Gino harbored a great deal of animosity toward Joe that came out every now and again in the form of snide remarks and a pissy attitude. Joe kept making excuses for him, telling me that had he been deprived of his father’s love and recognition for so long he’d most likely act like that too. I didn’t believe that he ever would or could be that unpleasant. But Gino was a part of the family, and we tried our best to welcome him.
Abriana on the other hand was thankfully absent from the new arrangement. Joe’s mother wasn’t exactly a wallflower. I’d hate to be anywhere near the two women when the shit hit the fan. Alicia would rip Abriana a new one for sure. For all her sophistication and grace, she was a lot of woman in a small space. Thank God she loved me.
Joe was knee-deep in the daily operations of the family business, and I was hard at work, finishing my studies. Not to toot my own horn, but I was speeding through the workload. Pretty soon, I was a few weeks away from graduating. Life was good.
Fabio and Bria hit a speedbump in their relationship, but it didn’t last long. Before we knew what had happened, they announced their plans to marry. Joe and I ragged them for days on end. They had always been adamant that theirs was just a “fun, no commitments” relationship, but Joe and I knew better. We were thrilled for them. Our foursome was complete.
I was dying to know what happened to change Bria’s mind, but all she said was, “When you know, you just know.” She was so adorable.
JOE
Life was busy. I was learning the family business quickly, and Ella and I were truly happy. Fabio and Bria’s wedding plans kept the girls very busy. Between her studies and crisscrossing the town looking for Bria’s wedding gear, my poor Ella was like the walking dead. My parents had returned to a solid place in their relationship. My mother had taken the news of Gino very hard, but she understood that Antonio wasn’t to blame.
Abriana kept her distance. I wish I could say the same about Gino, who was fast becoming a colossal pain in my ass. I’d always wondered what it would be like to have a sibling, but this wasn’t what I had in mind. Pissy and quick to snap at me, I tried my best not to knock him on his ass.
His friends weren’t the most savory of people, either. Gino hadn’t exactly grown up in the slums; his mother came from a super-wealthy family, but they were nasty. No amount of money could fix that. That was one of the reasons my father had decided to break it off with Abriana and chose my mother instead. Mama’s family wasn’t wealthy, but what they lacked in money, they’d made up for in unconditional love. Warm, personable, and kind, they were my favorite grandparents.
Ella’s graduation was a proud moment. The whole family attended, cheering loudly, celebrating her accomplishment with her. She had done so well, in fact, that the university offered her a position in their botany research department. She would also teach a few classes. My darling wife was so pleased and accepted their offer.
It would be a few weeks before the university started up again after summer break. Ella’s parents surprised her with an impressive graduation gift—a cherry red Lancia Montecarlo with all the bells and whistles. She squealed with excitement as they presented it to her. Sexy, Italian engineering . . . the car wasn’t too shabby either.
ELEANORA
I needed the break before university started again. I was grateful for the rest. I spent the summer holidays enjoying our new home. Bria and I lay by the pool in the day, and Joe and I spent happy evenings entertaining friends and family.
I was in the kitchen late one afternoon preparing the evening meal. I’d given the servants the afternoon off. I wanted to have my husband all to myself.
It was a lovely space. White marble counters, an island in the middle of the room, and floor to ceiling cupboards gave us a paradise in which to create delicious Italian cuisine. The large windows overlooking a verdant green garden, filled with roses and the large pool, bathed the kitchen in light. It was my happy place. I picked some parsley from my herb pots on the window sill. I had planted my own chili bush, their green and red bullets beckoning me to pick them. I added a few to the sauce.
“Where are you, gorgeous?” Joe’s voice echoed in the entrance hall.
“In the kitchen, love.” I’d prepared his favorite pasta, and I’d opened a bottle of wine so it could breathe.
“Oh, my goodness, it smells incredible in here. Is that my favorite sauce I smell?” He wrapped his arms around me as I rinsed the lettuce over the sink. “If you’re trying to seduce me, you had me at ‘I do,’ sexy,” he teased as he nibbled my earlobe.
He kissed my neck, working his tongue down my shoulder blade to my exposed back. I was wearing a bikini and a sarong, as it was still as hot as Hades outside. The light breeze brought the welcome air into the kitchen as he pulled at the strings of my bikini top, freeing my breasts so that he could run his fingers around my nipples.
“Who needs Arrabiata Linguini when I have my delicious Ella?” he whispered into my ear. My body was tingling all over as he turned me to face him.
“You better eat it and love it,” I threatened playfully. “It took me all afternoon to prepare.”
“I’ll consider this my antipasti, gorgeous, and I must warn you, I’m starving.”
Joe bent down to kiss my perky breasts, my nipples so hard they ached.
