“Ah, ah, eh, eh, ahhhh.”
The diaper change wore her out. I understood why. It fucking wore me out, too. After she was all clean, she sighed, chewing on her fingers, and then fell asleep in my arms.
Scarlett took her from me and placed her in the stroller, covering her up with a thin blanket and then pulling the top down so the sun couldn’t shine in her eyes.
We walked through the crowds, Scarlett pushing, me with my hand on her neck, stopping every once in a while to buy fresh goods. Nino collected them for us since we were limited on space. Guido and Lou were a few paces behind, doing their own thing, but he was always on the lookout.
It wouldn’t be long before Guido was promoted to a spot beneath Donato, which meant that we would lose him too. Nino would step up and take his place.
There would always be a need for a man or two around our home, but I made a vow to one day have my family all to myself. Men symbolized unrest and whatever was coming in the future.
For now, I had to accept our life for what it was.
Stopping to converse with a vegetable peddler, Scarlett and the old man went on and on about March being a transitional month in terms of what was fresh. She picked out a few of the man’s leeks, chatting with him over how to cook them. In a potato soup with pancetta for extra flavor, it was decided.
After leeks, we stopped for some strawberries, a little smaller and tarter at this time of the year, but still fresh enough to be good. Scarlett poured water over them to wash away any dirt, and we shared the carton as we walked.
“Gelato,” she said. “I’d kill for some.”
“Strawberries made you think of that?”
“Yes. Something sweet—sweeter than these.”
Calling Nino over, I had him run over to the gelato shop not too far. He returned with two cones topped and overflowing—chocolate for her, cherry for me. We swapped anyway, so it was good to have one of each.
Guido sent him to get one for him and Lou, and we paid for him to get one for himself.
The noises Scarlett made while she ate hers made me twitch in my pants.
“Smettila,” I said, giving her a mean look.
“Stop what?” she said, attempting to be innocent. “I’m just eating my gelato.”
“And making me want to eat you.” I held mine out to her and she stuck her tongue out, sliding it up the side.
“You still want me.”
She said this like it was ever a question.
“Nothing has changed,” I said.
“Not a thing.” She smiled. “Actually, it’s even better. Everything is.”
Stopping her, I leaned in and kissed her mouth. Our tongues swirled, combining the chocolate and cherry flavors together.
“Ooh,” she breathed, blinking, after I had pulled away. “That’s so good. Let’s switch. And do it again.”
Chocolate had somehow ended up on her neck, and I leaned down, using my tongue to clean it up.
“No,” she breathed out. “Not a damn thing.” Her hand went to her neck, as though she wanted to keep the feel of me there.
I grinned, straightening up, handing her my gelato in exchange for hers.
It took her a moment to start walking again. I could see her eyes were lowered through her Ray-Bans. It was damn clear what was on her mind. It was the same thing that was on mine. I’d draw it out, though, make her beg me to take her home—despite all of the stuff that surrounded us.
Once Scarlett was sucked into the market, it was close to impossible to tear her away.
I knew the trick to that game though. Turn her on.
