Dante: Chapter 41

I wake up early and she’s still wrapped in my arms, her head nestled into the crook of my shoulder and her leg draped over mine. She cried for almost an hour last night before she finally fell asleep exhausted. I was worried I might have pushed her too far, but she clung to me so tightly I figured she just needed the release. Looking down at her, I smile at her beautiful face. Her pink lips are settled into a subtle smile. My kitten turned into a wildcat. I’m so fucking proud of her. She faced down all of her demons yesterday and conquered them all.

Glancing at the clock, I groan inwardly as I remember I have a call with my father. He’s riding my ass constantly about setting a date for the wedding, and I have been avoiding his calls for over a week, until he finally pinned me down to a specific time he could video call me. I should squeeze in a quick workout before I speak to him. Burning off some energy before I have to deal with him is always a good idea. But I can’t bring myself to get out of this bed and leave Kat’s warm body. I kiss her head, and she stirs, her eyes fluttering open.

“Morning,” she says and stretches.

“Good morning, kitten.”

She looks up and smiles at me and now I am only interested in one kind of workout. I roll on top of her, holding myself up so I don’t crush her swollen belly and our unborn child.

“Are you okay?” I ask, a question so loaded with meaning that those words don’t feel enough.

“Yes. In every way,” she breathes, snaking her arms around my neck and pulling my face close to her.

I press my mouth over hers, licking the plump bow of her lips until she opens them and allows me inside. I kiss her like a man starved for oxygen and she is my only hope for breath while she threads her fingers through my hair, pulling me closer for more.

When I sink inside her a few moments later, it feels like coming home. She moans, and I swallow the sound as I refuse to let her up for air. There is something otherworldly about fucking this woman. I will never tire of the feeling of her pussy being stretched by my cock. The sweet relief of being inside her and knowing that no man will ever make her feel like this again. No one will ever make her moan his name the way she does mine. I have never cared about that before. The moment I touched Kat, I knew I would never allow another man to do so ever again.

She’s mine. I thrust deeper, claiming her over and over again until she falls apart around me.

My head is bent over the accounts from one of the casinos when there is a soft knock at the door. A second later, my guard opens it and allows Kat inside.

I can’t help smiling at her.

“I’m sorry. You’re busy. I did tell him it wasn’t urgent, but he knocked anyway,” she says, her cheeks flushing pink as she looks back at the door closing behind her.

“I can always make time for you, kitten,” I tell her, holding out my hand for her to come straight to me instead of taking a seat.

She walks over to me, and I pull her to sit on my lap, wrapping my arms around her waist and pressing my face into her hair. “You smell good,” I whisper.

“You always say that.” She laughs softly. “But I just smell like a regular person.”

I shake my head. “You smell like… chocolate…” I nip her shoulder blade through her dress. “And sin.”

“Well, I can’t say I’ve ever smelled sin.” She giggles and squirms as I trail kisses over her neck. “But the chocolate will be my cocoa body butter.”

“Hmm,” I murmur as I go on kissing her throat.

“I wanted to talk to you about something.”

“What is it?”

“The wedding,” she whispers, and that certainly grabs my attention. Her crystal blue eyes are locked on mine and for once, I can’t get a read on her.

“What about the wedding?”

“I-I was thinking maybe I’d like to wear a beautiful dress? And have a bouquet? And maybe a small party here at the house?” she asks with a pleading smile, as if I would refuse her anything.

“Whatever you want,” I say, brushing her hair back from her face.

“I know I said I didn’t care about any of that stuff, but actually… if this is going to be the only time I ever get married —”

“It will be,” I interrupt her, unable to hide my annoyance at that particular statement.

She just smiles at me and carries on talking. “Then I want it to be memorable. I want to have a first dance and listen to you make a toast. I want chocolate wedding cake with vanilla frosting. I want to feel beautiful and special for one day…”

“You are both of those things every minute of every damn day, Kat.”

“So can we set a date and start planning, then?”

“You set a date within the next two months and let me know when it is. Take my credit card and buy whatever you need. I will be there in my tux with my toast ready.”

“You don’t want to help plan any of it?”

“As long as you’re there, I don’t care what we do. But please let Joey and Anya help you because they have been driving me crazy with questions.”

“Of course. I would love their help. They’re better with color schemes and stuff than I am anyway.”

I kiss her forehead and she sighs contentedly.

“And Dante?” she adds softly.

“Yeah?”

“I might have to leave the house to get a dress and maybe look at some flowers.”

My heart sinks in my chest. Is this what this is really about? Is she going to try to run?

“You can come too, except for the dress part obviously because you’re not allowed to see the bride before the wedding because it’s bad luck. But Joey and Anya will want to come, I’m sure, and Maximo could come along, too, if that would make you feel better? Or Lorenzo, but I don’t really think it’s his thing,” she rambles on.

“Why are you so nervous, kitten?”

“Because I know you don’t want me to leave the house. Or least I know you’ll be worried that I’m trying to run away or something, but I’m not. I swear to you, I just want a nice dress to disguise this huge belly.” She pats her round bump for emphasis.

“You can go dress shopping. But I need to know in advance where you’re going and when you’ll be back. You, Joey, and Anya will have armed escorts wherever you go, regardless.”

“Thank you.” She throws her arms around my neck and kisses me. Then she bites on her lower lip, and I know something else is coming. “Can we go baby shopping too? I know we can buy stuff online, but I just want to go into the store and see all the cute baby clothes,” she pleads.

“You want to take the girls baby shopping as well? Will this be the same day?”

“I suppose we could, but actually, I meant us. But I know you’re busy. I can go with Joey and Anya.”

I hadn’t even considered taking her for any of that stuff and suddenly I feel thoughtless. “I’ll clear an afternoon this week and we can go then. How does that sound?”

“Perfect,” she squeals excitedly and I can’t help smiling at her.

She seems different somehow. Lighter?

“Oh, and one more thing,” she whispers.

“Yes?” I ask, wondering what the hell she’s going to push for now.

“Just so you know, I do want to marry you. And not because I have to, but because I-I… care for you a lot, and I want to spend the rest of my life with you.”

She didn’t say she loved me even though it seemed like she was going to. I’m an impatient man, but I can wait for that. “I’m glad to hear that, kitten.”