“You have more than one?” I tease her, and she smiles like we share a secret. Because, yes, my family also has more than one kitchen. We’re both from prominent families, and we have far more wealth than any of us will ever need.
Weaving through the house, we finally make it to the kitchen where they’re preparing everything for the reception. I know once we are announced and we go outside, there’s not going to be any time for either of us to eat.
I also want some alone time.
“Possiamo?” May we?
Almost every head in the kitchen turns toward us as I ask, but one woman begins to fill a large plate filled with a few of each thing. This is the first time Aurora leaves my side, breaking her grip on some part of me, and before she can get far, I sling my arm around her, holding her close to me.
The woman that has filled the plate smiles as she makes her way around us, ushering us back through the kitchen and into a small room adjacent. She sits the plate down on a small table and claps her hands together.
“Grazie,” I thank her, moving to hold the chair out for Aurora.
“Buon appetito,” she says and leaves us alone in the room.
The air gets thick with silence the moment she leaves us alone. Aurora stares at the plate of food, and after a moment, I can hear her stomach growl. She looks mortified, but I can’t help but laugh.
“I figured you’d have had a long day and you may be hungry. I know I am,” I tell her. “And the moment we get announced and walk into that reception, we won’t be left alone for long enough to have anything to eat. Eat up, piccola luna.”
“Why do you call me that?” she asks as she takes a bite of chicken. “Little moon,” she mocks. “Because I am pale?”
Her eyes are downcast, so I can’t see the look in them, but I can tell by her tone of voice that she thinks I’m insulting her. I hate that I’ve made her feel like this. It was never my intention to hurt her feelings.
I touch her hand that’s resting on the table to get her attention. When she looks up at me, her eyes have that same guarded stare in them I saw at the altar. I rub my thumb over her knuckles.
“Because you glow, Aurora.” Her eyes widen slightly, giving me just enough of a reaction to know that she’s pleased. “You radiate. You take my breath away.”
I put as much feeling into my eyes as I can. I want to convince her that I mean what I say. I don’t ever want her to think I’m mocking her or that there’s any chance whatsoever that I could find her odd-looking. The notion is laughable.
After a moment of looking me over, she must believe me. She gives me a small grunt and a smile, going back to her food.
“Okay, then, Oscuro,” she mumbles, a small dimple appearing on her left cheek. “I will be your piccola luna.”
“Dark one?” I ask.
“You are very tan,” she says, and I laugh at her unimaginative pet name for me. At least she’s speaking more than one sentence at a time now. “Eat,” she interrupts. “My family will come looking for us soon, and they won’t be happy that we took so long to ourselves.”
I dig in, taking an exaggerated bite, and wink at her as she rolls her eyes and tries not to smile too widely.
CHAPTER THREE
I’m being punished. I don’t know what I did to deserve this, but this evening celebration is dragging on and on. My wife is a pro, smiling, chatting, and laughing with everyone who even looks in our direction.
But my mind is on one thing and one thing only—spending more alone time with her. My cock aches with anticipation, and it’s probably the reason why I can’t focus on anything but her. Her friends catch me staring multiple times, and they think they’re being quiet when they talk about me. But I hear every whispered word in Italian.
He’s so handsome.
Look at his muscles!
He keeps staring at you, Aurora.
He likes what he sees.
I bet he’s big.
That last one makes me choke on the mouthful of champagne I was trying to swallow. I cover my mouth with my fist and try not to laugh. Aurora is burned red with her embarrassment.
“He can understand Italian,” she tells her friend in a stern voice. “And you are speaking loudly enough for the entire room to hear you!”
“It’s okay,” I whisper to her, pulling her chair over to mine until it bumps and our thighs are touching. I brush her hair off her shoulder and run the tips of my fingers down the back of her neck. “You’ve been too far away from me all evening,” I tell her, leaning in so that my lips are barely brushing her ear.
Her entire body freezes. I think every single muscle has locked up. And when I pull back, I smile when her wide violet eyes meet mine.
A loud clanging breaks out across the entire room. We both break eye contact and look out across the sea of people. Her father, who is sitting a table away from ours, is standing, smacking his fork against his wineglass. I’m surprised the delicate thing doesn’t shatter into a hundred pieces.
“I think it is time,” he announces to the room as a hush falls over everyone. “Immediate family of the bride and groom, please stand as we all escort them to their honeymoon suite!”
I groan just loud enough for me and Aurora to hear. I wanted this evening to be over with, but I wasn’t looking forward to having this spectacle made of our marriage bed.
“Let’s get this over with, sweet girl,” I tell her, standing and offering her my hand. Her cheeks are still flaming red, and I’m sure her father’s announcement didn’t help things. “Take my arm.”
She slips her hand through the crook of my arm and leans just slightly into my body. I cover her hand with my own and follow our parents and about twenty other close family members from the outdoor space into the home and up the stairs.
Everyone’s shoes echo through the home, and I hope to God they are taking us far away from where the rest of the guests will be staying. I plan on making Aurora scream my name over and over again tonight, and as much as I like the look of her blushing, I don’t want to embarrass her.
We walk for ages, and I’m definitely lost. We may have a lot of money, but she is fucking loaded. She could house a small village in this palace, or maybe even a large one. Eventually, we’re headed up another flight of stairs, this one carpeted so the footsteps are muffled.
“You are very far away from anyone else,” her father announces as he opens the door to our room. “It will basically be like having the entire home to yourself. So don’t worry about the noise.”
He winks at me, and the rest of the men in the group laugh to themselves.
The room is decorated with plush white carpet and heavy velvet drapes. There’s a balcony through the french doors and a couple of chairs in front of a fireplace. I walk over to the doors with Aurora still attached to my arm and open them, letting a cool breeze flow through the room.
Her mother walks over to her and pulls her out of my grasp and into a hug. Whispering something in her ear quietly enough that I can’t hear, she kisses her cheek and then her forehead.
She’s then on me, hugging me tightly and kissing both of my cheeks.
“Be gentle with her,” she whispers, and I squeeze her hands before she pulls away, tears shining in her eyes.