Chapter 197: A new beginning

Chapter 197: A new beginning
Avery’s POV

I slept very late last night because Dario just couldn't stop feasting on me. It was after I had insisted that I was tired that he let me go to bed, now here I was waking up to thee smell of burnt food.

“What the hell is going on?” I muttered as I quickly slipped on my slippers and ran for the kitchen.

The first thought that entered my head was that Dario had put something on the fire and went out. Maybe he had even forgotten it, and this cottage was made of wood. I didn't want to be stuck inside a burning house.

I ran into the kitchen and skidded to a stop as I almost collided with Dario.

“Oh my goodness, baby.” He said a lnd grabbed my shoulder. “What's going on? Did you have a nightmare?”

“Yes, I had a nightmare.” I scowled with my hands on my waist. “ One that the house was burning down, because you were cooking what only heaven knows. But oj guess what, I wasn't asleep.”

“It's alright. I just slightly overcooked the bacon. Besides, if I scared you that much, I can soothe it. I just need to get you up on this counter and…”

“No thanks.” I interrupted, my face flushing, already knowing what he was hinting at.  “Besides, I'm hungry. I think it will be better use of my time helping you with breakfast.”

“Oh, I'm way ahead of you on that one. I already made everything. I ordered some raw food for breakfast today, seeing as delivery isn't till evening, and I've cooked it all already, except the eggs.”

“Oh, that's good.” I jumped and quickly walked to the kitchen island. I was genuinely really hungry, and I didn't know why.

He followed behind me and finally went in front of me and got to the wooden island first.

“So I made toasted bread, bacon, although that burnt, and I have some fruits here. Oranges because you love them, and bananas because I want you to have enough energy for today.”

I knew what he was referring to when he said energy, but I didn't let my mind linger on that because what was this that I was seeing on the table.

“Dids you make toasted bread or roasted bread?” I asked, picking up the burnt, hard crust of bread and lightly hitting it on the glass plate and hearing the clinking sound it was making.

“It might have over cooked a little bit, but it's just a little bit.” He said shyly, making me feel a bit bad for asking such a question.

“Thanks baby. You're so sweet for making me food.” I moved forward and kissed his lips, and for the first time in my life, I saw Dario Moretti blush. “But I think you should have a little bite of your slightly overcooked bread before I do, how about that?”

He shrugged and picked up the bread with all confidence.

“Watch me.” He smirked and bit into the bread.

Instantly, the smirk wiped off his face and he spat the bread out.

“Okay, maybe the bread isn't so edible.” He muttered and threw it out as  he turned to me with a scared smile, and noted the smug expression I was giving him.

“We still have eggs though.” He smiled and I smiled back because he was right. We still had eggs.

“Can I make the eggs?” He asked. “I mean, they're just eggs. There's no one that can't cook an egg.”

“Yeah, you're right.” I nodded and left him to fry the eggs himself, believing that everyone could indeed fry an egg.

Well, I was wrong. I should have taken the hint when instead of frying an egg, he said cooking an egg. Now he had burnt the eggs too.

“So you really don't know how to fry an ordinary egg? Oh my Lord.”

“Merda.” He laughed and scratched his head as I glared at him.

“I'm sorry, my baby. We could have the bananas and oranges though, and after that I'll go look for how we could get something else to eat.”

“Oh, don't touch those ones. I'll get them myself, because no one knows how you'll possibly destroy them.” I said and we both laughed loudly.

The both of us. A real full laugh.

“Yes ma'am.” He said, still chuckling as I went to grab the fruits.

I grabbed it, and we went to sit at the little wooden table.

He took my feet into his lap as he peeled the orange, giving me the slices one by one.

“Oh my.” I gushed. “This orange is really juicy.”

“Mhmm. I plucked them this morning.”

My head whipped to him. “Plucked?”

“Yeah. We have oranges on the property. But I bought the bananas though.”

I laughed and my head started wandering again, thoughts swimming in and out of it.

“What is it? What are you thinking about?” Dario asked, tilting my chin slightly so that I could face him.

“Nothing. It's just weird. You here. Me laughing. Like we're normal.”

“Well, we are normal, aren't we?” He asked and I turned to look at him in confusion.

“Maybe this is who we are when we're not bleeding.” He shrugged and I smiled as I leaned in to give him a kiss.

\~~~~~

Dario

Avery leaned against the window frame, watching the beauty of the sun setting. Golden light was spilled across the sheet from the open windows, the trees were waving in the wind, and there was a soft hush of water from a stream that she hadn't seen yet, but inside the cottage, everything was still.

I stood a few feet away, just watching her. I couldn't believe she was real, standing in the sanctuary wearing nothing but one of my worn button down shirts.

“I slowly stepped closer like I always was with her, and reached out to tuck a loose curl behind her ear.

Her breath hitched, but she didn't pull away. She just leaned into my palm. I ran my hand through her hair that was quickly growing. A little too fast that it was even surprising to me. Her hair was cut to the middle of her neck and in two weeks, it was already down to below her shoulders. Now it was almost mid back length, but it was really messy, seeing as it was a messy cut she got in the first place. She might have to go to a salon and get it smoothened out or something.

“You've been looking at me like that all day,” Avery whispered, eyes flicking to my mouth.

“Because I don't want to miss a single second of you, my love. Not when you're this close.”

She took my hand in both of hers and guided it to her waist, right beneath the hem of the shirt. Her voice was barely a breath when she spoke.

“Then touch me Dario, but not like I'm breakable.”

“You're not.” I said, stepping closer. “You never were.”

I slowly slid my hand beneath the shirt, learning every inch of her skin like it was sacred. She shivered, but from the look on her face, I could tell it was not from fear, but rather from longing.

I kissed her as I slid the shirt off her shoulders, pulling her tightly against myself. No games. No performance. Just skin on skin and quiet sighs.

“I want to take my time.” I murmured into her neck, not knowing how she wanted it.

“Then do it.” She whispered. “I want to feel everything.”

We fell into bed together, lips never parting. I traced slow kisses along her ribs, her thighs, her stomach, making sure she felt not just desired but adored. Her nails dug gently into my back as I worshipped her with my kisses.

When I moved inside her, it was slow and deep. No rush. No frenzy. Just heat and breath and holding on. I loved the way her eyes rolled back and the way my voice trembled as she moaned softly beneath me.

We moved together like we'd been building this rhythm since the day we met. It was not just a claim, but a surrender — a choice.

“I love you.” She breathed, eyes locked on mine.

“I've always loved you,” I admitted. “I just didn't know how to deserve you.”

When the release finally came, it wasn't wild. It was quiet and shattering, like that moment you exhale after holding your breath for a really long time. We clung to each other, riding it out together, not needing words anymore.

Later, I wrapped the sheets around her and pulled her close, kissing the top of her head. Her fingers found my hand beneath the blanket, and held it tight.

“This is the beginning of something new, you know.” She said sleepily.

“I know, amore mio.” I whispered and kissed her, before laying beside her.