Page 297 of Valentino

The pharmacist’s words are lingering…dancing over the coals of my darkness.

What if he was right?

What if these night terrors don’t stop until I deal with this situation and put it to bed forever.

Tonight a perfect example.

I had the hottest and most intimate night of my life, got fucking engaged to someone I love more than life itself…. And still, I woke with a terrifying nightmare.

This has to stop.

I can’t move past this…however much I try.

I press my lips against Anna’s shoulder, deep in thought. I go over everything the pharmacist told me and back again, but I always seem to land on one thing he said.

Because in my heart I know he’s on to something, there are so many bones in my closet.

Address anything that isn’t finalized.

I watch the sun slowly come up, my girl in my arms, my lips on her skin.

My heart in my throat.

ANNA

The sound of the tap running wakes me, I lie for a moment and then break into a broad smile as memories of last night come flooding back.

I get up and throw on my robe and walk into the bathroom to find Valentino shaving. He has a towel around his waist, his thick tanned body has turned into rock star status.

So. Fucking. Hot.

“Good morning.” I smile.

“Good morning.” He takes my face into his hands and kisses me, it’s all tongue and suction and just wow.

“How are you feeling?” He smiles as he runs his razor under the hot tap.

“Kind of mortified thinking of how dirty we were last night.”

“I believe the term you are looking for is incredibly fucking hot.” He leans over and kisses me again before sitting me up onto the bathroom counter.

I watch him shave, he’s all cool, calm and collected as if he didn’t have his world completely rocked off its axis last night like I did.

I twist my fingers in front of me, does he remember asking me to marry him or was he just swept away in the moment?

“Do you want some coffee?” I ask.

“I already turned the coffee machine on for you.”

“Okay.” I leave him to it and head downstairs to the kitchen, I make my coffee and go to stand by the window and look out over the view. The sky is blue, the birds are singing and there’s not a cloud in the sky.

Life is good.

Ten minutes later, big hands slide around my waist from behind and lips kiss my neck. “Beautiful day.”

“It is.” I smile.

“How does the twenty-first sound?”