Chapter Seven Mind Blown
Romeo
I quietly enjoyed watching Julianna as she seemed to be lost in the meal. Reveling in it really. Yes, Zia Maria’s lasagna was the best anywhere. Our family knew this and we had witnessed this euphoria guests had expressed many times. Only Julianna’s euphoria was becoming a bit too much for me with the moans of pleasure she was releasing. The more she did it, the more I squirmed in my chair.
Dante kept chuckling from across the table.
I know he was laughing at me. I ignored it. But the one person who wasn’t ignoring this was my father. I met his amused gaze as he also sat across the way from me. He actually smirked at me. They both knew I was attracted to her. But they didn’t know it was more than that. I had to hope Julianna didn’t see how she was affecting me. I saw the brief look of panic on her face earlier when she’d caught me staring at her and I didn’t want to make her feel uncomfortable again.
I glanced over to see her plate was mostly empty. “I’ll take this,” I said as I plucked it up and set it aside. Reaching across, I picked up the sherbert glass that held Zia’s dessert. I swung it over and placed it in front of her.
Staring down at it, Julianna put her hand onto her belly and exclaimed, “I’m too full for that.”
I smiled at her and urged, “Just a few bites.”
Staring at me, she asked, “Why are you pushing dessert so hard?” She then gave me a grin.
Her smile just got to me and I’d already admitted this to myself weeks ago. I chuckled and explained it, “There are some great wonders of the world and tiramisu chocolate mousse is one of them. You cannot miss this.” I handed her a spoon.
Taking it, she shook her head, dipped the spoon into the mousse and took a bite. Then she let out the loudest moan yet as she closed her eyes and whispered, “Oh, cavalo…”
I had to look away as I grabbed my wine glass. Damn, my dress slacks were a bit too tight now. It did not help that she spoke Italian either. On her lips it sounded too damned sensuous. I could hear loud chuckling coming from across the table. My brother and father were apparently enjoying dessert too at my expense. I rolled my eyes, then heard more laughter.
“Wow…” Julianna shook her head. “I can see why you said you needed the gym every day. This is so rich. Hmmm.”
Her moans of pleasure were about to drive me insane.
“Why aren’t you having any of this ambrosia?” Julianna asked me as she licked her spoon.
I looked back over at her, then picked up my spoon and took a bite. I instantly hummed low in my throat. “Mmmm.” I took a second, then a third bite while humming. Finally, I noted the silence and glanced over at her.
She was beaming at me.
“What?” I asked.
“That humming…” She giggled. “You sound like a motorboat or something.” Shaking her head, she asked, “I didn’t sound like that, did I?”
I laughed. “No, your moaning was…” I paused. “Very…”
“Very?” she urged while looking curious.
I realized during the time I’d spent with her at Mancini’s place that I really wanted this woman. Then I had done nothing but dream of her since I met her. I tried to deny it. Told myself it was just physical attraction and to ignore it. But now I could see it was far more than that. “Hot, ok?” I told her plainly. “It was hot.”
She stared at me and looked a bit panicked.
Reaching over, I patted her hand. “I don’t know why you think dating me would be so bad.”
She shook her head at me and said, “No, not bad.”
“Then what?”
“It would be unprofessional and it would make me look like a slut, to be honest.”
I sucked in a sudden breath and replied, “Well, shit.” I didn’t know what to say to that.
Nodding, she grabbed her wine glass. “But I think you’re hot too,” she admitted. “I have for the last few weeks.”
“Really?” I felt hopeful suddenly.
“Yes, but again…How much self-respect would I give up by sleeping with a client’s son?”
“Well damn, you make it sound like a crime or a cardinal sin.”
“It would be both in my book.” Julianna drank her wine down and set her glass onto the table. “I never sleep with co-workers, clients or with anyone associated with my work.”
I drained my wine too as I felt frustrated. She had a good point. I actually agreed with her in all honesty. “I have to admit. I have never done that either.”
She laughed. “Not even a secretary?”
I chuckled. “Not even a secretary or anyone associated with my father’s businesses.”
“But you would forgo that record and date me?” she asked.
I let out a breath and said, “You would be worth it.”
Her head rose up and she stared at me with wide eyes.
“I admit I never thought about dating you as being wrong,” I confessed. “Even though I have the same rule as you do about it. I think we could be a wonderful thing together. Like not a fling or just something fun.” I looked right into her shocked eyes and said, “I think we would be a forever deal.”
Staring at me in shock, her mouth popped open.
