Because Of Love

Talia turned to the sounds of Carrie’s loud giggles. “What’s so funny, and what took you so long in the bathroom?”

She blew out a breath and fanned her face. “If I was white, my face would be red right now, from both envy and arousal.”

Talia chuckled. The two of them made such a pair. A wanton and a prude, best of friends for the last seven years. They had been roommates once upon a time, and more often than not, Talia had to nap with a pillow over her head on the couch while Carrie entertained. Then after, she would have her date of the night carry Talia back to the room to her bed. The first time Talia woke up in her bed with no recollection of how she got there, Carrie told her. So before she napped on the couch, she would always change into her pajamas completely prepared for bed.

“What is it?”

Carrie fell onto the couch and Talia had to draw her knees up as far as her belly would allow to avoid being sat on.

“Did you know sound travels through these floors?” she asked with a wistful sigh and a Cheshire cat smile.Property © NôvelDrama.Org.

Talia shook her head. “No, I did not, but I am sure you are about to tell me all about it.”

“Do you think the guy downstairs is single? I hope so, because I just heard a woman come so loud I almost lost it myself!”

Talia scrunched up her face. “Eww, Carrie! This whole time you were listening to them have sex?”

She sighed wistfully again. “That wasn’t sex Talia. That was-I wouldn’t be surprised if she was lying dead in the shower from blissful pleasure.”

Talia tossed her head back and laughed. “Oh, Carrie!”

“I need to find myself an Italian boyfriend. Is it really that earth shattering?”

Talia sobered at her question. She remembered how close to a heavenly death she’d felt after each encounter with Rafe. He made her body bend in ways she never thought possible. She discovered muscles she never knew she had. But the best part was he confirmed her theory. You can never just make love to the body but also to the soul.

He touched her soul each time he made love to her and she reveled in each experience. As he held her tightly in his arms and whispered Italian words of love in her ear, against her lips and everywhere else his lips touched.

“Yes, Carrie. But earth shattering doesn’t even begin to describe it,” Talia whispered, her heart breaking all over again.

“Oh, Talia-” Before she could say anything else, the door swung open and a woman stood at the doorway.

Her hair was wet and her cheeks were flushed. It only took a moment for Talia to recognize her.

“Gabriella, what are you doing here?”

Gabriella smiled condescendingly at her. “Ah, so the prostituta knows my name?”

Carrie leaped off the couch, ready to defend her. “Hey!”

Talia grabbed her hand. “It’s okay, Carrie,” and then she turned to Gabriella, “If you are looking for Rafe, he isn’t here.”

She threw her hand dismissively behind her back as she walked into the room. “I know. He lives in his other condo, right below this one.”

Carrie gasped and turned to look down at Talia.

Talia was glad she was still sitting down. There was no way her legs would support her after that announcement. Her chest was tightening and she could already feel an attack coming on.

Gabriella’s smile grew into a sadistic grin. “Ah, so you heard my fiancé make crazy love to me? He is very talented is he not? I can still feel his large dick inside me giving me pleasure, magnifico,” she said with a sigh.

No, a purr like a gratified cat with sharp claws scratching Talia’s heart like it would a bed post.

Talia pulled air into her lungs with a wheeze.

“Okay, you said what you came to say now leave!” Carrie demanded, stepping in front of Talia to hide her from Gabriella’s sight. Talia was grateful. She’d hate to show Gabriella how much she’d affected her.

“Just one more thing. You can try to seduce him. I do not care if he takes you to bed or not. But I do promise you, if you insist on pushing your bastard on Rafael, once it’s born, I will make sure you never see it again. Arrivederci, Talia.”

Talia’s chest grew heavier and breathing became impossible. On top of losing Rafe to that witch, she could also lose her baby? No!

“Breathe, Talia, one breath at a time!” Carrie’s yell was accompanied by the opening and slamming of doors and drawers. “Damn it! Where the hell is your inhaler?”

Talia wanted to tell her that it was under her pillow but she couldn’t breathe. Her vision was already filling with black spots and her chest hurt. Oh God, my babies!

Tears ran down her cheeks as her wheezing got heavier and louder. She pushed herself onto the floor and crawled to her purse that was sitting against the seat on the opposite side of the room.

“Your purse! Of course your purse!” Carrie exclaimed with a little relief as she rushed for it, dropping to her knees and rummaging through her purse. She then suddenly turned it upside down and poured everything in it onto the floor, “No, no, no, no! It’s not here, Talia, and the other is not under your pillow! Oh God, what do I do!”

Talia sunk to the ground on her side one hand weakly cradling her belly, her body exhausted from the lack of oxygen.

“Ra…fe!” she managed between whizzes.

“Rafe? Oh yeah, he carries an inhaler around for emergencies. But what if he threw it away?”

Talia could hardly hear Carrie’s frightened rambling but she distinctly heard the door open and close. She fought not to pass out as she prayed for Rafe to still have her inhaler.

The door opened again and she felt a hand dig under her then easily pull her up into a sitting position. Her back leaned against something hard and her head was tilted right back by a large hand. Then she felt something being pushed between her lips before the bitterness flooded her mouth. There were two more puffs and tears flooded her eyes, spilling out to run down her temples. She had never been so relieved in her life.

Carrie was on the floor in front of her, tears running unchecked down her cheeks, her hands clasping Talia’s legs tight. Poor Carrie. Seeing Talia like this always scared her and Talia always tried to avoid it. Her poor friend.

It only took a few seconds before she could easily draw in a breath between harsh wheezes. Rafe soothed her, whispering reassuring words in her ear. After a few more seconds, she could feel the numbness in her limbs fade and that’s when she felt Rafe’s hand clasped tightly around her own. She knew in a few seconds she would feel the pain from the tight grip, but she didn’t care. He was here and he still had her inhaler. That meant something, though she wasn’t sure what.

The wheezing stopped and she drew in deeper breaths. Rafe released her chin and his hand fell to lie on her belly. That made her want to cry again and that would only bring on another attack. She fought to control her emotions while pacing her breathing as she watched his hand on her belly.

His actions confused her even more. How was it possible the man who’d just saved her was the same one who hurt her? It didn’t make sense.