Exclusively Yours - Episode 43
Subtitle; {Please, Love Me}
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Olivia's POV
My heart racing like it just ran a freàking marathon, my breathes unsteady and fast while I held onto my husband like an anchor.
Riccardo also held me so closely in his arms, wrapping his warmth around me like a blanket and hot cocoa in the winter. His chest rose and fell against my body. I could even felt the fast beating of his heart.
I swallowed the bile in my throat but it did nothing in getting rid of the anxiety I was feeling. Darting my tongue out to wet my parched lips, I let another sigh of relief.
I am here. In the arms of my husband. And, I couldn't ask for more.
The decision not to hold it in anymore overwhelmed me even more than Riccardo's warmth and before I could even properly prepare myself, the words already left my mouth. "I love you."
Riccardo froze. Literally and figuratively froze. I waited for a minute to pass, and soon enough, he slowly pulled away from my body. His dark, black orbs instantly collided with mine and God, they were glassy.
"Say something." I mumbled enough for him to hear me.
"What do you want me to say?" He finally spoke after seconds that felt like hours of not talking.
"Anything."
"Like what?"
Being stuck in that car for minutes that felt more like centuries has already suffocated me enough, I don't need more questions to do so. Also, being stuck in that car has an hand in me confessing my feelings to my husband because for a moment, I felt scared.
Scared if never seeing my Riccardo ever again. Absolutely terrified of never looking into his deep, pitch-dark eyes. And, let's not forget how horrified I was of never been held by him again.
The haunting thoughts that spiralled across my brain in the matter of those minutes in my car that was filled with unknown smoke was totally and absolutely only Riccardo-related.
Questions like, "How will I pass on without telling Riccardo how I feel for him?" and "Will Riccardo be alright without me?" and "Why did I waste so much denying my feelings when I could have told him earlier and had a whole lot of fun?" popped in my head like a million times back then.
And now, all I wanted was to disappear with how speechless he looks. My eyes dropped to his mouth as his pink tongue dart out to wet his lips.
"Olivia, wipe that look off your face." He more like ordered. His hands came to stroke softly against mine. "And don't start thinking any silly thing."
He is right.
I may or may not have started to think that maybe, just maybe he doesn't love me anymore. Maybe, Asia or Jade could have gotten to him, into his head and now, he realized that his obsessiôn with me has come to an end.
A single teardrop fell from my tear duct, landing on his hand on mine. My still racing heart accelerated and the only thing I had the power to do was to tear my gaze away from him.
"I will need to say those words to me again when you're not lying on an hospital bed." His voice met my ears, low but firm. "You will repeat those words when you're on your two feet without needing to breathe through an oxygen mask. I have waited for literal years to hear those words from your pretty little mouth, so what's a few more hours that I can't wait?"
He loves me.
He still loves me.
Why the héck did I think he wouldn't?
A big grin tugged on the corners of my lips, my head turned to him again only to meet him smiling at me.
You remember when I told you that my heartbeat accelerated? Well, it just somersaulted at the beautiful sight in front of me.
"Yeah?"
"Yeah."
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So, after two more days of staying in the hospital, I was finally discharged. The doctors are still insisting that the smoke is unnameable and so toxíc that could have caused my life if Riccardo came any second late.
Riccardo also insisted I rest for another few days before I start work and when I badly wanted to disagree, I couldn't say no to him when he asks so nicely.
And, we still haven't said anything about what happened in the hospital and today, I planned to change that. So, I prepared a little dinner for both of us.
I actually decided that this morning when I woke up to him smiling down at me like I am gem. That his dark eyes gleaming with love, admiration and adoration. And, when he pecked me on my forehead, God, I nearly melted.
If this is a dream, I don't want to wake up. The feeling is amazing. I love the fuzzy, warm tingling sensation in my heart and the zoo of butterflies in my stomach. I love them all, but I love Riccardo more.
He makes me happy in ways I thought I would never be. He looks at me like I am am a treasure and he cares. What else am I looking for?
And I don't think I have talked about enough about how much I love his dimples. God, they are lovely.
Maybe, our kids will have... No, no, no.
