Total pages in book: 52
Estimated words: 49968 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 250(@200wpm)___ 200(@250wpm)___ 167(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 49968 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 250(@200wpm)___ 200(@250wpm)___ 167(@300wpm)
“Somewhere warm, with a beach where I can be alone with you.”
I grinned. “Done.”
I pulled up a calendar on my phone and showed it to her. “How about there?” I pointed to a date six weeks away. “You can get your dress, I’ll help Roman, and then we’ll get married.” I double-checked the internal database. “The room I’m thinking about is free on the Thursday. Or I can ask Judith to kick out the people—”
She shook her head, interrupting me. “I don’t care the day of the week we get married, as long as I get to marry you.”
“I’ll get Maurice to block it and let Judith know.”
She beamed at me. “Perfect.”
I pulled her to my lap and kissed her. “Yeah, baby. Perfect.”
EPILOGUE - ALDO
Sun bounced off the Falls, the light reflecting and scattering across the room. I rolled my shoulders, tense and ready to jump out of my skin. Roman chuckled beside me. “She’s behind the doorway, Aldo. You’ll see her in a minute.”
A minute was too long. I had waited patiently for Luca to return from his honeymoon. For Roman to hand back the reins. For this day, this minute to arrive. I didn’t want to wait another sixty seconds.
I wanted Violet beside me so we could say our vows and be married.
The door opened, and Vi stepped into the room, robbing me of all my breath. She was stunning.
Her dress was ivory, molded to her body, leaving her shoulders and upper arms bare, the lace glittering with crystals. Sleeves started partway down her arms, circled tightly at her wrists. The dress hugged her waist and ended mid-thigh, showing off her sexy legs. A pouf of lace and tulle exploded from her hips into a long train that trailed behind her. I had to shut my eyes for a moment and lock down my body, wondering if asking her to show off her legs had been a good idea. My cock was doing its damned best to embarrass me, and I had a feeling an erection at the altar wasn’t the best look.
Roman clapped me on the shoulder. “You are one lucky bastard.”
Luckily, his voice cleared the lust, and I lifted my eyes back to my bride as she walked toward me. Her smile and the mischievous twinkle in her eye made me aware she knew exactly what I was thinking.
It was a small group around us. Roman, Nonna V, Luca, and Justine. Wanda and a couple of friends from the deli. A few close business acquaintances. Only twelve people—exactly what Vi wanted. I made sure there were flowers, lots of champagne, and I wore a tuxedo.
And cake. She’d asked for lots of cake. As far as I was concerned, if she agreed to marry me, she got anything she wanted.
But she was taking too damn long to reach me. When had the room become so big?
I stepped forward, reaching out my hand, and she smiled as she extended hers to clasp mine, letting me pull her closer.
The justice of the peace smiled and performed the brief ceremony. I slid my mother’s ring back into place on her finger, knowing Vi would add the diamond that I had bought her back with it. The large, four-carat cushion cut ring was on her right hand at the moment. The fact that she loved the small pearl ring more than the big diamond made me adore this woman more than I thought possible.
She slipped a thick gold band onto my finger, and I made a fist, liking how the weight felt on my hand. We were pronounced husband and wife, and I smiled. “Finally.”
I took great joy in kissing my wife.
My wife.
Such a small word for a person who changed my life and made me a better man. Who filled my world with joy and laughter and could brighten my day with a simple smile.
She was my world.
My everything.
And I would spend the rest of my life showing her.
VI
The sun was high in the sky, a ball of fire in the bright blue. I stretched out on my blanket, sitting up and shading my eyes, looking for Aldo. Sun glinted off the ridiculously huge diamond on my hand, casting rays on the sand. It was crazy and unnecessary, and I loved it.
Aldo came into view, and I tried not to laugh. This was his third time out jogging today. He’d gone four times yesterday. Plus, fucked me in the ocean, the hammock, on the bed, and once on the deck.
My husband was going stir-crazy.
The first few days were blissful. We stayed up late, making love, talking, walking the private beach. We went sailing, snorkeling, and napped in the sun. He tried parasailing and made love to me on every surface of the small beach house. We ate meals cooked by a private chef. There was a butler who brought fresh drinks and snacks to the beach house any time we called. Otherwise, we were alone. It was glorious. I read on the beach and by the pool, never knowing such decadence. There was nowhere to go. Nothing else to do. For the first time in my adult life, I had no job, no responsibilities.