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Small boxes were scattered everywhere, remnants of our move into this gifted house. I could hear Claudia in the other room, her soft hums mingling with the sounds of cardboard being torn apart as she unpacked the last of our belongings.
It felt surreal to finally be starting this new chapter together, and as I glanced around the cozy living room, my heart swelled with excitement. "Savanni, it's time for bed!" I called out, poking my head into the brightly colored room set up just for her.
"Noooo, Gio!" Savanni whined, her big brown eyes sparkling. "I want you to sleep with me!" I chuckled softly, kneeling down to her level. "I know, baby, but I need to sleep with Mommy tonight. If I don't, she's going to be sad." Savanni pouted, her little brows furrowing in thought.
"I don't want Mommy to be sad..." "Exactly! So let's be good and let Mommy get some rest. You can be my brave girl, right?" I encouraged her, hoping to sway her decision.
With a resigned sigh, Savanni climbed into bed, her tiny shoulders slumping. "Okay, but only because I don't want Mommy to be sad."
She nestled under the covers, looking up at me with a tiny smile. "Goodnight, Gio!" She planted a sweet kiss on my cheek. "Goodnight, prettygirl. Sweet dreams," I whispered, smiling back at her.
Once I was sure she was settled, I tiptoed out of the room and made my way to the kitchen, where Claudia was putting away the last of the dishes.
"Hey there, gorgeous," I said softly, wrapping my arms around her waist from behind. Claudia let out a contented sigh and leaned into me, the scent of her hair filling my senses.
"Hey, love. How's Vani?" "She's in bed, finally. I think I convinced her that Mommy needed her space tonight," I replied, nuzzling her neck and planting soft kisses along her skin.
"You're so good with her," Claudia murmured, her voice barely above a whisper. "I can't believe we have our own home." I smiled, feeling a rush of warmth at her words.
"And what better way to celebrate than to give our magic mirror a test drive?" I teased, pulling back to look into her eyes, sparkling with mischief. Claudia laughed, shaking her head.
"You really can't stay off me for more than five minutes, can you?" "Not when you look this good," I shot back, slowly easing the dishes out of her hands and setting her up on the counter. I leaned in, capturing her lips with mine in a series of soft, lingering kisses.
"Gio..." she breathed, leaning into me, her body melting against mine. "Tell me you want this," I said, my voice husky as I pulled away just enough to catch her gaze, my heart racing at the desire I saw in her eyes.
"I want this," she sighed, her breath hitching as I traced my fingers along her neck, feeling her pulse quicken under my touch. With a playful smirk, I picked her up, wrapping her legs around my waist.
