Turn Towards the Sun Book Two: After the Rain (26 page)

“I think he had more faith in you than you had in yourself for a while there,” Gabby tells me.

I glance out the window for a moment. “I think that’s true,” I admit. “I definitely feel more confident in my abilities than I used to.”

Grayson exits the highway and drives down the street to the hotel. I tell the girls why Enzo chose this location and point out various areas of interest. Shortly, we turn into the hotel drive, which has been paved since I was last here. Enzo’s car is already out front.

We get out and walk inside the building, which is really starting to take shape. The drywall and some of the interior finishing is complete, and workers are starting to lay tiles. I wave at Francesca as we approach.

“Hi, Checca,” I say.

Francesca is wearing a blue sweater that looks like it must be made of cotton candy, and black leggings with black patent-leather stilettos. At any given time, she could pose for a photo spread.

“Hello,” she says. Putting her notebook down, she gives all of us a warm hug. “Yes, you want coffee? It’s so cold outside.” She rubs her hands up and down her arms to warm them.

Cassie laughs softly, but says nothing.

“Sure, coffee sounds good,” I say, and then pour each of us a cup from the carafe sitting on a nearby table.

“Yes, Ava, do you like the floors?” Francesca asks.

Glancing down at the white Carrara marble tiles being laid, I remember how we spent hours looking at different kinds to find just the right shade and marbling. I think the floors will look great in contrast to the purple walls.

“Looks fantastic,” I tell her, warmly. “They’re just how you wanted them.”

Francesca squeezes my arm and gets that ‘design high’ look in her eyes. “Yes, beautiful.”

“Where’s Enzo?” I ask her. “I saw his car.”

“Yes, he is outside talking to Dax. The pool is not as big as Enzo wanted it, so they are renegotiating,” she says with a wink.

What she really means is that Enzo is exerting his will over the man. This ought to be good to watch. I still don’t like that guy. Every time I see Dax, he leers at me, with no regard to the fact that I’m the boss’ wife. I just want to kick him in the shin.

We walk out back and see them staring at a huge hole in the ground. Enzo wants a pool bigger than that? He sees us and smiles. Dax smiles too, but in his wolf in sheep’s clothing way. Yuck.

Enzo kisses my cheek and wraps his arm possessively around my waist, saying, “Ciao, amore.”

Gabby and Cass stand quietly beside me. I’m wondering why neither Enzo nor I have introduced them to Dax. Enzo finally breaks the silence. “Dax, these are my wife’s friends, Gabriella and Cassandra. They are both spoken for, so mind what primitive manners you have.” His tone is terse and I fight back a giggle.

The look on the faces of the two women is priceless, but they both just mutter something polite in response.

“Well, well, I guess it’s true what they say about birds of a feather. Pretty wife, pretty friends,” Dax says with his Southern drawl, practically licking his lips.

Cassie pulls her head back and I fear she’s about to launch a verbal assault on the guy. Somehow, she bites her lip and simply glares.

He’s not fooling any of these pretty ladies with his cheesy shtick.

“Dax, back to the pool,” Enzo snaps.

“We’ll go back inside, Enzo,” I say, kissing his cheek.

“Ugh,” Cassie says as we walk away. “What’s with that guy? He’s a creep.”

“He is. Enzo says he’s the best contractor in the valley, but he is a jerk,” I tell them. “He’s always looking at me and saying flirtatious things. Enzo’s gotten in his face on more than one occasion. I don’t know if he’ll choose to work with him again after this. It’s that bad.”

“What a tool,” Cassie adds, and Gabby shakes her head in agreement.

“Is there anything to see in the rooms?” Gabby asks, changing the subject.

“No. We can’t go upstairs yet, but we’ll come back and check it out again. It’s coming in way ahead of schedule so far.”

We walk back to Francesca to say goodbye. “I’ll be back to work tomorrow, Checca,” I tell her.

She nods. “Okay. We need to pick out the fixtures still.”

“I know. I flagged some ideas in the book you gave me.”

