13. Anna
Anna
I wake to an empty bed and the smell of freshly brewed coffee. I inhale the aroma and slip from bed to get showered and freshen up for the day, then put on a robe and finger through my damp hair before padding into the dining area to find Vincenzo. “Good morning.”
He turns in a T-shirt and gym pants as I walk to the breakfast bar. “Morning, princessa. Coffee?”
“You already get a workout in?”
“I did.”
“Do you ever sleep?”
“I got enough.”
“Mmm. It smells heavenly in here.”
“Brazilian coffee. It’s a special blend Nicolo orders, Fazenda Santa Ines, a premium bean grown in the Mantiqueira Mountains of Brazil.”
Vincenzo pours cream and half a teaspoon of sugar into the coffee and brings me the cup with a silver spoon. I give him a smile. “So, you trust me with that spoon? I’m pretty sure it could make a formidable weapon.”
He places an arm around my shoulders and kisses my lips. “Such sass so early in the morning. Did you sleep well?”
“I liked sleeping with you.”
His eyes flash with mischief. “Indeed, it was good to wake up to you this morning too. Omelet for breakfast?”
“Sounds great. I happen to make a mean omelet myself. Want some help?”
“I’ll cook today. I have early meetings tomorrow morning so won’t be here for breakfast. I was planning to have Ms. Lottie bring the house manager back in tomorrow to take care of things.”
“Would you mind if we waited a few days? It’s kind of nice just the two of us, don’t you think?”
He begins to crack eggs into a ceramic bowl. “It is but the dishes, the laundry, grocery lists. I don’t intend my new bride to be working for her keep.”
I laugh. “I’ll handle it for a bit. Just a little while, Vincenzo?”
“Anything for you but be forewarned I’m not as handy with a dishtowel as I am in cooking the food.” He gestures around. “When I cook, there are mounds and mounds of dirty stock pots and pans everywhere.”
“I grew up in an Italian home. It’s no problem at least for a few days.”
He smiles. “Whatever you say.”
“Anything?”
His eyes narrow teasingly. “Tell me.”
“A phone so I can call Sophia and Addie?”
He stirs the eggs, tomato, spinach and basil mixture once and then takes the pan off the burner and sets it at the back of the stove to finish cooking.
Vincenzo turns to me. “The call I made yesterday was to Massimo. I wanted to let him know about the wedding personally before word spread and that I was the one who had you.”
I eye him over the steamy cup of coffee. “How did that go?”
He laughs. “It went over about the way you would expect it to go but he understands my rationale even if he didn’t like it a bit. He wants to see you and bring Sophia and Leandro. I’m sure they’ll bring their men, but they’ll wait outside. I told them later today would be fine.”
My heart races with excitement. I stand up and close the distance between us, wrapping my arms around his waist. “You have made me the happiest woman in the world and now you’re bringing my family to see me. I can’t believe how lucky I am.”
Vincenzo kisses the top of my head. “Massimo and Leandro are going to be watching us intently. They’re going to need to make sure that I’m not forcing your hand or making you tell him that you’re here consensually when you’re not.
Massimo and I, we’ve seen a lot of dirty plays in our day, and enemies will go to all kinds of depths to get what they want. ”
I stretch on tiptoes, drawing his face down to me so that I can kiss his lips. “I love you, Vincenzo. I will tell them both the truth, that yesterday we made our vows and that I plan to be with you for the rest of my life.”
He kisses me so passionately that I think for a moment the breakfast will wait but Vincenzo whispers in my ear. “Anticipation, princessa. First you need sustenance for everything I have planned for you today.”
I’m so excited that it’s hard to eat even though the omelet, avocado toast, and orange pieces taste divine. “I can’t wait to tell Sophia about the wedding and just hug her tight again. I swear that was the worst part of it all, being away from her.”
Vincenzo’s eyes meet mine. “I’m sorry you had to go through that.”
“I know, it’s water under the bridge now but it’s going to be so nice to be able to talk with her and Addie on the phone.”
He puts his cup down. “About that, I don’t want any secrets between us, but your phone.
No matter what we do, the feds and enemies always find a way to eventually get communications in place so they can listen to us.
” Here, he uses his hand to gesture around the room.
“The place is swept every day, but they can listen differently through phones. Your phones will be switched out routinely, but you’ll have to be mindful of what you say when speaking with anyone. ”
“Relax. I was born into this world and Delz taught me and Sophia every trick in the book, what to do and not to do was drilled into our heads from the time we could walk and talk.”
“Yes, I have a debt to settle with Delz. The same man who taught you to improvise, making a weapon to beat me over the head with from a closet rod? I’m pretty sure I owe him one for that.”
I grin. “You should see me. I have a ton of tricks up my sleeve. Sophia and I used to try as hard as we could to outsmart that man every chance we could.”
He laughs. “I can only imagine. It’s nice to see you so happy, love.”
“It’s because you are making me happy. It’s all you.”
He glances at his watch. “If I’m not mistaken our guests will be here at three, which means we have exactly four hours to play.”
My cheeks heat. “What happened to delayed gratification and anticipation?”
Vincenzo stands, closes the distance between us, and takes my hand.
“Highly overrated.” My blood thrums with excitement.
I hope the sparks are always like this between me and Vincenzo.
I take his hand. “I think you need a shower and I know a person who’s in the mood to suds you up from head to toe and then lick you all over to make sure you’re good and clean. ”
His eyes turn molten and he grasps the back of my neck, kissing me with a passion that gets all of my juices going. “You, shower, now.”
I want to dress extra special to see my sister today.
I linger through the dress selections and settle on a small floral patterned dress that has a scooped neck and cinched waist. The minute I try it on, I know it’s the one.
I give a little spin in front of the mirror laughing at myself.
I spy a pair of nude leather Louboutin’s with a delicate ankle strap.
When I put them on, I have one thing on my mind and that’s a gift for my new husband later tonight.