Chapter 470

"Pearl, listen to me. I am too old for this frivolity." Erik protested, putting his hands on his hips and shaking his head.

"Drop them and get in." Pearl looked at him from the edge of the pool. "You used to be a wild man when it came to this stuff. Now you're just stiff."

"It's like three am and we aren't here alone. We just had the most romantic dinner and now you want me to remove my trousers and get into this pool?"

"Your trousers and your underoos, my love," Pearl said with a mischievous grin.

"Fine," Erik said. He took off his suit jacket and shirt, exposing his perfectly cut abs and chest. The lights from the pool illuminated how graceful his body moved. He reminded her of a cat, smooth and calculated with every single movement. As he unbuttoned his pants and began to pull them down, he maintained eye contact with her. He was naturally sexy in that way. A predator and an exciting one at that. He was a man in every sense of the word, and she had never felt more attracted and attractive when around anyone else. He bit his bottom lip and dropped his underwear.

"I see I was right about you being stiff," Pearl said, biting her thumb. He slid into the water and pulled her to him.

"Did you expect any less, my love?" He kissed her and pulled her wet hair as he trailed his mouth along her throat.

"No," she managed to say breathlessly. He turned her to lean against the wall of the pool, lifting her body astride his own, wrapping her legs around his back.

"I'm going to fuck you until you're completely spent and satisfied." His eyes found hers as she opened her legs for him.

"Good," she said with a smile.

He entered her quickly and without warning. The pain and suddenness of it caused her to gasp as she bit down hard on his neck, causing him to cry out and thrust again, even more forcefully.

"I. Love. You," he whispered as he ravaged her again and again. "I fucking love you so much. You're mine."

She nodded and raked her nails along his shoulders, crying out as she felt her orgasm begin to build. He could feel her body responding to him. "Cum for me."

She did as she was told, pulsing around him as she felt her entire body tighten.

He moaned her name and said, "that's my girl" as his climax came right after hers. She felt him tighten too as he filled her until his body began to relax. He smiled and kissed her, pulling her closer and staying inside of her.

"Marry me," he said. She smiled and looked away.

"Perhaps," she said.

"Marry me, please. I want to be your husband again. I love you." She looked into his eyes. "When we are both ready and when our family is ready, we can talk about it."

He nodded. "That's better than a no, I guess," he said with a smile. He kissed her, holding her close to him and rocking their bodies in the warm water, under the Tuscan moon.

**************************

Nora opened her eyes and tried to blink the bright lights away.

She felt a hand squeezing hers as she tried to swallow, her throat dry and scratchy.

"Christian?" She whispered.

"Nora. Nora I'm here. I'm right here." She turned to her left and saw Christian's worried face looking at her. She tried to smile to let him know she was happy he was there. Where was she? What happened? She tried to gather her thoughts. Her head was pounding. She could feel stitches or sutures along her hairline. She looked down at the hospital gown she was wearing. Then it all hit her. She reached for her stomach and knew what had happened, feeling the emptiness of her womb.

"I lost him. I lost the baby, didn't I." Her lungs began to squeeze the air from them as tears fell

from her eyes.

"Nora. It's ok. You're going to be alright. The doctor said there wasn't any permanent damage. You may have a small scar but that's all." Christian patted her hand and wiped her tears.

"That's ALL," Nora but her lip in anger. "I lost our baby."

"You didn't lose it, the accident caused a miscarriage. The doctors were able to stop the bleeding and you can still have children. It's a blessing that you're ok, my love." Christian kissed her hand. She closed her eyes and shook her head. The nurse came in and took her vitals, giving her some pain meds. "I'm glad you're ok. Your life means everything to me. Everything." Christian fought back tears.

"She will sleep soon. Better to let her process all of this for a bit. Do you have family you can call?" The nurse patted Christian on the shoulder.

"I do," Christian said.

**********************************

"Good morning," Pearl said with a smile as she joined Erik in the dining room for breakfast the following day. Giulia was pouring tea.

"That is not how you should address me after last night." Erik didn't look up from his book. He picked up his tea and sipped it.

"Oh yeah? How should you be addressed then?" Pearl sat next to him, rubbing his leg with her foot.

Erik put down the book and looked at her with a straight face and said, "Good morning, sex god. Last night was a raucously amazing time, not stiff at all, quite wild and free. You are a shagging deity, oh sexy man that I love."

"Is that the proper way to address you then?" Pearl let out a laugh.

Erik nodded and smiled, sipping his tea again. Giulia crossed her body and said a prayer and left the dining room.

Erik's phone rang. He picked it up and answered.

"Yes. This is Erik. Christian? Are you alright? What's going on?"