It Began In Italy | ✔️

Chapter Nine

"Is everything okay?" Nico asks as soon as I step foot into the room. He's sitting up, leaning against the headboard, the sheets hanging loosely around his waist. I'm so entranced by the sight that I forget to answer his question.

Shaking the thoughts from my head I say, "Yeah, she's okay. They think food poisoning?" I shrug. Nico furrows his brows in questioning.

"You don't feel unwell, do you?" he questions but I shake my head, no. "That's odd... must have just been what she ate," he says, lost in thought.

"I'm sure she'll be okay. We should probably go to sleep," I say, still awkwardly standing in the threshold of the room. Nico nods before patting the empty space beside him. I'm not sure I trust myself around Nico, let alone being in bed with him.

"Get in," he presses, and I roll my eyes in jest. Going against my better judgement, I stalk towards the bed before climbing back in. "Is everything okay?" he asks, his hand brushing against my arm again.

"Yeah, of course," I smile. It's just that you're doing things to me that I've never felt before and it is scaring the literal hell out of me. Everything is great.

I turn over, facing away from Nico, although I still feel his eyes burning into my back. The mattress dips behind me and when I feel a weight drape over my waist, every drop of oxygen leaves my lungs.

Forcing myself to take slow and steady breaths, I will myself to fall asleep, to act as though his touch doesn't make every inch of tiredness dissipate from my body, replacing it with fire.

After what felt like a millennium, my body finally fell into the velvet arms of sleep and drifted into a land filled with roses and gelato.

The blazing sun filters through the window, bright rays burning into my eyes. Groaning, I lift a hand to shield my eyes from the sun. My body feels as though it is shrivelling up in the heat as I lift my head from a hard surface.

Opening my eyes only to find that I am practically laying on top of Nico. I attempt to roll off of him, but his arms only encase themselves around my body, flipping us over so that he is laying on top of me.

"Buongiorno," Nico says, his voice husky and laced with sleep. He nips at my neck, forcing a laugh out of me.

"Nico!" I squeal, pushing his shoulders so that he rolls over. Although he only pulls me with him, resulting in me straddling his waist. Placing my hands on his stomach, I watch as his eyes burn into mine. "Why do you do that?" I ask.

"Do what?" he continues to stare, and I cover my face with my hands.

"Stare at me," I clarify, and he laughs before peeling my hands away from my face.

"I like to stare at things I find beautiful," Nico shrugs and I feel my cheeks going a shade of crimson. "Are you blushing, Heidi?" he teases, and I swat his stomach.

A knock sounds at the door and both our eyes go wide. Immediately, I almost throw myself off of Nico and create as much distance between us as possible. "Come in," I call out and watch the door slowly open before Terrone walks in.

"Breakfast is ready downstairs," he says, his face plagued with sleep, and I smile at him.

"Thank you," Nico and I both say before Terrone leaves the room, closing the door behind him with a small clunk.

"I've got to work today so I'm afraid I cannot be your tourist guide," Nico says as he gets out of bed, the sunlight doing wonders at highlighting his muscles. Tearing my eyes away, I give him a small smile.

"That's okay, but I can't promise that I will not be having lots of fun without you," I laugh, and he shakes his head.

"As your tourist guide, I prohibit having fun without me," Nico points an accusing finger my way and I hold up my hands in innocence. "Go have some breakfast but make sure you leave some for me," he says as he grabs a towel and leaves the room.