Chapter 5
Giovanna
We entered my suite and he put me down. He seemed to be taking in the pleasant room as if he’d never seen it before.
“Do you like it?” I asked.
“Yes, it’s lovely.”
A maid exited the bathroom and froze when she saw Alessio. “Oh, Signore…”
“It’s okay, Marta,” I said, moving toward her. “He’s my husband, remember?”
“Sí, Signorina.” Marta’s gaze shifted toward Alessio, then it came back to me. “So happy for you.” She bowed multiple times on her way out of the room.
“She’s so sweet.” I laughed and looked in the direction of the bathroom. “I’ll go in first, then you can join me.”
“No,” he said sharply.
“What?” I asked, completely perplexed. “No?”
He locked the doors and turned around slowly to face me. “I didn’t mean for it to come out that way. Harshly.”
“Then how did you mean it?” I tilted my head, trying to understand what made him bark at me that way.
“This might sound silly to you, Gia, but I don’t want to be apart from you.”
“Alessio, it’s not silly but sometimes I need privacy. I’m sure you would like the same at times.” Really, was he going to watch me pee and do other things in the bathroom every day? When would he have time to work? But I sensed that wasn’t quite what he meant.
“You’re right.” He nodded and scratched his cheek. “Go first.” He flapped his hand toward the bathroom, but still appearing slightly annoyed.
“Please understand this has nothing to do with you. No man has seen me naked before. I’m embarrassed and would like to get into the water before you. That’s all.” I rushed toward him, popped up on my toes and gave him a quick kiss. “I just need a minute, then you can come in. Okay?”
But if I was being honest, I was terrified to be in the bathtub with him. Would he stay on his side? It was a large, luxurious soaking tub surrounded by Italian marble. The perfect size for two people. Would he try to get frisky with me?
I glanced around the room. With Alessio in it, it gave me romantic honeymoon-suite vibes. How did I miss the hints before now? This room was always meant for both of us, not only me.
He cradled my face in his hands and smashed his lips to mine as if needing more than the peck I’d given him. He moved his mouth over mine slowly. I had no objection to his kisses. He must have been an expert after being with so many women.
Me? I’d only kissed two boys in my whole life, and they were no Alessio Remotti. My new husband made butterflies dance in my stomach. He aroused things in me that I hadn’t felt before. My panties were slightly wet, and not from the rain.
Admittedly, it was nice to be desired, but I wasn’t sure I was ready for more than kissing.
The idea of having intercourse with him, after only getting to know him for a day and a half, scared me.
I wasn’t experienced and didn’t know what to do.
He would be disappointed in me, regret marrying me and he would run back to his lover.
My heart wept at the thought.
The more time we spent together, the more I liked him. And he’d bought me the most beautiful horse and seemed genuine about it. I sensed there was a decent, good man underneath the gruff, arrogant Mafia man.
Releasing me, he said, “Go. I’m counting the seconds.” And then he swatted my butt, making me jump.
I started laughing. “Don’t count too fast!” I ran into the bathroom, closed the door, and peeled off my wet clothes.
It didn’t take me long with my heart racing at a crazy-fast speed. I peed quickly and examined myself in the mirror. God, I hoped he wouldn’t be disappointed with me.
My father had high expectations for me. It was my duty to please Alessio. Make him happy which would hopefully benefit my father’s business. And I would do my best, but all this felt very fast to me.
“Are you ready for me?” Alessio asked through the door.
I immediately stepped into the tub and sat down, gathering the bubbles inside my arms and pulling them up to my neck.
He knocked. “Gia, are you ready for me?”
“Yes.”
The door opened and my naked husband waltzed in.
“Oh!” I shielded my eyes but at the same time, I desperately wanted to see how big he was because I was still a virgin there would be pain my first time. How much pain there would be depended on how big he was, and upon my first glance, he wasn’t small.
“I took my clothes off already. Does that bother you?” He entered the tub, making the water splash around me. “Oh, it’s nice and hot.”
The movement made my bubbles wash off my skin and I sank farther under the water until it touched my chin.
His long legs encroached on my side, brushing against me. How dare he? His feet touched my hips, and I might lose my mind. “You’re touching me!”
“Gia, relax. I won’t do anything you don’t want.”
My eyes flashed at him. “Like what?”
“I don’t know. A married couple bathing together would probably wash each other and finish with sex.”
“I’m not ready for that!” The words flew out of my mouth on their own accord.
