Purposefully Coincidental ✓

67. Hurt

Leo

Grabbing the next card from the deck, I read the question internally and quickly think of an answer before announcing the question to Josephine.

"If you could spend every second with your partner, would you accept?"

She ponders it for a moment, then looks at me pointedly. "What would you say?"

"How about we answer at the same time?" I suggest.

"Okay, on three."

We both say 'no' at the same time.

"Why?" She demands as if I've hurt her feelings, though she said the same answer as me.

"You know I love spending time with you, but sometimes I need to just be alone and clear my head." I answer truthfully.

"Same." She murmurs. "Next question is, 'something you'd change about me'."

"Nothing." I say with zero hesitation.

She groans and lays her back on the floor. "Can you be any more perfect?"

"I'd change how dramatic you're reacting to my answer." I tease, pulling her back to sit.

"Now I feel bad because I do have something in mind." She grumbles.

"What is it?" I know I have many flaws. Josephine has those too, but it's those imperfections that make her her. I pull her legs so they're draped over mine and pull at her waist so we're closer. The game says no sex but not no touching. And I like touching her.

"Promise you won't get hurt." She peers at me from under her lashes.

"You could never hurt me." I say in all seriousness. It's me who's going to hurt her.

"Fine." She huffs like I'm the one who's making her answer. "I'd change the fact that you can't cook to save your life."

I put a hand to my heart and fake a pout. "Way to crush my soul."

"Shut up." She laughs, punching my shoulder. "Who whisks cake batter with a fork?"

"I do." I tell her. "When I'm trying to be romantic and make your muffins without waking you up."

"Okay, fine." She rolls her eyes. "I think it's cute you can't cook."

"Thanks. My Nonna disagrees."

"Of course." She smiles then grabs a card. "Something you'd change about our first encounter."

"How rude I was to you." I answer. Though I apologized the next time I saw her, I know first impressions always stick no matter what.

"I wouldn't change anything, really." She shrugs.

She doesn't let me dwell on this question and reads the next one out loud. "If you found out your partner is sick and would die in six months during the first date, would you still have gone through with the relationship?"

"Yes." I say, running my nose over hers. "I would rather live with memories of you and the experience of what true love feels like than none at all."

I can't imagine what my life would be like if I never met Josephine. It would be pretty dull for sure. She gives my life a meaning. She makes me look out for tomorrow. She teaches me new things every day. So, no. I'd rather have known here—even for a short amount of time—than none at all.

Josephine gives me a sad smile. "I don't think I'm strong enough for the heartbreak of losing you. So my answer is, no. I would prefer not knowing you than having my heart shattered when I lose you."

My heartstrings tug to the point of it being painful, but I resist the urge to palm my chest. She's already missed the chance of not knowing me at all. It could be any moment now that they'll call me back for duty and I would have to leave her. Heartbroken.

I was a selfish bastard and got close to her, developed feelings. I could've easily stayed away—no, scratch that, I couldn't have if my life depended on it.

Feeling the mood getting gloomy by each second none of us says anything, I glance at the deck and see we're done with the first level.

Dipping my face down, I tease my lips over hers, reveling in the way she sucks in a deep breath.

"No sex." She says weakly.

"We finished the first level, Josephine." I kiss along her jaw, feeling her body melting against mine.

Kissing her nape across to that sensitive spot behind her ear, I suck until she gasps and clutches my shirt.

"Leo." She moans in my ear. I can't take it anymore. I kiss her lips deeply, thrusting my tongue inside and tasting the chocolate muffin she had earlier. It's addicting as hell.

I push her so she's on her back and I kiss my way down her body, removing pieces of clothes until she's sprawled naked beneath me.

When I reach her groin, I spend extra time kissing her lower stomach then inner thighs, loving how she pulls at my hair and squirms.

When she's ready to beg me, I lick a trail from her dripping entrance to her clit, sucking it in my warm mouth. Her back arches and she pushes my face more into her.

I make her feel good. Better than the thought of her losing me. Of me losing her.

Because even though we've been living in bliss for the past year, something tells me it's coming to an end.