Dante’s Girl (26 page)

“Please don’t,” he pleads.  “Reece.  Please.  It doesn’t matter that we’re different.  You’re everything that I’m not.  That’s important, right?  You’re assertive where I’m hesitant, and I’m assured where you are afraid.  You’re strong when I’m weak and I’m hard when you’re soft.  People who are exactly the same are boring.  We’re different and I love that.  I love you.  And that is all that matters.”

“I used to think that love is all that matters,” I tell him. “But I just don’t know anymore.  I don’t know if it’s enough.”

And my heart. My poor heart is breaking and I just want to rip it out and stomp on it because I trusted it to make this decision and now I’m heartbroken because of it.

All of a sudden, I realize that it’s raining now and I decide that that that’s apropos.  My heart is gray and dismal so it might as well get rained on, too.  The rain splatters around us and I don’t move.  I don’t care if I’m wet.  I don’t care about anything. 

“We need to go in,” Dante tells me. “Please, Reece.  You were just in an accident.  I don’t want you to get pneumonia, too.”

But I still don’t move.  In fact, I lay my head back on the lounge and lift my face to the sky, letting the rain wash over me. 

And I’m silent again.

“Fine,” Dante finally says.  “If you’re going to get pneumonia, so will I.”  He settles on the lounger next to me and lets the rain soak him. 

We both must look ridiculous, stretched out next to the pool in formal clothes and letting the rain drench us.  We’re out of our minds.  But Dante stays with me.

And I don’t even know how long we are like this. 

But finally, after minutes or an hour, I’m cold.  It’s still raining and my skin is like ice and my teeth are chattering. 

Dante looks over at me.  “Are you ready now?”

He’s not angry or impatient. 

He’s just wet. 

Very, very wet.

I nod. 

Dante gets to his feet and then bends to help me to mine. And I let him. I’m too sad and empty to put up a fuss. 

He fingers my cast. “You weren’t supposed to get this wet,” he tells me softly.

“It doesn’t matter,” I answer. Because nothing matters.  Not anymore.  I turn and start to walk back inside, but Dante grabs my arm gently and turns me around.

“Reece.”

One word.  But the tone of his voice.  The look in eyes.  The pain on his face. 

“Please.”

Make that two words.

“I love you.”

And the three most important words of all.

I crumple onto the lounger and cry again even though I didn’t think I had any tears left.  And then Dante is next to me, with his wet arms around me and he’s whispering in my ear. 

And the huskiness of his voice.

The smell of his wet skin. 

The beating of his heart against my hand. 

All of it. 

I don’t want to be without him. 

Maybe he’s right.  Maybe love is all that matters.  And we can get through our differences.  We can get through anything.

And then he’s kissing me. 

And I’m letting him.

And I’m kissing him back. 

Because I love him and he loves me and Elena Kontou doesn’t matter. 

Dante’s hands are all over me, warm and strong and I lean into him, into his warmth, his strength.  It’s still raining, but we are kissing in the rain and it’s sexy as hell.  In fact, I think I’ll kiss in the rain forever.  For the rest of my life.  Because it’s just that sexy.

“We should go in,” Dante says against my lips. 

But I don’t want to move. I don’t want to leave here and re-enter reality.  Not yet.  Reality isn’t my friend right now.  I recently lost Dante, got him back, lost him again tonight and then just got him back.  I want to linger here in this moment before I risk losing him again, before any more miscommunications separate us. 

And no.  I’m not making any sense.

I know that.

Dante tugs at my hand and I follow him blindly.  Because I’m wet and he’s right. We should go in. 

But he doesn’t lead me back into the main building.  He leads me to a pool-house. 

It’s secluded and dark and perfect.

Once we tumble through the door, wet and dripping, Dante turns to me.

“I don’t want to go back to all of those people. I want to be here, alone with you.  We can sit here and dry out and we can talk.”

His eyes are such a beautiful blue even at night in the dark.  And the cleft in his chin is so masculine, so sexy.  And I forgive him. I forgive him for not telling me about the stupid Regatta royalty thing because that’s exactly what it is:  Stupid.  And he was just trying not to upset me.

“We could talk,” I agree.  “Or we can kiss some more.”

