Total pages in book: 80
Estimated words: 78627 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 393(@200wpm)___ 315(@250wpm)___ 262(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 78627 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 393(@200wpm)___ 315(@250wpm)___ 262(@300wpm)
“Too soon for what?”
Her eyes flick to mine before she looks everywhere else but me. “I’ll tell you in a couple of months.”
“No,” I chuckle. “You can’t say that and expect me to wait. Tell me now.”
I twirl her away from me before bringing her back to my chest.
Her eyes fill with the unreadable emotion once more, then she whispers, “Ya lyublyu tebya.”
“I don’t speak Russian,” I complain with a burst of laughter. “That’s unfair.”
She shrugs playfully, her eyes dancing with mischief.
Jesus, she’s incredible.
I dip her backward and seal my mouth to hers, kissing the ever-loving fuck out of my wife.
I lied. I speak some Russian. Enough to understand what she said.
I right her on her feet again, and holding her, we sway on one spot as I whisper into her ear, “Ti amo.”
Pulling back to see her face, it’s in time to witness the shock washing over her features. Her eyes start to shine like stars, and in this moment that she realizes I love her too, there’s nothing more beautiful than her.
I frame her face with my hands, and leaning down, I kiss her tenderly, letting my love flow from my lips to hers.
Suddenly, the emotion floods every inch of my being, and I pull back to look at the woman that’s wiggled her way so fucking deep into my heart, there’s no removing her without killing me.
The air between us is charged with the intensity of this moment, and Tiana looks at me like I’m her beginning and end.
Like she would cease to exist if I stopped loving her.
“Sei la mia,” I whisper. That’s what she is – my life.
Her fingers brush my jaw, then she presses a soft kiss to my lips.
“Hey,” Misha calls out, “that’s enough kissing. Let’s eat.”
I laugh as I gesture for the servers to bring the food.
When I lead Tiana to our table, my phone starts to ring. Pulling the device out of my pocket, I see Luca’s name flashing on the screen.
“Mr. Cotroni,” I grin into the line.
“Congratulations on your big day, Armani,” he says. “You should receive my gift any second.”
My phone buzzes with an incoming text, and I quickly check it.
€19800000-00 PAID TO ACCOUNT: AD DE SANTIS
Jesus Christ.
Pressing the phone back to my ear, I say, “Thank you, sir. I appreciate it.”
“It’s ten percent of what you brought in. I hope it encourages you to continue excelling in the business.”
I let out a chuckle, “It does.”
“Enjoy your special day with your wife.”
The call ends, and I go into my bank account to check my balance and transfer most of the funds into an investment.
“Did you get good news?” Tiana asks from where she’s taken a seat at our table.
I sit down beside her. “Yes.”
She gives me a questioning look.
I pick up her hand and press a kiss on her knuckles. “Luca sends his regards. He gave me two weeks off to spend with you.”
Her face brightens with a smile. “Yay! That’s so kind of him.”
You have no idea how kind he’s been to us, bella.
Soon platters of food are carried out, and our guests begin to indulge in the feast.
The celebration continues well into the night until I decide I’ve had enough and want my bride all to myself.
Taking a moment to say goodbye to our family and friends, I weave my fingers through Tiana’s and walk back to our home. We enter the courtyard that’s been cleaned while we were at the reception, and I shut the door behind us.
Finally. Just the two of us.
After the crazy week, I want to relax with my wife and catch my breath before I have to start working again.
We head to the bedroom and change out of our clothes into something more comfortable.
“What do you want to do? Did you eat enough?” Tiana asks as she pulls pins out of her hair before brushing the curls.
There’s something so intimate about watching her brush her hair.
I head back into the closet and grab one of my sweaters. Coming out, I say, “Arms up.”
Tiana gives me a questioning look but lifts her arms. I pull the sweater over her head, and when her face pops through the hole, I press a quick kiss to her mouth.
Instantly, a smile spreads over her face.
I point at her sneakers. “Put them on, bella.”
She slips her feet into them then asks, “Are we going out again?”
I nod as I hold my hand for her to take. I weave our fingers and lead her out of the house, where a gondola is waiting for us.
I feel the excitement bubbling in her as I help her to sit. Finding a spot beside her, I cover her legs with a blanket. I nod at the gondolier I arranged everything with.
He gestures to the picnic basket, then says, “Relax and enjoy.”
With the lights from apartments and lamps forming a mystical glow on the water, we slowly drift through the waterways.