Her Capture, His Desire

Chapter 17

                              Anthony's POV
                                            ★
"Fuck..." I groaned as I slowly woke up, stretching my limbs as I attempted to shake off the last vestiges of sleep.

As I became more aware, I reached out a hand, expecting to feel the warmth of a body next to mine, only to find the bed cold and empty. My opened his eyes, blinking a few times to clear my vision.

I sat up quickly, my gaze roaming over the spot next to me. The sheets were wrinkled, the indent of a body still visible on the pillow, indicating that someone had been there recently.

I could tell from the feel of the sheets that they were cold, meaning that whoever had been there had been gone for at least a little while.

My mind quickly went through the events of the previous night, my smile widening as I remembered every damn thing,it was perfect.

I called out her name, my voice still hoarse with sleep, "Baby?"
There was no response. The room was silent, only the faint sound of the wind outside reaching my ears. He tossed the covers aside, swinging my legs over the edge of the bed and standing up.

I was still shirtless, my chest bare under the dim morning light that streamed through the curtains. I ran a hand through my hair, rubbing the sleep from my eyes as I made my way towards the bathroom, assuming that she was there.

"Baby, are you in here?" I called out, pushing open the door to the bathroom. The room was also empty, the shower door standing open, the tiles damp from recent use. My brow furrowed as he took in the empty space.

I turned and left the bathroom, a sense of unease settling in my gut. I quickly grabbed a pair of sweatpants that were lying on a chair and pulled them on. Then I left the room, making my way down the stairs, my steps quick and firm.

Then I went to the kitchen, the only place I knew she would be,my eyes quickly scanning the room.

The sight ahead of him made him freeze momentarily. There she was, standing by the counter, her back to me as she busied herself with something.

My gaze took in the sight of her. She was wearing one of my button-up shirts, the fabric falling to just above her knees, the sleeves rolled up to her elbows.

The sight was both endearing and arousing to me, and he couldn't help but silently appreciate the view.
I leaned against the door frame, a small smile playing on my lips. For a moment I  just stood there, watching her, taking in the simple domesticity of the scene.

She was completely absorbed in what she was doing, not noticing me yet. I watched as she moved about the counter, her little fingers working on whatever it was that she was preparing.

I finally cleared my throat, breaking the silence. Instantly, Emily whirled around, startled by the unexpected sound. Her eyes landed on me, a small gasp escaping her lips as she took in my presence.

"Did I scare you, bambolina?" I asked, a hint of amusement in my voice. I pushed off the doorway and started walking towards her, my steps slow and purposeful.

"A little," she admitted.

I chuckled, the sound low and gravelly. I  continued walking towards her, my eyes never leaving her face, drinking in her every feature. As I reached her, I backed her up against the counter, trapping her between my body and the hard countertop.

My hands came to rest on either side of her hips, bracketing her in. I leaned in, my body pressing against hers, my face inches away from hers.

"I didn't expect to wake up alone this morning," I said, my voice a low rumble. "I...I was hungry," she managed to stammer, her eyes widening slightly as she looked up at me.