Chapter 186

“Here, beautiful” Arrick hands me a plate of pancakes in the kitchen. I have been wrapped around him all morning after we fell asleep on the floor watching the New York rain and now I am sort of reluctant to stop holding on to him, even when he was cooking. My face planted against his back and my hands wrapped around that hard-muscular abdomen of his made it difficult for him to get on with it, but he didn’t try and remove me. He missed me too.

I have to uncoil for food though, or I may pass out. I am stuck between starvation and still nauseous but most likely from lack of nourishment. It’s late and he wants to go to the hospital as soon as we are done eating. He leans down to kiss me on the temple as he slaps my ass and sends me skipping forward to the dining table.

I missed his pancakes, and his ass slaps. Equally.

He follows me with his own plate as we settle down across the table and I can’t stop looking at him. Watching that perfect face, so overwhelmed with happiness that he’s my perfect boy still. He still loves me, wants me, kisses me. All is right with the world. Almost.

“Leila left you a dozen messages on the house machine.” Arry looks up under those annoyingly straight brows and looks unimpressed. A tiny guilty expression hits my face and I try to smile an apology coyly.

“Yeah, I sort of text her before I fell asleep and said she needed to re-plan for a shotgun wedding and then my cell died.” My cheeks warm with color and wonder if he’s changed his mind on that in the cold light of day.

“Maybe call her back then and tell her you weren’t drunk. She has it in her head that’s the only reason you would want to bump forward a wedding by a few months.” He doesn’t seem anything but normal.

“You haven’t changed your mind?” I query shyly, holding my breath stupidly.

“About marrying you? Or about moving it forward?” He winks cheekily and I eyeroll at him. Being annoyingly vague to wind me up; seriously back to normal then.

“Both.”

“Well, if it was up to me, we would be on a flight to Vegas by now and probably already at a chapel of love. Just don’t think our families would ever forgive us.” He slides his feet around my ankles under the table and pulls mine between his. So typically, him that I relax and start cutting up my food.

“We need to wait until your dad is fit to come.”

“I know. I’ll find out how long before he can comfortably sit in a church.”

“We’re not being dumb, are we? Impulsive? Reckless?” I watch him while trying to chew pancakes and even though they smell and look amazing, I have zero appetite and all I can taste is that weird metallic again. I try not to show him I’m not enjoying what is usually my favorite thing to eat. He spent like twenty minutes making them how I take them.

“Probably.” He shrugs and carries on eating. It’s not like him to spontaneously jump to a decision this important in such a blasé way. I wonder if his dad collapsing has given Arrick a case of the ‘Life’s too short’ mind set and he’s willing to go along with this to feel better in some small way.

I don’t doubt he’s still hurting about what we lost. I don’t want to question any of this too much and he’s right. Getting married doesn’t mean we are pretending we are instantly okay. We can still work on the cracks along the way. Maybe life is too short, and we should grab onto this.

“You coming to the hospital with me?” Arrick distracts me from my thoughts and I realize he’s not even questioning the wedding if his mind is on our day’s plans. I want to see Giovanni, but I know he has to talk to him about everything alone. If I am there, then he won’t and will use it as an excuse to delay talking about business.

“I’ll leave you to talk to him about Carrero Corp and see him tonight with the evening visits.” I throw him a warm smile and he nods.

“Yeah. Guess that’s something I should tell him, huh. Make his day and take back my place at his side.” He looks lighter when he says it and I know he’s glad that I forced his hand in this decision. That head of his has finally seen sense in this.

I hate the fact he’s still going to be working with that trampy PA, but he doesn’t want her. He wants me, and I have to learn to trust him in every way. He’s mine in body and soul and she will never get a look in. I know that, when he gazes at me the way he does and cannot deny what I see in his face. Arry doesn’t just love me, he worships me, and I have nothing to worry about. Besides, soon enough I won’t be his girlfriend anymore. She can’t come between us. I’ll be married to her boss.

I need to grow up and start being his partner in life and not his Princess. I need to take some responsibility and give him a break. Worship him too and take care of him the way he does for me. The way he deserves.

No one could love me the way he does. There’s no one in the world like him and I will never find the same sense of completion in another heart. This one’s mine and was made to fit me perfectly-; me and mine alone. I have no doubt in that.

“I’ll stay here and take a nap.” I stifle a yawn, surprised that even after our floor sleep till late, I am still this tired.