Fever

I hurried down the hall with a bowl of ice water and a cloth to Dino Cavallone's room. I was told he had a fever and he requested that he be tended to. What puzzled me was why it had to be me. Not that I really minded. I've had a crush on Dino ever since I became a member of his family. Why hadn't he asked one of his many male subordinates to tend to him, though? I was the only female who had immediate contact with the mafia boss in the family. Everyone else was male.

I worried about entering an older man's room, mafia boss or not, unaccompanied.

I, finally, reached the room and knocked three times on the door. "Come in," I heard come from the other side of the door. I walked in to a large bedroom with a king size four poster bed up against the wall. In the middle of it lie Dino.

"Hey," he said with a smile as I approached the bed.

My heart pounded when I realized he looked just fine. Oh, crap. "One of your subordinates told me you had a fever," I said, placing the bowl on the bedside table.

"I wasn't feeling well earlier so I asked Romario to take my temperature. I had a mild fever so I decided to lie in bed for a while. But I feel better now," he said.

He sat up, revealing he had no shirt on. I couldn't help but notice his bare chest, his muscles, and the tattoos that ran down his left arm. That didn't help lower my heart rate. He caught me staring. I looked away and blushed.

"Well, if you're ok, then, I guess, I should leave and tell everyone you're ok," I said, picking up the bowl.

"No, wait! Please, stay," he said.

I reluctantly put the bowl back on the table.

"Sit down," he said, motioning to the bed.

I sat down on the edge of the bed.

"That's better," he said with a laugh, "But you're too far. Come closer," he said patting the bed.

My heart felt like it might explode out of my chest any minute. I inched up the bed until I was only two feet away from him. I dared not go any further.

He frowned and moved closer to me. "There," he said, "So, how are you today?"

"I'm fine," I managed to say.

"That's good," he said. He looked at the lacy silk dress I was wearing that resembled lingerie more than an actual dress, courtesy of Romario. "You look beautiful," he said, caressing my arm. It left a tingling trail.

"Thank you," I said, turning another shade of pink.

He laughed. "I think you need the ice water more than I do."

"No, I'm fine," I said.

I eyed his tattoos, absentmindedly. I fingered the tattoo on the back of his hand, oblivious to Dino's gaze. I moved up his forearm, fingering each pattern. I reached the orange tattoo with a C on his upper arm. I leaned down and kissed it. Then, I fingered the tattoo on his neck and back. I don't know what came over me or why I was doing this.

Suddenly, I realized my body had moved on its own. I had ended up right next to him. He seized my chin and his lips met mine. My hands wandered down to his chest, feeling the tout muscle underneath my fingertips. His hand encircled my back and he positioned me on top of him.

His hands ran up my dress, slipping it off as he went. I moaned against my will. He pulled off the covers next to him. He placed me on the bed, settling on top of me with the covers over him. I immediately felt a weight, hot and heavy, against me that wasn't my own. He was not wearing anything the entire time I realized.

His lips found my neck and gently pulled on the skin. I let out a moan of pleasure. I wrapped my arms around his neck and ran my fingers through his silky blond hair. His lips found mine again. His hands roamed all over my body as I left a trail down his back with my fingers. I felt his muscles shudder at the sensation. He groaned his contentment.

"There's something I want to tell you," he said.

"What?"

"You are the only girl here for a reason. I want you to be my bride," he said, "So will you do me the honor of becoming my wife?"

"Yes, of course," I said.

"I love you."

*Later*

"Is the boss alright?" asked Romario as I headed for the kitchen with the bowl of ice water after leaving Dino's room.

"Yes, he is," I said.

His eyes darted to my neck. "Uh, miss," he started, embarrassed, "there's something on your neck."

My eyes grew wide and a hand flew to my neck, "oh, no."

I placed the bowl down on the nearest table and flew to the closest mirror. There, on my neck, sat a big red hickey.