I nodded and he took my face in his hands and kissed me hungrily. I returned the kiss in earnest, my arm tight around his neck as he licked into me. I was running hot in seconds, needing to have more, get what I’d been missing all these days without him. He filled me up. He gave me what I wanted, just like I craved it. And I was so fucking lucky.

“Mi cielo,” he whispered as his hands roamed down to my butt and dug in. “I missed this ass. Jesus, baby.”

I had to laugh, because he sounded so relieved he got to grope me again. “That’s what brought you back then, huh? El culo?”

He groaned hungrily and sucked on my bottom lip in response, his hands still on my backside.

“Perv,” I whispered against his mouth. I loved this man, so much. He wasn’t perfect. But he was noble, steady, and he didn’t give up on what he loved.

“You don’t even know.” He backed us up against the wall and I was grateful for something to lean on before I sank to the hardwood floors. “Remember when you asked me what was special about you?” he asked and I grimaced remembering that night, the stress I was under and that even after I kicked him out of my room twice, he still kept me company while I worked.

“Yeah...” I trailed off, my heart in my throat.

“I had an answer, but I didn’t tell you.” He squeezed his eyes shut, regret marring his face. “I should’ve said you’re special because you do everything with your whole self. You’re loyal and you take chances even when you’re afraid. And you rush home to make Rocco’s niece a blanket with little princesses with afro-puffs even when you’re swamped with work. You take your grandma food shopping every week even though you hate supermarkets. And you gave yourself to me, this—” He said it as he pressed one hand to my heart and the other to my cheek. “You gave me this fucking treasure even though I won’t ever deserve it. You’re special to me always, because I knew you were mine the moment I laid eyes on you.”

By the time he was done I was clutching to him for dear life as I fought back tears.

“Tell me you believe me, Alba,” he whispered in my ear and I nodded, because I did.

With much effort I put a hand on his chest and gently pushed him off.

“Wait a second, Mr. Ganas.” I sounded winded, but who could blame me with six foot three of hard-up Dominican-Greek goodness all over me.

“What?” He blinked, dazed and red lipped. Fuck, how could anyone be this hot?