133

133
Chapter 133
Damn! He's Hot!!

As we got to the stairs, Nikolas suddenly bent down and scooped me up into his arms.

I gasped softly, holding onto his shoulders.

This time, I didn’t object. 

I leaned closer, resting my head against his chest as he carried me. 

I could hear his heartbeat, steady and strong, it calmed me in a way nothing else could.

When we reached the top, he pushed the door open gently and walked straight in.

He laid me on the bed with so much care, like I was something fragile. “You shouldn’t walk on the floor when I’m here,” he said quietly, his voice deep.

I chuckled softly. “You can’t always carry me around, Nik.”

He smiled faintly. “Watch me.”

Just as he was about to draw away, I reached up and caught his arm. 

Before I could think, I pulled him closer and kissed him.

For a moment, he froze. 

Then, slowly, he kissed me back,  gently at first, then deeper, his hand brushing my face as if he was afraid I’d disappear. 

When he pulled back a little, his eyes searched mine with that familiar fire.

“Cassy…” he whispered, his breath warm against my skin. “I’m not holding back anymore.”

My heart raced.

He started to unbutton his shirt, his fingers slightly trembling, not from nervousness, but from the weight of the moment. 

I reached up and helped him, my fingers brushing his as I undid the last few buttons.

We didn’t speak for a while, we didn’t need to. 

The silence said everything. The room felt like it had its own heartbeat.

He drew me closer, wrapping his arms around me tightly, resting his chin on my head. 

His chest was warm and steady beneath my cheek. I closed my eyes, listening to his breathing, to the rhythm that matched mine.

“I still can’t believe you’re here,” he murmured softly.

I smiled faintly against him. “Where else would I be?”

He chuckled quietly, brushing his hand over my hair. “You know, I spent years fighting everyone and everything… but with you, I don’t feel like I have to fight anymore.”

I looked up at him, my fingers tracing his jaw. “That’s because you don’t, Nik. You don’t have to fight to be loved.”

He exhaled slowly, the weight of my words sinking in. “I’ve never been good at… showing how I feel. But I’m trying, Cassy. I’m really trying.”

I touched his face again. “You don’t have to try so hard. I already see it, every time you look at me, every time you hold me like this.”

He leaned down and kissed my forehead softly. “You really do talk like my grandmother sometimes,” he said with a faint smile.

I laughed quietly. “She’s rubbing off on me.”

He smiled too, his fingers still tracing circles on my back. “She’d be happy to know that.”

For a while, we just lay there, no words, no sound, just us. 

Then he whispered, “Promise me something.”

I tilted my head up. “What is it?”

“Promise me you’ll never give up on me… no matter what comes.”

I smiled faintly. “That’s a big promise.”

He looked straight into my eyes. “I know. But I trust you with it.”

“I promise,” I said softly.

He sighed, pulling me closer again, his arms tightening around me. 

I could feel his heartbeat again, steady, protective.

Minutes passed. 

His breathing slowed, and soon I could tell he was drifting off. I lay there, still tracing invisible patterns on his chest, my thoughts running wild.

How did I even get here, from being the woman who once feared love to lying in the arms of a man who loved me enough to tear down walls for me?

I smiled quietly, lifting my eyes to his sleeping face. His expression was softer when he slept, almost peaceful, like a boy who’d finally found rest after a long storm.

I leaned closer and whispered, “You don’t have to be perfect, Nik. You already are… for me.”

He didn’t respond, but his hand moved slightly, tightening around my waist. It was as if, even in sleep, he didn’t want to let go.

I stayed like that, my head resting against his chest, listening to the rhythm of his heartbeat.



THE NEXT DAY 

I woke up first that morning.

The sun was just crawling through the curtains, and the whole room looked soft.

Nikolas was still asleep beside me, one arm lazily stretched over the pillow, his hair a little messy, his face calm. 

He looked younger when he slept.

