“I’m not even sure what happened tonight. I would’ve never even brought it up, even with wanting—knowing that if I couldn’t, it would hurt you too much to even discuss it. Then to have me say that I couldn’t?” He shook his head. “I felt something tonight that I’ve never felt before. Somewhat safe in giving in.”
“Is it Paolo’s magic?” I said, a somewhat rueful smile coming to my face.
He turned my chin, putting his lips to mine. A caress, a tingling brush. “No, baby. It’s yours.”
He breathed out. I breathed in.
“Oh,” I said, catching fire from his words, my insides brightening.
I breathed out. He breathed in.
“You sound so surprised.” He grinned.
I was thankful that it was just as full as it had been earlier.
“Well,” I said, somewhat cautious. The shock of it started to press in on me. “Iamsurprised. I never thought … Well, you know what I never thought.”
“You’re shocked. I’m—whatever is worse than shocked. Stunned?”
“Do you still want to…?”
He nodded. “I’m shocked and—” He grinned again. “Excited.”
“Yes?”
“Yeah.”
We settled into quiet, though the villa around us was alive with noise. Laughter. Whirling of the wind from outside. The susurrus of the lace curtains fluttering in time to the gusts. Mitch’s lingering music selections serenading us under a marbled heaven that sparkled with stars. Walls yawned. Floors stretched.
A hard knock came at the door. Brando and I looked at each other.
After a polite amount of time went by, another knock came. Then the sound of not one but two babies wailing seemed to put a hand under our door, reaching out.
I looked at the clock—no one usually bothered us after we shut our door for the night. I wondered if something was wrong. Knocks after a certain time brought back horrid memories for me, of when the police came after a train had killed my brother.
Brando caught me just in time, before I opened the door naked. “It’s all right,” he said, pulling me to his chest. “Everyone we love is here. Safe.”
I nodded, but I couldn’t seem to catch my breath to slow my erratic heartbeat.
“Mettete alcuni abiti.”Put some clothes on. He waved a hand at the door. “Mi occupo di quello che sta succedendo.”I’ll take care of whatever is going on.
“I—”
He followed the direction of my worried gaze.
“What is it?” he snapped at the door.
“Brando, I am sorry to bother you at such a late hour,” Donato said, truly sounding apologetic. “A situation has sprouted two heads and a horn.” Before Brando could ask, he added, “It requires the presence of youandyour wife.”
Brando told him we would meet him downstairs in a few minutes, and then he threw on a pair of sweatpants and a t-shirt that hadHakuna Matatain big letters on the front. Right below it was a picture of a lion giving the third finger, if lions had birds to give.
“Where did you get that?” I smiled, despite the nervousness that sat in the pit of my belly like a stone.
He shrugged a shoulder and made a hand motion that urged me to move along and get dressed. I threw on a rose-colored silk chemise, the area that covered my nipples sheer.
He waved another hand, his eyes turning hard. “Something else.”
I rolled my eyes, which made him give me an even harder look. Did he really think I’d go out in public so exposed?
