Chapter 41 XLI.
Right there in front of my grandfather's company, I stood and waited for Rowan to come. I had full faith that he would. I knew he loved me—I could swear he loved me enough to come find me—but I was still terrified of rejection. What if it was all in my head? What if Rowan didn't truly want me?
The thought disturbed me, but I chose to push it aside. I needed to have at least a little bit of faith in him. He was going to come; I was sure of it. I waited for hours as the night grew cold. I stood there, hoping against hope that he hadn't chosen to give up on me. Had he really chosen Alessandra? Did he really not want me? When midnight struck, I finally started to give up. There was no use waiting anymore; he wasn't coming. I sighed, feeling my spirit shatter and my heart ache.
"I guess you've got your answer, Alessandro," I whispered to the empty street. I turned and prepared to leave, but then his beautiful voice reached my ears just in time.
"Sandro, wait!"
I couldn't express the happiness I felt when I heard those words. That voice... I had been dying to hear it. Happiness overcame me so strongly it almost brought tears to my eyes. When I looked at Rowan, he stood at a distance watching me with a soft smile. He looked so beautiful I could almost swear he was an angel.
In a second, Rowan was sprinting toward me as if his life depended on it. I had no idea what to expect, but when he reached me and pulled me in for a heated kiss, it was the best surprise of my life. I wrapped my arms around him and kissed him back, feeling my heart warm as he melted into my embrace. He belonged there. By God, he belonged to me.
We pulled away for breath, our foreheads connected and our breaths moving together. "You came," I said.
Rowan gave me a small smile. He had finally surrendered to his feelings. "I had to, Sandro. I couldn't bear the thought of losing you forever. I... I love you too, Sandro, and I'm tired of running away."
Fireworks exploded in my chest. I was so overwhelmed with happiness that I roughly pulled him toward me and kissed him again. He was everything to me, and now that he had chosen me, I was going to do everything in my power to fight for our love.
"Come with me, Rowan," I said, grabbing his hand.
He looked a bit confused, but he allowed me to pull him toward the entrance of the Ricci Enterprise building. Thank God the place was empty. Rowan used his ID and keys to let us in, and I pulled him toward the elevator, barely resisting the urge to kiss him right there. I held his hand tightly to calm my racing heart. I knew the minute the door closed behind us in his office, I wouldn't be able to hold back anymore.
As soon as we were inside, I was on him, kissing him like my life depended on it. I didn't speak; I answered his confession with my touch. I poured every ounce of my yearning into a kiss that was deeper and slower than before—a molten exploration of his mouth. Rowan melted against me, his fingers tangling in my hair, pulling me closer as if trying to fuse our souls together. My hands slid beneath his shirt, tracing the tense muscles of his spine, igniting sparks between us.
We shed our clothes in a frantic haze of discarded armor. I eased him down onto the deep leather of the sofa, following him down with reverence. "So beautiful," I murmured against his skin. "I've always wanted you Rowan. You have no idea how happy you've made me."
Rowan arched into me, his hands mapping my shoulders as I eased his trousers down and pushed him down unto the couch. I pressed soft, open-mouthed kisses along his thighs, inhaling the scent of him. "I need you..." he gasped, his voice ragged. "...Inside me, Sandro. Now."
I pulled my trousers down and positioned myself between his legs, my gaze never leaving his. "Look at me," I commanded softly. As I pushed forward, the absolute tenderness in his eyes nearly broke me. I sank deeper, inch by exquisite inch, until we were flush from chest to hip. I captured his lips in a soul-searching kiss. "Youre mine Rowan," I breathed against his mouth. "Finally mine."
I began to move with deep, rolling thrusts, filling him completely. It was a slow dance of joining. Our eyes remained locked, communicating my feelings for him. The friction was divine agony. I shifted my angle, grinding against the spot that made him cry out, his body arching off the couch.
The heat became unbearable. "Let go, baby’," I whispered against his throat as I reached the edge myself. "I want to hear you scream as you cum for me."
The dual sensation accompanied with my words shattered him. He came with a choked sob, his body clamping down hard around me. I let out a guttural groan, burying myself deep as my own climax tore through me. The feeling of being completed was profound.
We lay tangled for a moment, sweat-slicked and breathing hard. But I wasn't done showing him how much he meant to me. I lowered us onto the cool expanse of the polished marble floor. The shock of the cold made him gasp, and he arched instinctively back into my warmth.
"I want more of you Rowan," I breathed, guiding his legs around my waist again. "All of you. Against this cold stone."
As I sheathed myself once more, the contrast was exquisite—the searing heat of our joined bodies against the unforgiving chill of the marble. I moved with deep, deliberate strokes that resonated through my entire being. I saw the stark devotion etched on his face, the same love I felt in every touch. On that cold floor, in the sanctuary of his office, I finally felt like I had found home. I leaned down, capturing his lips one last time. "I love you Rowan."
Breathlessly I replied, "I love you too Sandro."