CHAPTER TWENTY
“A delina, rise.” Rocco’s commanding voice, which had a deep baritone jolted me awake.
I groaned, rolled over, and reluctantly extended my arm from the warm duvet to find my phone on the side table. “It’s 7:00 a.m.?” I squinted at him, my voice laced with sleep. “You can’t be serious?”
He tugged on the corner of the duvet. “I am. Don’t you remember we agreed on last night?”
Rocco rattled off many things we were to do, but I didn’t realize it was today.
“Not a morning person, my soon-to-be wife?” he mused.
I tried to glare at him through my blurry eyes, but my gaze landed on his infectious smile, and I couldn’t stop myself from returning it.
“Italy’s alive. The dead rest, the living lives.” His voice was filled with a contagious excitement. He was radiant and polished in a light gray linen suit. That clued me in that we weren’t just strolling through town.
I sat up and he grimaced, losing his smile. My face warmed as my gaze went to the T-shirt and shorts I’d slept in. It was not what Nadia had packed, but we weren’t sleeping together. Yet.
“You won’t wear clothes in bed with me,” Rocco said casually as he came over. A shiver went through me and my breath left me in a rush. We hadn’t talked much about sex.
“What else do you like?” The question was out of my mouth before I could stop myself.
“You want to know?” he mused. “I like to take control. Nothing too severe, but it turns me on.” Curiouser and Curiouser.
“What exactly do you do?” I asked.
“Some things are better experienced,” he mused.
I coughed to hide my giddy expression and shift my legs to stop the heated ache as I imagined being under his control. But I was too nervous to ask more. “Is Isla here?”
Rocco went over to open the doors to the balcony, bringing in a gust of warm air and sun. “I’ve sent Isla on an errand, but I’d expected her to leave you with a brief before she left.”
I glanced around, zeroing in on a note. “I vaguely remember her being here, but I was asleep.”
“We’re an hour or so from Siena. We’ll have brunch with Louisa. There’s the Palio—”
The Siena di Palio ? I was taken aback. It was a bareback horse race around Siena Square. It wasn’t exactly what I’d expected from Rocco. “You’re serious?”
“Yes. Mayor Louisa gave us her personal invite, and that’s not common. She’s presiding over it this year. We need to leave soon. I’ll see you downstairs.”
“But…but the mayor?” I lowered my head and touched my lips. I had no idea how to be with political figures, or what to wear to meet them. Rocco was out the door before I could ask what one should wear to meet a mayor.
My stomach knotted in panic. I’ll embarrass myself and him. They’ll know I don’t belong. Was this a test? No, Rocco said we were personally invited.
I took another look at Isla’s note.
I opened it and found a beautiful cream midi tube dress and ankle-strap sandals in a designer bag, which was packed with sunscreen, gloss, and a brush. Isla’s the best.
I took a quick shower, and after brushed my hair, adding the low ponytail clip and mousse left by Isla. I added some makeup, then the necklace and earrings I’d worn at the engagement dinner, and somehow made it downstairs in thirty minutes.
Rocco was busy speaking with Rick, his driver. He turned and scanned me. “Bella, you make my heart beat faster.” He gazed over the jewelry and frowned. “You already wore those and have been photographed in them.”
I lifted my shoulders. “Is that a problem?”
“Yes. We’re meeting Louisa Calla. She will notice.” He blew out his breath and took out his phone. “It’s not your fault.” He rapidly spoke in Italian, but I gathered that he wanted to stop at a shop. “ Grazi. We’ll go to Ponte Vecchio . No problem.”
My brows knitted. “Why is it such a big deal?
He sighed. “It is and it isn’t. Think of it as work. Our life is our brand. Everything we do is work.” He gazed off, and I could see the tension in his shoulders.
I touched his hand. “I’m sorry.”
He smiled and rubbed my arms. “It’ll be fine. Don’t worry.”
Still a cut dug into my chest. I didn’t want to disappoint him, but I was at a disadvantage. I knew of jewelry, but I never could afford to have it. But that was it, to be a part of his life I had to learn and anticipate what I needed to support him. I had to do better.
