Page 7

Dante

I enjoyed her heat, her flavor and went at pleasing her like there would be no tomorrow. In reality, tomorrow would still come but I didn’t care. When I moved into her, she was right there with me, all the way.

With a breathless shudder of ecstasy, she had fallen apart in my embrace.

At her sweet sheath tightening around me, I slammed into her one last time. Leaning my head back, I came so hard I almost lost consciousness for a moment.

When I tried to move off of her, she held me in place for a moment. Panting and sighing, she kissed me gently.

When she finally let me go, I slid down to her side.

She looked over at me and smiled. “Wow, that was maledettamente caldo.”

I laughed at her attempt at Italian and nodded. “It definitely was.”

Turning her head to look at me, she beamed. “It was beautiful and I have never felt so good in all my life,” she whispered.

I wrapped my arms around her. “Thank you for giving me a chance,” I whispered back.

“You know something?” she asked me as she opened her eyes briefly.

I looked down at her and waited for her to speak.

“You are the first man that I’ve gotten close to. I’d dated but it never went anywhere. I never thought I’d ever get to be this close with any man but with you? The way you make me feel? Wow, I was just thinking that what you just did to me should be illegal.” She laughed.

I laughed with her, but I would do it all over again, if she hadn’t gotten tired. Yeah, illegal. I smirked. I laid there with her in my arms. I intended to keep this woman. No matter what came at us. I know finding the one person who made you feel whole was nearly impossible. Zia was right about that and about the pasta being good when it was hot thing. I smirked again.

I felt it from the first moment I laid eyes on Della, that she was special. Even when she jumped up and attacked Valencia. I didn’t care what issues she or anyone else threw at me, I would remain right by her side. For one thing, she deserved to be treated like a god damned queen. She deserved happiness. She would have her happy ever after…with me.

I now thought about what she’d said. About how all her things were at her apartment. I got an idea and I knew my father would not like it one bit.

A loud pounding came on my door.

With a gasp, Della’s eyes popped open as she had almost fallen asleep.

“Dante!” a familiar voice called through the door. “You in there?”

“Damnit.” I swore as I got up. “It’s Tito,” I told Della as I stood from the bed and walked over to the door.

“Oh!” Della exclaimed as she gaped at me then dove under the sheet.

I shook my head and stomped over to yank the door open.

Tito had his large fist up as if he’d planned to knock again.

“What?” I asked with a growl in my voice.

Lowering his fist, he stared at me. Then he lowered his gaze, but instantly shifted it upward toward the ceiling. “Mama Maria is yelling about you.”

I opened my mouth to tell him off further then paused to look up at the ceiling where he kept staring. “What’s up there?”

“Not your swinging dick, that’s what!” Tito snapped. “Fucking pazzo. Put your pants on, will ya?”

I stared at him then down at my fully nude body. I know my cheeks went red as heat climbed up over my skin, but I refused to acknowledge any embarrassment. “Well, this is my private room, cugino.”

While still avoiding looking directly at me, the very large Tito, flipped around with his back to me and said with a disgusted grunt, “You are late for dinner, buddy boy!” He then marched away.

I slammed the door, then let out a heavy sigh. Turning around, I halted when I saw her.

Della stood with her dress draped in front of her as she stared back at me.

I pushed my fingers through my hair and said, “Well, that was embarrassing.”

Staring at me with pink cheeks of her own, she burst into laughter.

As she laughed, I stared at her. The dress had slipped and I could see a lot more of her now. Man, I couldn’t help but to stare. She was just gorgeous. Especially with no clothes on. I walked over, grabbed her up and planted my lips onto hers.

Her laughter stopped of course as her arms wrapped around my neck and our bare skin meshed together. We both let out a long moan as the kiss heated up and we were literally groping at each other.

Finally, I broke the kiss knowing that she needed some air. We were breathless in fact. Staring at each other, we were both panting.

“Oh, my God!” Della exclaimed as she suddenly looked panicked. “Now everyone’s gonna know!” She then turned and moved away from me.

I shrugged. “So?”

She kept looking around and then got down on her knees to pull her bra from beneath my bed. “I-it’s sort of embarrassing, Dante!” She clipped her bra together then twisted it around to cover her sweet looking breasts.

I looked down at her as she still sat on the floor and sighed at the sight of them being covered up.

“Dante!” Pointing up at me, she said, “You are um…”

I peered down to see I was ummm…yeah, fully erect. I laughed and said, “It was your…” I shook my head. “Before you put on that bra.” I pouted.

