Page 59 of DeLucas After Dark

“Look!” I point excitedly to the left of the cabin.

A family of deer stares at us. They don’t remain there long because no sooner than we grab our bags, they scamper off into the woods.

Marco gives me a tour of the ten-bedroom, twelve-bathroom, eighteen-thousand square foot home with magnificent views of the snow-covered mountains from every room in the house.

“Marco, this place is beautiful,” I say, stepping out of the library as we head back to the foyer. “But it’s not a log cabin. It’s a freaking mansion.”

“It is a log cabin, Tesoro,” he says, smacking me on the ass. “You like it?”

“Like it? I freaking love it!” I exclaim. “I’d like to rent this place out more often.”

Pressing a kiss under my ear, he says, “No need.”

“What do you mean?”

“It’s ours.”

“Your family owns this cabin?”

“No. You and I do.”

“Marco!” I exclaim, spinning around.

“You love it, baby?” he asks, throwing his arms out.

“Baby, why?”

“Early Christmas gift.”

“It should be the only Christmas gift. I didn’t get you anything this lavish.”

“That’s okay. This is a present for the two of us to enjoy whenever we want.”

“You can’t keep doing things like this for me, you know.”

“Things like what?” he asks, pulling me into his arms.

“Buying businesses and houses.”

“I can do whatever the fuck I want because my name is Marco Fucking DeLuca. And seeing as how you’ll be Mrs. Marco DeLuca soon, that means you can have whatever the fuck you want,” he says, kissing the side of my neck.

“Is this an attempt to get me to set a wedding date?” I laugh.

“No, this is an expression of my love. It’ll happen when it’s time.”

“How do we know when it’s time?”

“We’ll know.”

“I’m thinking it’s time soon, Mr. DeLuca. Maybe at the first of the year, we can do it.”

“As long as you feel loved, protected, and appreciated, that’s all I care about.”

“Well, I feel extremely loved, Mr. DeLuca, but at the rate, you’re going, I think I’ll have to marry you soon, or you’re going to go broke wooing me.”

Chuckling, he grabs my ass and says, “You’re already wooed, baby.”

I press my lips against his and say, “I definitely am.”

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