“Oh God,” she rolls her eyes. “It’s hot and—“
“You’re mine, remember. For my eyes only.”
“Well, I haven’t seen your eyes around lately.”
“I’ve been lurking in the shadows.”
“That sounds stalkerish.”
“I do what it takes to make sure you’re safe. Little girl your needs always come before mine, remember?”
She exhales hard. “What I don’t remember is us ever discussing how this can work when…one, my dad hates your guts now…two, I’m away at college for the next four years…and three—“
“None of that matters. That’s number three,” I say moving in quickly and claiming her lips before she has time to present more of an argument.
At first, she doesn’t kiss me back, but before long she can’t resist and we’re both face-fucking right there on the sidewalk, the sound of her books hitting the cement barely audible over our moans.
I pull my face back, both my hands cupping hers.
“Come to Italy with me,” I command.
“Are you crazy? No. I’m in college.”
“I already checked and they have a study abroad program, not to mention that it’s 2020 and, hello! Almost every college in the world offers study from home these days.”
“You want me to move to Italy with you and take all my classes online?”
“Exactly,” I say, getting more excited as I see her just almost pondering the idea as she tosses it around in her mind. “You don’t need to be on campus and the time difference can work in your favor.”
“How? I’ll always be a day behind unless I stay up late.”
“Oh, we’ll be staying up late every night, piccolina. You can count on that.”
She slaps me on the shoulder.
“Aren’t you in trouble in Italy? Aren’t there bad people who want to harm you there?”
“Not anymore, not to mention I’ve got a second passport and I can get one for you too.”
“Oh great. So now you want me to carry a false ID, turn me into a felon overnight, in a foreign country where I don’t speak the language and don’t know a soul.”
“You know me and you know some words already. I know you’re fascinated with the culture and you know I’m fascinated with you. Come on, give it a try…just for a semester and if you don’t like it then we’ll move back.”
“We’ll, huh?”
“I’m not letting you go, bambina.”
She says nothing for a second. “What about my dad?”
“What about him?”
“Come on, Giovanni. Don’t be like that.”
“He’ll get over it in time. Time is all he needs, not to mention you’re an adult now and you can make your own decisions. Plus in Europe, nobody bats an eye at big age differences in relationships. It’s not like here where everyone is trying to tell everyone else how to live their lives. Over there everyone’s doing their own thing and doesn’t have time to worry about other people.”
“You’re really selling it, you know that?”
“I know one thing and one thing only. I love you,” I say, dropping to a knee.
Gabriella doesn’t flinch, figuring I’m going to pick up her books, but little does she know I need her hands free right now, because I’ve got something very special for one of her fingers in particular.
Pulling a small black, velvet box from my pocket I pop open the lid as I’ve already practiced hundreds of times, displaying the princess cut five-carat diamond. “Little Girl, you’re the only one for this Daddy. And I want nothing more than a bunch of little girls and little boys with you, a house full of laughter, love, and family. And that all starts and ends with you.” I pause, watching the tears well up in her eyes. “It doesn’t matter where we are or where we find ourselves because home isn’t a place where I hang my hat at night. Home is where you are and you are in my heart, my head, and my soul. Be mine, beautiful. Will you marry me?”
A moment passes as she brings her hands to her face, wiping away her tears. I want her to accept immediately so I can slide this ring on and kiss away those tears forever. “This is crazy.”
“Just like us.”
She nods. “Yeah, just like us.” Another beat passes. “Yes!” she cries out. “I’m yours, always have been and always will be.”
I slide the ring on her finger, a perfect fit, and then slide up off my knee and raise her high above my head in one motion.
“She said ‘yes’” I yell at the top of my lungs.
There are cheers from some students passing by as I spin her around and then lower her back down, her lips in line with mine, and I kiss her with everything I’ve got. Because that’s exactly what she gets when it comes to her Daddy. Everything, now and forevermore.
“I love you, principessa,” I say.
“I love you, papà.”
Epilogue
Gabriella
One month later
“Ready for lunch?” Giovanni asks as he comes out of the waters just off the coast of Sardinia, where we now call home. The man is hunk to the extreme, looking like Daniel Craig’s famous beach scene in Casino Royale.
“I’m ready,” I say, my pulse quickening up as I’m beyond nervous.
Gio towels off as I put out the plates and silverware for our lunch here at the beach.
My eyes lock on Gio as he casually sits down on our beach blanket and reaches for his silverware. “I need a spoon to eat my pasta. What’s this kazoo?”
I almost spit up my wine, laughing when I was just so tense I didn’t even realize I was holding my breath.
“It’s
