“You kissed Giulia.”
I put down the book as I tried to pull myself together. I’d missed Daniele’s voice, even if he asked difficult questions. I’d avoided physical closeness with Giulia in front of him so far, worried it might upset him. “Yes.”
“Why?” He looked curious, not sad or angry. I moved a bit closer and stroked his head.
“Because I really like Giulia.”
“You liked Mom too.”
Looking into his brown eyes, Gaia’s eyes, I couldn’t do anything but lie. “I did.” There had been a time when this statement would have held true. I liked her in the beginning until eventually only resentment remained.
“I miss Mom.” His admittance turned my mouth dry. Of course I knew he missed her, even if she hadn’t taken care of him and Simona in the last few months of her life.
“I know.” I pulled him against my chest, hoping he wouldn’t draw back. He didn’t. He allowed me to hold him, and this small gesture alone was already the greatest Christmas gift I could imagine. I was glad he didn’t ask if I missed her too. One lie was enough.
“I like Giulia too,” he said quietly.
My hand on his head froze. “Good.” My voice sounded strange to my own ears. That never happened. I always kept my cool no matter if we were under attack, if I killed or tortured someone, but this…
“Will she stay?”
“Yes,” I said immediately. I wouldn’t let anything happen to her.
“Okay.” Daniele’s voice sounded drowsier now. These last few months I had missed the feel of his small body becoming soft against me. I tucked him in and hadn’t even read the first page before he was already asleep.
Loulou peeked up at me through half-closed eyes. When she wasn’t pooing everywhere or snapping, she was tolerable. I stood and returned to the bedroom, surprised to find Giulia waiting for me. I pulled her against me, needing her close. “And? How did it go?”
“Good.”
She narrowed her eyes thoughtfully. There was more I wanted to say. Something I’d never said to anyone but my children. I’d formed the exact same words before, but they stuck to my tongue like glue.
“I thought we could exchange our gifts tonight. Tomorrow morning should be about the kids and Loulou opening their presents.”
I chuckled. “Don’t tell me you got the dog a present.”
Giulia pursed her lips. “Of course. She’s part of this family. And I got presents for Elia, Domenico, and Sybil as well.”
“How did your parents manage to create someone like you?”
“Christian turned out well too.”
I didn’t want to talk about him. Our interactions had been tense. He didn’t trust me, and I didn’t trust him. That wasn’t a good foundation for a work relationship. “Let me get my present. It’s in my office.”
“I’ll come with you. My present for you is downstairs as well.”
Giulia took my hand and pulled me toward her hobby room. I’d never set foot inside of it. “Close your eyes.”
I gave her a scolding look. “I’m not twelve.”
“You’re a killjoy, old man. Now close your eyes.”
I squeezed her ass cheek hard in warning, making her jump, but then I closed my eyes. She had me wrapped around her finger, and I wasn’t even trying to free myself. Her fingers tightened around my hand as she led me into the room. “Stop right here.” I did. The smell of fresh paint hung heavily in the air. “Now open your eyes.”
At first, I wasn’t sure what I was supposed to see and was confused why Giulia had taken the picture down from the wall in our bedroom. Then I realized it wasn’t the photo. It was a detailed painting of the beach in front of the house. “Did you paint it?”
“Yes,” she said, straightening her bangs and biting her lip.
I moved closer, amazed by the detail, by the liveliness of the ocean. I wasn’t an art lover and had only visited a couple of museums because business required it.
“Do you like it?”
This meant a lot to her. The painting and her art in general. I hadn’t given it much thought so far. “It’s stunning.”
A smile broke free on Giulia’s face. “Really?”
“Really.” I kissed her but before I could lose myself in her scent and taste, I stepped back. “Let me get your present.”
Excitement flashed on her face, and I half expected her to follow me but she waited impatiently. When I returned with the small parcel, she dashed toward me. “What is it?”
“It would defy the purpose of gift wrapping if I told you.”
She rolled her eyes and snatched the gift from my hands, then unwrapped it with as much restraint as Daniele. She opened the velveteen lid and her lips fell open. “Sunflower earrings?”
I’d originally bought her elegant creoles, jewelry I would have chosen—nothing Giulia would have liked. Three days ago, I changed my mind and searched the internet for sunflower earrings. Most of them had been horrid, bright yellow atrocities. Then I stumbled upon Giulia’s present on the website of a goldsmith. The sunflowers were elegant, small, and completely made from gold. They were elegant yet quirky. They were Giulia.
“They are so beautiful,” she breathed. “I thought you hated when I wear sunflowers.”
“You love them.”
“Oh, Cassio.” She took them out and fastened them to her ears. “And?”
“Beautiful.” I couldn’t wait anymore. I picked Giulia up. She giggled. “Where?”
“In bed.”
“Not the pool table?”
“No.” Tonight, I wanted to make love to her, not fuck her like two randy teenagers, even if one of us was a randy teenager. When I laid her down on the bed in front of me, I realized this would be something new for me too.
I took my time, was gentler, less urgent than usual, and after her initial confusion, Giulia mirrored my unhurried moves. Afterward, she curled up against me. “This felt different—as if it meant something.”
I heard the question in her voice but wasn’t sure what to say. I nodded. It had. Our first night together, I’d been this careful because Giulia needed me to
