Marry Me Mafia

The Morning After

Renee hardly slept, not just because of Nico's kiss in the elevator, but this morning's interview. Renee never liked dealing with the people from DCFS. They were tactless, impersonal, and, at times, as crooked as Louisiana politics. She looked over at the small digital clock on the dresser. The small robotic number flashed in red, 5:45AM. "Close enough," Renee told herself as she swung her legs out of bed. After taking Bug for her morning walk, Renee decided she would take advantage of the gym before breakfast. Renee changed into a black and silver graphic tank top and runner's shorts, hauled on her running shoes and walked out of the apartment and down the stairs. One of the security guys was there lighting a cigarette, he looked her way. "Morning, Chief!" He called as she came down the stairs. "Morning!" she answered back on instinct, "The boss said there was a workout room in the house, would you happen to know where?" The guy pointed to the kitchen door,"No problem, though the kitchen, last door on the right past the stairwell. Towels should be stacked by the weights." "Thanks, shipmate!" She calls over her shoulder. "Hoo-ra, chief," he called back. Renee stepped into the kitchen, and saw Antonio busying himself making cinnamon rolls. "Buongiorno, Antonio," she called, walking past as he floured the marble countertop ready to roll out the delicious confection. "Bella! Good Morning. Going for a run, eh? The boss goes in there 3 days a week. All those muscles, and for what? You need someone with some softness, Bella." Antonio made a show of patting his rotund belly. Rene laughed, "Antonio, there are many kinds of softness. I like a man with strength too." Renee walked over to the sweet round chef, and planted a kiss on the top of his head. "I'm going for a run," she called over her shoulder. "OK my angel, breakfast will be ready in 2 hours," he called back.

Renee found the door to the gym. It was a state-of-the-art room. Two peloton bikes side by side, a full-weight system, barbells of every size in cold black lined the racks of bright steel, an entire wall was a mirror and two treadmills faced a digital projection system, with a woodland trail currently playing on screen. Renee grabbed a towel, right where the security guy said it would be and walked to the first treadmill. She laid the towel over the side rail, and stepped up. After a moment of selecting the random interval run, the machine crawls to life, Renee sets the speed to 8 mph and pops in her wireless earbuds, her phone Bluetoothed in playing a mix of old school country and modern rock. She found her rhythm quickly and settled into her run. The time seemed to fly by, and soon she only had 5 minutes left in her 45-minute run. The door creaked open and Nico suddenly appeared shirtless and in black trunks. He seemed surprised to see her for a moment, but then his face settled again into his usual indifference. "Good morning, Nico," Renee called out, removing one of her earbuds, over the sound of Waylon Jennings singing, "Mamas, Don't let your Babies grow up to be Cowboys." "Early start?" he commented walking over to the weight system. Her treadmill began a gradual slow down as the program ended. Renee stepped onto the side rail of the treadmill and grabbed the towel, replying, "Yeah, I tried chasing some sleep, but sadly, it was faster than me last night." Nico looked dup concerned, "Are you going to be OK, for today?" Renee smiled, "Sure, I'll be fine after a quick shower and one of cinnamon rolls, Antonio was making." "Ah," Nico laughed, as he picked up two 40 lb barbells and started doing single side shoulder presses, "so you do have a weakness?" Renee smiled back, "My weaknesses in order, would be homemade pastries, mind-blowing s*x, puppies, and cars." Nico's eyes darkened, his mind seamed to glitch when her heard her 'list'. "In that order, huh? Pastries, s*x, puppies, and cars?" Renee shook her head, staring him down, for no other reason than she wanted to get a little of her own back for last night." No. The list goes: homemade pastries, mind-blowing s*x, puppies, and cars. Regular store-bought pastries are meh, and who just wants middle of the road s*x?" She stepped off the treadmill with the towel over her shoulders; her steps toward Nico teasing. She was within arms reach of him now, she continued her teasing,"I said mind-blowing s*x. s*x that makes your toes curl, your eyes roll back, your mouth go dry from screaming, and you forget your own name." She was whispering in his ears by the end. Nico's knuckles were white, his mouth was dry, and his control was nearly shredded listening to her describe her idea of "mind-blowing sex." He could also see it in his head as she was describing it. She was under him, her breathy moans making him drive into her harder and faster. Her legs were locked around him, sweat dripping from his face onto her belly as she took him into her body. He was licking the combined sweat from her perfect navel. The heat and tight friction from her would drive him insane. It felt perfect. He barely registered a hand, waving in front of his face, "Earth to Nico? You wool-gathering there?" she smiled, picking him on the cheek. " I'm just going to leave you to your thoughts, and that." Renee looked between his legs, seeing some serious morning wood on the rise. "I have a shower and a cinnamon roll calling my name." Renee walked over and pulled the door open, and walked out into the kitchen. The smell of hot bread, sugar and cinnamon wafted into her. She ran past Antonio, as he was pulling the sheet pan calling," I'll be right down, just let me get cleaned up." Renee ran all the way back to the apartment, taking the stairs two at a time. She flew through the door and slammed her back against it, as if she were holding back a tsunami. Her hands covering her face in sheer embarrassment. 'I can't believe I said that to him. I just wanted to get his goat for kissing me last night, but Jesus!' "What the hell was I thinking?" she asked Bug, who just looked at her with those big brown eyes, never judging, just watching. She locked the deadbolt on the door and padded into the bathroom for a shower. The steam curled around her as the water beat down, washing away the sweat and stink of a hard workout. She wrapped another oversized towel around herself and walked back into the living room/bedroom to change. Nico was sitting on her bed, still shirtless, scratching Bug's ears. "What the hell, Nico!" Renee grabbed the towel and clung to it for dear life. "How'd you get in here? Nico took a small set of keys on a ring from his pocket, "My house, I have keys to everything." "You asshole! Get out, I need to get dressed." Nico didn't budge. "Bella, I'm your fiancée," he leaned back on the bed. "Surely, I've seen you change before?" Renee rolled her eyes, "Whatever." She walked to the dresser and opening the top drawer and took out a powder blue lace bra and matching panties set. If she couldn't get him to leave, she'd at least have some fun. The only concern she really had was the long thin surgical scar down her spine. If she dropped the towel, he would see it. Maybe if she turned toward him, distracting him with a full view, he wouldn't notice. Renee took a steadying breath, turned to face Nico, and with an eyebrow raised and a smile, let the towel fall.

