Stranger Things Have Happened | Marcus Bontempelli

one-hundred & fifteen.

"You taste salty," Marcus mumbled against my sensitive neck. 

Every kiss encouraged a surge of goose bumps to appear across my skin and the gesture brought a welcomed smile to my face. A smile that had been missing from my face for the past 72 hours.

I hummed, "We need to have a shower," I whispered and attempted to escape from his strong arms that were wrapped around my waist.

"Yes please," Marcus groaned with a smirk, "Why don't I run the spa bath? Seems like a waste of a good time otherwise," He cheekily added as I looked up to see his eyebrows wiggling suggestively.

"I like your thinking," I replied before scooping up a shirt from the floor and pulling it over my naked body – at least attempting to be decent before heading downstairs.

The Wallis beach house in Sorrento was gorgeous and it was exactly the retreat we needed right now. Although we could only bring ourselves to come away for one night, I was already feeling rejuvenated after spending the afternoon lounging on the beach – the sand well and truly taking up space in every crevice but it was perfect. Being with him was perfect.

"You hungry, bub?" I asked Rocky who was wandering through the downstairs living room, completely exhausted from his beach escapades.

Before I did anything else, I filled up the portable dog bowls with food and made sure our babies were happy. I could tell from their wagging tails that they were excited for food and more than content playing with each other out on the deck by the gated pool.

It was a warm autumn night – so much so that we could leave the sliding doors open for the dogs to play inside and outside and I realised then that I eventually wanted a place like this for Marcus and I. We needed an escape from the craziness. Somewhere just for our little family, I thought as I collected two glasses and a bottle of wine to take back upstairs.

"I come bearing wine and bath bombs," I declared as I walked into the bathroom with a grin.

"Perfect," Marcus returned, sitting patiently on the side of the tub – watching as I placed all of the items in my hands down on the ledge beside him.

"Are you sure you're not pregnant because there's something different about ya – you're getting sexier by the minute," He complimented and pushed the hem of his shirt that I'd plucked off the floor up my thighs.

A small chuckle left my swollen lips, "I'm definitely not but I did notice that I got some of my curves back going off birth control and I'm kind of living for it," I enthused, embracing my ever changing body.

"You are really, really sexy," Marcus growled and pressed a firm kiss to my ribs – bunching the crinkled white shirt between his fingers and working his way around my body.

"I'm glad you think so," I smirked, grazing my hands through his short hair and enjoying the tingles his lips were causing.

One steamy make out session later, the tub had filled and was glowing from the blue and purple lights that were built into the walls of the spa. The floral bath bomb I'd dropped in matched the lighting and turned the steaming hot water blue and pink, eventually mixing to make a glittery purple hue. I felt my muscles immediately start to loosen as soon as I submerged into the water – a small moan slipping past my lips as I relaxed.

"Must be good," Marcus teased as he poured us both a small glass of wine, neither of us wanting to go overboard but indulging a little while we were away from the real world.

"So fucking good," I groaned quietly causing Marcus to chuckle and raise an eyebrow at how satisfied I was with a body of warm water.

Marcus placed the glasses in his hands on the ledge beside my head and tediously climbed into the tub. His large frame easily slid in and only the smallest amount of water trickled over the side – probably due to overfilling but it was nothing a bath mat wouldn't soak up. He looked just as calm as I did as he dipped in below his shoulders, the look of pure contentedness on his face making me smile.