Page 81 of Confession
I’ll fuck him harder in the morning, dominate him, let him scream. But right now, being with him like this, loving and quiet and accepting, is exactly what I need. When Quinn sighs and settles, I know it’s what he needs too. So I press my face against the back of his neck and breathe with him until we both fall asleep.
TWENTY-NINE
Quinn
“This seems like a lot of trouble for popcorn,” Vitali says, looking over my shoulder. “I’m sure we have the bagged stuff that goes in the microwave.”
I glare at him.
“Not an option?” he asks.
“No.” I pour oil into the two pots, cover them, and turn on the heat.
“Why would anyone complain when Quinn is cooking?” Lucas asks from where he and Roman are putting together the cinnamon honey butter topping.
“I’m not complaining. It just seems like a lot of trouble.”
“Go help Sasha,” I tell him.
He bites my trap, gropes my ass, and leaves. I sigh.
I glare over my shoulder when I hear a light chuckle. Lucas is looking pointedly at his work, adding the ingredients to a glass measuring cup. Roman is smiling slightly. It makes me really fucking happy to see.
It’s partly that Roman is doing better, but it’s also that Vitali is doing better too. He can still be a domineering asshole, but he’s starting to relax.
It’s not that his behavior has really changed. It’s more subtle than that. It’s in his energy. He’s less agitated. He’s trying to let everyone—and himself—just exist.
He listened to me. That feels really good. It makes me feel like I can be something for him like he is for me. I needed that.
When the oil is the right temperature, I add the popcorn kernels and cover the pots again.
Sounds of moving furniture screech out from the sitting room, plus a lot of arguing.
“But there are five of us,” Vitali says.
“Iknowthat,” Sasha retorts. “That’s whatthatchair is for. Me.”
“You won’t be able to see. And that chair isn’t comfortable.”
“But with the projectorhere, the picture will be huge. And I can sit in that chair, it’s not that bad.”
I go to stand in the doorway, and I fall in love with Vitali all over again. He looks very annoyed, and so does Sasha.
“He wants you to sit with us, Sasha,” I say. “He just doesn’t want to say that for some reason.”
Vitali sends me a dirty look. Sasha, meanwhile, mouths,Oh. I shake my head and go to check on the popcorn, which is starting to pop. The butter mixture is heating in the microwave.
Vitali enters the kitchen and comes to stand behind me again. His chin rests on my shoulder.
“Where did you learn to do this?” he asks. “I don’t remember my nonna making popcorn.”
“I have learned a few things on my own, you know.”
His arms wrap around me. “You do know you don’t have to cook, right?”
“You’ve told me that a million times, yes. I like doing it.”
“Okay.” Vitali plants a kiss on the side of my neck. I’m still surprised by how affectionate he is. I’m surprised, too, by how much I love it.
