Chapter 33: Collapse (Brielle's POV)

"I think it's been ten minutes of us just staring at each other now," I chuckled, not removing my gaze from his. 

He didn't say anything in response and just continued staring at me. 

"Please stop, you're making me blush," I mumbled, trying not to smile as I turned my head to the window while I lay on my stomach. 

"You're blushing when I look at you, you didn't blush at all during everything we just did," he laughed. 

I turned back around to look at him while pulling the sleeves of his full-sleeve black v-neck down. The sleeves fell way past my hands now. 

"Come here," he nodded. 

I scooted closer to him, lying down on top of him, resting my chin on his chest. We were just dwelling in silence. "Isn't this the time you should say something poetic?" I whispered. 

He chuckled, twirling a strand of my hair around his finger. "You want to hear something poetic?" 

I nodded. 

"Collapse into me. Just once. I promise you'll never have to fall again." 

I blinked, staring at him. "That's really pretty. Who said that?" 

"I'm not too sure. I found it written on the back of a postcard when I was at a bookstore a long time ago. So, will you?" 

"What?" I raised my eyebrows at him. 

"Collapse into me?" 

"Are you asking me to fall in love with you?" I smiled, bringing my lips closer to his. 

He nodded in response. "Because I am. Falling in love with you." 

"Didn't I just tell you in the pool not to fall just yet?" I whispered. 

"I haven't fallen yet." 

I stared at him, smiling. 

"But I will soon. I'm afraid right now," he said as I leaned in to kiss him. 

"Of what? Kisses aren't scary," I chuckled. 

"No, they aren't. But I am afraid of falling in love with you and you not falling for me." 

I pressed a kiss to his jaw and heard him let out a strangled sigh. 

"If we kiss, I'm a goner. I can't help falling in love with you then," he replied. 

I didn't even hesitate for a second after that before I leaned down and kissed him. And right when he started getting into it again, I pulled away and rolled off of him. 

He huffed, "You're such a tease." 

"It's nearly four in the morning, we have to sleep, River." 

"I'm not tired, I want to go again," he said, sounding determined. 

"No, it's way too late and for the record, your parents wake up in two hours, in case you're forgetting. Your parents are such early risers, how do you have trouble sleeping at night?" I asked while he grabbed my waist and pulled me into him. 

"Don't change the subject," he smirked. 

"No," I laughed, shaking my head. 

"Brielle Grimaldi." 

I smiled. How could I not? "River, we had our fair share for tonight, okay. Three times is a lot." 

"Not in my book." 

I buried my face in his chest and closed my eyes. 

"Don't fall asleep." 

"I will." 

"Don't." 

"But I will." 

"Brielle, don't," he whined. 

"I'm halfway there," I lied, snuggling into him. 

"Brielle," he huffed. 

"Goodnight, we can do it tomorrow," I sang. 

"Promise?" 

"Hmm." 

"Fine," he agreed begrudgingly before putting his arms around me and finally agreeing to fall asleep. I dozed off fairly quickly after that, I don't know about him though. 

I woke up the next morning to an empty bed. I frowned, rubbing my eyes while rolling onto my back. I put my arm over my eyes and just lay there for a minute, trying not to think about last night but I'm failing miserably at that. I was so lost in my thoughts that I didn't hear the bathroom door opening and didn't realize that River was out until he climbed on top of me. I pulled my arm down, blinking in surprise. "Hi," I chuckled. 

"What were you thinking about?" he smirked, leaning down to kiss my neck. 

"Last night," I answered honestly, realizing that his hair was damp and he was only wearing a pair of black trousers. 

"If I remember correctly, you made me a promise before we went to bed, my love." 

"What about breakfast?" I lifted a brow at him, trying not to think about the way he was already raising the bottom of the shirt until it sat at my ribs. 

"Are you hungry?" he asked. 

"Not really." 

"Then forget about breakfast." 

"Okay, but let me freshen up," I laughed, pulling his hands away. 

He sighed and rolled his eyes before climbing off and patiently sitting on his side of the bed. 

