Chapter 26 Giovanni
GIOVANNI
Ten years later, I still pull out Amber’s chair.
Savvy Bites hasn’t changed much. Same warm lights, same polished wood, same low hum of conversation that makes the place feel alive without ever being loud. It’s comfortable. Familiar. Ours.
Every anniversary, we come here.
That hasn’t changed either.
“Thank you,” Amber says, like she always does, even though she knows I’d do it if we were alone in an empty room. She smooths her dress as she sits, then looks up at me with that smile that still hits me square in the chest.
Ten years, and it still does that.
I take my seat across from her. “You look beautiful.”
She snorts softly. “You say that every day.”
“Because it’s true every day .”
Her mouth curves, pleased despite herself. She reaches for my hand across the table, squeezing once.
I could have taken her somewhere ridiculous tonight. Private island. Closed museum. Whole restaurant cleared out. She knows that. I know that.
But she likes this.
She likes the routine. The history. And if I’m honest, I like that Savvy Bites is part of our story.
She catches me looking at her and lifts a brow. “What?”
“Nothing,” I say. “Just thinking.”
“That’s never good.”
I smile.
Savannah appears at the table a moment later, apron on, hair pulled back, face lighting up when she sees us.
“Happy anniversary,” she says, leaning in to hug Amber first. “Ten years. Still disgustingly cute.”
Amber laughs. “I could say the same of you and Riccardo.”
“You could.” She gives me a faux-modest smile and a wink. “The usual?”
Amber nods. “Please.”
“Perfect.” Savannah jots down the order she knows by heart. “Champagne’s on the house, of course. Our anniversary gift to you.”
“I’ll ask for a bonus gift of sparkling water too,” Amber jokes.
“Of course.” Savannah shoots Amber a knowing look that I don’t get. Old shared joke, perhaps. “Coming right up.”
Dinner is perfect. Savannah sends out a ridiculous amount of food, as usual, and Amber closes her eyes on the first bite like she always does.
“Oh my God,” she murmurs. “She’s still got it.”
“I’ll let her know you approve,” I say.
“Oh, trust me, she knows. If she hadn’t been there to feed me scraps way back when, I’m not sure I would have survived. Even her botched dishes were better than anything I’d ever had.”
“Is that so?”
“Don’t pretend you weren’t coming to Notte Bianca for her food.” She points at me with a fork. “Everyone was. I won’t be offended.”
“The food was great,” I say. “But I’m afraid what kept me coming back were the drinks.”
Amber blushes. She’s so fucking gorgeous even now, ten years and three kids later.
By the time dessert plates are cleared, Amber looks relaxed. Happy. At ease in that quiet way she only ever is with me.
Outside, the sea is dark and calm. I take her hand as we leave, pressing a kiss to her knuckles before guiding her toward the car. “Ready for your surprise?”
She squeezes back. “Lead the way, husband.”
The hotel is exactly what you’d expect. Five stars. Presidential suite. Floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the water, lights shimmering across the surface like spilled gold.
Amber steps inside and lets out a low whistle. “Okay. You may have slightly overdone it.”
“Nonsense. I could have overdone it more.”
The truth is, nothing is too good for her. I could go all out and give her the world, but I needed to take it one step at a time. Amber is still struggling to accept that she deserves nice things, and I won’t rush her. She’s already made spectacular progress over the years.
If some scars never heal, that’s fine with me. I’ll love them the same way I love the rest of her.
She wanders toward the windows, hands clasped behind her back, taking it all in. “This is beautiful.”
“Not as beautiful as you.”
She turns, giving me that look. The one that says she’s pretending not to be affected.
I walk over to the table near the window and pick up the envelope I left there earlier.
“I got you something,” I say.
Her eyes soften. “Giovanni—”
“I know,” I interrupt gently. “But let me.”
I hand it to her.
She opens it, brows lifting as she pulls out the contents. Two plane tickets.
“Greece?” she breathes.
I nod. “Santorini. The quiet side. No crowds. Just you, me, and the sea.”
She laughs softly, eyes shining. “You’re impossible.”
“Do you like it?”
“I love it,” she says immediately. Then she hesitates.
I feel it before I see it.
“But,” she adds.
“But,” I echo.
She steps closer. Takes my hand. Guides it gently—intentionally—to her stomach.
“It might have to wait,” she whispers.
For a long second, everything inside me goes still.
Then it crashes all at once.
Joy. Shock. Awe. A fierce, overwhelming love that makes my chest ache.
