"I'm a person, Andi." He slammed his fist onto the counter, his lips curving into a gorgeous; I may need to take a cold shower smile. "Drink?"
"Sprite," I decided. "You really won't bend over?"
He ignored my plea and made my drink then walked over to the couch and set it in my cup holder. His naked chest brushed my fingers as he leaned over and then kissed me on the head. "So, ready to bang out that list?"
"Bang." I laughed. "Good one."
"I thought so." He lifted me into the air, sat down, then placed me on top of him. "Frozen singalong — and then we work on number four."
"Is it wrong to have sex after Frozen?" I grimaced.
Sergio shrugged. "Just don't start singing that you want to want to build a snowman while we're in the middle of it, and we'll be good."
"I don't know that song." I frowned.
"Oh…" Sergio clicked on the giant TV. "…believe me, you will."
I cried.
It was pathetic. But the whole sister saving her sister thing really did me in. Probably because I knew I'd never actually meet my real sister. I'd heard about her, known she existed, but would never know that type of affection. Feeling sorry for myself was stupid, but I was still a bit bummed about it.
"So…" Sergio turned off the TV. "…thoughts?"
"I suddenly want to build a snowman."
"Told you so."
The room was quiet. I felt relaxed and surprisingly not dizzy, probably because I was sitting down.
Sergio shifted me on his lap so that I was facing him. "What are you thinking?"
"I'm thinking…" I ran my hand up and down his abs. "…that I'd really like you to kiss me."
"I can do that."
"And after you kiss me at least four times, I think you should take my clothes off."
Sergio's mouth met mine. He whispered against my lips, "Consider it done."
"And…" I pressed my finger to his mouth. "…I want you to go really, really, really slow."
"Uh-huh."
"And then fast."
He laughed. "Okay."
"And then slow again."
His lips lingered over mine. "How about you just let me do what I do best?"
"And what's that?"
"Love you, of course."
CHAPTER FORTY-ONE
Sergio
I CARRIED ANDI UP TO OUR BEDROOM and silently hoped that the surprise I'd planned for her wouldn't be ruined. I'd never taken her on a honeymoon, and she was right. She deserved one.
So I brought the honeymoon to her.
I carefully opened the door and set her on her feet.
Andi covered her mouth with her hands then spoke between her fingers. "What did you do?"
"Well, someone…" I grabbed her hand and led her through the room. "…said I would have taken her to Africa." A few stuffed lions and zebras lined one side of the room. "And then she said I would take her to China." Chinese food was on the table with perfect little origami creations; chopsticks were placed across both plates.
She nodded, tears welling in her eyes.
"But she was wrong."
"What?" Andi wiped at a few spraystray tears and turned. "She was?"
"Yup." I turned her around to face the other side of the room. Her back was to me. I wrapped my arms around her and whispered, "I wouldn't have stopped at Africa or China. I would have taken her to London." A small Ferris wheel was outside, facing the window. "It's not the London Eye but… it will have to do."
Andi didn't say anything. So I walked her closer to the window and pulled the curtains. "But who stops at London?" I whispered, my ears grazing her ear, my tongue trailing the soft skin. "Especially when France is so close." A miniature version of a lit-up Eiffel tower stood next to the Ferris wheel.
"And then…" I turned her back around to face me as I pulled a small postcard out of my pocket. "…when all was said and done, I would have taken you home."
I handed her the postcard of the Kremlin.
Andi's hands shook as she took it, her eyes sad. "I've never been."
"Well, it was a bit hard to find a miniature version of the Kremlin. Believe me, I tried, so I figured a postcard would work just as well."
She frowned. "How do you figure?"
I grabbed the pen from my back pocket. "Because you can write it as if you were there and send it to whomever you want."
"But if I've never been—"
"The colors…" I twirled her around to face the window. "…I've heard are like fireworks…" I checked my watch and sighed in relief as the first blue firework went off. "…constantly changing before your very eyes." Another firework, this one green. "The building itself looks magical, almost unreal, but it's the color of the building that creates an atmosphere of pure beauty." More fireworks filled the sky above the house.
Andi covered her mouth with her hands.
"And just when you think you've stared long enough, just when you think you understand the beauty it represents…" The fireworks went crazy; it looked like hundreds of them were going off. "…it surprises you again."
"It's beautiful," she whispered in reverence.
Slowly, I let her go.
When she turned to face me, I was already on my knees.