I chuckled and reached over to close her mouth with my forefinger under her chin. “I would never want you disrespected or thought of as immoral or weak in any way. I didn’t think about it in that light, I admit. I should have considered that and I didn’t, but I think it’s because I am falling in love with you.”
Gasping as she looked almost scared, she scooted her chair back. Then she stood, dropped her napkin onto the table and rushed away.
I stared at her receding form until she left the dining room. Ok, dummy, you just blew it.
“Yo, Romeo,” Dante called to me.
I slowly looked over at him.
Cocking his head at me, he asked, “What did you say to her?”
What did I say… “She had a call to make,” I told him.
“Yeah, yeah. You were never good at lying, bro.” He scoffed. “Even though you are a lawyer.”
I shook my head.
“So, this is serious?” my father spoke up.
I looked down at the table then back up at him. “I think so.”
Dante glanced over at our father then looked back at me and whistled. “Ok now, I feel bad for you, brother.”
Our father stared at him. “Why? What is so wrong with them being a couple, figlio?”
“I suppose I wouldn’t say it was wrong,” Dante replied. “But this woman isn’t a pushover, Papa. She has a lot of class and self-respect. She’s smart and capable.”
“Si, I know. “Our father nodded at him. “Why do you think I hired her?”
“But that’s why she won’t give me the chance,” I told him. “I can’t blame her either. It would look bad for her if…” I shook my head. “It was pretty selfish of me to have even brought it up.”
“Selfish?” our father asked. “Because you want to be with her? That is a definite compliment. We are Descalias after all.”
“Papa,” Dante said. “I know you aren't that old school. She is a woman attorney and she dates your son. Her client’s son?” He pointed out. “That would impact her reputation.”
Our father paused, then slowly nodded. “So, I could fire her?”
“Oh, wow!” Dante and I both exclaimed.
“Never mind, you ARE too old school.” Dante scoffed in disgust.
“Don’t even think about it, Papa!” I glared at him. “If you actually did that? Then you could count me out too.”
Raising his hands at me, he exclaimed, “Calmati! I wasn’t serious.” He chuckled. “I wouldn’t do that anyway. I mean no disrespect to you, but his lady lawyer is worth two of your kind, son.”
Feeling a bit insulted, I tucked my head back and replied, “Gee thanks, Papa.”
“Scusa…Sorry, but she excels in the three C’s of law our organization needs. Corporate, Criminal and Civil.”
I nodded. “I realize that. No one can beat her in skills and expertise as an essential litigator. I very well know she would be a prize attorney for any client she lands.”
“So what are you going to do?” Dante asked me.
I shrugged. “I will apologize and try to…” I paused as I considered what I could do that would make a difference after I opened my big mouth like that. “I don’t know, maybe we could have one of our junior lawyers work with her instead of me. I will bow out and perhaps head over to the Dallas office. They could use an experienced attorney there.”
“Sei pazzo…Are you nuts?” my father exclaimed.
I stood from my chair and said, “No, I made a mistake. I need to correct it.”
“I do not want you to leave here,” my father said. “You need to think this over first, Romeo.”
I shrugged. “I’m unsure if I can correct this. But I have to try.”
Dante sighed and said, “Good luck, brother.” All jokes aside, he actually looked like he meant it too.
I nodded and headed out. Seeing my aunt at the end of the table, I paused and said, “Dinner and dessert was fabuloso as always, Zia Maria.”
She smiled at me then leaned in close to say, “Remember that some things are worth fighting for, Romeo.”
I stared at her. Ok, so she knew all about my problem. Of course, she did. She had practically raised me and my brothers like her own. The woman also had uncanny instincts. That was why our father allowed her to be as she was. Sassy and opinionated. “Any advice?” I asked, deciding to take advantage of any wisdom she might impart.
“Si, Romeo. If it is vero amore, do not give up on it.”
True love. Was it that? Maybe it was because I’d never felt like this for a woman before. I also never tried so hard to hide my feelings before either. In the past, if I saw a woman and wanted her, I went right after her. I just never allowed myself to get interested in any that existed in my father’s business. Lucky for me, it had never happened. Now that it had? I was in big trouble. I gave her a kiss on the cheek and said, “Grazie, Zia.”
Smiling, she patted my arm.
I left the dining room and headed to one of the guest rooms. There were six of those in that wing of the house and I knew Zia would have put her in the feminine one. Go figure, that was how I deduced where Julianna would be staying. Yes, maybe it wasn’t proper to go to her room, but I needed to clear this up ASAP.
Pausing, I raised my fist and knocked on the door. I waited then after a minute of no response, I turned away.
The door popped open, so I flipped around.