Looking puzzled, Della then seemed to get it. “Come on…” She giggled. “Zia is going to cuss us out.”

“Yes, she will. But we will survive it.” I nodded and went over to the dresser. Then I paused as I flushed. I just did her on this dresser. Damn, there I went hard again.

“Hurry Dante!” Della called from the bed area.

“I already knew what Zia would do and me killing myself to get there just wasn't worth it. I opened the top drawer and grabbed a pair of briefs then put them on. Next, I went into the closet and grabbed a suit.

“I’m going!” Della called from the bedroom.

I sucked in a surprised breath and turned to see my bedroom door slamming shut. Damn, she just up and left me. I shook my head and got dressed. By the time I was done and put on my shoes, I was whistling. I didn’t care about Zia’s scolding or my father’s disappointment. I’d found the woman of my dreams… the love of my life. I now knew how Romeo and Giovanni felt. Like nothing could ever top this.

I headed across the room and paused. There, lying on the floor was a lace pair of underwear. I paused and knelt down to pick the slinky object up. Yes, I was going to take a whiff, I just couldn’t stop myself. I did just that. Inhaling made a memory light up in my mind of my beautiful Della’s face as she came for me. I slyly shoved the panties into my jacket pocket. Carrying it on my person would be like being a little high or tipsy from too much wine.

Feeling a bit wicked and proud, I went out the door while wearing a huge grin on my face.

When I arrived at the dining room I had to shove that smug grin away. I knew it would just piss Zia and my father off, more than likely. Being late and then appearing with a grin on my face? Nope.

Looking around at the silence, I now knew I’d made a huge mistake by taking my time in getting here.

Everyone there sat in their seats, staring up at me.

I caught sight of Della in a chair as she stared down at her plate and not at me.

Pausing, I swung my gaze over at Zia. To my surprise, she was smiling at me. I hoped she wouldn’t say anything about—

“Sorry, we aren’t serving pasta tonight, someone ate it all,” Zia quipped as she beamed at me.

I lowered my head. Dear God, why?

“What do you mean, Zia?” My father reached for the pasta platter and raised it up. “We have…” He paused and set the plate down as he realized what she really meant. He then stared at me.

Della looked back and forth at them as she slowly realized that they were all talking about her and I.

I raised my hands up at my elders and walked over to sit in the chair next to Della. “Can’t you both just act normal?” I exclaimed.

“You’re kidding, right?” Romeo spoke up.

“Yes, he has to be,” Giovanni agreed.

“You’re wishing for the moon with that, cuz,” Tito said. “They aren’t ever gonna be normal.”

Della’s cheeks went pink as she stared down at her hands in her lap.

I felt sort of angry at how she was made to feel embarrassed. I raised my head and said, “I am sorry I’m late, Zia. Can we just eat now?” I needed the subject changed immediately.

“Si, of course,” she replied. “But I think you have forgotten something.”

I looked over at her, almost afraid to ask, “What did I forget?”

“It is your turn to say grace, figliolo,” my father interjected.

I paused as I realized he was right. “Oh hell, it is…”

“Do not say that word just before saying grace, son,” my father chided.

Romeo chuckled.

I glared at him from across the table.

Della reached over and patted my thigh.

I looked up at her.

She gave me a sweet, warm smile.

Ok, so my world suddenly righted itself. I was able to shrug off my frustration with my father as I raised my hands and clasped them together. Closing my eyes, I stated, “Dear Lord, please allow us to recognize your hand in all things. You have kept us all safe and provided for. Now you have brought even more love into our lives. Che possiamo tutti essere degni della tua benedizione…Amen.”

I lowered my hands and looked up at the very quiet room.

“Santo inferno!” my father exclaimed loudly.

“Papa, don’t say that word after grace,” I taunted him.

“What is it?” Zia asked. “I thought it was a wonderful grace.”

“It was, but I just found out my son has been fooling me!” my father glared at me.

“Oh, you mean about him knowing Italian?” Zia laughed.

He swung his gaze over at her. “You knew about this?”

Nodding, she grinned at him.

“Ooh, accidenti!” he swore. “You keep it up, sorellina. One of these days…”

Della looked over at me and whispered, “He didn’t call her a name, did he?”

I shook my head and explained, “Sorellina means little sister.”

“Do they argue like this all the time?” she asked.

“I’m afraid so,” I replied. “Then when they seem to get along, it might be bad news for the rest of us,” I joked.

