Chapter 23
FABIANA
“How are you, miss? Can I get you anything?”
I looked up from Gino’s art journal. The maid who’d shown me to my room last night poked her head into my bedroom, wearing a polite smile. I was taking a break from writing thank-you cards after my hand had all but frozen into a claw around the pen.
“Is it possible to turn up the heat?” The house was absolutely frigid, and the small electric fireplace in my room wasn’t doing a great job of warming it.
She grimaced and tugged her wool sweater tighter around her. “Unfortunately, Mr. Ferraro is quite strict about keeping it at sixty-four degrees.”
Sixty-four degrees?
It was only my experience in dealing with diplomats that stopped my jaw from falling open.
Who lived like this? Willingly?
“If you want, I can bring you another blanket?” the maid offered sheepishly, like it was her fault her boss liked to live in a refrigerator. “There should be some more in the guest bedroom downstairs.”
“Sure, that would be great. Thanks.”
She ducked out. I grabbed one of the wool blankets I’d pilfered from the closet and draped it over my shoulders, fighting against a shiver in my arms. The list of wedding guests who’d given us presents was two pages long.
Etiquette demanded I write a thank-you card to each of them, signed from Cosimo and me. So far, I’d gotten through about forty.
There were over a hundred left to go.
Maybe I could talk to Cosimo about the temperature, but I didn’t want to call him. Actually, after a solid night of sleep, I was convinced the only way I’d survive the next six months was if I followed his lead and kept my distance.
The maid said he’d taken his breakfast in his office this morning. He’d left without saying goodbye. I had a feeling he wasn’t going to come home until well after I went to bed.
That was fine. Whenever we were in close contact with each other, it felt like I was on a roller coaster that was as likely to give me a thrill as it was to make me puke my guts out.
I almost regretted pushing him into telling me his secret. If I’d just kissed him while assuming he had another woman on the side, everything might be a lot simpler.
But there was nothing simple about Cosimo. No, my husband was a complicated man, and I was far too inexperienced to know how to handle him.
Distance was good. Distance was safe.
I put Gino’s journal inside the bedside drawer and started on the next card.
“Ah, dammit.” I’d misspelled the name of one of Cosimo’s cousins, courtesy of my stiff fingers.
This was ridiculous. I couldn’t work under these conditions.
I remembered the library had a huge fireplace. Maybe I could finish the cards there.
With a huff, I clambered out of bed, grabbed a handful of blank thank-you cards, pulled on a pair of thick sweatpants and a hoodie, and headed downstairs.
Cosimo’s home reminded me of a modern art museum, only without the art. Obviously. Cold concrete floors, automatic blackout blinds on every window, and minimal furniture. The furniture that was present seemed to be optimized for discomfort.
My bare feet—why didn’t I put on socks?—yearned for a rug as I padded my way down a hall to the library.
Or at least to where I thought the library should be.
The maid had pointed it out to me on the tour she’d given me last night, but I’d been so tired I couldn’t really remember the route we’d taken to get there.
The first door I opened was a guest bedroom. I kept going, passing bare walls and identical light fixtures. I was fairly sure I’d lost my way, but there was another door at the end of the hall, so I went to check it.
The second I opened it, a rush of sweet, blessed heat hit me full in the face.
I bit back a groan of pleasure.
It was Cosimo’s sauna.
Finally, one room in the house where warm-blooded creatures could feel comfortable. Strange how this wasn’t included in the tour. I wondered if that was intentional. Did Cosimo not want to share?
Sorry, hubby.
I was definitely going to make use of it.
I left the thank-you cards on the floor outside and stepped in.
It was hot—gloriously, deliciously hot. The warmth seeped through my clothes almost instantly, and within seconds I was peeling layers off until I was down to my bra and panties.
I climbed onto the upper tier of wooden benches, spread out a towel, lay back, and closed my eyes.
The air smelled nice, like something herbal. I breathed in deeply for a few minutes, a relaxed smile spreading across my face. Another few minutes, and I was sweating.
My phone dinged. I probably should’ve left it outside, but I lifted it over my face and opened a text from Zo.
So? Did the Ice Prince deliver?
I snorted and typed back.
You have no idea how accurate that nickname turned out to be. He lives in an ice box. I was freezing my butt off until I stumbled onto this.
I snapped a photo of the sauna.
Oooo. I’ve always wanted to have sauna sex. Enjoy ;)
My cheeks heated. There would be none of that.
But I was planning on using this baby every day while Cosimo was out. Call it a perk of being the woman of the house.