Aella

XXVI

"Ugh", I groan. "I don't know that word, Aella."

"You do, Darling. What is the word for we must?"

"Noi, noi du-, noi dob", I try conjuring up every last braincell in my head to figure out this word. "Noi dobbiamo!"

Aella and I sit at the kitchen table, papers sprawled everywhere, covered in my crappy Italian practice.

"Yes!" She gleams, grabbing my thigh from opposite me. "Good job, Darling."

For another hour or so, Aella works so hard to try to teach me easy verbs I should have learned from my parents when I was little. Mama was still in her rebellion phase when Mari and I were little, leaving us with a Nanny who knew no Italian.

"Ugh", I groan again. "I can't do this anymore."

Aella groans, but says calmly: "That's okay. We'll get there. That was good for today."

Aella leaves tomorrow for Rome, and I join her in 9 days. Those 8 days apart are going to be torture. Papa has given me a temporary guard to watch over me the next few days while Aella is getting settled into our house in Rome. It's small compared to home base here in the City, but for her to be promoted from guard to Head of House so quickly is huge. It usually takes decades for a person to become head of house. Ace has been trying to get into that position for years, and Papa continues to deny him, even though we knows he was going to, because both Ace and Angelo were promised one as husbands of the royal daughters.

I stand up quickly and start to organize my papers frantically. I mumble and mutter to myself as I do when I'm entirely too frustrated.

I suddenly feel Aella's whole body against my back. Instantly, my frustration goes away. "Hey", I hear her whisper into my ear. She brushes my hair to the side and places a soft kiss on my shoulder. "You've been doing great. It takes time."

I just want to melt into her body as she kisses my shoulders and neck. I place the stack of papers back on the table and turn to look at Aella. Wrapping my arms around her neck, I stare up at her. She places her hands on my waist and pulls my bottom half against her own. "I'm really going to miss you."

She smiles down at me. "But after these next few days, we won't have to be apart again." Aella places a kiss on my forehead.

"Let's go out again tonight, Topolina."

I nod in agreement. "Where do you have in mind?"

She acts as if she's thinking for just a moment. "My favorite restaurant in the city. Then maybe one last drive through the city before I leave."

"Sounds perfect", I smile. She kisses my forehead again.

"I'll pick you up at eight?" She jokes.

I giggle, "I'll be ready."

Aella lets go of me, and I pick up my papers again. I look down at my smart watch, the time is 5:45. "I should probably go take a shower."

Aella stands tall, a smirk on her face. "Maybe I should join you?"

I gasp to myself, but less at the fact of us doing something dirty, and more at the realization I would actually see Aella naked up close. "Uh, yea-yeah." I stutter. Aella chuckles at me.

Aella and I silently walk up the stairs to our rooms. She holds my hand tightly in hers.

Aella stops me outside of my room, pushing me up against the wall. She kisses my collarbone and up my neck, her lips go up to my ear. "Go start the shower, Darling. I'll be right back." I nod in obedience.

She lets go of me and starts walking off to her room. I open my door, shut it behind me, and go into my bathroom. I start the shower, then strip myself of my clothes. I brush my hair to make it easier to wash, then get into the shower.

I quickly wet my hair and wash it, so Aella didn't need to be around for that, and shave between my legs, because it just needed to be done.

When I hear my bedroom door close, butterflies start fluttering in my stomach. I watch the door, and Aella comes strutting in. Her hair, that's usually perfectly curled, is in a messy bun. She wears a dark grey satin robe, like one I would put over my lingerie outfits.

Aella walks over to the shower, and she stares at me for a moment, as I finish washing the shampoo out of my hair.

"May I join?" She asks me.

"Yes, Daddy." I nod my head.

She starts to untie her robe, and my breath hitches.

Aella drops her robe, and I'm sure my jaw physically drops to the floor. I've never seen her naked this close, and I can now say I want to look at her forever. I only saw her that one day on her balcony, but she was so far away that now I know I couldn't see the true perfection from that far away.

The water hits my back as I simply stare at this Italian Goddess. Aella stares back at me as she steps close to me. When I feel her hands reach around and grab my a$$, I sort of jump. Not only am I wet from the shower, but I can feel myself dripping down my legs, simply from seeing this woman naked in front of me.

"Oh, My Darling." she whispers.

Aella starts to bend down and place kisses onto my neck. I melt into her touch. Her hands move up a little bit, holding me at the small of my back. I reach up and wrap my arms over her shoulders. She pulls me against her, and it's such a perfect feeling to feel her soft skin against mine.

Her lips make her way up my neck, and she hovers over my own lips. "You are so, so beautiful, Poppy."

Our lips dance together in the hot, steamy, shower. Her soft skin glides over mine under the water. She kisses me hungrily, and I kiss just as hard back, if not more.

Everything about this woman is perfect. Her body, her personality, her mind, her laugh, her smile. I could go on for hours about this woman I've just only met. I can't even imagine the things I'm going to fall in love with when we live together in Rome.

I simply cannot wait to fall in love with everything about her.