Hmm. I cut into my fish while darting glances at him, unconvinced. Maybe it was my conscience, knowing what I had waiting at his apartment, but I sensed a setup.
“These dishes never get old. I love them tonight as much as when Mike first put them on the menu.” Torre licked his lips.
I said nothing and finished. Mike came to clean away the plates, and at that point I cleared my throat. My heart pounded, knowing what awaited, but I had no doubts. Time to party.
“Thank you for recreating our first time together. It was really sweet.” I pushed aside the candle and leaned in for a kiss. Torre’s lips melted into mine, and I cupped his cheek. “And I love you for it.”
“I wanted something special. You know it’s Christmas, and I had no idea what to get you. I figured we could repeat the entire night…especially afterward.”
“Well, this was lovely.” I kissed him. “And romantic.” I kissed him again, lingering on his mouth. “And I like that idea of how we ended the night. Because I need to be alone with you, bello. So let’s leave and have dessert at your old apartment.”
Before I chicken out.
Torre pulled away from me, brows knitted together. “Why?”
I opened my mouth to plead my case, but the kitchen door opened and Tina walked out, carrying two plates. Val and Mike trailed behind her. Sweat broke out under my arms and down my back.
What the hell?
This wasn’t the way I’d planned for the night to end. I opened my mouth, but Val put a finger to her lips.
Tina stood tableside. “Uncle Torre, this is for you. Uncle Frisco made it special. I helped.”
She’d carried the large Christmas cookie I’d baked and had sent over to Val earlier in the day. It rested on the beautiful, antique porcelain plate I’d left for her to use in setting up Torre’s old apartment.
Plans that now seemed to have gone to hell, as here we sat in Mangia and Torre had the cookie in front of him. Instead of a cookie, Tina set in front of me a small white box, tied with a gold satin ribbon.
She waited. “Uncle Frisco, Daddy said you get this. No cookie for you.”
“Thank you, polpetto.”
Mike met my gaze, his eyes dancing. I studied his smirking face.
He’s enjoying this too much, but Val swore she wouldn’t tell anyone. Not even him.
“Hey.” Torre touched my hand, his eyes soft and brimming with love. I forgot about Mike and Val. I forgot we were in a restaurant. I only saw him.
It didn’t matter where it all happened. All that mattered was Torre. Here with me.
Forever.
“You made this?” He pointed to the cookie on the plate. “For me?”
“Surprised? You know I’d do anything for you.” I slipped my foot out of my loafer and rubbed my foot up his leg. “Sweets for the sweet, bello.” I grinned, watching his blush rise under his late-evening scruff.
“Okay, honey, let’s go and leave your uncles alone.” Val took her hand and tugged.
“But I wanna see,” Tina whined.
“Come and I’ll tell you a secret.”
Mike picked her up and whispered into her ear, sending her into a spate of giggles. He walked away with her clinging to his neck, staring at me over his shoulder. I winked at her before they disappeared into the kitchen, leaving Torre and me alone.
I quirked a brow. “Looks like a bomboniera.” A gift given to guests at an Italian wedding.
“Open it.” Torre’s eyes glowed, and I pulled the ribbon. Inside the box were seven pieces of confetti—the traditional sugared almonds—and a folded gold-printed ribbon.
I peered at the writing.
“Merry Christmas. Today and forever?”
I closed my eyes for a second, and Torre placed his hand over mine. “Are you okay?”
“Eat your cookie.”
He smiled. “I’m not that hungry. Dinner was so filling.”
Of course he’d give me trouble.
I laced our fingers together. “At least one bite.”
“Frisco. I’ll eat it later. You don’t have to dance away from the question if you don’t want to answer.”
“You’re ruining my moment.” I picked up the cookie. “Take a nice big bite. Just for me. Later I’ll give you something else to put in your mouth you’ll like even more.”
“You’ll never grow up, will you?”
I grinned and put the cookie to his lips. “You love it. Admit it. Now open wide.”
Torre rolled his eyes, but his lips twitched. “Will you stop after this?” But he took a bite.
“Ow. What the hell is in here…” His eyes grew so wide, I feared they might pop out of his head. Carefully, he put his fingers to his lips and took out the gold ring. “Frisco,” he whispered. His hands shook. “What is this?”
I put my hand over his. “I think it’s a ring. At least Press told me it was when I bought it.”
“I know what it is. But…” He held it up. “It’s a fede ring, isn’t it? I see the two hands clasped.” He set it on the table between us, the candle’s flame picking up the golden sheen. “That’s a marriage band.”
“I’m aware of its meaning.”
He set the band in the palm of his hand and his eyes grew wet, the thick lashes spiky with tears. “Who would’ve thought the first time you walked in here would be the last time my heart would be my own?”
“Tell me. Tell me what’s in your heart.”
“Or who? Because it’s you.” He held my hand. “I had to ask myself. ‘What do you get the man who has everything?’ And all I could think of was…forever.”
I picked up the ring and slid it on his finger. “Forever isn’t enough time. Maybe forever and beyond? Wherever that might lead us.”
Torre gazed at the ring on his finger, a smile on his lips. “Take out the ribbon.”
“That’s not the answer I’m looking for.”
“I asked you the question first.”
I remembered and picked up the carefully rolled ribbon. A thin gold band dangled from the end, its gleam picking up the Christmas lights from the ceiling.
“We always were on the same wavelength right from the beginning.” I handed it to Torre and wiggled my finger, suddenly, incredibly eager. “Ring me, bello.” Was I being corny and silly and all the things I teased Presley about when he and Nate became engaged? Hell, yeah.
And I was fucking happy. Something I never thought I’d ever be, and it was all thanks to this man sitting across from me who never gave up on me and didn’t listen to the word no.
With eyes as bright as the Christmas lights surrounding us. Torre laughed and slid the band on. “Merry Christmas, Frisco. I love you. Now. Forever. Always. Who would’ve thought after that first night, this is where we’d end up?”
I kissed his finger.
“Bello, we’re only at the beginning. And I don’t see an end in sight.”
Meet Felice Stevens
Felice Stevens is the best selling author of over forty gay romance and mystery novels, including the Rock Bottom, Man Up and Lost in New York series. She’s a lover of New York City and traveling the world and a happily addicted Bravo addict.