Elizabeth

11: Dates

When I wake up the next morning, Romeo is already awake. He's got on clothes. "Good. You're up. The house has been renovated. Everything is secured. We are going home, Elizabeth," he says.

"I don't have any pants," I mumble. A blush creeps up my cheeks. He unzips his bag and throws some sweatpants on the bed.

"They will do until we get back." He pauses. "Tonight, I'm going to take you out."

"Take me out?" I repeat.

"On a date," he explains so gingerly. "That's what people do when they are interested in each other."

"I thought—" I pause. Maybe I was wrong.

"Say it," he says.

"I thought you only wanted me for sex." He drops his bag and sits on the bed.

"I want you for love. I want to love you. Every part of you," he says before leaning in for a kiss. I fall into his embrace as he continues to kiss me. "I want you because I love you."

"You love me," I repeat. He nods after he's broken the kiss. "I think I'm beginning to love you too."

...

The house that I first stayed in was surrounded by guards. We take one truck to get there. Casso and Santino go inside first. Evan's sleeping in the truck.

Inside, Mr. Jenks greets us. "Good morning, Mr. Bianchi! It's good to see you again!" He nods curtly.

"Mr. Jenks!" I exclaim. He opens his arms to me.

"Hello, Miss Elizabeth," he laughs. "It's good to see you. Good to see you with him too," he chuckles. My cheeks turn red. He laughs and kisses my cheek. "You must be hungry. Let me cook you something," he offers.

Today has been raining all day since we got back to the house.

Mr. Jenks is cooking brunch and he says it won't be finished for another hour, so I watch the rain in the window.

It's so peaceful...giving water to the plants in the backyard.

Romeo comes behind me and kisses the top of my head. "What are you thinking, Carino?" He asks me. I just look outside.

"I want to dance in the rain," I say.

"Then go," he chuckles.

"No, with you," I repeat. He looks at me for a minute. "Please? I haven't experienced this world, but Mama would tell me about love and what she did. I want to dance in the rain," I beg.

"Ok," is all he says. He opens the door and leads both of us outside. The rain's cold and the air is nippy. Maybe it wasn't a good idea...but I'm too occupied with the fact that one could feel so much happiness in the rain.

"Wow," I laugh. I look up to the sky. My hair and clothes are soaked. I get a little shiver, but I don't care. I'm in the rain with Romeo. Romeo watches me. I can feel his eyes on me, watching everything that I do. "Come dance," I beg him. I tug at his arm and pull him close to me. His white dress shirt is no longer white. I can see the black ink on his chest from the water that makes the shirt cling to his body. Water drips from the tips of his hair down to my chest. He spins me around in the rain. I squeal. He laughs.