Cheri woke feeling refreshed and other than the aching in her back and her sore throat, she felt fine. She'd noticed that Alessio had already gotten up and he was probably at work.
Picking out her torn white skinny jeans, grey tank shirt and black Chuck Taylor high tops, she laid those on their bed, grabbing her under things she headed for the shower.
She needed to talk to Alessio about her doctor's appointment because it was time. Every three months like clockwork she would get a shot, they were easier than remembering a pill.
She also had made a consultation appointment with the specialist Dr. Timmons told her about for her throat. Deep down she was scared to death. What if her voice never returned to the way it was?
Sighing, she tried remembering what her mom always said, don't worry about something until you absolutely had to. "You never steered me wrong, mom" she said to herself softly.
Getting her teeth brushed, Cheri stepped under the soothing spray of the shower, letting it run down the back of her body.
Bracing her hands against the shower wall, Cheri's mind continued wondering about everything under the sun.
Her, her and Alessio, Mas and Cassidy and finally her bastard of a father. She was so glad she hadn't let her guard down, she lived with the man for Christ's sake and when you're that evil, you never change.
Cheri could always tell when Alessio was near, she couldn't explain it, she just felt him.
"Hey baby" she mumbled. He chuckled as she looked towards where his voice came from. "What?" she questioned. "How do you always know it's me?" he asked.
Turning the water off and opening the shower door, Cheri grabbed her towel and stepped out, wet and delectable looking.
"I feel you" she said simply. She loved when his eyes swept over her body, like he couldn't get enough of her.
It was her turn to look him over. He'd been to the gym and baby he looked good! Black gym shorts, black tank shirt and black and white Pumas, and Jesus, sweaty to boot.
She loved how his hair clung to his forehead when wet. Cheri didn't bother drying off, she just made her way to him and stood in front of him.
His biceps were enormous from his work out and so was his chest, Lord he was sin on legs and he belonged to her.
"You just gonna stand there all day, baby?" he smirked. "Hmm, I don't know yet. I'm really liking what I see" she loved flirting with him.
"No work today?" she asked. Alessio shook his head no. "After what happened with you and Mas, today I'm strictly yours" he promised.
Pressing her body to his and taking his hands in hers, she said "I love the sound of that." Lowering his mouth to hers, he hesitated long enough for a sign from her.
Lightly licking her lips, Cheri gently tugged on his hands, it was her okay for him to kiss her. He tasted of Gatorade and sweat, he was a man's man and even if she couldn't voice it again, just yet, she loved him.
Pulling away from his moist lips, she said "I'll let you shower." Bestowing one more kiss, Alessio gently swatted her naked behind.
"Castellano" she could hear him laughing on his way to the closet. Shaking her head, she pulled on her lacy white thong and matching bra, then dried her hair and applied her makeup.
"Lord the view from here" he said licking his lips as he watched her bend over the counter while working on her mascara.
"I have a couple of doctor appointments this morning, wanna come with?" Cheri asked. He looked puzzled as she cleared up his questions.
"I take my birth control shot every three months, on the 20th and then I called that throat specialist Dr. Timmons told us about. He is fitting me in" Cheri explained.
"When's your first appointment?" he asked, stepping into the shower. "Hour and a half" she answered from the bedroom.
Cheri slipped on her socks, pulled on her jeans and sat on the edge of the bed and put her Chuck's on, then her tank shirt.
Returning to the bathroom, she put one more coat of mascara on and her tinted lip balm, waiting for an answer from Alessio.
"I'll go with on one condition" he said. "Oh?" Cheri replied. "And what condition is that?" she asked. "Let me take you to lunch" was his answer.
Before she could respond, all she heard was "Damn baby! Look at that ass!" She just rolled her eyes at him through the mirror while he wiggled his eyebrows.
"Oh good Lord!" she laughed. The next thing she knew, he popped her ass with his towel! "Hey! You brat!" she yelled, chasing him into their bedroom.
He tried his best to get away from her when she grabbed his arm and they tumbled onto the bed, all evidence of joking aside now.
"You're amazing" Alessio commented as he stroked her hair. Cheri wrapped her legs around his waist, bringing him closer to her body.
"Really?" she asked softly as she gazed into his eyes. He nodded and said "Most definitely. You're amazing, beautiful, good, kind, I could just go on all day."
She blushed from his praises and then he said something that shocked her to her core. "Please don't give up on me and please don't let my ass-like behavior stop you from telling me again."
His words sent spikes through her heart. "When you're ready, not before" he told her, then he said "I really want to kiss you right now."
"I really think I would like it if you did" she said. Tracing her lips with his finger, he told her once more how gorgeous her mouth was, brought his lips to hers and kissed her, gently and sweetly as if he thought she might break.
"Alessio, you mean the world to me and I need and want you in my life. I can't give up on you because if I did that would mean I'm giving up on me and I'm not prepared to do that" her words were just what he needed.
After her declaration, he had to have her lips one more time, to taste them and to feel them on his.
They lost all track of time getting lost in one another, but it was worth it. For both of them.
"I guess we should be leaving now" Alessio said as Cheri kissed his chest. "Yeah I guess we should" sounding disinterested in the prospect of leaving their bed.
She sighed when Alessio rolled off her and stood up, naked as he was the day of his birth and fully erect.
"Sorry about that" Cheri said blushing. "Oh you aren't getting off the hook that easy" his wolfish grin said it all.
She giggled and promised she would take care of him later tonight. "I'm holding you to it" he said as he disappeared into the bathroom.
She would be taking care of him and her, this evening, after the sun went down. Sighing, she got up and straightened herself up, smiling at what had just transpired. "I'm definitely not giving up on you, Castellano. Not by a long shot" Cheri said to herself smiling.