Turn Towards the Sun: Book Three- Forever in Bloom (The Sunflower Trilogy) (32 page)

“It seems you continue to top yourself with each design. How do you do it?” the reporter asks.

“I have the most angelic muse,” he says as he stares into my eyes. Patting my belly, he says, “My most magnificent creation is growing inside my beautiful wife.” I feel my cheeks blush as Enzo kisses me once more. “We’re celebrating our one year wedding anniversary tomorrow. We have much to be happy about.”

“Congratulations to you both,” the reporter says before we walk into the hotel.

Inside the room is packed with people, but as we walk, the crowd moves out of our way so we can head into the casino where the mini concert will be.

Enzo wraps his hand around mine and lifts it to his lips, planting a tender kiss against it. “We’re going to have an incredible night, amore.”

“It already has been.”

The lights go down and music fills the room as the show begins. I clap my hands for many reasons. I’m overwhelmed by happiness. Looking over at my husband, his eyes are only on me. I feel like the luckiest woman alive. I’m pretty sure I am.

STANDING AT THE elevator, Enzo plants kisses down the back of my neck, nuzzling his face in my hair. I can’t wait to get upstairs and get these clothes off. All I want right now is my husband. The doors open and we step on after letting several others off. Enzo pushes the button for the penthouse suite, much to my surprise.

“I thought one of the celebrities would have booked this room tonight,” I say.

“It wasn’t available. It’s our room tonight. We are the first people that will sleep there and make love in that bed. In the morning, we’ll be the ones having breakfast in bed and sipping coffee on the balcony. Tonight, we celebrate.”

“Sounds divine,” I whisper.

We get to our floor and walk down the hall to our room. Once Enzo opens the door, he scoops me off my feet, carrying me over the threshold. “Just like our wedding night, no?”

“Yes,” I say, giggling. He sets me down and I admire the room from the eyes of a customer rather than a designer. It’s absolutely breathtaking. One whole wall is nothing but floor to window glass. Dark wood planks cover the floors and everything is dark and lush. I run my hands over the purple chenille sofa on my way to the glass wall.

Looking out over the twinkling lights of Phoenix, I feel Enzo’s arm wrap around my waist and we sway to music that isn’t playing.

“I’m so happy to be here with you, Ava. There is no where I would rather be.”

“I couldn’t agree more. Are you ready for me, my prince?”

“I have been since I laid eyes on you tonight.” He turns me around to face him then slides down to his knees in front of me. I know what he’s going to do so I lift my leg for him to easily remove one shoe, then the other. His hands glide up my legs and I realize he’s climbed under my dress. I feel my legs being pushed apart slightly and my panties slide down. I grip the column closest to me to balance myself as Enzo’s fingers find their way inside of me. Leaning back, I close my eyes and wait for his next move.

It’s only moments before his tongue presses against me, taking long leisurely licks through the folds of tender flesh between my legs. I tug at the material of my dress, wanting to expose him but he pushes my hands away. I have no choice but to lean back and enjoy.

Enzo’s tongue darts in and out of me and his fingers rub my clit, occasionally dipping inside. He’s so good at this, so….I can’t even think straight. It’s like I’m experiencing something out of body.

“God, Enzo, you’re so perfect. So perfect,” I mumble as I toss my head back and forth in ecstasy.

“You like this, bella? Do I make you feel good?”

“So good, yes, so, mmm.” I’m bordering on not being able to make a coherent sentence. I lift my leg up and drape it over his shoulder, allowing him even deeper access into the core of my being.

Enzo pushes the fabric of my dress up and lifts his face up to mine. “I want you to come for me, Ava. I want you to scream out my name and pull my hair and tell me that you’re mine. I want to hear those precious words from you. Tell me, Ava.”

Enzo goes back to work on my clit and the sweet tension begins to build deep within me. I feel like at any moment I could simply combust- the feeling is so intense. I grind against his mouth and prepare for the orgasm that is about to shake me to my core. Gripping his shoulders, it hits, shattering all tension, all stress, and sliding over me like warm rain. I cry out Enzo’s name and roll my hips as his mouth and tongue continue working on me.

“Tell me, Ava,” Enzo says, his face suddenly in front of mine. His mouth comes down hard on mine and we kiss with abandon, like we’ve never kissed before. There is desperation between us. We can’t get enough of each other.

“Tell me, Ava,” he says again. I feel his hardness press against me and I get even more turned on that we’re both still dressed. I love it like this. His mouth presses against mine again and I gently bite his lower lip, eliciting a groan from him.

He enters me and I gasp, as I do every time. I adore the feeling of this man inside of me. He slams into me, balancing both of us against the large white column I lean against. I place my hands on both sides of his face and we stare at each other for what feels like forever.

“I am yours, Enzo. I always have been. I was made just for you and only you. I will be here with you until I take my last breath. You have my heart and my life. Everything I have is yours.”

“Jesus, Ava, you have no idea how much I love you. No idea.”

“I think I do.”

We kiss again and I feel his body tense against me. He lays his head against my shoulder as he releases into me. Tears of pure joy roll down my cheeks. I feel…renewed.

Enzo lifts his head and stares into my eyes, smiling. “Happy anniversary. Thank you for sharing your life with me. You’ve made me the man I am and the father I will become. I love you, Ava Milano. Per sempre.”

“Forever.”

We walk hand in hand into the bedroom. Enzo strips down then helps me out of my dress. We climb into the bed and lay on our sides, quietly absorbing the massive love between the two of us.