Dante reaches for me immediately.

“Your wish is my command, remember?”

And I do.  I remember the day that he told me that I can have anything that I want.  And I know that right here in this moment, I want
him.
 

So I tell him so.

And he sucks in a breath and stares at me.

Because he understands exactly what I mean by that.

“Are you sure?” he whispers.  

And I nod.

There are cushions everywhere inside this little pool house and I don’t take the time to wonder why.  I just drop onto the nearest pile of them and pull Dante down with me.  I’m on my back and he’s hovering over me and his weight is absolutely delicious against me.

Why have I been waiting?

What in the world have I been waiting for?

Because.  Being here with Dante.  Is Amazing.

He kisses the side of my neck and his lips slide along my wet skin.  He clutches me to him and we’re desperate, but I don’t know why.  The emotions from the past couple of weeks have pent up and pent up and now they’re exploding. 

In a big way. 

Dante’s tongue is in my mouth and he tastes like wine.  And he smells like the sea.  And he feels like… Dante.  Like home.  I moan against his fingers and he whispers into my ear. 

“I don’t want you think you have to do this.”

“I want to do this,” I answer.  And I do.  I really, really do.  “More than I’ve ever wanted anything.”

“Me too,” he says as he slides against me. 

I want to tease him about having nothing more eloquent to say than that, but I find that I suddenly don’t care.  This is a pivotal moment in our relationship.  In my
life,
actually
. 
And I don’t even care about that, about the importance of it. 

All I care about right now is him.

It’s Dante. 

It will always be Dante.

I know that as his mouth covers mine and he rocks against me and the world explodes.

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Okay. So the world didn’t actually explode.  But it sure felt like it for a minute.  I want to e-mail Becca to tell her how my world has changed, but I don’t know how to phrase it in an e-mail. 

Dear Becks, my world has changed?

Dear Becks, don’t tell my mom but I’m not a virgin anymore?

Dear Becks, my fragile flower has been plucked?

OhDearLord. Definitely not that last one. 

I’ll just wait and tell her when I see her.  Even though it’s killing me.  Because I want to tell her right now.

It’s monumental.

It’s huge.

The sunshine is flooding my bedroom and I’m still in bed.  I’m happier than I’ve ever been.  And I want to get up to find Dante, but I’m too exhausted at the same time.  Stupid concussion.  Stupid broken arm. Stupid emotional week.

I wiggle my hips just a little, testing. 

And I feel a little sore.  Down there.  But not too bad. 

I play the scene over again in my head.  The moonlight was slanting in through the windows of the pool house while the rain pelted the glass and thunder rumbled the ground around us.  The mountains of cushions were soft against my back and Dante’s hands were silky and smooth, his body the perfect weight against my own. 

It was perfect. 

It was as perfect as I ever thought it would be.

I sigh happily.

There is a light knock on my bedroom door, then it opens.

And there is Dante.

“Good morning.”  His voice is low and quiet.  

My heart skips a beat.  He’s casual in jeans and a black t-shirt and he’s carrying a breakfast tray, complete with coffee and a flower. 

I smile. 

“My hero.  I was just thinking how hungry I am, followed immediately by thoughts of how I’m too tired to go to the kitchen.”

Dante shakes his head and sets the tray down on the bed stand, then sits next to me. 

“Are you okay?” he asks. 

I nod.  “My head isn’t spinning anymore and my arm doesn’t hurt all that much. I’m just a little tired.”

He nods seriously and says, “Good.  Although I was sort of asking because of last night.”

“Oh.” My cheeks catch on fire.  “Um.  I’m fine.”

Dante is looking at me seriously. 

“I feel like I let the situation get out of control. You were feeling vulnerable because of everything that’s happened.  And the rainstorm made it seem a little wild and crazy.  And I should have slowed it down. And I didn’t.  I’m a guy and sometimes, I don’t think things through.  I hope I didn’t screw everything up.”

He’s looking at me worriedly and I can’t even believe the words that are coming out of his mouth.  And I tell him so.

“Seriously?” I look at him incredulously.  “Dante.  I’ve wondered how that moment would feel for years.  I wondered if I would feel scared. Or if it would hurt. Or if it would be special.  And now I don’t have to wonder anymore.  Because it was perfect.  And I’m glad it was with you.”

