Page 44 of Urgent Vows
"I have business I need to take care of." He bends down and lifts me in his arms.
"On your wedding night?" Would he have had business if he'd married Carlotta today instead of me?
"I'm not only the don, but I run a multinational corporation, Catalina. You need to be prepared for me working all hours." His words are said coldly, like he's talking to a stranger, not the woman he just made insensate with ecstasy.
He carries me into the bathroom, and I barely notice the luxurious space because I'm trying so hard not to yell at my insensitive husband.
"Our wedding night is not a normal workday," I say as calmly as I can manage.
He places me in the tub, the scent of lavender, peppermint, and something delicious I can't quite place wafting up from the water. I can't imagine that the flowery scent is his usual thing. He probably bought special salts in preparation for his wedding night with my sister.
Thinking like this is not helping my heart, but I can't seem to help myself.
The hot water does feel good, and I moan a little as I relax into the deep tub.
Flaring with lust and desire, his eyes rake over my nudity. "Soak until Emilia comes for you. You'll be glad you did."
"Like you know."
"Believe it, or not, sweet wife, I am not a god, but a mortal man. I strain muscles, I get beat up in training. Soaking helps."
"You're saying you use these oils yourself?" I ask in disbelief.
"Yes. But it's not bath oil." He scoops up water and lets it pour down over my shoulders and the tops of my breasts that are not fully submerged. "It's lavender, peppermint and frankincense oil infused Epsom salts. All are anti-inflammatory."
"Oh. Um…thank you."
"You're welcome." He cups my boob, his thumb rubbing over the sensitized nipple. "So beautiful." He shakes his head and stands, like he has to force himself to do it.
That's something I suppose. Maybe he doesn't want to leave, but has no choice? At least I know the bath salts were not meant for Carlotta, but he did think of me and my comfort when he put them in the water, of the bath he ran for me, even while he was busy getting ready to leave.
Those thoughts are cold comfort when Emilia helps me into bed, where I lay alone, the vast space on his side empty. The bath did help and so do the pain relievers the housekeeper insists I take on Severu's instructions, but I still have to lie on my back because of my ribs.
"If you need anything press this button."
I tilt my head up to see she is pointing at a brass plate in the wall near the headboard. It has two buttons. One black and one white.
"If you press the white button, you will connect to my receiver. If you press the black one, it will connect you to the security detail. It works like a walkie-talkie, so you need to keep the button pressed when you want to speak and release it so I can reply."
Neither of them would connect me to Severu, which is who I really want to speak to right now, but I murmur my thanks before settling my head at a less awkward angle against my pillow.
"I will return to give you your next dose of pain relievers in a few hours."
"Just leave them on the bedside table. I can set an alarm to take them." I already noticed a carafe of water on the table with a glass beside it.
"Oh, no, Signora Severu. I could not do that."
"I insist," I say firmly.
I'm tired and I don't want to argue, but I'm not letting this kind woman lose sleep just to hand me two pills I can just as easily take myself.
Emilia nods. Then she pours water from the carafe into the glass and opens the bedside drawer to pull out a bottle of pain relievers. She shakes out the pills and places them beside the glass of water before putting the bottle back.
"Thank you," I say sincerely. I'm not used to being fussed over and I much prefer this arrangement.
The housekeeper hands me my phone. "So you can set your alarm."
I take it and set the alarm before reaching to put the phone on the table, but far enough away from the painkillers, I won't accidentally knock them off when I'm fumbling in the dark to turn off the alarm.