“Brava. Ci vediamo.”

“Yep, ci vediamo,” I reply.

“And what does that mean, miss bilingual?” Cassie asks.

I smile. “See you later, basically.”

“You know, Cass, you might want to learn some Italian now that you’ll be surrounded by it,” Gabby says, nudging her arm.

“Girl, I can barely speak English,” Cassie replies and then cackles.

****

The sound of clicking computer keys breaks the morning silence. I stretch and yawn, and then lift up on my elbows to see Enzo typing away at the desk, wearing a T-shirt and sweatpants. It’s seven in the morning on a Saturday.

“Babe, you need to learn to relax more,” I tell him. “You’re always working.”

“Ah, buon giorno principessa,” Enzo replies. “I’m perfectly relaxed at the moment. Besides, the work won’t do itself, no?”

I laugh softly. “No, I suppose it won’t. What are your plans for today?”

“The usual. Girasole for a few hours and then downtown. You?” he asks.

“I’m going to work out for an hour. After that, it’s whatever Cassie wants to do.”

He frowns. “I don’t like all this dieting and exercise. You’re getting too skinny.”

“I’m hardly skinny. I just want to be healthy.”

Little does my husband know that I plan on getting pretty chubby quite soon.

“Va bene.” He smiles and stands up. After gazing at me for a moment, he says, “You look divine sitting there with your messy hair and nightgown on. In fact, you look like a woman who should be ravished.”

“Is that so? Do you know anyone who would be interested in ravishing me?”

“Indeed I do, Mrs. Milano.” He slides my strap down off my shoulder and strokes my skin. It sends shivers through me.

Enzo pulls off his shirt and climbs into bed, straddling me. My chest fills with heavy breath in anticipation of his next move.

“What shall I do with you… or should I say to you?” he asks. Grinning, he moves a stray hair off my face.

“Whatever you want, my prince, you know that.” I lean back and wait for the pleasure to begin.

He moves the blanket off me and then freezes. “Amore, we have a little problem here.”

I look down to see the bed and my nightgown covered in blood. Shit. I thought I felt a little strange.

“Oh, great, my period,” I moan. And I’ve bled all over the bed. Awesome.

Enzo looks concerned. “Are you okay?”

“Other than being thoroughly pissed off with the mess, and the fact that I can’t make love to my husband right now, yeah, I’m fine.”

“Let me get you a towel,” he offers.

I sit motionless, waiting for the towel, slowly becoming aware of the cramps that are beginning to wage a war on my poor uterus.

Enzo returns with a towel and tells me, “I’ve started the shower for you too.”

“Thanks.”

I strip off my bloodied nightgown and lay it on the bed. I’ll have to remove the bedding and wash it later. My husband stands next to the bed, looking helpless.

“I’m fine, Enzo. I’ll take care of the mess.”

“Just go shower, amore.”

I pad into the bathroom with the towel tucked between my legs. I’m shocked at the amount of blood. This is very unusual. How long has it been since my last one? Six months? I probably shouldn’t have intentionally skipped that many.

I climb into the shower and let the hot water wash over me. The cramps are really starting to kick in and I realize I’m going to need some Midol soon. I hope that Cassie still has some as she eats them like candy during her cycle. I can only imagine what she would be like without them.

Enzo walks into the bathroom and joins me in the shower. “You don’t mind, do you?” he asks.

“Not at all. Just don’t look down,” I warn him, as I watch blood-tainted water slide down the drain.

“I don’t care about that. You’re my wife and women have periods. Granted, you’ve never had one around me, so I don’t know what to expect. Is it bad?”

I nod my head. “Yeah, the cramps are starting to kick in. I think because I went so long without one, I’m gonna pay for it now.”

Enzo wraps his arms around my waist and rubs my belly. “What can I do to make it better for you?”

You could get me pregnant. The thought parades through my mind for a moment, but I can’t tell him that yet. It’s my little surprise.

“Nothing,” I reply, offering a weak smile. “I just need some hot tea and painkillers to take the edge off. I’ll live.”