“Ready for what? For me to wash your back or your front? Or do you mean sex?” he asked in a teasing tone. I was finally learning when he was serious and joking to get a rise out of me.
“Yes, that.”
“Listen, I’ll just stay over here unless you want me on your side.”
“You’re good right where you are.”
He belted out a deep laugh, and the sound literally turned my insides to jelly. “Whatever you wish, Gia. Is there something else I’m allowed to call you, other than your name?”
“What have you called other women? Most recently, your lover?” A bitter taste in my mouth almost made me gag.
He’d had a lover up until last night. It didn’t sit well with me.
Not that I had any right to say anything about it.
Until yesterday, he had been free to do as he pleased, and I appreciated that he ended it with her.
But still. He had someone and I had no one.
“We’re Italian.” He shrugged and rested his arms on the edge of the tub, showing off his muscles and broad chest. He wasn’t a hairy Italian, which I was happy to see. “We call everyone cara, amore, tesoro. But I won’t call you cara.”
“Why not?” As it turned out, I liked cara. There was something sweet about being called dear.
“Just tell me what I’m allowed to call you.” He seemed to be deflecting. “And for your information, I haven’t called anyone Cuore mio or Vita mio. My heart or My life would be fake if I didn’t love the person.”
“Yes, that would definitely be fake.” Ugh, I didn’t like the direction of this conversation.
I’d rather not know anything about the women Alessio had been with.
We were just getting our marriage started and I didn’t want to taint my opinion about my new husband.
I was willing to overlook his past since I was nowhere in the picture until yesterday.
“Dolcezza is a good one.”
“Sweetness? I guess if you mean it.” Dolcezza would be better for a dog or a horse, but I could get behind it if he genuinely meant it.
“I would mean it. You are very sweet, especially toward Valentina.” He smiled and I believed him.
“What if I say cara?” I pushed for dear because I wanted to know why he was against it, but maybe I wouldn’t like the answer he gave me.
“No. Not that.” He wet his hands and combed his fingers through his dark, wavy hair.
And then it finally hit me. “Is that what you called your lover?” I glared at him for no other reason than, it made me angry.
“Yes, because it was her name. Okay?” He exhaled a frustrated sigh. “Pick something else.”
“There is nothing else. Call me Giovanna. Or Gia, I guess.”
He stared at me for long second. I couldn’t hold his gaze, so I looked away. Bad move. He reached for my arm and tugged me toward him. Water splashed around us as he turned me around, so my back was against his chest.
I felt him. You know.
Felt him. Felt him poking my bottom.
“Alessio! You said you wouldn’t touch me unless I wanted you to.” I tried to pull away but his arms wrapped around my body to hold me in place. “And I don’t.”
“You’re jealous of my ex-lover and I want to assure you that you have nothing to worry about. I’m all in, Gia.” His lips went on my neck.
Lord have mercy. I felt swallowed up by his strong arms as he licked and nibbled my sensitive skin.
“I’m not jealous.” Or not that much. “I just don’t want to hear about her, okay?”
“Okay. I will call you Gia until I can call you something else.”
“Please let me go.”
“Why? What is bothering you right now? My mouth on your shoulder? Does it not feel good?”
“I don’t know.”
“Well, Gia. That’s not a no.” He proceeded to kiss me, and I hated to admit it felt good. He licked a path up to my neck and I held still as much as possible. I guess I didn’t want him to know that I sort of liked what he was doing to me.
“It wasn’t a yes either,” I said in a sarcastic tone.
“Are you telling me to stop?”
“You didn’t even ask to touch me. You just forced me.” And not that it was awful being in his arms. I actually liked it, but wasn’t this too fast?
“Again, are you telling me to stop?” His hand went between my thighs, and I felt his fingers touch me in my private spot.
“Alessio!” I arched my back, trying to get away from him. It was no use, though. His arm tightened around me. “I’m not sure I’m ready for such intimate things.” Like his growing dick.
“What kind of a man would you have chosen if you weren’t forced to marry me?” Alessio asked.
“What did you say?” I stopped moving, taken back by his question. Of course, he didn’t stop fondling me. I couldn’t deny it felt good and something was happening inside me. I think I was getting aroused.
“I want to know what kind of man you would have chosen if you weren’t forced to marry me.” He sucked on my shoulder.
I felt his teeth every now and then. It was very distracting. So much so, I couldn’t form a single thought in my head.