The long table, filled with scattered candles, is occupied by Alessia’s friends and family, who have been nothing but welcoming. We’ve laughed, drank, danced, and eaten for hours, and when I say we ate, I meanwe ate.
Fresh fruits, cheese, and meats—never in my life have I seen that much prosciutto. Let’s not forget the focaccia and arancini balls from Alessia’s nonna. There is no doubt I’ll be recreating those in the future.
“I was going to set up a wine tasting for us, you know. I wanted to do something special, but I’m not sure I would have done it justice. Today has been like a scene out of a movie.”
I squeeze her shoulder and lean over to kiss her head. “It’s the thought that counts.”
She tips her chin up in a silent request, and of course, I oblige happily. I’ll never tire of kissing her plump, heart-shaped lips.
With my mouth pressed against hers for a moment longer than acceptable at a table with others, she lets out a low moan, trying to deepen the kiss. It kills me to reject the idea, but there is no way in hell I’m sharing her sounds with anyone else. Everything about her is mine, no one else gets to hear my favorite noises.
She screws up her delicate features and attempts to whisper, only to slur slightly, “Why won’t you kiss me?”
I’ve been waiting for the wine to hit her.
After the top-notch wine tasting earlier, we stayed well past the end as the day switched from informal to no fucks given.
If I thought the food was free-flowing, it had nothing on the wine. Bottles line the table, some with vintages dating back years, some unlabeled. And it doesn’t help that Alessia fills our glasses the second it hits below the halfway mark.
So the slur of Belle’s voice makes complete sense. “Because I don’t share. I don’t want these horny Italian fuckers to get a glimpse of you turned on,” I growl.
Her eyes flare with the same gaze she has in the bedroom, causing my dick to harden even more than it already has.
“Oh.” She pauses and angles her body toward me. “Maybe we can step away for a second. I’m suddenly craving something… delicious.” She licks her lips.
Note to self—don’t get Belle drunk when you have nowhere to fuck her. Your dick will thank you later.
I run my fingertips down the side of her face, loving how she melts into my touch and how my fingers burn under her blush. “Later, you’ll get all the kisses, all the touches.” I continue my path down her clavicle. “Wherever you want them.”
I break my own rules and let my fingers glide down her cleavage.
We stay like this momentarily, lost in each other, until Alessia clears her throat. Belle dips her head, laughing, while I lean back, annoyed at being interrupted.
Alessia smirks and raises the wine bottle.
This is going to be a long night.
* * *
Belle’s too distracted as she gets in the back of the car, so I lean over and buckle her in. We’re with Alessia, following her friends to the local bar. The second Belle heard dancing would be involved, she was rushing to leave.
“Ugh,” Belle groans and throws her phone back into her bag.
“What’s wrong, sweetheart?”
She deflates, then leans back into the seat, closing her eyes. “My brothers, especially Theo, won’t stop messaging me. I’m going to have to explain Vegas and how everything started.”
“Leave that to me, I’ll handle it.”
“Jack—”
“No. You’re my responsibility now, and I want to ensure my intentions are clear. We both know that their issue is with me.”
She leans her head on my shoulder, which I take as a victory. Thankfully, she didn’t fight me on this. It’s something I wouldn’t have given in to.
After about ten minutes of driving, Belle pops up and screams, “Pull over!”
“What, why?”