I smiled, quietly slipping out of bed so I wouldn’t wake him. I went straight to the bathroom, brushed, bathed, and dressed up.

The water felt fresh against my skin.

When I came out, Nikolas was still sleeping. 

I stood there for a moment, watching him. The way his chest rose and fell slowly, the faint smile that played at the corner of his lips, it made my heart melt.

I walked closer, leaned in a little, just to see him up close. 

His eyelashes were long, his jaw slightly rough.

I bent a bit lower, close enough that my breath touched his cheek. 

I was just about to kiss him, just a soft good morning kiss when suddenly his eyes shot open.

I gasped, stepping back a little, my cheeks burning.

He looked straight at me and grinned. “Caught you,” he said in that deep sleepy voice of his.

I tried to hide my face, turning away. “I uhm… I was just…”

Before I could finish, he grabbed my hand and pulled me back onto the bed, laughing.

“Where are you going, wife?!” he said, holding me tight.

I laughed, trying to push him. “Nikolas, let me go! You forgot? We’re getting our marriage signed today!”

He blinked, then slapped his own forehead dramatically. “Ah, I didn’t forget, wife…” he said, dragging the word “wife” like he enjoyed hearing it.

I folded my arms and smiled. “Oh really… you didn’t forget?”

He looked at me with that boyish grin. “How could I forget? I’ve been waiting to call you Mrs. DeSantis officially.”

I rolled my eyes, laughing. “You’re impossible.”

Then suddenly, he narrowed his eyes playfully. “Wait… wife, you bathed without me?”

Before I could even answer, he pulled me closer again.

I tried not to laugh but failed. “I’m sorry, husband. You refused to wake up.”

He smirked, brushing his thumb gently over my cheek. “That’s because you make me sleep peacefully,” he said softly, almost in a whisper.

My smile faded a bit at how sincere he sounded. “You’re such a sweet talker,” I said quietly.

He leaned in and kissed me gently. “Only for you.”

When he drew back, he stretched his arms and yawned. “I’m coming, my love,” he said, standing from the bed.

And just like that, he started unbuttoning his shirt to get ready for his bath.

My eyes froze.

I didn’t even mean to stare, but the moment he bared his chest, my eyes just… followed. 

His skin glistened faintly under the morning light, and for a second, I forgot how to breathe.

He caught me staring. Of course, he did.

A sly smile crept across his lips as he tilted his head. “Like what you see, wife?”

I quickly looked away, pretending to adjust the bedsheet. “Who said I was looking?!” I said, my voice slightly shaky.

He chuckled deeply. “You didn’t have to say it. Your face already did.”

I threw a pillow at him, laughing, but he caught it easily with one hand. “You’re annoying,” I said.

“I know,” he replied, walking toward the bathroom, still smiling.

As he disappeared inside, I heard him call out, “Do you want to join me, wife?”

I almost choked on my own breath. “Uhm… no, I’ve already bathed!” I stammered, clutching my dress.

He laughed from inside. “Your loss, wife.”

I shook my head, blushing so hard my face felt hot. “This man will not kill me one day,” I muttered to myself.

Still, I couldn’t help smiling.

I sat on the edge of the bed, brushing my hair while listening to the sound of the shower running. 

Every now and then, I heard him humming a song softly, and I couldn’t help but laugh again. 

He sounded so relaxed, like someone who finally had everything he wanted.

After a while, he came out, towel wrapped around his waist, hair dripping wet. 

He looked so effortlessly handsome, it was annoying.

“Why are you looking at me like that, wife?” he asked, rubbing his hair with another towel.

“I wasn’t!” I said quickly, turning my face.

He laughed. “You’re a terrible liar.”

“Whatever,” I said, standing up and pretending to fix the curtains.

He walked behind me and wrapped his arms around my waist. I froze a little, my heart suddenly racing.

“You smell so good,” he whispered against my neck.

“Nikolas…” I said quietly to him.  “We’ll be late if we don’t hurry.”