I couldn’t believe it myself. First, I confronted Lia head on, and won her friendship, so big bonus there. After that, I gave a toast in front of Angelo’s family, plus Tre.

Who was this new girl?

As soon as breakfast ended I snuck away, needing some quiet space in which to breath and think.

I found it upstairs in Angelo's old bedroom. Falling backwards into the mattress, I let go.

Soon the trip would be over. Sophia, Angelo, and I would be back on the jet tomorrow, headed for New York and, soon, the new year.

And, for me, therapy.

I gnawed on my lip to think of it, but at least now I knew the sick feeling in my stomach came from fear.

Fear was manageable. I could handle fear. Once you could name a thing, managing it got easier.

Someone knocked on the door, and opened it without waiting for an answer. I bolted up.

“Hi,” Angelo smiled. “Sorry. Were you sleeping?”

“No, I was just laying here looking at the ceiling.”

He came in the rest of the way, closing the door behind him.

I patted the seat next to me. Angelo settled down and put his arm around me. I sighed and dropped my head into the crook of his arm, riding high on his scent.

“That was a sweet thing you said at breakfast.”

“It’s true,” I whispered.

He ran his hand up and down my thigh. “I think they feel the same about you… even Lia.”

I laughed. “What? That quickly?”

“Lia functions in extremes. I don’t think she knows how to exist any other way. You broke the ice with her… so now she probably loves you.”

“Mm. Well that’ll be nice, supposing it’s true.”

“Hey.” He hooked my chin with his thumb and turned my face up towards him. “You’re amazing. There’s nothing I wouldn’t do for you. You know that, right?”

“I know,” I breathed.

He opened his mouth slightly, but he didn’t speak right away. In fact, he didn’t speak at all. Instead of talking, he kissed me.

Ripples of heated pleasure went from my lips down to my core.

Slowly, Angelo began to undress me, pulling my shirt over my head and unhooking my bra. Not wanting to be outdone, I pulled his own shirt off and ran my hands over the hard ridges of his chest.

Gently but assertively, he guided me to lay down on the bed, and pulled my pants and underwear off in one quick motion. I stretched out, naked and slightly shivering.

I jerked my chin at his own pants. He smirked and dropped them. A rapidly growing tent in the boxers pointed my way.

I smiled and waited for more. Angelo shucked the boxers, leaving them on the floor and joining me naked in the bed.

Coming to put his weight on top of me, he kissed me deep, taking each press of his lips lower. Down my neck and across my breasts he went.

I closed my eyes when he got to my nipples. He sucked one between his teeth while rolling the other one in a hand.

I sighed in pleasure, reflexively opening my legs to rest them against his outer thighs. He held onto my hips while he kissed down my stomach.

His lips grazed like velvet against my swollen nub. Taking his time, he ran his tongue down my folds, and up, tormenting me as he alternated flicking my clit and licking my folds, mowing around in little circles.

A spark of pleasure hit and I cried out from the intensity of it all. Angelo slowed down, making his touch even lighter.

My body hummed in the intervals between every jolt of sensation, each new one coming on quicker than the last. They all piled onto each other until I exploded, with fingers digging into Angelo's hair and lips calling out his name.

Angelo crawled up towards me, that heated look I loved so much in his eyes. He kissed me deep, his tongue flicking gently against my own.

With one arm slinking under my neck, his hard tip brushed against my folds. Ever so slightly he pushed inside, making each inch gained a drawn-out affair.

My belly pounded and I pressed my hands hard into his back, eager to have his full length.

Reading me well, he thrust deep, entering me all the way. The pleasure rolled on in waves, a perfect match to our ragged breathing.

Angelo brought his hands down and under my hips, pushing my lower back up. His dick hit a new spot, the perfect spot. The room began to spin. I closed my eyes and embraced the earth-shattering ecstasy wrecking me.

Angelo huffed into my neck, his thick corded muscles flexing under my hands. He held me tighter, pushing all of his weight down onto me.

With a sexy rumble, he pressed his lips back against mine. Our tongues danced together as he shuddered in my arms.

Breaking the kiss, I turned my face to the side to get some air. Angelo nuzzled his face against my chest.

“Was that my big present?” I asked. “...Angelo?”

I turned back to see him looking at me with an intense gaze. My heart did a little kick jump.

Ever so slowly, he ran his finger down the length of my nose. I swallowed hard, sure something big was about to happen but at a loss as to what it would be.

“There are no words,” he slowly said. “For what you are to me.”

My lips stretched wide. “If you can’t say how I make you feel, how about you show me?”

“That I can do.”

With a growl, he grabbed my hands and hoisted them above my head.