We took a Bentley, and I stared out the window watching as the sky grew brighter on our drive toward Florence. We turned down a narrow street, stopping outside a jewelry shop, where a man was the only one waiting in front of the shop. The closest I’d ever come to a jeweler was passing a store in a shopping mall. It was a luxury only for the rich. But today, I went in. Inside the shop were cases of sparkling gems in pristine glass were displayed. He was dressed formally, in a three-piece suit, and greeted Rocco warmly in Italian like they were old friends.
“Ciao! Che piacere vederti!”
“Come stai?”
“Molto bene, grazie.”
“Sto bene grazie, e tu?”
Rocco placed his hand on my lower back. “Enzo this is my fiancée, Adelina Belfiore from America.”
“Buongiorno,” I said softly.
He beamed at me. “Bellissima. A Belfiore. Oh, She’s a beauty. So lovely to meet you.”
I smiled bashfully, my head dipping. I glanced up at Rocco, who smiled broadly at me. “Adelina’s a gentle soul. Sweet and very underdressed.”
Enzo nodded, his eyes shifting over me. “Not even earrings?” He said in a shocked tone.
They laughed, and I smiled.
Rocco squeezed my shoulders. “We need to fix that.”
“We must,” Enzo mused.
Rocco and I followed him to a seating area before a vanity with two seats and a mirror. Rocco stayed behind me with his hands draped around my shoulders. The weight and warmth of his hands eased some of my nervousness. Enzo returned with a few velvet cases, which he placed down. The first was a pendant necklace.
“L’heure du diamant Marquise,” Enzo said in perfect French. It was a Marquise Diamond with a gold double ring of exquisite white diamonds. There were no prices, but I knew enough that it was expensive.
I trembled as he placed it around my neck. I loved the dress, but with the diamond necklace, it went from pretty to graceful. But Rocco wasn’t done. He chose a vintage gold bracelet, a diamond, a yellow gold band, and a small, wrapped gold necklace. I tried on diamond studs, cluster, and drop earrings. While I thought the extravagance was too much, I had to think of it like Rocco. My image was also work; to be his wife, I had to fit in.
“Tilt your head back to show your long neck. It’s sexy,” Rocco instructed.
I tried to suppress the burn on my skin as his fingers trailed down my neck. “Yes. These will work. They’re perfect, Enzo. I love them.” His praise and attention made my heart swell and my pulse quicken.
I shyly lowered my eyelids so as not to look at him. Still, I felt a brush of his soft lips on my cheek. I opened my eyes, to find his soft ones on me. “You are stunning, Adelina. You have me under your spell.”
“Rocco,” I teased. “But do we have to get all of them?”
He rubbed the pucker in my brow. “You worry too much. And yes.”
My eyes stung, and the skin on my face jumped. I lowered my head. “You spoil me.”
“Not at all,” he whispered. I looked up, and our gaze locked, electricity surging between us. I wanted his kiss, his touch. I wanted more.
His lips lightly brushed mine. “If you keep looking at me like that, we won’t make it to the race.”
My skin heated, and I tried to ignore the swell of my clit at just his words. I had never thought jewelry shopping was sensual. But with Rocco, what wasn’t?
He took my hands, and I stood.
Enzo was smiling brightly at us. “Lovely choices, but Adelina must have more. I’ll make her a priority.”
“Yes, do that,” Rocco said and hugged his friend. “Now we must go.”
I wore the necklace, pendant, and earrings out of the shop. And Enzo didn’t stop us for his payment.
“Rocco, don’t you have to pay for the jewelry?” I asked him, my voice going up octaves.
“You’re worried?” he chuckled. “Relax. We have an account. Enzo has all he needs from me, along with his bonus. We, Marinis, are generous. You’ll learn generosity and confidence go far. Every door will open with the right key.”
It was hard not to get caught up in Rocco’s impulsive stream of life. Being with him brought out a desire to live in his world and know the man. I wanted more than a passing kiss or touch. But was I ready?