Burning Heart ▹ CIAMPA [COMPLETED]

34 ▹ fall

I woke up sort of early this morning, only so that I could make myself and Tommaso some breakfast to start our day with. I decided to stay with him last night and he has yet to wake up, which is great for me because I wanted breakfast to be done before he officially wakes up.

I woke up and made pancakes with a side of bacon for myself and Tommaso. As of right now, it is smelling so good, too. It may just wake him up. I know that it would wake me up.

All of the sudden, I felt two arms wrap around me from behind me and I smiled, already knowing immediately that it was Tommaso. I felt him press his lips to my shoulder and hum out, "Good morning, beautiful."

"Morning, handsome," I replied before he spun me around in his grasp, where I was now facing him. I placed my fingers on his cheeks, leaned in, and kissed him right on the lips. Afterwards, he leaned in and whispered to me: "I was scared that you had already left."

"Never without saying goodbye to you," I reassured just as he let me out of his grasp and I faced the food again. "Plus, I had to make sure that you were fed before I left."

"Smells good, baby," he complimented, which I blushed to. "You look even better, though."

"Thank you, love," I blushed just as I spun around with our plates in both of my hands. "Mind grabbing the butter and syrup for me?"

"Of course," he nodded and headed into the kitchen while I went and sat our plates on the tiny circled table that he had somewhat in the living room than in the kitchen. "I am so glad that you're all mine."

I looked up and eyed him, seeing that he was now sitting the syrup and butter on the table. "Why?"

"Because who else is going to love me for all my flaws and make me breakfast?" I knew that he was being serious by the story his facial expression was telling, but I laughed it off and we both sat down to enjoy our meal. Beforehand, I had already sat out napkins and forks. "I'm serious, baby. Who else, but you?"

I love Tommaso, more than I ever thought that I would. When he calls me babe or baby, it still takes me by surprise because, before all of this, I was just Nicole or something else. Now, I am all his and I cannot get over that, and the excitement behind it.

"Well," I breathed out, refusing to answer his question. "Dig in, baby."

With that said, that's just what he did, grabbing his fork and stabbing the butter with it to slap onto his pancakes. I did right about the same thing, pouring the syrup on my pancakes and bacon. This is going to be my cheat-day, I told myself while I was enjoying the fantastic food that I made for us.

"Good?" I asked with a smile.

He frantically nodded and, through a mouth-full of food, he stammered out: "Great!"

After that, we were sort of quiet for the remainder of the time that we were finishing up our breakfast. Then, he started to clean himself off with his napkin while I collected our plates and forks, sitting them in the sink for now.

I sat back down at table, where Tommaso almost immediately says to me: "I'm glad that you decided to stay with me last night."

I blushed and claimed, "Yeah, well, you're my boyfriend now and I want to stay with you as much as you want me to."

Calling him my 'boyfriend' was still a little uneasy for me to say, only because — in some strange way — I felt like we were passed this already. It's like we skipped over dating and went straight into being an old married couple, who fight and love each other all the time.

Without making eye contact at first, Tommaso added: "Well, you stay over here a lot now, so maybe you should just go ahead and stay here for now on. Every day and night."

Somewhat confused, I pulled my eyebrows in together and said: "Well, I need my stuff if I stay over here for now on..."

Tommaso slightly nodded and hinted further, "Yeah, well, that's why we're gonna move it all over here..."

I don't know what universe or country that I was in at the moment because, all of what he was saying, it sounded like gibberish while I only spoke and understood English. So, in confusion once again, I squeaked out: "Then, that means...?"

Tommaso quickly readjusted himself in the chair before sliding it further into the table, grabbed my hands with his, and our eyes connected. "Nicole... I want you to move in with me."

My eyes flew open, as I was now more awake than ever before, and I held my breath in. What. The. Hell. I wanted to squeal and dance around the room, most likely naked. I wanted to jump into his arms and kiss him all over, mostly because I couldn't believe this. I could not honestly believe his words, as they felt like a train had came and hit me.

"Now, I-I know that it's really early in our relationship but, hey, you could even stay in the extra room if that would make you feel more comfortable," he quickly added, trying not to break what he was just saying. "I know that we've already had sex and all that, but if staying in the other room makes you feel more comfortable, then, baby, you can stay in there."

Somehow, through all the excitement and stress, I smirked and almost laughed out: "Are... Are you serious right now?"

"I am, but only if you say yes," he claimed, shaking his first. "If not, then, no, I'm not serious. However, take this into your final decision, that Johnny and Candice are married and probably want their place to themselves, but since we're dating and plan on being together for a long time, then maybe you should make the switch already, y'know?"

I heard him out and was slowly nodding throughout the whole time that he was talking. To me, Johnny and Candice were like a younger version of my actual parents than my best friends, sometimes. It was because they had always taken care of me like I was this weak and broken child, and I guess that, after all of these years, I just got used to it. They were the ones that immediately took me in after Pete broke my heart, no questions asked.

Tommaso made a good point when bringing Johnny and Candice into it, since they are married and most likely want the place all to themselves, even if I'm not there all the time. Just the known fact that I've moved in with Tommaso would probably give them a reassuring peace of mind.

On top of all that, I do love Tommaso and I do want to spend every moment of my life with him. I'm just not sure how well it will turn out, especially since, all those years that I was with Pete, I felt like I wasn't ever with him at the same time. We were always fighting and just always in two separate places. I don't know what it honestly feels like to be with someone that I'm dating twenty-four-seven.

Slowly, I looked up at him and our eyes clicked. That's when I knew what I was going to decide, once and for all...

• Is she going to move in??? Is it really too soon or is it the perfect timing? I love these two to DEATH. But, unfortunately, in just a short few chapters... It will all come to an end 😭 However, their epic love story will continue in "Burning Glass" as soon as this one is finished, but — of course — in/through the eyes of Bianca 💔 Also, S/O to fabandboujee_  for helping me with this chapter (as she ALWAYS does) 💕 ENJOY!!! All the love .xx •