his face. I hate it. “Enzo Sabatini has just admitted he’s wrong. Can I get this on the record?”