"WHY did you decide to buy this?"
I looked at Gideon who was behind me. His arms were snaked around my waist, his head resting on my shoulder blades.
Last night, we made love together for the first time.
Yes. For the first time. I knew that everything that had happened to us before was far from lovemaking.
But last night, it was different. He was able to replace all my past experiences with him with a good one.
Gideon made love to me with such gentleness.
"Sweetheart…" Gideon whispered while his lips were making their way to my ears. I let out a soft moan escape my lips when I felt his teeth graze the shell of my ear.
His warm breath sent shivers down my spine. This feeling was strange to me. This was the first time I'd felt this with Gideon.
Everything was new to me. The way he kissed me. The way he touched me. The way he explored every skin in my body.
Gideon was doing it with so much gentleness. With so much care.
"God. You're so fucking sweet," he murmured as his lips went down to my neck. I felt him showering soft kisses on my collarbone. I could feel him inhaling my scent.
Then I felt him breathe on the hollow of my neck. His warm breath was enough to send my body on fire.
"Baby…" he breathed in and looked me in the eye. His eyes were dark and hooded. His cheeks flushed. His lips were swollen and moist. "I might not be able to stop if we move in further…"
I met his eyes. "I…I don't want you to stop, Gideon." I whispered in an unfamiliar voice. I felt like my voice was close to begging.
I swallowed. I wanted his kisses. I wanted him to continue touching me. I wanted him all over me. I felt I was close to going crazy if he ever stopped what he was doing to me.
"Please, just continue," I begged him in a desperate voice. "I want to do this with you."
His lips claimed mine. He kissed me passionately while his hands roamed around my body. His hands moved to my back. The next thing I knew, my bra was already unclasped and my dress was already falling off my body.
"Gideon…" I moaned, my hand tightly gripping his hair.
His lips left mine, then they traveled south again… he showered wet kisses on my neck before his lips moved down to my chest.
"You're making me crazy, Bianca."
I moaned louder when I felt his lips on my breast. His warm tongue licked one of my twin peaks. I shuddered.
"Gideon…please. Please, I need you…"
Gideon stopped what he was doing and looked at me. His eyes full of unadulterated lust. His lips red and swollen. His neck red from the way my hand gripped him.
"Are you asking me to make love with you, sweetheart?" His voice was husky, making me more aroused.
"I said I'll only take you if you asked for it, Bianca. So please, tell me if you want it."
I licked my lower lip as I captured his lips. "I want you, Gideon," I said in between our kisses. "I want you so bad, my husband. Please, take me."
"Hmm. I think winery is a good business." Gideon said behind me.
I pursed my lips. "Wow, you're still thinking of expanding your business as if Gideon Corporation isn't already successful enough."
He chuckled. I felt his warm breath on my skin.
"Well, the truth is, I fell in love with this place the first time I saw it. I immediately thought of you. I believed you would like this place."
"Really? You bought this place because you think I'd like it?"
I removed his hand from my waist and faced him.
Gideon smiled. "Well, my plan is to have this renovated and developed first before I bring you here." He pursed his lips. "But you're already here… so I guess I have to think of something else to give you on your birthday."
My lips parted. "How did you know my birthday?"
I was born on April 8th. That was two months from now.
He raised his brows. "Of course, I know it. You're my husband, Bianca."
"Oh, come on, don't give me that answer. You can't possibly know it unless someone told you."
He chuckled. Then he licked his lower lip. "Alright. I asked Helen."
I pursed my lips. Of course. Who else? I wondered what else they had talked about that day.
"Really? You're going to give this whole place to me on my birthday?"
"Yeah. You don't like it?"
I looked at him, my eyes bewildered. "This is too much, Gideon."
He lovingly tucked my hair behind my hair. "No gift is too much when it comes to you."
I felt like something warm touched my heart. Butterflies were circling around my stomach.
I pursed my lips. "What if… I decided to divorce you?" I raised my brow. "Are you still going to give me this?"
"It was already yours, Bianca." He smiled. "I asked my lawyer to put your name on the papers, sweetheart."
My mouth dropped open.
He only chuckled. "Why do you look so shocked? You're my wife, Bianca. It's normal to name my properties under you." He raised a brow. "But did you like it here?"
I nodded. "Yeah. This place is breathtaking, Gideon."
"I'm glad you like it."
He cupped my face and gave me a sweet kiss.
"Hmm, aren't we going back to LA yet, Gideon?" I asked after we shared another lingering kiss.
It was already nine in the morning. Gideon called his driver. I heard him telling Arthur not to fetch him today.
"Let's stay here for a while, sweetheart," he said, smiling. "I want to stay here with you… Let's explore the vineyard later."
I pursed my lips. "What about your work?"
He raised his brows at me. "Have you forgotten? I'm the CEO of the company."
I playfully rolled my eyes at him. "Shut up. You have responsibilities, Gideon. You have to help your father run the company."
He chuckled as he rested his head on the hollow of my neck. "Hmm… we'll go back on the next day. Anyway, Charlie's already back. Have you two talked? He asked me about your workplace."
I stiffened when I heard Charlie's name. "Y-yeah. Charlie visited me in the store the other day."
There were still important things that I hadn't told Gideon about. And I don't plan on telling him.
It was better this way. Telling Gideon about everything about our past would surely hurt him.
"How about you?" I cleared my throat. "Did you talk to him?"
"Yeah," he said. "I already talked to Charlie. I apologized to him."
"Hmm… what did he say?" I asked, trying to be casual.
"He said he appreciated my apology… but he said he couldn't forgive me yet."
I fell silent.
Charlie was obviously upset and disappointed in me after our talk the other day. I hurt him.
But I had no choice but to be honest with him.
"I was really bad to him, wasn't I?"
"Don't worry, Gideon," I whispered, trying to comfort him. "I believe that time heals all wounds. He'll be able to forgive you someday."
And I hope that for myself, too.
I just hoped that someday, Charlie would be able to forgive me for hurting him and for keeping the truth to him.