Total pages in book: 12
Estimated words: 11501 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 58(@200wpm)___ 46(@250wpm)___ 38(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 11501 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 58(@200wpm)___ 46(@250wpm)___ 38(@300wpm)
Of course Hale spoke flawless Italian, so he was a great tour guide. He couldn’t remember how many times he’d visited, but he guessed he’d been to Italy at least thirty times. The man seriously got around.
The first night we feasted on spaghetti alle vongole, and the next night it was scialatielli ai frutti di mare. I tried tortellini alla caravella and bistecca alla fiorentina. But my absolute favorite was the ravioli di ricotta e limone.
Five days and my clothes were snugger than ever, but I had absolutely no regrets. “I think we should stay here.”
Hale laughed. “I knew you’d love Italy. And this is only the Amalfi Coast. Wait until we come back and visit Tuscany. You’ll love the North. It’s a much more leisurely pace up there.
The man did know me well. I lived for the slow stuff. “Is there any of the zeppole left?”
He tossed me a small bag filled with the sugary fried dough. I opened it up and frowned. “What’s this? What’s gravidanza?”
“Don’t eat it.” He teased, taking the package out of my hand and opening the box. “You pee on it. It’s a test.”
“Hale.” I rolled my eyes. “I told you, it’s too soon.”
“It’s been five and a half weeks, Rayne. And we’ve had sex nearly every day without interruption.”
“But these things take—oh shit.” I did quick-period math. We left New York on April eleventh and I hadn’t had my period since two weeks before the wedding.
It had been a lot longer than five weeks.
“Give me the test.”
He handed the applicator over and followed me into the bathroom.
I looked up at him expectantly. “Are you waiting for something?”
“Does this bother you?”
I did very little things gracefully. The vision of me aiming my pee at a tiny stick might be hard to shake. “Yes. A little privacy please.”
“As you wish.” He shut the door.
I was not good at directing my stream and very grateful I hadn’t let him stick around to watch. After washing my hands I brought the stick out to the kitchen where Hale waited at the table.
Together, we stared at it.
“What are the rules?” I asked. “Is it still plus and minus in Italy?”
“Have you taken a lot of pregnancy tests before?”
“No, but I watch television. I know how these things work. In America at least.”
He read the tiny words. “Two lines if it’s positive, one line for negative.”
I chewed on my thumb nail as the first line appeared. “How long does it take?”
“We should know in a few minutes.”
“And where did you say the zeppole was?”
He slid another paper bag in front of me. This one actually filled with sugary dough. I took a large bite and chewed anxiously.
It had to be done by now.
“It’s negative,” he said, snatching it off the table and tossing it in the trash.
“Are you mad?”
“Not mad, just disappointed.”
“Hale, we just started trying. You have to be patient.”
“I am being patient.” I picked up his iPad and headed into the den.
I followed. “What are you doing?”
“Just checking on some work things.”
He was in a mood I didn’t feel like navigating. “Paging Mr. Davenport…” I teased, but he only half smiled. “Hey.” I stole his tablet. “This isn’t a simple thing and you’re making it feel like a failure when it’s not.”
He sighed. “You’re right. I’m sorry.”
I climbed onto his lap and wreathed my arms around his shoulders. “It’ll happen when it’s meant to happen.”
He pressed his forehead to mine and grinned, his hand sliding to my belly. “I can’t wait to see you pregnant, to see what our child will look like.”
I smiled at the sweet thought. “Will she have green or grey eyes?”
“I hope she looks just like you.”
“And if it’s a boy?”
“Then I hope he has your sense of humor.”
“And your business sense—for a boy or a girl,” I added.
He stroked my cheek, tucking my hair behind my ear as he pulled me in for a slow kiss. “Let’s try again,” he whispered, already stripping away my clothes.
Conscious of the open windows and the fact that we were in a very small village with busy sidewalks and tourists passing, I kept my body turned so only Hale could see my bare chest. He kissed my shoulders and breasts.
“Loosen my pants.”
I reached between us and lifted as he pushed my dress up to my hips. Sliding my panties aside, I lowered onto his hard length and we both moaned.
“Put a baby in me, Hale.”
His fist tangled in my hair as he kissed me hard. My body rocked as I rode him, our breathy moans accompanied by the Italian conversations drifting by. He guided my hips, thrusting upward, as he smothered his face in my chest.
“Fuck. Keep going.”
The muscles in my legs started to scream, but it felt too good to stop. My hand snaked between us, and I rubbed my clit. He was close and I wanted to finish with him.