“Just doing my duty as your maid of honor.”
“Above and beyond, my friend.”
Dante swoops in, grabbing Rose in a hug and spinning her off her feet. She squeals with delight as she hugs him back. “It’s been so long since I’ve seen you, Rose.”
My brother has been traveling in South America on business for a couple of months and flew in today especially for the wedding party.
“Hey, where’s my hug?” I demand, and he scoops me up and spins me just like he did Rose. He’s such a hulk of a man that it’s hard to remember he was once my skinny, shy little brother. “I’ve missed you.”
He barks out a laugh. “Not too much, I suspect, with a new husband.”
I grin up at him as he drops an arm around my shoulders and then one around Rose.
At the mention of Ant, I search the crowd and find my husband on the far side of the room, flanked by his brothers. His smoky gaze finds mine, like he instinctively knew my eyes were on him, and he smiles. My heart stutters at the sexy look that’s only for me.
While the couple of weeks since the wedding have been busy for both of us, between work and planning the party, there’s been a distinct shift in our relationship. An invisible connection that started knitting together the night we exchanged vows and grows stronger every day.
True to his word, we’re taking things slowly as we make the adjustment from friends to husband and wife. I’ve continued to sleep in the spare bedroom in Ant’s suite at the Forbes Hotel when I’m in Florence, and we haven’t shared any more kisses. With his travels to the States and mine to Paris, we’ve barely seen each other. It’s frustrating as hell being married to the mosthandsome man I know without having a chance to strip him naked.
His brow rises in question as we hold the stare, and I smile before turning my attention back to Dante and Rose.
“Lucia, my favorite sister-in-law,” Nico says, joining our circle and giving me a hug with a kiss on each cheek. “Rose,” he adds with less enthusiasm. She narrows her gaze before offering her cheeks. He kisses one, then the other, but she doesn’t hug him.
Dante, on the other hand, has no such reluctance, grabbing him for a hug and adding a hearty slap on his back. “It’s been years, man.” It amuses me to hear Dante use the Americanisms. The Barbieri brothers were responsible for teaching him those, and then four years of college in the States gave him the hint of an accent to go along with them.
The two men slip easily back into their childhood friendship, while Rose appears completely disinterested in their banter.
I suspected something happened between Rose and Nico in Vegas, and now I’m sure of it. She can keep repeating the famous saying,what happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas,every time I ask, but I’ll get it out of her eventually.
“Let’s get another drink,” I suggest, tugging on her elbow. “We’ll see you guys later.”
I lead her through the open doors out onto the terrace that overlooks Florence, the dome and bell tower of the Duomo rising above a sea of terracotta buildings. My aunt’s villa is the perfect location for the party, and when Mamma suggested it, I was thrilled. I loved spending time here as a child, the house more like a family home than mine ever could be, and the garden a dream playground.
We stop at the bar, set up at one end of the tiled area that runs the length of the villa, and order two glasses of red wine—from the Barbieri estates, of course.
“I’m not going to ask you why you looked like you needed rescuing when Nico joined us, but I will say that I noticed, and I suspect he did too.”
“Good. And thanks for the rescue.” She shrugs. “It was just Vegas. A city full of temptation and bad decisions.”
“Right.”
The bartender places two glasses on the counter, and when we pick them up, we clink them together. “Cin cin.”
Chapter thirteen
Antonio
Fuck, my wife is gorgeous.And if I don’t make her mine soon, I’m going to get calluses on my hand from jacking off in the shower so often.
Lucia is out on the terrace with Rose, looking like a movie star. The filmy fabric of her dress floating in the light breeze, the rays of the sunset coating her in a golden glow. A small smile teases at her glossy lips when she catches me staring again. But I can’t help myself; she takes my breath away, and I’m finding it increasingly difficult to stick to our agreement.
I’m still smiling at her like a lovesick fool when her gaze shifts over my shoulder, and an icy mask descends like a storm cloud over her features. Her cheeks pale and the smile that was directed at me moments ago disappears into a straight line. I turn, finding Bruno standing in the archway that separates the foyer from the living area.
“What the fuck is he doing here?” I growl.
“Who?” Gio asks, following my gaze.
But I don’t wait to answer him; instead, I cover the distance to my cousin in several quick, long strides.
