Page 237 of Cara & Gian: The Guzzi Duet

“Sorry, mon ange. I’ll get on it.”

Cara smiled in that sweet way of hers, but a wariness still remained in her gaze. “So, about the charges …”

“Everything is fine,” he assured. “Things have been taken care of.”

“How?”

“Carefully.”

That was the best he could offer, given the circumstances.

“Enough about me. How are you feeling? Would you be more comfortable at your place?”

Cara shook her head. “I don’t want to leave.”

“We don’t have to. Not today, anyway.”

“At all,” Cara said, looking up at him to make her point clear. “Maybe I took some time to think about things while I didn’t have you all up in my head voicing an opinion, too. I like the nursery you set up across from the master bedroom.”

“I told you I wanted one here, just in case.”

“It’s … fully stocked and ready. Everything is set up in there. The walls are even painted a pastel blue.”

Gian’s brow furrowed. “Of course, it is. You’re thirty-eight weeks pregnant, bella. I’m not sure when you think it would be appropriate for it to be done, but before the baby arrives is a good time for me.”

“But I kept saying no about living here, Gian.”

“So?”

“You have everything he needs.”

“Why should you travel a bunch of stuff back and forth if you don’t need to?” Gian asked.

“Why don’t you demand things of me? I’m having your child, we’re in … whatever we are, this relationship together. Why don’t you want more? Why don’t you demand more?”

“Because I don’t think you want me to, and I’m not sure it would make a difference if I did demand you do what I wanted,” Gian answered honestly.

Cara just stared at him, barely reacting at all. “And that’s all?”

“I love you, Cara. I will love you whether you live with me or not. I will love you if you’re with me, or not. I will love you even when you don’t love me. So, we don’t get to be entirely normal, and circumstances kind of fucked us up along the way. Who cares? You make me happy; you give me every reason to be happy. Why would I mess that up by demanding that you change what you’re fine with giving me?”

She didn’t answer right away.

Instead, Cara said, “I’d like to stay here.”

“Live here,” Gian clarified.

“I want to be with you, Gian.”

“I think we can make that happen.”

He’d been waiting for this day; hoping for it, really. Living there was one thing. Gian wanted to give Cara something far more permanent where the penthouse was concerned. Something that no one could take from her. He only needed her signature on already finished documents, but that could wait for another day.

The prettiest, widest smile bloomed over Cara’s lips, and Gian couldn’t help himself but take another kiss. Cara relented to his wants, letting him take and take until she was breathless and laughing.

“But you do stink,” she said.

“Showering now, Tesoro.”