“Ok, so tell me what you said in the prayer?” she asked while looking extremely curious.

“May we all be worthy of your blessings.” I looked into her eyes and said, “I also hope to be worthy of the blessing of you.”

Staring at me, her eyes got huge in her face. “Y-you think I’m a blessing…”

I kept nodding my head. “Oh yes, I do.”

“Cousin!”

I looked up, turned my head and glared at Tito to ask, “Yes?”

He nodded at the pasta platter in front of my plate. “Can you pass the pasta?”

I paused and raised a brow at him, wondering if he was in on the hot pasta joke.

Raising his brow at me, he scoffed. “What? Is your hand broken or something?”

I shook my head and handed him the platter.

He took it and added with a wink, “It’s only good when it’s hot, ya know?”

I sucked in a breath and met his amused gaze. “Vaffanculo!” Fuck off.

Tito laughed as he looked smug about fooling me.

Della took a sip of her wine then asked me, “And what does vaff—”

I raised my hand up at her and said, “Nope. Never mind.”

Tito was chuckling.

I ignored him and stared at Della. “Do you have all you need?” I motioned to her plate.

She nodded. “I have pasta?” she hinted at the joke that everyone seemed to be tossing at me.

I shook my head. “Remember when I was talking to Zia?”

Nodding, she said, “You said you went to her for advice.”

“Yes, and she told me this: Love is like pasta, if you don’t eat it hot, it's no good .”

Della stared at me then she laughed when she got it. “Ohhh… I get it now. Then Tito…” She shook her head. “He really got you with that.”

“I know and don’t think I’ll forget it. He’s got his payback coming to him.”

“Take it easy now.” She forked her salad and took a bite. “Don’t let it bother you. I feel like today is the best day of my life.”

Damn, I felt exactly the same way. I nodded and said, “So far, today beats any day in my memory. It beats all my birthdays, even my sixteenth when I got my first car. It surpassed all the Christmases and all other holidays. Even my prom when the girl who became a supermodel was my date. Even my first New Year's Eve at 21 when I could legally drink.” I smiled at her. “Which I totally regretted.” I raised my wine glass to her. “Not one of those days could even touch today.”

Her eyes were full of tears as she grabbed her glass and raised it.

“To the best day,” I whispered and clinked her glass with mine.

Smiling, she then drank the toast. She had to pause and swipe at a lone tear from her eye. Then setting her glass down, she said, “You need to make sure to eat your dinner.”

I stared at her and asked, “Why?”

She kept eating and then took another drink of her wine. She slowly shook her head as she gave no answer.

I figured I could wait for the answer as I ate too. I found that I did really feel hungry and no wonder after what we did this afternoon.

After a few more minutes, she nudged me and continued the lapsed conversation, “You’re going to need your strength. Because the day is not over yet.”

I smiled at her. “Oh, yeah?”

“Yeah.” She motioned her head downward to show me what sat on her lap.

I stared down at my tie and then looked up at her.

“Yes, I stole it from your room,” she confessed. “So you’re gonna have to come to my room to get it back.” She gave me a cute little smirk.

I rubbed my chin as if considering the sweet blackmail attempt and then laughed.

“What’s so funny?” she quipped while still looking rather smug.

“When I come, I’ll make sure to bring these.” I nodded downward as I reached into my jacket pocket to show her the lace panties.

Her mouth popped open in surprise then she exclaimed, “You’re carrying my panties around?”

I laughed. “Well, you stole my tie.” I then noted the quiet around us and closed my eyes in utter dread. “Please don’t tell me they heard that,” I whispered in fear.

As the same thought sunk in, Della gasped and slapped her hand over her mouth.

We both slowly and with much reluctance, looked up.

My father sat across the table with a solemn look on his face while slowly shaking his head at us.

I lowered my head and groaned. Dear God, I would never hear the end of this.

Tito burst into laughter.

Romeo joined him.

Zia tapped her plate with a butterknife. “Ehi, ehi!” she called out.

We gazed over at her.

“You all need to mind your own business.” Zia tisked in disapproval as she shook her head at the Descalia men then she added, “Besides, it is time for dessert.” She looked over at me. “Although some of us already have dessert lined up, don’t we?” She gave me a wicked wink.

My jaw dropped this time. After a minute or so, I got over my shock and chastised her, “Zia! TMI from the wild, fearless aunt.” I shook my head.

They were all laughing now.

Della and I looked at each other as we finally broke into laughter.