He’s staring at me blankly.  Then realization floods his face and it’s once again filled with dismay, just like when he saw me watching him and Elena last night.

“Reece,” he says and his voice is very, very grave.  “Please tell me that last night wasn’t your first time.  Please.”

I look at him.  “Did I forget to mention that part?”

And I know that I did.  I remember that once upon a time, I wondered how I should tell him.  And then I never did. 

Oops.

His head drops into his hands.  “Oh my God.”

And I’m confused.  Dumbfounded, actually.   “Dante, what is wrong with you?”

He looks up at me between his fingers.  “Reece, I’m so sorry.  If I had known, I would have made sure it was special.  It certainly wouldn’t have been in a pool house on lounger cushions.”

And now I’m really confused. 

“Dante, it was perfect.  The timing, the night,
you,
it was perfect.  It couldn’t have been any more perfect.  I wouldn’t change one thing about it.”

“Are you insane?” Dante asks.  “Reece, at the very least, you deserved flowers and a soft bed for your first time.  I feel horrible.  I cheated you.”

“Okay.  Well, maybe we can do that another day.  And you did not cheat me.  Last night was
perfect
.  And I don’t want to hear you apologize again.  Seriously. I will remember it forever.  There are girls back home whose first time was in the bed of a pick-up truck.  Trust me, last night was special.”

Dante looks at me doubtfully. 

“I will make it up to you,” he promises. 

I shake my head and roll my eyes. 

“There is no need,” I assure him.  “Seriously.  Now, can we change the subject?  This is embarrassing me.”

He stares at me for a second, then grabs my hand.  “Alright.  New subject, but only because I don’t want to embarrass you.  Do you want to be my date for the Regatta tonight?”

I pause awkwardly.

“Aren’t you supposed to attend with Elena?” I ask hesitantly.  “As her King?”

“Technically, yes,” he told me.  “I can walk up there, wave to the crowd and then return to your side.  But if you don’t feel comfortable, or if it upsets you, I’ll tell my dad to appoint someone else.  I’m sure Gavin would love to do it.”

I smile at that thought.  I can just see Gavin hamming it up now for the crowds.

“I’m sure he would too,” I agree.  “But it needs to be you.  It’s fine.  You can wave with her, just as long as that’s
all
you do with her.”

“Trust me,” Dante tells me.  “You have nothing to worry about.  I promise.”

“Okay then,” I shrug.  “It’s settled.  You can wave with Elena and I’ll be your date.”

“Perfect,” he says.  “Can I suggest that you rest today?  You should take a nap and recuperate.  You still haven’t rested enough after the accident and the doctor said you should.”

“I can rest when I’m dead,” I announce as I start to throw the covers back.

Dante rolls his eyes at the stupid old saying and stills my movements with one hand.

“Nice try.  Please.  Do me this favor.  Just stay in bed for this morning.  Catch up on emails, do whatever you’d like… as long as it’s from this bed.”

I pause and give him an evil look.

“Can I do whatever I’d like from this bed?”

“Of course you can,” Dante begins and then he realizes my meaning and he grins.  “Anything but
that
,” he tells me.  “You need to rest. Do you promise?”

I slump back against the pillows. “Fine,” I pout.

But I’m not really pouting.  He wants to take care of me and that makes my heart go pitty-pat. 

He leans down and kisses my forehead. 

“I’ve got to go into town and do a few things with my father.  But Mia will pick you up and bring you to the Regatta.  And once I’m done waving at the crowds, I’ll meet up with you.  Okay?”

I nod.  “Okay.  I’ll see you then.”

Dante turns and strides across the bedroom with his confident long steps, but he turns at the door. 

“I love you,” he says.  And then he smiles and my heart melts. 

“I love you, too,” I answer. 

And he slips out of the room.  I pick at my breakfast for a while and sniff at the flowers that he brought.  And I drink the coffee.

Then I curl into my pillow and take a little nap.  After the bumps and bruises from this past week, I’m going to need some beauty sleep for tonight.

* * *

I’m super glad that I slept most of the afternoon.