I pull her into me without thinking, my mouth finding hers. The kiss is deep, unrestrained, full of everything I can’t say out loud. She melts into it, fingers fisting in my jacket.
“You’re sure?” I ask.
“Positive.” She laughs, a little breathless. “Eleven weeks. Something tells me it’ll be a boy this time.”
Boy. Girl. Doesn’t matter. All that matters to Amber is that our family will be growing bigger again.
“I love you,” I murmur against her lips.
“I know,” she says softly. “I love you too. So much.”
She rests her forehead against mine, breathing us in.
After a moment, she smiles—slow, playful. Dangerous.
“I want to thank you anyway. For the gift.”
My brow lifts. “Oh?”
She takes a step back, eyes never leaving mine. Then another.
And then she sinks to her knees.
“Amber,” I say, half-laughing, half-ruined.
She looks up at me, eyes bright, confident, absolutely certain of us. “Relax. I know what I’m doing.”
God help me, I know she does.
Amber's lips wrap around my cock, her mouth hot and wet as she takes me deep. She bobs her head slowly at first, her tongue swirling along the underside, sucking with just the right pressure that makes my knees weak.
I thread my fingers through her hair, guiding her gently, but the dark edges of my fantasies bubble up inside me. “Stay still,” I murmur, my voice rough with need.
She freezes, her mouth locked around me, eyes locking onto mine with that mix of trust and excitement that drives me wild.
I start thrusting, shallow at first, then deeper, fucking her face with controlled strokes. Her throat relaxes, taking me in, gagging just a little but holding steady.
It's perfect—raw and intimate, her submission fueling my dominance.
I watch her, the way her cheeks hollow, the saliva dripping down her chin.
For her, I know it's electric; she's told me how the act alone, without a single touch to her body, sends sparks through her core.
Her eyes water, but she doesn't pull away, moaning around my length, the vibrations humming straight to my balls.
It builds fast, that tight coil in my gut, but I don't want to finish like this. Not yet. With a groan, I pull her off, my cock slick and throbbing as it slips from her lips.
She gasps, wiping her mouth, her face flushed. I scoop her up, settling her onto my lap as I sit back on the bed. Her pregnant belly presses against me, still flat but full of me, a warm reminder of our future. I pin her wrists behind her back with one hand, my grip firm but careful.
“You're mine,” I growl, positioning her over my cock. “I’m going to fill you up again. Over and over until you’re brimming with it. Got it?”
She nods, breathless. “Yes, please.”
I thrust up hard, burying myself to the hilt. She cries out, her body rocking with mine, her pussy enveloping me in tight, wet heat.
“Who do you belong to?” I demand, pounding into her, the slap of skin echoing in the room.
“To you. I'm yours,” she chants, her voice breathy and desperate. “I'm yours, Giovanni. All yours.”
I release her wrists just enough to cup her full breasts, nipples hard and begging.
I lean in, sucking one into my mouth, tongue lashing over the sensitive peak.
She arches, grinding down on me, her walls clenching.
I switch to the other breast, biting gently, drawing out her moans as I fuck her relentlessly.
Her body trembles, and she shatters, coming hard around my cock, her pussy milking me with rhythmic pulses.
That pushes me over the edge. I thrust deep one last time, spilling inside her, hot ropes of cum filling her as I groan her name. We ride it out together, breaths mingling, bodies slick with sweat.
Afterwards, we collapse onto the bed, tangled in the sheets. I pull her close, her head on my chest, my hand stroking her belly.
She sighs contentedly, tracing patterns on my skin.
“I feel like the luckiest girl in the world,” she whispers.
“My sister's back home now, safe and settled.
Mom and Dad's health has improved by leaps and bounds.
They're talking about traveling again. And our kids.
.. they're the best. So full of life and love. One more soon, and I can't wait.”
I kiss her forehead, holding her tighter. “I'm the lucky one, Amber. You and our family—you're everything.” I tilt her chin up, pressing my lips to hers in a deep, tender kiss. “I love you, gemma mia.”
“I love you too. More than anything.”
I let out a slow breath and close my eyes for a second, overwhelmed by how lucky I am. By her. By this life.
Ten years ago, she was a bartender with sharp edges and tired eyes.
Now she’s my wife. My home. The center of everything.
And I’ll be damned if I ever let her go.
Next Book In This Series: Don’s Queen
Amanda’s Note: Don’t worry—Coral’s story is far from over. You’ll get hers in the next series :)