Chapter 8 Not My Elio

• Elio changed the sheets and made the bed. He took out my heating pads, setting them up before mentioning for me to walk over. My body stood like a tree, dumbfounded as I watched with my brain having thrown the towel. I finally snapped into a walk, sinking into the opened cover, and snuggled in. He tucked me in as if I was his little princess which I would not mind being, honestly. I did not fail to notice the blanket added for me, not wanting me to get cold at all. He pulled out the remotes for the television, turned it on then lowered to place a kiss on my forehead.
• My world was spinning so fast I would faint.
• My father was the last person to lay his lips on my forehead before Elio yet Elio’s was way different. It had my heart just explode with such emotions, feeling the tears creep up but I swallowed them back. Butterflies flapped in my belly with such vengeance. I found myself scared because I had never felt such intense feelings pour over me. As cold as it was with the wind heard outside, Elio was still in his towel, not caring about himself. It seemed all he cared about was me, making sure I had everything I needed and it did something to me.
• Growing up, I had been alone most of the time, Dad slaving away at his job. I had practically raised myself and played with myself. It was a wonder how I was sane after talking to myself from such a young age. Yet, was I even sane? With what was happening, I was not sure.
• The heating pads were doing their work. My eyes closed as the pain in my back and abdomen eased away. I nearly moaned and cried all at once because it was all too much.
• “I will be back amore mio, stay in bed.” His voice was soft, just for me, yet his words firm. My head nodded on its own, him just compelling respect instantly.
• “I will,” I whispered out, him kissing my forehead again. My eyes lids drifted together, my hand on his arm, taking in his warmth. He stepped back and straightened up with my hand falling away from his skin. It did not feel right seeing him walk away. All I wanted was to hold him. If I could, I would stay in that moment where his lips lay on my skin and my hand gripped his. It did not stop me from playing it in my head over and over again. I bit my lower lip, shaking my head over and over again. Each moment I shared with him, playing it back again and never getting bored. Instead of watching the television which stared back at me blankly I sank deeper and brought the blankets up to my chin. My smile was wide, heart high as I gleamed like a ghost at night. It was creepy, I felt myself being creepy but I couldn’t stop.
• My mind did a reality check just as fast.
• What did this mean for Elio and I?
• Was there even an Elio and I?
• For crying out loud, I had just met the man! He knew me for years but I only knew him for a day yet it felt as if I had known him all my life. My body knew him, that was certain. At a point where I should have been scared and uncomfortable, I was most at ease. No one had ever seen me naked, nonetheless a man. Even thinking about it had a shiver run down my body yet he, he was another story. Not only had he seen me naked, he had bathed me twice. His touch was most welcome at all times and through it all, lust had not been displayed on his face. He respected my body, moving his hands with such care and tenderness.
• Was I going insane? I surely was and it was freaking me out hard. My head shook again because I talked as if he was mine, as if he was my Elio but what if he wasn’t? What if he belonged to another? Through all that happened in the past hours, that seemed to be the only thing that scared the hell out of me.
• My eyes went wide, my brain seeming to have suffered a stroke, imagine that. But how could a man be so gentle, so kind and so tender when he belonged to another? I rolled my eyes at my own question because as much as I had not dated, I knew exactly how cruel men could be yet my life had been so boring I had prayed even for that heartbreak. Heartbreak meant once being in love and I had dreamt of being in love so many times.
• Such feelings spread through my body, even my sex. Was it possible to have feelings for someone so fast? Probably not. I bit my lip, feeling such deep emotions yet not even sure what to do with them.
• Elio had been in my life for six years and throughout all these six years he still liked me. I shook my head, thinking through my all teenage years, all that acne! As much as my body had grown up fast, I myself had been stuck in my childish ways. I had been a nightmare of a teenager wearing pink all the time. What was wrong with him, liking me through all that? I shook my head and nearly squealed. If he had stayed through that, he could stay through anything.
• The door opened and I froze, as if I had just been caught doing something I should not have been doing. I should have been watching television yet I had not even switched to my Netflix. I bit my lower lip, my face turning red.
• There was nothing that could stop me from shuffling over, pulling my heating pads with me. I sat up, watching as he walked in, fully dressed in a pair of black straight-cut pants and a golf t-shirt. The man could pull off anything, his scent hitting me as he set the tray of food on the pedestal.
• My mouth watered but surely not for the food. I rolled my eyes, suddenly an old woman still going through teenage hormones. A basket hung from his other hand, seeing my favorite cookies, chocolates, snacks, and more treats. He was surely doing this on purpose. He wanted to see me wilt hard for him. My cheeks could not stretch any wider, smiling like a serial killer on vacation. I shifted up, the breakfast looking so good.
• Had he made all that? I was sure I had no beacon nor the sausages. There was a plate of croissants, meat, eggs, salad, and a fresh fruit bowl. A cup of coffee also sat, looking so good. He knew how obsessed I was with my caffeine, especially on my large mug with cream on top. My toes wiggled, just holding in the giggle. How could I not lose my heart when he put food in front of me? You could get me to do anything with the promise of some good food.
• He had actually cooked for me? My brain drifted back to this fact. I stood no chance at all. There was no escaping him.
• Elio bent down, pulling a large packet from my basket, the value pack of my favorite pads. My temples hurt from smiling so much. He also pulled out a small pharmacy paper bag. With that, he walked to my bathroom to store it away before coming back.
• Him being away was a crime, happy as he reappeared. He walked around the bed, my eyes on his sleek hair neatly pushed back. He was so clean. He slipped on the other side of the bed and the first thing he did was pull my heating pads back in place since I had been gaping so much I had not realized the front one had slipped away.
• “ Thank you.”
• Nothing perplexed me more than this man. How could someone look so deadly yet be so gentle? He was not one to mess with. If you found yourself head-to-head with him, running would be your best option. He looked like the devil on earth. Those good looks were surely a tool to coax you in before he ravaged you. Why were my folds pooling hard on this thought?
• Heavens, help me, please!