Page 86 of Bound to You

That’s the only word I can think of to describe it how it feels to be here.

It feels like I’ve stepped into another part of Caio’s life that he is showing to me. He’s always so open with me, allowing me tosee different parts of himself in ways that I haven’t done for him. A pang of guilt pricks in my chest at the thought.

I notice everyone’s wine glasses empty on the coffee table between us all. “Let me clean these,” I move to pick them up.

“No, don’t worry about it,” Luca says.

“No please, you’ve been more than welcoming, let me at least help with these.”

He leans back in his chair, allowing me to round up all the glasses and take them to the kitchen while they all continue chatting.

I run the tap, filling up the sink with warm water, before opening the cupboards under the sink, searching for the dish soap.

Ah, there.

I pull the bottle out and squirt the pink liquid into the water and watch the bubbles appear on the surface.

As I dunk the first glass in gently washing around the edges, I hear footsteps approaching behind me. The hairs on the back of my neck prickle, and I don’t need any other indication of who’s behind me.

I feel Caio’s warm presence behind me as I lay the first glass on the drying rack on the bench beside the sink.

A finger lightly traces over the top of my ear, before inching its way down my neck at a painfully slow pace. I pause my actions, my fingers dripping with bubbles over the edge of the sink.

“I can’t do it anymore, sweetheart,” he whispers into my hair.

My heart skips a beat. “Do what?”

“I can’t watch you standing here washing dishes in my family home and keep pretending like I’m not falling for you.”

A mix of relief and fear rushes over me at once.

“Frankly, I can’t watch you do anything without taking another step towards that unsteady ledge.”

My breathing is rapid underneath his touch as his finger continues its journey, trailing down my arm.

“Do you know how much I love these little dresses on you?” His fingers play with the hem of my dress. “I’ve never given two thoughts to if I like them or not until you showed up, prancing around in a different dress every day. Whenever I dream of you, you’re wearing one of these.”

I grab another glass from beside me, needing something to occupy my hands and my mind after hearing Caio admit that he dreams of me.

I abandon any idea of resuming the task at hand when Caio presses a kiss right below my ear.

“Did you mean it?” His voice is different now. Laced with a mix of hope and fear, and I struggle to think of what he’s referencing.

“Mean what?” I go to turn around to face him, but he wraps his arms around my waist, holding me in place instead.

“Last night,” he sighs, almost like he’s not sure if he should bring whatever this is up. “When you were talking to Brandon…”

“Yeah?” I’m replaying my conversation with Brandon in my head, quickly trying to sort through everything I could have said.

“You said you weren’t going home. Did you mean it?”

My heart drops to my ass as I realize he’s been holding onto this since last night, probably turning it over in his head all day while I was blissfully unaware at the studio, barely even thinking about my interaction with Brandon. Which is honestly surprising to even admit.

If this had happened a couple of months ago, I wouldn’t have been able to separate myself from that situation.

If this had happened a couple months ago, I’m not even sure how I would’ve reacted to him showing up. But now I can confidently say that I don’t give a single fuck about what that man thinks about me. The compliant girl I was when I was withhim is gone, and I can’t help but feel a little proud of myself for that.

My attention is dragged back to the present as Caio toys with a piece of my hair hanging over my shoulder. He lets out a defeated sigh before he says, “I’m a hopeless romantic baby, I can’t help it. I’ve always held out for that special someone. That feeling like I’m floating on a cloud when I’m with that person, and I feel that with you Isla, but I feel so much more.” He’s still holding me in place, like it’s too much to look me in the eyes as he says this. “You opened me up after I spent so long closed off. You push me to want to be a better person, not only for you but for myself. You remind me of the life out there that’s waiting to be lived, and I want to live it with you.”

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