Staring at me, Julianna said not a word as she opened the door further and stood to the side.
I stepped through and moved out of the way so she could shut the door.
It clicked shut as she stared at me.
“I came here to apologize,” I told her. “And to tell you that I will be taking a position in our Dallas office.”
Her eyes rounded as she looked surprised. “What?”
“I know what I said upset you. It was wrong of me to do. I should have thought about the consequences first. I also know you might quit because of it and that would be the worst thing to happen to Descalia Inc.”
She slowly shook her head. “And you would move away from your family?”
I shrugged. “It’s not Europe.” I gave her a slight smile. “I would see them every now and then.”
“I don’t know what to say.”
“Just say that you will accept my apology and then we can move on.”
“Well, I don’t accept it.” She raised her chin up at me.
I stared at her and tried again, “I’m sorry that I stepped out of line and put you into that position.”
Shaking her head, she stepped up close to me. “I won’t accept it.”
I let out a breath and replied, “What can I do then?”
“You can kiss me,” she whispered.
I tucked my head back and asked, “What?” No way did I hear her correctly.
“You heard me. Shove your apology and kiss me.”
I studied her face closely to try to see where she was coming from. “You're serious?”
“Yes, so hurry up before I chicken out.” She laughed a little nervously.
Suddenly, I couldn’t wait to taste her. I’d dreamt of it and now she had invited me to make this dream come true. If she was teasing, it was too late to turn back now. I reached for her, grabbed her up and crushed her mouth with mine. So hot and her flavor nearly undid me.
Wrapping her arms around my neck, she pressed her breasts up against my chest.
This made me a bit Pazzo as I imagined having those full breasts in my hands and having her nipples in my mouth. I got rock hard at this sexy image and the kiss went to pure fire. My whole body was burning from it. Her lips were soft, sweet and addictive. I knew now that I would never want any other lips to kiss for the rest of my life.
Just hers.
This spectacular first kiss broke all my records, for heat, mindless bliss, and getting lost in someone else. I’d kissed a few gorgeous women and she was that as well…flat out gorgeous, but she beat all those other women in pure sensuality.
Finally, we had to come up for air and we broke apart. We both took a couple of steps back from each other.
Raising her shaky fingers to her plump, rosy, just kissed lips, she murmured, “Maledettamente caldo.” Hot Damn.
“Yes…” Was all I could seem to utter. “Mind blown.”
Giggling, she stepped close again. “I knew it. I knew you would be the hottest kiss I ever had.”
I smiled at her and waved my hand as I joked, “ Ohhh, stttooop …you're making me blush.”
She laughed. “And that’s another thing, you make me laugh.”
I shrugged. “I’m Italian, what can I say?” I used a thick accent.
“Not all Italians are funny,” she said.
“Yeah, maybe you're right. My dad thinks he’s pretty damn funny.”
We both laughed loudly.
Still giggling, she grabbed my hand to place it on her chest. “Feel my heart…I thought it might burst out of my chest.”
I did feel it pounding fast under my hand. “Mine too.”
“That’s why I didn’t accept your apology.”
“I was wondering when we would get to that,” I said. “I’m hoping you are going to explain this to me. I didn’t mean to sound like I was hitting on you at the dinner table.”
She shook her head and said, “You didn’t hit on me. You simply told me how you felt about me. Did it scare me? Hell yeah, it did.” She rolled her eyes. “Did you see my reaction? I ran away like a little kid. Then you were willing to move away from your home and take another job to protect my reputation? That did it for me, Romeo. That told me you really care about me.”
I stared at her and raised my hand to feel a lock of her silky dark hair between my fingers. “I still want to protect you. So…” I dropped my hand and took a step back. “I will go now.”
Staring at me, she said, “Don’t go.”
“I have to. I want you too badly. But I don’t want to mess this up.” I flipped around and attempted to escape as I headed toward the door. “I will see you tomorrow.”
“Aspetta un dannato minuto!” Wait a damn minute!
I paused at the door then slowly turned to look at her.
Smiling at me, she said, “How about if I hit on you?” She stepped over and went behind me to the door as she took her key out. Locking it, she met my gaze. Then she raised the key to tuck it into her bra. Strolling over to the bed, she turned to face me and whispered, “Come get it.”
“Now, I know you did not just do that,” I teased.
Nodding her head, she retorted, “Yes, I did just do that. This should show you that I do know what this means and I don’t want to wait.”
I wanted so badly to march over, grab her up and just immerse myself in all that was Julianna. Yet, I couldn’t seem to move. After what she’d said about us getting involved, I needed to be sure this was what she really wanted.