“Che será será,” he said. “I want no drama for the next two days.”
“And your plans to marry? How are they coming along?” Lorenzo asked in a nonchalant manner that seemed a bit forced. Giovanni rose without answering. He and Mira hadn’t worked out their nuptials. His Bella was quite gun-shy when it came to revealing that she lived, when the world believed her dead. He sure as hell wouldn’t discuss his plans for her with Lorenzo. He’d given Dominic the order to leak the news to the press after the holidays. It would be a way to force her hand. Now he felt like an ass for trying to manipulate things. He’d talk to her and work it out. They’d agree mutually before anything was done.
“Good night.”
Exhausted, Mira barely made it to her room. The celebration would begin as soon as everyone rose from their beds. Her little girl and Zia had retired two hours earlier for little Eve’s bath and then sleep. Mira debated on where she slept, but Zia insisted Eve sleep with her. Rocco agreed to take another guestroom. Mira relented but vowed to keep her with her on Christmas Eve. She wanted to wake with her on Christmas morning.
Hearing the door close behind her she turned. “Merry Christmas,” she said smiling.
“Buon Natale,” he winked. “Is it Christmas already?” he asked.
“It’s after midnight so that makes it Christmas Eve.”
“Can I have my gift now?” he reached for the sash to her dress, pulling on it gently. The knot unwound and the belt fell free to her hips as her dress unfolded revealing her semi nude body underneath. Mira looked down at herself and then lifted her eyes to meet his lust filled stare. “This isn’t your Christmas gift.”
“Sure it is,” he said running his finger over the swell of her breasts, circling her nipple. “It’s all I want for Christmas.”
“It’s all you want period.” She shrugged the dress off her shoulders so that it fell free of her arms. Giovanni moved her hair from her shoulders, revealing the contour of her neck. She put a hand flat to his chest. “No love bites okay? The family will be here, and I don’t want to be around them with hickies on my neck.”
He chuckled. “I will restrain myself.” He kissed her neck.
“Good.” She rubbed the sides of his chest.
“You know I still don’t know much about your life in America.”
She smiled at him. “Of course you do.”
“I know what happened to your mother, but you never told me what happened to you. Why did you choose to move to New York? How did you meet Fabiana? Hell I want to know it all down to your very first kiss.” He massaged the side of her neck with his fingers. Her eyes fluttered shut, and she tilted her head back deciding on giving him the watered down version of her history.
“I graduated high school and a friend I knew—.” Her voice trailed off. His hand slid into her panties. “Don’t stop,” he said against her ear before he slid his tongue inside.
“A friend helped me. I was accepted into Parsons School of Design in New York.” A sharp sting pierced her clit. He stroked her with light rubs of his finger to soothe her after. She sucked in a tight breath, and shuddered hard. He moved on to the hooks of her bra. The action aroused her even more.