Page 114 of Angelo

She lamented, "Let's hope."

Even though they were in a much better position than before, fear of failure still haunted Elyse. There was so much more at stake. They had Nicco to protect now. They also had—

Her husband cleared his throat. His voice dropped, low and husky, when he murmured, "Tell me, wife..."

Elyse bit back a smile. Already, from her husband's smoky tones, she could recognize what was coming, but she decided to play along for his sake, "Whatcan I do for you, husband?"

"You have told me all about the hospital. You have updated me on the accounts. But you have yet to communicate the one thing I wish to know. How much doyoumissme?"

She teased, "To be honest? I hardly realized that you were gone."

He grumbled in a sullen manner, "Heartless, forgetful woman. I wrote you a fucking poem about the sun and the tide, and you did not even notice my absence?"

"You're right, I'm growing more heartless and forgetful by the second," Elyse agreed. "Better come home soon to remind me what I'm missing."

"Cuore mio…"

"Come home to me, Alessio," Elyse urged softly, choosing not to tease him anymore, "I don't have you way with words, but know that I miss sleeping beside you at night. I miss having you around at home. I miss you so much. More than words could ever say."

He drew in a quick intake of breath. "What I would give to fly to your side right this moment."

"I have news to share with you as well," Elyse hinted with an air of mystery, "once you return to Palermo."

Alessandro demanded, "What kind of news?"

"Good news, I promise."

"In that case, wife, I will do everything in my power to return in a week."

"I'll be waiting, husband."

They lingered on the phone a while longer, making small talk, flirting, teasing, and simply enjoying each other's company as though thousands of miles didn't divide them.

Exactly seven days later, Elyse went about her usual nightly routine, putting Nicco to bed and then going to her own bed.Alone. She fell asleep only to be drawn from slumber in the dead of night with the sensation of a soft, lingering kiss on her cheek. Strong arms soon wrapped around her waist. Then, the gentlest of kisses began trailing down her neck.

With her eyelids still shut, a small smile graced her face. Elyse didn't need to open her eyes to know that her husband was, at last, home.

Dazedly, happily, Elyse mumbled in her sleepy state, "Alessio..."

He chuckled in between his kisses, "I am relieved you still remember my name, you forgetful woman."

She flipped toward Alessandro, pulling him close in a tight embrace. Elyse buried her face into the crook of his neck, breathing in his scent, and reveling in the feel of his large, solid body back in her arms.

She released a sigh of pure bliss, "You came back."

"I will always come to you, remember? To remind you that you have a husband who adores you, who cannot bear to be apart from you, who is ready, God willing, to give you another child..."

Not surprisingly, his cock was already quite hard, pressing against her belly in a very eager and optimistic manner. Smirking slightly, Elyse reached down to give her husband's shaft an affectionate tug. He groaned in gratitude.

"Another child, you say?" she murmured.

Alessandro coaxed, "Nicco could use a brother or sister to keep him company,no?"

She glanced away and grunted noncommittally in response, "Well…"

"What?"

"About that," she grunted again with an evasive smile.

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