Chapter Twenty-Seven Leo
After another round in the shower, Drea and I managed to get ready just before we landed. She’d found the clothes of Maeve’s that Rafe mentioned and picked out a beautiful green sundress. Considering she was slightly curvier, it hugged her body like a second skin.
One look at her in it, and I pronounced, “That’s it. I have to have you again.”
Drea giggled. “Leo, I’m going to need an ice pack for my vagina if you don’t lay off.” Shifting on her feet, she grimaced. “It already hurts to walk.”
I pulled her into my arms. “Now we can't have that.”
“Thank you.”
“Just blowjobs and pussy eating for the rest of the day.”
She smacked my arm. “Dream on.”
“Fine,” I grunted.
When we went back into the cabin, we found Rafe still with his back to us and still wearing his headphones. They obviously worked well because he jumped out of his skin when I tapped his shoulder.
Snatching the headphones off, he muttered, “Fuck.”
“Glad to know how good these are cause Drea is a screamer.”
Rafe rolled his eyes at my comment while Drea jabbed me in the ribs. “You are such an ass,” she muttered.
“I didn’t expect you two to emerge until we landed.” He swept his gaze from me to Drea. At the sight of her in the green dress, his eyes bulged.
“Watch it,” I muttered.
Rafe laughed. “Sorry. That was one of my favorites of Maeve’s. I was wondering where it had gone.”
Two bodyguards appeared from the cockpit. “It’s time to prepare for landing.”
After Drea and I took our seats, I cocked my brows at Rafe. “What’s the plan to get Maeve back?”
“I’ll fly to Catania after dropping the two of you off, and since it’ll be the middle of the night, I’ll have to wait until the convent opens.”
“Why wait? You could ring the bell at the gates and make them open up for you,” Drea suggested.
With a smile, Rafe said, “I’ve waited for her for what seems like a lifetime. I can wait a few more hours.”
“Oh, that’s so romantic,” Drea gushed.
“Seriously? What’s with all the drama? You could’ve just called her and told her the wedding was off,” I said.
Drea snorted. “You seriously are clueless when it comes to romantic gestures.”
“Excuse me? I just took my brother’s place at his wedding.”
“That was heroic, not romantic,” Drea argued.
“Okay, I see how it is. I’m going to come up with a romantic gesture that will blow your mind.”
Drea cocked her head at me. “It can’t have anything to do with sex.”
“I’m aware of that.”
She grinned. “Then bring it on.”
“Oh, you just wait.”
***
After making plans to meet up for dinner in a couple of days, we said goodbye and good luck to Rafe before departing the jet.
Not only had Rafe taken one for the team by allowing Drea and I to consummate our marriage, but he’d also made reservations for us in Palermo.
He’d gone so far as to arrange for the entirety of the hotel to be ours.
I didn’t want to think about what strings he pulled to do that.
He’d also arranged for bodyguards who belonged to our Sicilian relatives to meet us at the airport.
When we arrived, it was just before two in the morning. Although we’d taken a nap on the jet, Drea yawned as we walked through the lobby. As for myself, I was too wired to sleep yet. The adrenaline from the day hadn’t quite worn off yet.
“Are you hungry?” I asked as we walked to our room.
Shaking her head, she replied, “Not for food or sex. Just sleep.”
I laughed. “I’m going to see what’s available in the kitchen.”
“Okay,” she murmured sleepily.
Instead of the kitchen, I went to the front desk. To my surprise, the man introduced himself as the owner, not just the night manager. “It’s such an honor to have you in my hotel, Mr. Neretti.”
“It’s an honor to be here. Please call me Leandro.”
“I am Giuseppe,” he said, extending his hand.
Can I ask yet another favor of you?”
“Of course. Anything.”
“I need to speak to a jeweler. Preferably tonight.”
His eyes bulged at my request. “Tonight?”
Nodding, I replied, “As soon as possible.”
“Give me a moment.”
Getting a new wedding band and engagement ring for Drea had been top on my list since after the ceremony. How could we start a life together when she was wearing the band Rafe had gotten for her along with the Neretti family ring that had been given to him by our father?
If there was one thing that drove me, it was competition. And the fact that Drea found me lacking in the romance department compared to Rafe set me on fire. There was no way I’d sleep one wink if I had to wait until tomorrow to get her ring and prepare for a romantic gesture.
Giuseppe returned. “There is a store two blocks away that is preparing to open for you.”
“Thank you so much. Your kindness will not be forgotten.”
He flustered a little at my remark. “Once again, you honor me.”
When I turned to start up the steps, I realized I needed one more thing from him. “I’m also going to need a priest here before dawn.”
He nervously fingered the collar of his shirt. “I’ll phone the church right now.”
“Please let them know I’ll be making a very sizable donation for the trouble.”