“Sei una donna perfetta, fantastica, lo sai quello?” Enzo whispers.

“You bring out my better qualities but I’ll take perfect and fantastic any day,” I say, laughing softly.

I wonder for just a moment what outrageous gift he has planned for me and when he plans to give it to me.

“I think opening night was a success this time,” Enzo says.

“More than.”

“We need a vacation,” Enzo says, laughing.

“We sure do. As soon as we get our ultrasound we can talk to the doctor about travel.”

“Where shall we go next, bella?”

“Hmm,” I say tapping my chin. “Italy?”

“I was hoping you would say that.” He kisses my cheek again. “I thought long and hard about an anniversary gift and I really couldn’t think of anything that would express how I really feel about you. There is no physical item in this world that represents what is in my heart.”

“It’s okay. I don’t need anything else.”

“I searched far and wide for something amazing and this was the best I could do.” He rolls over and opens the nightstand drawer and hands me a box then he smiles. “Open it.”

Pulling at the ribbon, I lift the lid of the box and stare at the silver bracelet inside. It’s thick and heavy when I take it out. I start to put it on, but Enzo stops me. “Amore, read the inscription.”

I flip it over and on the inside it says, ‘The first year of many. Il mio sogno, la mia principessa, per sempre. E.’

“Oh, Enzo, it’s absolutely perfect and beautiful. Thank you so much.” I stare into his eyes then I start to laugh. “You won’t believe what I got you.” I pop out of bed and run across the room to my handbag, pulling out a box. I hand it to him and sit cross legged on the bed. “Open.”

Enzo sits up and smiles. Opening the box, he peers inside to see a gold bracelet. He laughs as soon as he sees it. “Ava, this is unbelievable. We must have had the same idea.”

“Read the inside,” I say, giggling.

“La mia vita, il mio principe, per sempre, Ava. Well, I would say we were exactly in tune with each other.”

“As we are always are.”

“Are you ready for sleep, signora?”

“Hmm, no, I don’t think so. I think I’m ready for round two with my husband.”

“Mmm,” he says, kissing my neck. “As you wish.”

NERVOUSLY, I LIE on the exam table while Dr. Warner starts my ultrasound. Enzo squeezes my hand and I know we are both just as scared as we are excited. In the past several weeks, my baby bump has seriously popped out and my body has been going through changes. It’s so different than my first pregnancy and it’s comforting to me. I pray that this time, everything is going to be just fine.

Dr. Warner is very quiet as she moves the mouse around clicking and typing things. I can’t stand the suspense anymore.

“Is the baby okay?” I ask.

She looks up and smiles at me. “Oh, yes. Both of them have strong heartbeats.”

I am quite sure I did not hear her clearly. My brain tries very hard to process what she just said to me. I look up at Enzo, whose mouth is wide open.

“Did you say both of them?” I ask.

“I did.” The doctor’s face breaks into a wide smile. “There are two babies in there, Ava.”

“No way. No way.” Squinting my eyes at the screen, I look for two baby outlines.

“Right here, Ava. Look.” She uses the keyboard to highlight the two separate heartbeats and two small lima bean shaped bodies.

I burst into tears. Oh God. “Twins?”

“Yes. Twins,” the doctor confirms.

Enzo is pale, his eyes fixed on the screen at our babies’ beating hearts. His eyes well with tears. I can’t tell from his reaction if he is happy or just shocked.

“Enzo, baby, are you okay?” I ask.

“Okay? Not at all. I’m over the moon. We’re having twins. This is amazing. Shocking and amazing.” He squeezes my hand and kisses my forehead.

“At your next appointment we should be able to determine the sex of the babies. In the meantime, we’ll just monitor your weight every three weeks,” the doctor says. “So far you are gaining weight appropriately and all your numbers look strong.” She rubs my hand. “You and the babies are very healthy.”

“Thank you, Dr. Warner.”

“Just make sure you call if anything changes,” she adds.

I nod my head and stand to get dressed. I can tell from his expression that Enzo’s mind is still racing with the news.

We walk back to our car, silent, hand in hand. I can’t tell what he’s thinking. He opens my door and once I’m seated, he kneels down and gives me the sweetest, warmest kiss I’ve ever had.

“Thank you, Ava, for bringing such intense happiness into my life. I can barely absorb what we just learned.”

I run my fingers through his thick black hair. “I could say the same thing to you.”

“I love you,” he says.

“I know.”

“Let’s go to work.”

“Let’s.”

We pull out of the parking lot and start the drive to La Bellissima. I’m excited to tell Francesca when we see her. Now that the hotel is done, she and I walk around checking all the details. Quite frankly, it’s almost a waste of time. Not one detail was overlooked in that hotel. It’s perfect.

“What are you thinking, amore?”

“Just thinking about how amazing your hotel is and how much fun it was putting it together.”

Enzo sighs. “It’s
our
hotel. We created La Bellissima together and we will create more in the future.”

Oh the word choice with this man! “Okay, Enzo. Our hotel. You know what I meant.”

“I do but I want you to take ownership for your accomplishments and contributions. Francesca could not have done all of that alone and you had a big hand in it.”

“I understand.”

“Do you?”

“I’m working on it, how’s that?”

“All I can ask for. Thank you.”

I smile and rub his hand as we pull into the driveway at the hotel. Two valet attendants scramble to open our doors and escort us out. Once inside, I’m pleased to see activity. Our rooms have been booked solid since it opened and there are people everywhere. We already have a month long waiting list for reservations to the restaurant.