He pulls me closer. “I heard once that sex actually helps to relieve cramps. Maybe we should try that.”

I turn around with what I am sure is a horrified look on my face. “No way.”

“Come on, Ava. We’re in the shower.”

“Gross.”

“It’s not gross. I want you, badly.”

I shake my head. “I don’t know. I’ve never done that.”

Enzo grins. “I haven’t either. I just want you right now and I’m not going to let this get in my way.” He slides his hand down my stomach and stops just over my clitoris.

“No, Enzo, I’m not comfortable with that. There’s so much…” I stop, not wanting to say the word out loud again and unable to believe that my husband is attracted to me right now, after finding me covered in blood.

He nuzzles my neck. “Shhh, amore, let me make love to you.”

Ah shit, that feels good. “Baby, I can pleasure you another way,” I try.

He shakes his head. “I want to be inside you. Please, bella.”

I lean back against his chest while he runs one hand up my throat; the other one kneads my breast, which is swollen with hormones and arousal. I can’t resist him, even now.

Enzo pushes me forward slightly and I brace myself against the shower wall with outstretched arms. He moves the shower head so that the water sprays right over us. The pulsating water mirrors my own aroused body. I want him too.

“Say it, Ava. Tell me I can have you.”

Like I can say no. “You can have me,” I reply.

Using his knees to spread my legs open, Enzo pushes into me. Sliding in easily, he presses his body against me, pushing deeper still. I cannot speak or cry out as the feeling is so intense. I’m filled with him, his body and his love. He grinds slowly against me, my hair twisted around his forearm. I keep my eyes closed, soaking in the incredible sensation.

“Ava, bella, la bellissima, I love you. You’re everything to me. Tell me how much you love me, Ava,” he whispers with husky breath in my ear as he continues to pump slowly into me.

“You know I love you with every ounce of my soul,” I sigh.

Enzo groans and begins to pound into me, hard and fast. He turns me around and I grab the edge of the bench. Holding my hips, he continues his passionate assault on my body, and I can barely catch my breath. It feels so good that I can think of nothing else except how amazing my body feels.

“I’m going to come for you, amore. You make me crazy,” he says.

Feeling Enzo’s body tense behind me, I grind my ass against him and reach down to rub my clit. “Not yet, baby. Wait for me,” I tell him.

He wraps one arm around my waist and between my legs his other hand meets mine, pushing it away. “Mine,” he says as he gently bites my neck, causing me to groan. “Your orgasms are mine. Does it feel good, amore? Do I make you feel good?”

“Perfect,” I gasp. “I feel perfect.”

Enzo rubs my clit in circular motions until I begin to feel that sharp build-up of pressure deep in my belly.

“Mmm, you’re tightening around me, baby. Give it to me, Ava. I want all of you.”

“Yes, all of me.” The words escape my mouth as he pounds into my depths. My legs start to quiver and I know what is coming. Oh yeah. “Oh, oh, Enzo,” I gasp. “Please! Oh, oh, yes!”

My body is awash with pleasure as every nerve seems to scream out in joy. My previously whiny uterus has decided to shut the hell up. Enzo cries out and holds me tight as he releases into me, pumping slower and slower until he is finally spent. He lets go of my hips and turns me around, wrapping his arms around me and smothering my face in kisses. “Bella,” he sighs.

I sit down on the bench while Enzo takes the shower head and runs the warm water over my body, stopping between my legs for several minutes. Then he shuts the water off and helps me out of the shower. Wrapping me in a towel, he kisses my neck where he bit me earlier.

“I don’t know what got into me. I didn’t hurt you, did I?” he asks.

I laugh softly. “Not at all. I loved it. You were amazing.”

He grins. “Thank you for letting me make love to you.”

“You don’t need to thank me.”

“I know you were unsure, so I’m thanking you. I don’t take your love or body for granted.”

Grinning, I kiss his cheek. “Now go,” I order him. “I need to be alone to deal with this most unexpected visitor.”