“I will.”
“You’re a good man, Giuseppe.”
“Thank you, Mr. Neretti.”
I went upstairs with the intent to pretend to Drea that there was no food, and I was going to find an all-night market.
When I opened the door to the hotel room, the most unfeminine snores met me.
Chuckling, I knew Drea would die if she knew she snored like that.
It was nice to find she had one imperfection.
Gently, I eased her wedding band and engagement ring off.
I had no idea what size she wore, so I figured it was better just to take them with me.
After instructing one bodyguard to stay outside our bedroom, I had the other accompany me to the jewelry store.
When I entered, a bleary-eyed man with a shiny bald head and round belly stood behind one of the counters. “Good evening, Mr. Neretti.”
“Thank you so much for opening for me.”
“It is my pleasure.”
With a grin, I replied, “While I’m sure it’s not, I do appreciate it.”
“What exactly is it you’re interested in?”
“I need a platinum wedding band with diamonds along with the biggest engagement diamond you have.”
I bit down on my lip to keep from laughing at the expression on his face. “Yes, sir. Just a moment.”
Instead of going into the lit cabinets, he headed for the back. I heard the unmistakable sound of numbers being punched into a safe. When he returned, it was with a blue velvet box.
“My apologies, this is all we have on short notice.”
When he cracked the lid, the sparkle almost blinded me. After taking it out of the box, he held it out to me. “It’s a marquis cut with ten carats.”
“I’ll take it.”
A panicked expression came over his face. “But you didn’t say what size you needed. What if it doesn’t fit?”
I’m sure he knew just enough about who I was to imagine I was capable of throwing him out a window for the ring not fitting.
Even though I knew I had Drea’s engagement ring to use for size, there was no way I was leaving without that monster diamond. “It’s okay. We can have it resized when we get back to New York.”
“If you’re sure.”
“Absolutely.”
“Yes, sir.”
After reaching in my pocket for my wallet, I held out my card to him. “Don’t forget the bands.”
“Sizes?”
“A ten for me, and then here is my wife’s band from my brother.”
His eyes bulged as he hesitantly took the band from me. “Uh….okay.”
I laughed. “You know who my family is, don’t you?”
“Oh yes.”
“My wife was promised to my brother in an arranged marriage, but thankfully, I got to marry her instead.”
“I see.”
“That’s why we need new bands in the middle of the night.”
He stared at me for a moment before going over to one of the counters. “I would recommend these. They are art deco and very fine quality.”
“Sounds good to me.”
***
When I returned to the hotel, Giuseppe was waiting for me. “Father Tortoni will be here as you requested.”
“Thank you.”
When I got upstairs, Drea was still asleep in her green dress. I didn’t bother trying to sleep. Instead, I watched television and texted with Rafe, who also found it impossible to sleep.
With thirty minutes until dawn, I went over to the bed. I began kissing Drea’s forehead and cheeks. Then up and down her neck. When I finally kissed her lips, she started to stir.
“Good morning, Mrs. Neretti.”
She smiled. “Since I was already going to wake up this morning as a Neretti when I married Rafe, I think I’ll say good morning, Leo.”
“Speaking of our first morning together, let’s go watch the sunrise on the beach.”
Drea groaned. “Seriously?”
“I guess this is when I learn you aren’t a morning person.”
“Exactly. Especially not when I’m jetlagged.”
“Come on. Do this for me. I want to prove I can be romantic.”
As she rubbed her eyes, she sighed defeatedly. “All right.”
Dragging her out of bed, I then led her out of our suite and downstairs. Giuseppe was still behind the desk. When I brought my finger to my lips, he nodded.
When we got onto the beach, the sky was that bluish purple color it turned as the sun started creeping on the horizon. As we stared out at the crashing waves, I turned to Drea. “You know I was thinking that I never got to formally ask you to marry me.”
“You asked me if I would have you.”
I laughed. “That was in a pressure cooker situation with Rafe being held at gunpoint.”
She grinned. “True.”
After taking the ring box from my pants pocket, I sank down onto one knee. At the sight of me kneeling before her, Drea staggered back slightly
“Drea, will you marry me?”
She frowned. “But we’re already married.”
“I promised you earlier today I wanted to be able to marry you without you being Rafe’s fiancée.”
“Yes, you did.”
With the most divine timing, Father Tortoni appeared at the edge of the boardwalk. “So marry me now.”
When Drea saw the priest, she began to cry. “Leo, I can’t believe you did all this.”
“You better believe it, and believe that I’m a romantic. Maybe not before I met you, but I am now.”
A bright smile lit up her face. “Oh, I believe you now.”
“Then let’s get married for real.”
“There’s nothing more I’d rather do.”
And for the second time in twenty-four hours, I married Drea.