Page 58 of Gio

I laughed again. “You didn’t say you’d be shot full of bullets.”

“Sorry babe but I don’t have one of those magic eight balls.” He attempted a shrug then winced in pain.

“Too bad because then none of this would be as scary as it is. Do you need any painkillers? Laura wanted to wait until you were fully awake before giving you anything else.”

“I’m okay, babe. Takes more than a fucking bullet to stop me. Nothing to be scared about. I’m here alive and all I want is for you to be with me as long as humanly possible.” His tone was serious.

“I’m not going anywhere, Gio. I promise.” Each time I spoke those words out loud, they became truer. Sure, a few weeks ago all I wanted was to finish planning these events and get back to my life in California but now the idea of leaving left me physically ill.

“Say it again.”

I smiled to myself. “I’m not going anywhere Gio. I promise.” He reached for my hand and brought it to his lips.

“I’m going to hold you to that.”

“I hope you do.” My heart was full to bursting at his words. Never in my wildest dreams did I ever believe that Gio would love me, that he would want me at his side and in his life.

“You want to be my nurse, Harp? Kiss my boo-boos and make me feel better?”

Another loud laugh burst free. “If that’s what you need to get better, I’ll think about it.” My mind raced with all the sexy, kinky possibilities.

“I know just the place to get a sexy white nurse’s uniform, but you can’t wear anything underneath it.”

Laura barked out a laugh and shook her head. “Every man’s fantasy, yet in reality we wear oversized scrubs. You’re looking good, Gio. Take it easy for a few weeks, finish the antibiotics, and you should be as good as new.”

He tried to sit up and a roar of pain echoed in the room. “Thanks Laura.”

“Of course. Just, you know, try not to get shot again.”

He laughed again. “I’ll do my best.”

Once Laura left the room, it was just me and Gio and our thoughts that remained unspoken. “Did you mean it?”

I blinked and raised my eyebrows. “Did I mean what?”

“Did you mean it when you said you loved me, or did you say it because you thought I was going to die?”

“I mean it. Don’t ever doubt that, Gio.”

“I won’t.” His words were soft and low. “I love you, Harper.”

In that moment, my heart really felt like it might burst from being too full. “That’s good to hear Gio because I love you too.” So damn much that it hurt sometimes. Enough that I knew there were some serious life and geographic changes in my future.

“Hearing that means the fucking world to me, Harp. You have no idea. A woman like you being able to see what’s inside my heart? Shit, I must be the luckiest bastard alive.” His words were short, and they came out slower with every syllable.

“We’ll talk about this later, Gio, when you’re feeling better.” His words hit someplace deep inside of me, that place that I never thought would feel whole again after my last couple relationships. But hearing Gio talk the way he did, like I was aprize, a woman he thought would never see him the way I always have? It only made my heart grow fuller and more in love.

“Okay,” he whispered as his eyes drifted shut. “Stay here with me?”

I smiled even though his eyes were already closed. “No place I’d rather be, Gio.”

The boy I’d crushed on for nearly half my life was now a fully grown man and even better than that, he was all mine.

What a difference a few weeks made in a girl’s life.

Epilogue

Gio

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