Ninety Nine

Dante

Slowly I descend to the floor, bringing her with me and wrapping my arms around her. She sits, her head against my shoulder, still panting.

Dolce Dio.

I kiss her hair and she calms, her eyes closed, her breathing slowly returning to normal as I hold her. We're both sweaty and hot in a humid bathroom, but I don't want to be anywhere else.

She shifts.

"Let's have a bath." I free her and her brows knit for a moment while she stares at my chest. Her rosy face loses some of its color, and clouded eyes meet mine. I carry her off the floor and carefully places her into the bubble bath. I get in thereafter and pull her close to me so that her back is pressed against my chest. She is silently for a moment and I lean down to kiss her bare shoulder.

"Does Gabrielle know?" she asks.

"Yes, why?"

"Because he is the person who is close enough to you that I think you confide in a lot," she says.

"Well, he does," I respond.