It should be appreciated.
Vanna tried to admire it as often as she could. Thankfully, Bene just happened to be vain enough that he enjoyed her perusal. Not that she was any different in that regard.
“Also,” he murmured, kneeling to rest one of his arms along the tub and be at eye-level with her, “because you said he when you mentioned the baby. Didn’t even realize, I don’t think. But I heard it.”
Ah.
Yeah.
Vanna nibbled on her lower lip. “So, yeah, the baby is a—”
“Boy,” he finished for her, leaning in before she could even take a breath. His lips found hers in a kiss that had her burning up for entirely different reasons than just the hot water she currently rested within, and she didn’t mind a bit. There was something sinful, but also loving, about the way he kissed her in that moment.
Vanna didn’t want it to end.
Although, when he did finally pull away, it was only to dot the sweetest of kisses over her face. Down her jawline, over her cheekbones, and across her smiling lips. She never had to wonder if this man truly loved her. He showed her that he did in more than enough ways. She adored him more for it, too.
His hand found her cheek while his thumb stroked back and forth. Vanna sighed into the touch, turning her face against his palm to press a kiss there. She watched him through the thick veil of her lashes, waiting for him to say something first. It was easier when he talked; everything about this life, she found, was easier with him.
“I kind of figured it out before now,” he admitted.
“Are you happy?”
“Vanna, I was always happy. I am still happy.”
She dragged in a quick breath. “Yeah, you were. You’re right.”
Bene grinned. “But now that I know, it’s time to start filling that kid’s closet. All the brands. A whole rack full of shoes. Yes, I have many plans. I also have to call my twin. I promised I would.”
A laugh skipped from her lips.
“Call him, then,” she told him, “and don’t go crazy buying things. Everybody else will, too. We’ll have too much and that’s just a waste.”
“Not in this family.”
She knew better than to argue. The Guzzis were what they were—disgustingly wealthy just happened to be one of those things, and they did not apologize for it.
“But first,” he said, standing up and unbuckling the belt at his waist, “we celebrate, even if that means soaking for an hour in the tub with you.”
“I thought you were calling—”
“I will. After.”
“Oh, so we’re just soaking,” she prodded when he shoved his pants down.
He gave her a wink. “We’ll see.”
Right.
She knew what they were going to do just fine. The anticipation was already curling through her like a tight coil about to break. She couldn’t fucking wait. The desire for sex had come back full force now that she was smack dab in the middle of the second trimester of this pregnancy, and that was just fine with her.
“Oh,” Bene said, making quick work of undoing the buttons on his shirt, “and on Sunday, expect someone to mention we need to figure out something for a wedding, and soon.”
“You think?”
“Oh, yeah. Probably my father.”
“I’ll keep it in mind.”
Bene passed her a look. “Do you still want to?”
“Get married?”
“Yeah, babe.”
Vanna didn’t even have to think about it.
Of course she did.
“Why wouldn’t I want to marry you?”
His dark laughter echoed in the bathroom. It heated her up all over again. So did the last kiss he leaned over the tub to tease her with before deciding to finish undressing. Once he’d finally wrestled out of all of his clothes and fell into the tub with her, the water crashed over the edge of the tub. Bubbles floated with it. Even one or two of her candles that were meant to just float in the water.
She laughed at his mess.
Loved him anyway.
But that laugh of hers was quickly drowned out when he fitted in behind her and pulled her into him. She found a hold on the edge of the tub with each hand. His one hand dove up her back to tangle in her hair while he stroked his cock hard using the crack of her ass to grind against him.
She also loved that he sometimes just wanted to fuck. A lot like her. No muss, no fuss—just sex because shit was so good. He could play later. Make her sing in bed when he ate the taste of himself mixed with her right out of her cunt.
For her, he had no shame. Not in his want, or what made him hot, or how he wanted to mark her in ways that only he would ever know or see.
He treated her like a deity.
He worshipped oh, so well.
How had she gotten so lucky?
25.
Bene
“ARE you nervous?”
From her seat on the passenger side of the Lambo, Vanna flashed Bene with a brilliant smile that had him grinning right back. “No.”
“Not even a little bit?”
She shrugged. “Nope.”
Good.
That’s what he wanted.
“But,” Vanna drawled, pointedly giving the two-seater Lambo a look, “you might be nervous when you realize you’ll soon have to replace this car with something more appropriate.”
“Like what?”
“Something with a back seat, perhaps. Even better if that back seat can fit a baby’s car seat.”
Bene scowled. “How did this conversation get turned around on me?”
Vanna’s laughter followed their car right through the gate leading to his parents’ mansion. Bene really hated to admit it, but she also had a point when it came to the car he loved. Before, he might have said he loved the car more than most anything in the world, but now he knew that wasn’t the case.
As he eased up the winding driveway, he said to her, “I’m not getting rid of the Lambo—it’s my work car.”
“Work. That’s hilarious. You let the engine on this thing roar if you’re just going a block to the damn store, Bene. I’m pretty sure you got two noise violations for that last month, too. It’s more than just work for you when it comes to this car. Come on.”
He grinned.
She wasn’t wrong.
“Still,” he said when she gave him a look from the side, “it’s got just enough work done in it to get me from one side of this city to the other in half the time. You know, as long as there’s no fucking traffic in the way.”
“And there always is.”
Bene sighed. “Yeah, basically.”
Soon, they had parked in the large circular drive heading his parents’ mansion. The car stopped purring when he put it in park and cut the engine. He made a big show out of giving the interior a longing look before his gaze settled on a smirking Vanna in the passenger seat.
“You really think I’m getting rid of this car, huh?” he asked.
“Not really.”
“Good because I’m not.”
“I knew it,” she scoffed.
“But there is a new four-door Mercedes SUV on the lot right now with your name on it. We just need to go over there and sign for it. I was thinking ... after dinner with my parents?”