"f**k", Nico didn't realize it had come out of his mouth. He thought he was just thinking about it, but his brain and mouth had been short-circuited. Renee knelt down to put on her panties, making a show of doing it slowly. The lace slid up her legs to her nether region as she stood up. Nico was sitting there, mouth open, possibly drooling. She then slipped the bra around her middle, locking the hook and eye clasp, before turning it to the front and raising the soft floral lace and straps to her shoulders. Nico's pupils were nearly blown. Countless times he'd seen strippers, taking it all off, giggling their silicone fun bags and BBLs in his face. She was putting on clothes, and he could think about was folding her over the dresser, ripping on those lacy scraps and pounding into her until she cried. Nico licked his lips by instinct. His fingers had left the dog's ear and was now stroking the soft comforter. She stood there looking like the most delicious gift he wanted to unwrap. Nico stood up, his hand out, looking as if she were a mirage that would disappear. Renee took a step toward him, letting him touch her for the briefest moment. His finger grazed her collarbone, she stepped closer, he palmed her breast through the lace. Renee let out a breath that she didn't know she was holding, his hand on her breast was so firm, suddenly his other hand snaked around her waist to her back. He was pulling her into his arms, she felt his hand sliding up her back, his fingers found the scar. He looked with a storm of questions in his eyes, as those soft fingers traced it from her L5 to her C4. Renee's face broke from the sensual pleasure of his touch, to slow tears welling in her eyes. "What happened, there?" he breathed into her ear. Renee turned into his shoulder, not wanting him to see her tears. "Old war wound. I broke my back in a bad fall, and they had to fix it. It's why I got discharged." She looked up at him with a small smile. "You know getting shot is one thing, showing people that it kinda makes me feel like a broken doll, so I don't bring it up." Nico kissed her cheek, and whispered, "Baby, nothing about you is broken, do you hear me? Not a damn thing." They stood together like that for a while. No s*x, nothing; just two people who held each other. Two people who had faced death, and came out strong on the other side. Nico was the first to pull away, but not before kissing her forehead softly. "Antonio is waiting downstairs with those homemade pastries." He took her chin between her fingers, raising it so she would look at him. "God, you are so beautiful, I am so lucky." he preened. Renee looked at his lips, so soft, she leaned up into him and kissed him softly. "Yeah, you're lucky. Go ahead and go down, I'll be there in a minute." Nico held her hand as he walked to the door. Renee turned to the dresser, showing him her back and the full extent of the scar. He watched as she pulled out a pair of fitted dark blue jeans and a soft pink knitted blouse out laying them on the bed. He turned, left the apartment, and walked down the stairs. He was falling for her. That meant complications in his world, but at this point he did not give a s**t about complications. That beautiful, incredible woman had trusted him with that confession and now his only thought was to protect her.