Secrets [H.S.]

17.

Aurora DiLorenzo 

As I opened the front door, music filled my ears. It was playing around the entire house, but I knew he was in the kitchen. Whatever it was that he was cooking smelled absolutely amazing. I stepped out of my heels and placed my purse down on the entryway table before heading into the kitchen.

Leaning against the wall the lead into the kitchen I watched as he stirred whatever was in the pan. His back was facing me, so he had no idea I was standing here. I missed him. These past few days were agonizing, but I needed the space. 

I would never force him to share things he wasn't ready to share and I didn't expect him to share as much as he did early today. He held a lot of pain behind his hard exterior and I wish I could take it from him. He was good at hiding his feelings, letting people only view him as this man who didn't show emotion, someone to fear. 

He never showed that with me though. He showed emotions and stepped out of his normalcy for me. I never asked him to, but he did and I'm thankful. I don't want him to ever feel like he has to find things from me, especially emotions. 

I continue to watch him, admire him and listen to him hum along to the music playing throughout the house. His head moves to the beat of the song, his shoulders are relaxed for once. He looks fresh out of the shower, his hair still wet from it and he wears a pair of grey joggers and a tight black shirt that I know stretches across his chest and shows off his muscles. I take in the tattoos that litter his arm. He's incredible. 

"Didn't your father ever teach you it's rude to stare." His voice is teasing, never once did he turn around. I make my way into the kitchen and over to him, wrapping my arms around his waist and placing a kiss in between his shoulders. 

"What are you making?" I whisper against his back. 

"Penne alla vodka. It's almost done." 

One of my absolute favorite meals. I smile against him, before unwrapping myself from him. As I begin to take a step back his left hand reaches out to grab hold of me and pull me back to him. He keeps his arm behind him, wrapped around my waist to keep me against him. 

"Did I say you could move?" He asks. 

"No, sir." I smirk. He's quickly turning around and looking down at me as I stare up at him with innocent eyes and a smile on my face. 

"Don't start." His stare is harsh before his eyes flicker down to my lips and back up to my eyes. 

"Or what?" I whisper. 

"I'll have you tied to our bed so fucking fast, Aurora. Don't tempt me." I raise an eyebrow at him. Why is he acting like that's such a terrible thing? "By the look on your face, I think you would enjoy that too much." He smirks, before turning back around to turn off the burner. 

"You know me so well, but as much as I would love that right now, I'd rather not get blood all over the place and I really don't enjoy sex on my period." I move away to grab two plates from the cupboard and set them in front of the seats at the island. 

"Blood doesn't bother me, baby." I shake my head at him with a smile. I don't doubt that at all. I quickly grab two wine glasses and the bottle of wine as he makes our plates.

We sit down next to each other and eat in a comfortable silence, the music still playing around us. The food is absolutely amazing. I never could imagine that he was one to cook and actually be good at it, but this was perfect. He surprises me every day. 

"How was work today?" He asks, breaking the silence between us. His left hand has been on my thigh the entire time, rubbing circles mindlessly. 

"Good, I started my portion of the reports for tomorrow. I don't know if you're working or not, since you weren't there today."