Page 72 of Fight Me Little Pearl
“My body hurts,” I groan. “As a coach, you should know that it’s different for first-timers. I’ve never done this before.”
“Trust me, I went easy.” We go into our bedroom, and he heads straight for the bathroom.
“I’ll run a cold shower to soothe your muscles.”
“Thank you,” I say sarcastically.
My phone beeps in my pocket, and I take it out just as Valentino peeks out the bathroom door. “The cold shower is ready,” he says. “Come here.”
“Okay.” I glance at the screen. “I’m—” The words freeze in my throat as I read the text from Thomas.
I miss you.
A couple of weeks back such a message would have made me breathless with excitement. But right now, all I feel is anger. He never fought for me and now that I’m trying to build a life without him, he intrudes into it with messages that a lover would send to his love.
“Are you okay,bella?” Valentino asks.
I almost fling my phone away with guilt. Quickly, I plaster a bright smile onto my face. “Yes. I’m okay.”
He doesn’t look convinced, but he doesn’t argue.
Keeping the mad smile on my face I walk to the shower. As I stand under the rush of warm water, different questions flit through my mind. Should I delete the text? What if Valentino finds out? Should I show it to Valentino? Should I even respond to Thomas?
The truth is that I don’t miss Thomas. In fact, I haven’t even thought about him for days.
By the time I leave the bathroom with Valentino, I’ve decided to delete the text. I’m more scared of what will happen if Valentino finds out and misconstrues it than what Thomas will think if I don’t respond.
I’m married now, and I want to make it work. No man, not my father, or my grandfather has ever treated me with so much care and intentionality as Valentino does.
“What is it?” I turn to see Valentino on the phone, his pants unbuttoned around the waist. He sounds harsh, but when our gazes meet, his eyes instantly soften, then he smiles at me before he turns away.
“Can Federico handle it?” he barks into the phone. There’s a pause before he speaks again. “I’m on my way.”
I’m disappointed, but I try not to show it. “I was hoping we would spend the day together,” I say softly.
He gathers me into his arms. “Me too. But duty calls.”
He tightens his arms around me and I wince because my body still hurts from all the swinging and lunging he made me do a few hours ago.
“I’m sorry. I went too hard on you.”
I pout at him. “No, you’re not.”
He laughs. “You’re right. I’m not.”
“Okay, I better let you go.” I try to pull away, but he doesn’t let me.
“How can I do that when my wife is upset? Hmm?”
I had tried my best not to show my disappointment, but he had picked it up. His grey eyes gaze affectionately into mine, and in moments like this, I fool myself into believing that Valentino cares deeply for me too.
“So what are you going to do about it?” I tease.
“To make up, I’m taking you out on a date tonight. We’ve never been on a date.”
I grin from ear to ear. “I thought you’d never ask. What time should I be ready for?”
“Eight?”
