Waiting Patiently

Chapter 8

Chapter 8

Vince's POV

I had just come in from the restaurant, and it had been a long day. I fired two people on my kitchen staff because I had caught them stealing food supplies. I didn't have anyone to cover their spots, so I did. Even though that day was a long, crappy day I couldn't stop thinking about Lauren. Where was she? What was she doing? Was she okay? Will she ever talk to me again?

Needless to say, I was worried sick about her. She wouldn't return any of my calls. She wouldn't come to the door when I tried to visit her. Nothing. I hadn't heard from her since that morning in her kitchen. I remember the way she looked that day. When she said she was trying to forget something, she got white as a ghost. As if she had said too much to me. It killed me to not know what was going on with her.

My friends knew something was up. They all tried to get me to go to clubs and pick up hot women, but I didn't want any part in that. I just wanted Lauren.

Lauren is beautiful. Lauren is someone I want to come home to after work. She's someone I want to trust, and I want her to trust me. Whatever it is... It doesn't matter. She can trust me.

That night, I was feeling so down about Lauren, I went straight to bed. Maybe I could just sleep her away. I was trying to sleep when I heard my doorbell ring. I fumbled my way down stairs and sure enough, when I opened my door, Lauren, my beautiful love, was there.

I could've kissed her all over just for being at my door. Except when I looked into her eyes, you could definitely see that she was heartbroken. It hurt me so bad to see her that way.

When I wrapped her in my arms and carried her inside, I took in the scent of her. Everything about her was just perfect. She looked so fragile as I waited for her to tell me what was wrong.

I couldn't believe what I was hearing. Someone raped my love? Someone raped and killed my love's best friend? I wanted to kill these men. I wanted to literally run out of my house and find them. But instead, I kept calm. I listened to her, I comforted her. She was where I needed to be.

The thought of anyone touching her made my stomach churn, and I could feel the rage burning in me. No wonder she's been so distant.

But then we kissed. It was my medicine. It calmed me down. Her lips were on my lips so gently and when our kiss deepened, it made my need for her grow even stronger. And then we made love. It was the best night of my life.

She made love to me because she wanted to. Everything was so perfect. Her body is amazing. She held on to me like she needed me. I held her in my arms that whole night, and I realized I could never let her go. I was determined to make her fall in love with me.

************

Lauren's POV

When I woke up the next morning, I was in Vince's arms. I had to actually think to see that last night wasn't a dream. It was so perfect. He was so perfect.

I turned over to find Vince watching me. "Good morning, love. You weren't dreaming," he said to me while placing a gentle kiss on my forehead.

I cupped my hand around his cheek and took in his features. His dark brown hair, (he still looks adorable with bed hair) his amazing blue eyes, his nose, his strong jaw line, and his soft lips.

I pulled his face down to mine and gave him a slow kiss on the lips. He deepened the kiss. I swear I could kiss him forever. He suddenly broke our kiss.

"I'm making you breakfast," he said.

Giggling, I said, "It's two in the afternoon."

"What do you want? Anything. Name it. I'll fix it for you."

"I didn't know you were such a good cook," I said.

"That hurts a little, love. Of course I cook. I own Italian restaurants. Cooking is my life."

"Fine. I'll take something Italian. Surprise me," I said to him.

"Prepare to be amazed my love," he said.

We went down to the kitchen hand in hand. This place was gorgeous. How could he keep it up all by himself?

"Do you have a maid?" I asked Vince.

"Why? You don't think a rich guy like me can handle all of this?" He said while grinning at me.

"It's not that. It's just this place is huge. It's so fancy. It would be hard for anyone to keep it up with a busy lifestyle like the one you have," I said trying not to sound like a jerk.

"I have a housekeeper that comes once a week. She's an elderly lady in her late fifties. So no, I do not have a maid," he said with such self assurance.

Suddenly he pushed me up against the counter and put his hands on my hips. Leaning close to my face he said, "I can get you a maid, love. If you want one. I can get you anything you want."

"Stop, Vince," I said playfully. "I don't want a maid. Is your whole family as rich as you?"

"Yes. They all own their own businesses. My parents own two law firms in two different locations and my sister owns her own law firm as well," he said while getting some pots and pans from a cabinet. "I didn't want any part of the law stuff. It's just too dramatic. I wanted to do something I love. I love to cook and to make people happy, but a new goal of mine is to make one special person happy," he said with a wink.

"I'm not hard to please," I said giving him a small smile.

"I intend to go above and beyond just being simple," Vince said.

Those words that he just said to me felt so sincere. "Can I help you cook whatever it is you're making me?"

"Yes, love. Just grab two of those tomatoes and start peeling the skin off of them," he said with such ease.

I grabbed a small kitchen knife and began to peel those tomatoes like my life depended on it. I was thinking about last night. How good Vince looked, how great everything felt, how good he looked right now standing over the stove stirring something that I assumed to be sauce. My face started getting hot, and I wanted to pull him so close to me right this second.

And then the knife slipped. "Ouch! Gosh that hurt!" I yelled.

Vince spun around and looked at my hand. Blood was coming out my hand like there was no tomorrow.

And that's when I realized... I didn't tell Vince an important piece of information. Everything started feeling blurry and weak. Then I collapsed to the floor.