To Be Yours Again-Chapter 218 Her reverie

*LORENZO*

Danica is lying across me, head on my chest, her fingers tapping out a melody over my stomach. I don’t know what it is, but I’m enjoying it.

I call the kitchen via the internal phone system. “Mona, I’d like some supper in my room. Can we have some sandwiches and a bottle of wine?”

“Very good. Beef?”

“Great. And a bottle of the Château Haut-Brion.”

“I’ll leave a tray outside the door, sir.”

“Thank you.” I smile at the blatant glee in her voice and hang up the phone. I don’t know why, but Mona knows that Danica is different. I’ve brought girls here before, but Mona’s never been as solicitous as she’s been today. She must know that I’m in love. Head over heels. Completely. Utterly. Wholly. In love.

“You have a phone for inside the house?” Danica looks up at me.

“It’s a big house.” I grin.

She laughs. “It is.” She glances at the window; it’s pitch-black outside. Is it seven o’clock? Ten o’clock? I’ve lost all track of time.

Danica’s curled up in one of the armchairs facing the fire, wrapped in a green throw, enjoying a roast beef and salad sandwich and drinking red wine.

Her hair is a wonderful mess, spilling over her shoulders down to her waist. She’s luminous. And lovely. And mine.

I toss another log on the fire, sit down in the armchair opposite her, and take a sip of the delicious wine, feeling so much at peace.

***************

Lorenzo puts down his glass and picks up a sandwich. He looks glorious. Rumpled hair, stubble, wicked green eyes that glow with desire and love in the firelight. He’s wearing his bulky cream sweater and his black jeans with a rip at the knee, and she spies his skin beneath....Danica drinks him in.

“Happy?” he asks.

“Yes. Very...much.”

He grins. “I feel the same. I don’t think I’ve ever been happier. I know you’d like to stay here, and so would I, but I think we should go back to town tomorrow. If that’s all right. I have stuff I need to do.”

“Okay.” Danica nibbles at her lip.

“What?”

“I like being here. It is not as busy as town. There are less people. Less noise.”

“I know. But I should get back to town and check on my flat.”

Danica examines her glass of wine. “Back to reality,” she whispers.

“Hey. It’s going to be okay.”

She stares into the fire, watching one of the logs spit embers onto the hearth. 𝒻𝘳ℯℯ𝑤ℯ𝒷𝘯ℴ𝓋ℯ𝘭.𝑐ℴ𝑚

“Darling, what’s wrong?” Lorenzo is concerned.

“I...I want to work.”

“Work? Doing what?”

“I don’t know. Cleaning?”

His brow creases. “Danica, I don’t think so. You don’t need to clean anymore. You’re a talented woman. Is that really what you want to do? We need to find something more interesting for you. Or do you want to go to college? I’ll pay for it.” His smile is sincere and encouraging.

“But...I want to earn my own money.”

“I understand. But you can’t get a good proper job without a college degree. I don’t want you cleaning.”

“I know. But I’m not comfortable with you paying for my college.”

Lorenzo reassures her. “Don’t worry about this. We’ll figure it out. Maybe you can do something with your music, eventually.”

She studies him. “I will be your kept woman.” Her voice is low. This is what she wanted to avoid.

His answering smile is rueful. “Only until you get a good job. Think of this as a redistribution of wealth.”

“How socialist you are, Don Lorenzo,” she teases.

“Who knew?” He raises his glass to her. She reciprocates, and as she takes a sip of wine, an idea forms in her head. But will he agree?

“What is it?” he asks.

Danica draws a deep breath. “I will continue cleaning for you. And you will pay me.”

Lorenzo frowns, taken aback. “Danica. You don’t need...”

“Please...I want this.” She stares at him, silently begging for him to agree. “To save up money for college or any other thing I want to do.”

“Dani...”

“Please.”

He rolls his eyes in exasperation. “Okay. If that’s what you want. But on one condition.”

“What?”

“Can I veto the housecoat and scarf?”

“I will think about it.” She smirks, feeling more lighthearted.

He laughs, and she breathes a sigh of relief. She will have something to do while figuring out the next big plan she should take about her career.

A warmth spreads through her body. This is not where she thought her life might lead, here in this old, grand house with this handsome, gentle, kind man. Of course she had fantasized about it, in a vague way. But she thought it was impossible.

She had challenged her destiny and taken a huge risk, and fate had not let go without a fight.

Yet Lorenzo had intervened, and now she’s here with him.

Safe.

He loves her, and she loves him. And the future stretches before her, full of possibility. Perhaps, after all this time, fortune has turned its benign smile on her.

*************

*LORENZO*

A primal wail disturbs my dream, waking me in an instant.

Danica.

In the soft light from the little dragon, I see that she’s asleep beside me, but utterly still, her hands clenched into fists beneath her chin. She’s like a statue petrified by some natural disaster. She parts her lips and cries out again, the most eerie and unearthly of sounds. I prop myself up on my elbow and gently shake her awake.

“Danica. Sweetheart. Wake up.”

Her eyelids fly open. She looks around wildly and immediately starts fighting me off.

“Danica. It’s me. Lorenzo.” I grab her hands before she does either of us any harm.

“Lo...Lorenzo,” she whispers, and stops struggling.

“You’re having a bad dream. I’m here. I’ve got you.” I gather her in my arms and pull her on top of me, kissing the crown of her head. She’s trembling.

“I...I thought...I thought...” she stutters.

“It’s okay. It’s just a bad dream. You’re safe.” I hold her and tenderly stroke her back, wishing I could take all her fear and pain away. She shivers but seems to settle, and before long she’s asleep again.

I close my eyes, one hand in her hair and the other on her back, enjoying her weight and her skin against mine. I could get used to this.

***************

Danica wakes in the gray light of early morning. She’s nestled under Lorenzo’s arm, her hand splayed on his belly. He’s fast asleep, with his face turned toward her.

His hair is tousled, his lips slightly parted, and his cheeks and jawline shaded with stubble. He looks relaxed and quite irresistible. She stretches out beside him, enjoying the pull of her muscles.

Her side is a little sore, and her bruise is still tender, but she feels...good.

No. More than good.

Hopeful. Calm. Powerful. Safe.

Because of this wonderful man asleep

beside her.

She loves him. With all her heart.

And what’s more remarkable, he loves her, too. She can scarcely believe it.

He’s given her hope.

Lorenzo stirs, and his eyelids blink open.

“Good morning,” she whispers.

“It is now,” he answers with a mischievous gleam in his eye. “You look lovely. Sleep well?”

“Yes.”

“You had a nightmare.”

“Me? Last night?”

“You don’t remember?”

Danica shakes her head. He skims her cheek with the backs of his fingers. “I’m glad you don’t. How are you feeling?”

“Good.”

“Good or good...good?” His tone is sultry.

“Very good.” She grins.

Lorenzo rolls over, pinning her to the mattress, and stares down at her, his green eyes glowing. “God, I love waking up next to you,” he whispers, and kisses her throat. She throws her arms around his neck and surrenders gladly to his skilled mouth.

“I suppose we should get up and go back to town,” Lorenzo murmurs against her belly.

Danica’s fingers play with his hair, but she’s too relaxed to move. She’s relishing the few moments of quiet after their passionate storm.

Finally he interrupts her reverie. “Shower with me.” He turns his head to look up at her with the broadest of smiles.

How can she resist?