Too fast.
Olivia, calm down.
I am!
Shaking my head, I pushed back every thought back in a cupboard in my brain to focus on my cooking.
I just need a little more concentration to finish preparing the meal and aesthetically set them out because he will be home soon.
God, I feel like a teenager.
It is true what they said; love happens so suddenly that you won't know when you have been infected by the love bug. No matter how many times I tried to ruffle my brain to find out when and how I fell, I still end up with nothing but memories of laughters with him.
They may appear little to the normal eye but to me...to me, it's so massive. I feel whole again and I was even unaware of the void before he filled it up.
A grin slowly, oh so slowly stretched out on my face as his presence drew closer and closer, wrapping me in that familiar warmth I will never get tired of. His hands snaked around my hips and his chin rest on my shoulder.
I love this.
I love him.
"What is my beautiful wife making?" Riccardo asked, staring at me.
Turning around to face him, I plastered a fake frown to my face. "You're home early."
"I know. I was so bored without you." One of his palm rest on my cheek and involuntarily or maybe, voluntarily, I leaned into it. "Look at you, you're so cute. I could eat you whole."
"Yeah?" I asked and he nodded his head. A smile brushed itself on my lips and he mirrored it. "But, there's something else to eat."
"Is that so?"
I nodded once. "Yeah." With a quick turn, I took a spoonful of the pasta that is almost ready abd faced him. "Give it a taste, would you?"
Without the slightest hesitation, Riccardo opened his mouth to take it but when I remembered it was hot, I retract the spoon to blow air on it.
I couldn't quite understand what I was doing until I noticed the sparkle in his eyes as he stared at me with surprise. It was then I looked down and realized what I was doing or what I did.
"Get over yourself."
"Uh-huh." He shook his way, chewing on the pasta and I waited impatiently for his feedback.
"So, how is it?"
"You made this?"
A slow nod from me.
Pànic and worry slowly crept up to me, almost wrapping it glummy hands around me, but his voice yañked it out.
"But, how? You don't know how to cook."
I landed a slàp on his chest and a laugh bubbled out of him. "There's something called a recipe book, Riccardo. Yes or no, is it good?"
"It is delicious."
"Really?" I snapped out of excitement. "Are you lying?"
"Why would I do that? You can taste it."
I did and a m0@n of satisfaction left my mouth. Not to beat my own drums, but this híts right.
"So, tell me, what is the special occasion?"
I smiled. "We couldn't have our scheduled date night before or we are going to do so tonight."
"You made all of this meals for our date night?"
"Yeah."
"Why?"
"Because I love you." I replied.
Luckily, Riccardo didn't freeze up this time around. But he also wasn't saying anything; just staring at me.
"You won't say anything?"
"Give me a minute, Sunshine. I'm trying to process it."
"Okay." I breathe out.
Truly, a minute passed and a shaky smile tugged on his lips. "Can you repeat it?"
Of course. A million times, yes.
"I love you."
"Again."
"I love you."
His eyes quickly got glàssy and I cradled his face in my palm. "Again, please."
"I love you."
"Again."
"Riccardo..."
He tighten up his grip, effectively shutting me up. "Please, Sunshine please. Just say it." The tears at the verge of dropping.
"I love you so, so, so much, Riccardo Torrence."
The tears finally dropped and I wiped it off with my fingers. "One more time."
"Riccardo, I love, love, love you and I want to spend the rest of my life with you." I said with firmness. "I want to have your kids and grow old with you, in your arms."
Another series of beautiful tears shedding, making his voice shuddery. "Please, say it one more time."
"I. Love. You."
Riccardo pulled me into a tight arm, nearly squeezing the life out of me, but this is what I love. "You have no idea how long I have been waiting to hear those words for you."
This is home.
I wrapped my hands around him too as he sobbed on my shoulder and even hiccuping. Slipping my fingers into his hair, I gently scratched his scalp and continued until he pulled out.
His face wet with tears and his eyes glistening with happiness like he just achieved the greatest award in the history of awards.
"I love you, Olivia."
"I love you, Riccardo."
