Boss (Chianti Kisses #2) by Tara Oakes Read Free Book Online Page A

fumble through my medicine cabinet for the small pastel container of my birth control pills. Once found, I close the mirrored cabinet door and catch Dom’s eyes watching my actions.
    I pause.
    This has been a topic of contention for us the past few days.
    “Are you going to take one?” he asks, his voice light and forceably nonchalant. He’s trying his best to act indifferent to it.
    I hold the cold plastic in my hand, part of me wanting to just continue with the motions, just as I have every night for the past year or so. Part of me wants to just take the plunge and make my husband happy. Not that I wouldn’t be happy. But, I’m a lot younger than him. I don't know if I’m ready for all the things he wants, right now.
    I bow my head, unable to look at him as I disappoint him once again. “I think so.”
    He leans forward, kissing the back of my head. “I’ll be downstairs.”
    I close my eyes as his body leaves mine so that he doesn’t have to witness me killing his dream yet again. I hear the bedroom door close with an echoed hollowness. Opening my eyes, I stare at the package in my hands. My fingers blindly maneuver to open it and push the bubbled wrapping to free one of the microscopic pills from the plastic encasement. It drops into my palm and sits there, weighing as heavy as a stone.
    Who knew such a small decision could have such big repercussions? I exhale my frustrations. If this was just left to me, a decision solely in my hands, I probably would have put it on the back burner. But I can’t fool myself into thinking that this only affects me. This marriage is a partnership, a two-way street.
    My mind isn’t made up either way, and knowing that, I put off taking my pill for a few moments, knowing that I won’t be able to undo it. I throw a pair of purple fuzzy pants on, with matching fuzzy socks and a little white t-shirt.
    I carefully pick up the pill, as delicately as a ticking time bomb, and move to join my husband downstairs. I see the light washing out from the kitchen, and I hear the telltale signs of some type of cooking from that direction.
    I laugh to myself. I know I can barely cook, but Dom’s skills are far more limited than my own. There’s a good chance we’ll be ordering a pizza tonight.
    Almost all of the contents of the refrigerator are displayed on the countertops, as he steps back and assesses his inventory. I clear my voice loud enough for him to turn.
    He shrugs his shoulders, smiling, “How about grilled cheese and soup?”
    “I think we can manage that.” I move to assist him but he blocks my path.
    “Sit your booty down. I’ll be your chef tonight, my lady.”
    I hold my hands up in surrender and take a seat at the kitchen island. “Should we call down to the guest house to see if Carmine wants something to eat?”
    Dom multitasks our conversation with turning on the stove. “I saw him practically making love to a sub from Downtown Deli when I came home. I think he’s fine.”
    I laugh. Downtown has the best sandwiches, hands down. “As long as it wasn’t Theresa he was practically making love to….”
    Dom turns to me, spatula in hand. “That’s not funny.”
    I nod my head up and down, “Yes… it is.”
    His neck begins to flush at the thought of his sister with a man. Its kind of fun to make him squirm. He begins to take out his frustrations on the food items at his disposal.
    Once the sandwiches are complete, he pours a large jar of soup into a pot set to boil. Covering the pot, he takes advantage of the moment of reprieve from cooking duties to keep me company.
    This is good a time as any. I’m just winging it here. I have no freaking clue what I’m doing. I cautiously set down the small colored pill on the marbled surface between us. Once my fingers are free of the burden, I sit back, and my eyes raise to his.
    He watches me very carefully. “Is that what I think it is?”
    I take a deep breath, “Mmm hmm.”
    He squints his eyes at the medication, not