Sanguine Tides - Book 3

Chapter 2

Thank you to Choo_arts for this piece!

Giulia POV

Giulia couldn't sleep. She tossed and turned in her bed, her thoughts running wild.

After Alberto and Luca disappeared upstairs (Luca still wearing the dress she bought him), everyone else went to bed.

But Giulia's mind was alive and anxious.

Mattias.

His name kept her awake. And even worse... the memory of his lips on hers. Butterflies flitted about in her stomach at the thought. Mattias had told her to expect more of that kind of thing.

Was he her boyfriend now? The phrase 'boyfriend' seemed too immature. Too childish for what this was. Dating. That's what they were doing. But...dating until what?

"Ack!" She said, smashing her face into her pillow. She would never sleep at this rate.

She tiptoed out of her bed, the floor cold on her feet. She wore shorts and a spaghetti strap nightshirt. It was cold outside her covers, and she walked from her room to Mattias's door quickly.

Giulia knocked.

She shivered a little as she heard the ruffling of blankets. The handle turned, and the door opened.

"I need to talk to you-"

Giulia's eyes widened as Mattias stood in the doorway, bare-chested, the black scorpion in full view against his toned chest.

"W-What?" He said sleepily, blinking rapidly.

"Can I come in?" She hissed, rubbing her arms at the cold.

"Oh. Sure." He said and stepped aside.

She practically ran to his bed, throwing his covers over herself. They were still warm from when he had been sleeping in them moments before.

"Make yourself at home, why don't you." He said snarkily.

"It's cold!" She said, trying to keep her teeth from chattering.

"What did you want to talk about?" He said, checking the time on the clock. It was around three o'clock in the morning. "And at this ungodly hour of the night."

"I couldn't sleep," Giulia said simply.

"And I was your first choice as a sleeping remedy?" He said with a smile.

"I just... couldn't stop thinking about before," Giulia said shyly, pulling the blanket up further over herself.

His grin widened. He knew exactly what was bothering her.

"Oh? Is one kiss keeping you awake at night?"

She glared at him.

"That was my first, you know." She bit at him.

Mattias's grin fell, and his eyes widened.

"Oh. I had no idea." He said, genuinely surprised. "I just thought... well, I don't know what I thought. But I sure didn't think that was your first."

He rubbed his head, thinking.

"Damn. If I knew that, I would have...." He trailed off.

"What?" Giulia pressed, curious.

"I guess I would have tried to make it a little more special for you."

She smiled.

"It was special."