We said together in unison and when we realized, we bursted into laughter that lasted longer than normal.
Suddenly, a smell wafted into my nose and I wrapped my fist around Riccardo's hand. "Can you smell that?"
"Is it our love?"
I chuckled, shaking my head. "No, you dummy."
"Oh, I think it's the pasta."
"You think?" I quickly turned around and turned off the gas before facing him. "It is burnt."
All my hardwork is gone like that.
"We can eat it like that. Put some parmesan shredded cheese and we are good."
"Yeah?"
"Yeah."
"Alrighty."
••
A few minutes later, we are eating our dinner, ignoring the table etiquette of not talking or laughing while eating.
Tonight, we are Riccardo and Olivia, the two normal people who are crazy for each other. And, Riccardo might actually go crazy when I show him the next surprise.
I let us finish eating and when we were finally done, he insisted to wash the dishes because I cooked. So, I sat on the island and watched my husband.
After that, we headed to his room, or should I say our room since I moved my things over there.
With my back on the wall, I smiled a mischievous smile. "I want to show you something."
"Yeah, what?"
"Open your closet."
Riccardo's brows narrowed confusedly before he slowly stepped back to open it. The confusion slowly dissolved as he pieced the puzzle together.
Tears made his dark eyes sparkled again and I grinned at the sight.
"You are crying again." I said
"That's because you're mean." He retorted. I scoffed out a chuckle. "Does...does this mean you are staying here?"
"Yes. I mean, that's what husband and wife do, right? They sleep and wake up in the same room, shower in the same bathroom, right? And, we are husband and wife, aren't we?"
He sheepishly nodded his head. "I think I might actually faint because of the surprises I'm getting tonight?"
"Should I give you CPR?"
Riccardo pulled me forward and I lurched hard against his strong body. With me in his arms, he fell forward and I hit the bed with a giggle.
"I am in bàd need of it."
"Hmm, really?" I teased.
"Yes."
My eyes reluctantly left his eyes to his lips and without any second, I lifted my head and pecked it.
"Again."
We both laughed at that word like it's our own personal joke because it is. Nobody else will get it, but us.
Lifting my head again, I gave my husband's lips another peck and he groaned.
"Sunshine, do you want me to faint?" He tauntingly asked. I shook my head like a kid. "Then, give me my CPR."
I claimed his lips in him and he released a soft grunt. Our lips moved together like we were dancing. He let me take absolute control of the kiss and I sure hope he knows he has absolute control of my heart now.
He taste like hot cocoa in the winter. Like that freshly baked hot bread; all sweet and buttery and let's not forget, syrupy. He taste like a drug, I know I'm addicted to. He taste like my husband, my love and the future father of my babies—our babies.
We pull out for breathes, but met the ecstasy in our eyes instead. The overwhelming love in his eyes and I hope my eyes tells him how much I love him. When I open my mouth to take his lips in mine, the ringing of my phone stopped me.
As if remoted, our gaze moved to the phone on the bed just beside me. Riccardo's eyes met mine at the same time mine met his.
"Pick it." He said.
I shook my head.
"What if it's an emergency?"
"Riccardo, I am not picking it. It can wait till later."
"I don't mind."
"Well, I do." I retorted. "Kiss me."
"Sunshine..."
I let out an annoyed hiss and shut his words with a kiss. His cheek turned pink and I stared in awe.
"Are you blushing?" I asked the most obvious question in the world.
"No." Riccardo drawled.
"You sure are." I insisted and he let his head fall to the crook of my neck. "Look who is the cute one now."
Riccardo inhaled deeply and I smiled at his action of sniffing me. He loves my scent just as much as I love his. His lips trailed peppery kisses from my neck to my face and when he got to my mouth, he kissed my lips.
"This isn't a dream, right? I can dare to sleep and not to afraid to wake up and not find this?"
"This isn't a dream, baby. I am here."
"You are." Riccardo's face lit up like something just sparked in his head. "And, you called me baby."
"I did?" I feigned oblivion.
"If I dié of happiness, it's your fault."
"But, I'm a good girl, aren't I?"
TBC 📖✍️
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