I went into the bathroom, closing the door behind me. I did my business, washed my face, brushed my teeth, and put my hair up in a high ponytail, not bothering to brush it through. I looked at my clothes and realized that I only had on his shirt and underwear, nothing else. I opened the door and went back out, getting surprised with kisses as soon as I stepped out. 

He was standing right there, waiting. 

"Whoa, hi there," I mumbled against his lips, smiling softly. 

He walked forward and then made me sit on the countertop while he ravished me with kisses. 

"River!" 

He groaned, "Oh God!" He kicked the bathroom door shut just as the bedroom door opened. 

"River!" 

"Why is it always my mom?" he frowned. 

"River!" she yelled, knocking on the door a bunch of times. 

"Yes?" he called out while I put my arms around his neck, kissing his jaw and then trailing kisses down his neck. He held onto the counter tighter. 

"Are you coming for breakfast or not? Where's Brielle?" 

"She's in here with me!" 

I chuckled against his skin, feeling his pulse flutter under my kisses. 

"Why is she— Oh! Okay then, bye!" 

"This is why I always wanted to move out after getting married," he scoffed. 

"Come on, she couldn't have known," I laughed, pulling back to look at him. 

He leaned down and kissed me again while I trailed a hand down his chest and abs. He went down my neck and he found the sweet spot he always pays extra attention to while bunching the t-shirt in his hands. 

"On second thought, maybe I am hungry," I smirked, taking my hands off of him. 

"No," he chuckled, pulling back to look at me. "You don't get to play that game now. You've already got yourself waist-deep in the water. You're in trouble, Ms. Willow," he smirked. 

"Oh?" I grinned, lifting my brows at him. 

"Oh," he nodded, leaning in to kiss me again. 

"River!" 

"I'm going to kill somebody," he said, sounding very serious. 

"It must be important, just ask." 

"Yes, dad?" 

"The phone in your study has been ringing for nearly thirty minutes. I think you should answer it. Before I break it. Who the hell keeps calling you?" his dad huffed. 

"I'll be right there," he replied. I watched him while he let out a ragged breath. "Pull some pants on and come with me." 

"To your study? Aren't you going to work?" 

"You come before work," he said while kissing my cheek. "Literally," he winked. 

I laughed, pushing him away and hopping off the counter. I walked to the closet and pulled on a pair of sweatpants while he grabbed a shirt. I pulled on my slippers and followed him downstairs and into his study. 

The phone was still ringing. He pressed a button on it, putting it on speaker. "Hello?" 

"I've been calling for the past thirty minutes, Mr. Grimaldi, where have you been?" a man huffed from the other end of the line. 

"I'm a newlywed, I've been busy, Jack. What is it?" 

"They're refusing to increase the size of the hospital. You wanted to add another floor, they're not agreeing to it." 

"Why not?" he asked while grabbing my waist and hoisting me onto the table. 

"They're asking to up the price by another hundred grand." 

"Then up the prince by another hundred grand." 

"If we put all the money to the hospital, we won't have much for anything else," the guy huffed. 

"If we build everything but people can't get treated, it'll all be for nothing. And there is more than enough money in the account. Unless you stole some," he smirked, pulled my hips forward, driving me to the edge of the desk. 

"What? Why would I steal your money?" 

"Exactly my point, Jack." 

I chuckled, realizing the guy on the other end sounded very nervous. 

"You know what would happen if you tried, right? Not only would you be fired but you'll probably never be hired anywhere else either. And all your money would end up in my hands." 

I raised my brows at him, surprised at how intimidating he sounded and he wasn't even talking to me. He threw his shirt off, dropping it on the chair before grabbing mine and tearing that off too. "Up the price and make sure they start working on the building. Goodbye, Jack." He ended the call and then turned to me, kissing me quickly. 

I pushed him off and grabbed my shirt, pulling it back on. 

He frowned. 

"You forgot to bring a condom down here," I smirked. 

He whined, hugging me slowly. 

I chuckled, scratching his back with one hand, drawing lazy patterns. "Maybe later." 

"Fine," he agreed. "Let me take you for a drive today." 

I nodded, "Sure." 

"Okay. Let's go eat and then get ready. Then we'll head out." He pecked my lips and then pulled his shirt back on. Then we went for breakfast.

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Chapter 33

next chapter: drive