Epilogue
Stella
With the scorching sun blazing down on me, Matteo slams his lips onto mine, and a smile erupts across my face. He leans back and says, “Had to remind you who burns you more.”
“Are you fighting with the sun for my attention now?”
“I’ll fight anyone if I must,” he jests.
Sand wafts over our faces, and I cough as I spit some of it out. “Blah.”
Matteo and I both turn our heads toward Chiara, who has her hands filled with the next batch of sand, ready to throw it at our faces.
“I think someone is a little jealous that I’m kissing her mommy.” Matteo leans in and pecks her on the cheek too. “Cheeky girl.”
Chiara giggles when he proceeds to leave raspberries all over her arms.
“Maybe she’s just upset that you were blocking the sun,” I muse.
“Like you two haven’t been at this beach for five whole days already,” he retorts, throwing me a look.
“What? That’s what people do on vacation.”
“I don’t,” he replies, and he gets up and pulls something from the bag next to his seat.
My jaw drops. “You brought an actual gun on our vacation?”
“Yes. And?” He tucks it into the extra pocket in his swimming trunks. “I have to be prepared for my enemies at all times, even now.”
I snort. “Oh my God.”
“What?” he rebukes.
“You look like you’re packing a giant schlong.”
The smirk on his face only deepens. “You should know.”
I shake my head. “Whatever you want, Matteo.”
“Good girl.” He winks. “I’ll take over watching her when I’m back, so you can have your massage.”
He walks off, and I wave at him. “Bye, Matteo. Have fun.”
He throws me an air-kiss and walks toward the beach club, where his cousin Dario is already waiting for him. Before we came to this island, he didn’t even mention his cousin owned this place, but I guess it was awfully convenient for him, since Dario offered to take him on the Jet Ski.
Those two could practically be brothers if you asked me, just judging by the way they walk and talk with all that Italian swagger. Must be those strong De Silva genes.
I pick up my mocktail and have a sip, then lie back down to enjoy the warmth of the sun and the sand between my toes, while little Chiara plays with her small shovel and bucket in the sand.
After an hour or so, Matteo finally returns completely covered in salty water, but with the grandest smile.
“You look like you had fun,” I tell him.
“I saw dolphins, Stella. Actual dolphins,” he says, grinning from ear to ear.
He sits down beside me on the tanning bed and leans forward. “And you look like you are well-done and baked in the oven.”
“I’m not that tan.”
“I didn’t mean you, Tesoro.” He bites his lip and then presses a kiss to my belly. “I’m talking to my little boy.” He glances up to look at me from underneath his eyelashes. “It’s about time for him to vacate so I can put another bun inside.”
WHOOSH!
Chiara throws up more sand.
Right in his face.
And I laugh out loud at the sight of his face covered from top to bottom in sticky sand. I laugh so hard, I can feel it in my belly, and I’m pretty sure our little boy already knows just what kind of a devil his dad is.
“If he’s going to be like you, we’d all better pray for mercy.”
Thank you for reading MATTEO!
I hope you enjoyed it, and if you did, please leave a review.