Love Me Anyway

Chapter Eight

Carina
Two months later

Everything had been going great. I finally got back into the groove of being back at work at the hospital. Maya had grown accustomed to my long hours on her off days. Mason had gotten a job at the local grocery store, and had slowly been saving up for his own apartment.

"Bambina! Dinner's ready!" I called from the kitchen. We had decided on a date night in, since we hadn't gotten a lot of alone time the past few months. I had put on a red dress that Maya had never seen me in, knowing that it was going to drive her crazy.

"Alexa. Play Maya's playlist." I called as I grabbed two dishes to put the pasta on.

Girl, change into that Victoria's Secret thing that I like -
Alright
OK
Tonight you're having me your way

"Whatever you made smells so damn good- Oh shit."
I turned and smiled at my girlfriend who was staring at me with her mouth dropped open.
"You like?" I put the plates down and walked over to her, placing my hands on her hips.

Right there (uh huh) right there (uh)
You touch me like you care
Now stop
And let me repay you for the week that you've been through
Workin' that nine to five and stayin' cute like you do
Oh, oh, oh

"I love." She ran her hands up and down my body, admiring the dress.
"Come eat." I grabbed her hand and tried to lead her to the table but she pulled me back.
"Oh, I'd love to eat right now." She looked up at me with pure lust in her eyes.
"Dinner now. Dessert later," I leaned forward to whisper in her ear. "And maybe if you're good, we can find some places to put that chocolate sauce that I have in the refrigerator."
"God, woman. You're going to be the death of me." Maya breathed out.
"Maybe that's my plan, Captain Bishop." I pulled out her chair for her and she raised her eyebrows as she sat down.
"You didn't have to do all this babe." She motioned to the dinner I made and the bottle of wine that I had bought.
"I don't mind spoiling my girl every now and then. I just wish I could do more. We've spent so much time away from each other here lately... I just miss you." I looked up at her as I poured our glasses of wine.
"You being you is more than enough. You're perfect. You make me feel things I've never felt before. You treat me better than I deserve." She reached over the table and held my hand.
"Amore mio, you deserve the world." I turned her hand and kissed her palm.

We sat and ate dinner, telling each other about everything that's been happening at work.

"And there was this girl who was trying to smuggle a gun to her boyfriend in prison! Guess where she hid it?"
"No!" Maya gasped.
"Sì! And the gun went off, shooting the person in the bed next to her!"
"Oh my God babe! You could've been hurt!" Maya said dramatically.
"But I wasn't. Stupida with her gun-gina." I shook my head with a chuckle.
"Gun what?"
"Gun-gina. It's a gun, in a vagina."
"You're not right." Maya laughed as she stood and took the plates to the kitchen.
"Has work really been that boring for you?" I asked.
"Knock on wood. We haven't had many fire calls. Mostly injuries or cats stuck in trees. We had one small fire that we put out with the extinguisher."

"Thank God. I don't like it when you go to fires." Maya came back into the dining room and sat in the chair next to me.
"I have to babe. It's my job."
"I know it is and I respect that. You're brave and noble for putting your life at risk to save others. But I don't like the thought of you not coming home to me." My voice cracked and I looked down.
"Hey, look at me. I will always do my best to come home to you. I will never promise that I always will, because I can't make that promise. But I will do everything in my power to come home to you." She lifted my chin up gently.
"I love you." I whispered as a tear rolled down my cheek.
"I love you most." She gave me a gentle kiss that quickly became passionate.