He eventually sank down into the second rocking chair beside Theresa’s, while continuing to soothe the baby. Lily’s wailing eventually decreased down to a few sad sniffles before she dropped back to sleep. Theresa looked over and smiled when she realised that Sandro had fallen asleep too. Lily was firmly anchored to his chest and held in place with a broad hand on her tiny back.
She looked from the man to the infant and smiled at the similarities between them. Lily had his mouth and something about the set of her brow was one hundred per cent Sandro. Theresa got up quietly and went over to pick the baby up. Sandro’s brow furrowed when she tried to move his hand and instead tightened his grip slightly.
“Sandro,” she whispered. “Let me put her to bed.” His eyes fluttered open and he smiled when he saw her leaning over him.
“Theresa,” he murmured and in that unguarded moment, Theresa saw a depth of emotion in his liquid brown eyes that she couldn’t quite fathom. She blinked and in that split second he came fully awake and his eyes shifted back to neutral and slightly distant. Theresa wasn’t sure if she’d imagined the intensity of the emotion or not. He relinquished his hold on Lily and ducked his head to drop a loving kiss on top of her downy soft black hair.
Theresa was aware of him getting up and following her to the crib. He stood directly behind her and watched over her shoulder as she put the infant to bed. Theresa was intensely aware of him and of the fact that all that stood between them and total nudity was her nightgown and his boxers.
“She has your nose,” he whispered into her ear and she jumped, surprised and disturbed to feel his hot breath on her skin.
“Do you think so?” She asked casually. “I can’t tell.”
“It’s an unmistakable nose…” his hand came to rest on her shoulder and she tensed at the feeling of his warm hand on her bare skin. Her breathing went shallow. His hand swept down her shoulder in a gesture that couldn’t be mistaken for anything other than a caress and shackled her upper arm loosely, he brought his other hand up to grip her free arm in a similar fashion. He gently dragged her back until she was leaning against his hot, hard chest and he released his grip with a rumble of satisfaction. His strong arms encircled her waist and he simply held her as they both watched their sleeping baby.
The tension eventually left her body as she allowed herself to relax against him and tilt her head back to rest against his shoulder.
“Look at what we did,” he murmured into her ear, his low voice brimming with love and pride. “She’s perfect.” Theresa smiled at the awe she heard in his voice.
“It’s been said that any fool can make a baby,” she teased and he snorted.
“Yeah but have any of them made a baby as absolutely perfect as this one?” Theresa looked down at the sleeping baby, with her wrinkled face and the slight milk rash that pinkened her cheeks and her patches of soft spiky hair. She looked like a wrinkly, grumpy little old lady… but she was their wrinkly, grumpy little old lady and she was adorable.
“No… I don’t think any of them has,” she concurred smugly.
“Theresa…” his voice took on a serious tone and she tensed again. “I just… I wanted…” he seemed at a loss for words and Theresa frowned wondering if they would finally have that promised conversation. It had been more than a month since Lily’s birth and they hadn’t yet discussed his claim that he’d hoped for a girl.
“Thank you,” he finally said and she turned slightly to look up into his face, visibly surprised by his words.
“For what?” She asked in confusion.
“For giving me everything I never knew I wanted,” he said after a long pause. His voice was thick with emotion and he met her eyes directly. His own gaze was burning with intensity as he willed her to believe him.
“What have I given you, Sandro?” She asked turning fully in his arms.
“A life,” the two words frustrated her because they told her nothing. She was about to ask him to elaborate, when more words came tumbling out. “Happiness, contentment and a beautiful daughter…”
“And are happiness and contentment all you ever wanted from life?” She asked after giving his words some thought. He smiled slightly.
“No… I want more than that. But it’s a good start.”
“What else do you want?” She asked curiously.
“You.” No hesitation.
“You have me.”
“No, I don’t. Not the way you were before, when we first married… before I stupidly proceeded to trample your heart and ego into ground.”
“I’ve changed since then, grown up. I won’t ever be the same woman I was back then.”
“Yes, you haven’t changed in fantastic ways but you’ve just become more guarded. And I don’t blame you, I really don’t. But I want you to trust me again.”
“I do,” she whispered.
“No, I want you to trust me with your heart, Theresa. I want you to allow yourself to love me again. I won’t hurt you.”
“Why should I trust you that way again, Sandro?” She asked on a whisper and he smiled, before cupping her face and staring levelly into her eyes.
“Because I love you, Theresa.” The words staggered her. She should have expected them, should have known he would say them… but for some reason she hadn’t and now had no idea how to deal with them or how to process them or worse, how to believe them.
He smiled bitter sweetly.