"I know I don’t have to worry," he replies, dropping his chin and raising his eyebrows. "I’m doing this because I want to. I know you have a lot of coursework, and I want to make sure your life runs as easily as possible."
"Thanks," I murmur as he opens the car door for me, ever the gentleman.
"You really don’t need to worry about my timekeeping, by the way," I say casually as I check my lipstick in the mirror. "I did all of this on top of two jobs, remember? I’m good at balancing my time."
"True as that may be," he replies, leaning across to plant a kiss against my lips as punctuation. "I’m still glad I can help."
I grin, and we pull away from campus, toward the little town house that Blake bought me at the end of last semester. I spent winter break making it feel like my home, and true to his word, he hasn’t tried to interfere in that at all. No, he has been totally supportive of me doing exactly what I want with it, and I’m beyond grateful for that. He’s been the same way with my studies, always making sure I have the time and space to dedicate to what I’m passionate about. For Christmas, he got me a gorgeous first edition of a Napoleonic medical textbook. It’s displayed in pride over the desk where I do most of my studying, a little piece of history, all for me.
I know it’s hard for him to let go of control after all this time. And there have been a few occasions where I’ve had to put my foot down and let him know that I wasn’t going to run on his schedule or play by his rules. But he’s taken them well, for the most part. He’s still learning, and the fact that he’s even willing to learn means the world to me.
"What were you doing on campus, anyway?" I wonder aloud as I swim my hand through the air out of the open window.
"I had a Silencio meeting," he replies, and I tense slightly.
I’m still getting used to this part, dating someone who is so wrapped up in dark forces beyond my understanding. I know that world is violent, I know it’s dangerous. I know parts of it will scare me and shake me and make me question everything. But I love Blake, and I want to be with him. I’m proud of the man he’s becoming, the man who has learned to loosen control and let someone special into his life, the man who seems smarter, calmer, smoother in the way he handles himself, as though everything he’s doing, he’s making sure I’ll be impressed with it.
Though, truth be told, those things won’t be out of my understanding for long. I’ve been working with him on acquiring some specific properties of historical note in the city, partly to make sure they get preserved properly and partly because I know there’s good money in them if he plays his cards right. I’m not saying I’m going to become a mob wife—not until after my degree is finished, anyway.
"Don’t worry, I didn’t talk to them about you." He chuckles slightly. "You’ve got nothing to worry about."
"I know," I murmur, and he reaches over to give my thigh a squeeze.
"It’s only a few months till graduation," I remind him casually, leaning back against the seat. "You thought about what you’re going to do?"
"Oh, I thought an all-expenses-paid trip to Italy for a few months would do the trick," he replies. My eyes nearly bug out of my head.
"What, with me?"
"No, with my harem of other women," he shoots back sarcastically. "Yes, with you, Sophia."
"Oh, woah," I murmur to myself, trying to take it in. It’s... a lot. In a good way. A lot of things with Blake are a lot in a good way, and I’m still getting used to all the luxury he can bring into my life. It’s a lot to wrap my head around, but he always tells me that I’m worth it. More than that, he shows me that I’m worth it, and that means the whole damn world to me.
"You want to come? I have a few historical sites picked out. Thought we could spend a few days in Bologna..."
"At the university?" I gasp. It’s one of the oldest in the world and most beautiful. A trip there would be a dream.
"Anything you want, you know that." He gives my thigh a squeeze. I bite my lip, grinning. Okay, so maybe this summer is shaping up to be a lot more interesting than I imagined.
He pulls up outside the house, and I glance over at him with a flirtatious grin.
"Can I tempt you in?" I ask him playfully, trailing my hand along his arm. He groans and glances at his watch.
"I need to be at a meeting with one of my father’s contacts in less than an hour..."
"So we’ll only go twice," I joke with a deadpan shrug. "I’m fine with that."
"Sophia, you are..." he murmurs, but before he can finish what he’s saying, he’s leaning across the seat and kissing me. I grin into the kiss. There’s something almost unbearably hot about watching this gorgeous man lose control for me, making this man, who is so careful and so confident in everything he does, give in to his baser instincts. He might like to think he’s the one in control when it comes to these encounters, but maybe I work a little more magic on him than he’d care to admit.
I draw back and flutter my lashes at him. "You better come in, then..."
I climb out of the car and make sure to swing my hips a little more than usual in front of him. I can feel his gaze on me, practically burning into me. I can almost imagine the look in his eyes as he stares me down, like he can hardly believe I’m real.
I pause in the doorway and turn to me, and he pushes me up against it hard, his hands traveling all over my body. I gasp, the breath slipping from my lungs all of a sudden. Oh, the way he touches me...
I manage to get the key in the door, and the two of us stumble across it, catching on to each other and laughing. I know he doesn’t have much time, but he always makes time for me. For this. For us.
He pulls back for a second, catching himself. I look at him, frowning slightly.
"What’s wrong?"
"Nothing," he assures me, pulling me in close again. "I just... I love you so fucking much, Sophia."
"I love you, too," I whisper, and I kiss him again, letting all our good sense fall away as we lose ourselves to each other once more.
