“She didn’t look very frightened to me,” Valentino said. “In fact, she looked like she might take our heads off if we made one wrong move.”
“She’s all of five foot nothing,” Salvatore objected. “I’m sure the four of you could handle her.”
“Don’t bet on it,” Dario muttered. He reached for the olive tray at the same time Elie and Emmanuelle did.
Emmanuelle batted at his hand all the while glaring at him. “You don’t even like olives. You’re only taking them because you don’t want me to have them.”
“I’ve developed a taste for them. In any case I’m helping you keep your amazing figure, the one you’re always complaining about.”
“You don’t need to be looking at my wife,” Val said.
Dario made a disparaging noise. “That’s just wrong, Val. And rather disgusting. Emme’s... Emme.”
“Let’s get back on track,” Emmanuelle suggested. “As much as I don’t want to share my olives with anyone, I will, just to hear how Geno made a total ass of himself.”
“We both did.” Amaranthe shared the blame. “It wasn’t just Geno. But we straightened it out and everything turned out the way it was supposed to be.” She looked up at him because she couldn’t help herself.
Geno smiled down at her and took her hand, threading his fingers through hers. “We did straighten it out.”
“That’s the sickening version,” Dario agreed. “YouFerraros are a mess when it comes to your women. I’m including you, Val and Elie. You were around them too much and their pussy ways rubbed off on you. Your women run you and there’s no hope for any of you.”
“Is that true, Val?” Emmanuelle asked, fluttering her eyelashes at her husband.
“Absolutely, princess.” He kissed her hand. “It’s the absolute truth.”
“I’ll go along with that,” Ricco said. “Mariko asks and it’s hers. Not that she ever asks for anything.”
“But I do, Ricco,” Mariko protested. “Sometimes I ask you to tie me. It’s so beautiful.” There was a deliberate sultry note in her voice Amaranthe was certain she put in to tease Dario.
Nicoletta exchanged a grin with Taviano and then both looked at Amaranthe to include her in their amusement.
Dario just shrugged his shoulders. “Your brother used to be tough, Salvatore, but not so much now.”
“Don’t bet on it, Dario,” Geno said, no expression in his voice.
Dario didn’t look in the least impressed. Amaranthe wasn’t, either; there was too much amusement and affection in Geno’s mind.
“You straightened things out between you,” Nicoletta prompted. “But how did you know you were in love so quickly?”
Geno’s fingers slipped into Amaranthe’s dark hair. “She has more courage than a lion. And she makes me laugh. I knew almost the moment I saw her that she was the one.” He tugged at her hair. “I believe it took her a great deal longer.”
“Not necessarily,” Amaranthe objected. “I knew. I just didn’t think I fit into your world.”
“Why is that?” Stefano asked.
“I understand completely,” Nicoletta said. “I felt exactly the same way.”
“That makes no sense,” Valentino said. “You’re bothintelligent, beautiful women. Taviano is a nerd and Geno is a brute. Why either of you fell for the likes of them, I have no idea. But then, I’ve never understood why Emmanuelle fell for me.”
“You don’t?” Dario’s eyebrows shot up. “You set a trap for her, you cunning bastard. That’s how you managed to get her to fall for you. Geno had his woman kidnapped and taken to an interrogation room.”
“Looks like we should be taking notes, Salvatore,” Lucca said. “Setting traps, kidnapping. If that’s the only way we’re going to get a woman of our own, we’ve got to follow our elders’ examples.”
“You’re very funny,” Geno said, sarcasm dripping heavily from his voice. “You’re too young to find a woman. You can wait a year or two until you’re more mature.”
Ricco laughed. “Mature? You don’t think Salvatore or Lucca are mature enough to be married? Taviano, what do you say?”
“Don’t drag me into this argument. Geno just wants to take the spotlight off his meeting with Amaranthe. Everyone at this table knows he made a fool of himself, and she had to forgive something big. She’s covering for him and he’s dodging the question.”
