“Well, if you don’t mind, Scarlet, I’m going to get this lovely lady a drink at the bar. Maybe we’ll have time to chat tonight, really get to know one another?”
Mom giggled again, and I wondered what drink number she was on. I couldn’t remember the last time she was this giddy, even when she first met Marcus.
As soon as we were out of earshot, I leaned close and said, “Sorry about her.”
“Helena, you don’t have to apologize. She’s quirky, and clearly still longs for younger days, but I doubt there’s anything you really have to say sorry for.”
“The night’s young, and she’s only had a couple glasses of champagne, I’m sure. Just wait until she really gets going.” I shook my head. “She’s been known to get a little grabby when she drinks. Watch your butt tonight.”
“How about you watch it? You’re supposed to be my fiancée after all. You could always make sure they’re your hands on my ass.” He grinned and steered me toward the bar.
As drinks were poured, I pointed out a few people who were in the room, giving him a quick rundown. “That’s my aunt Martina. She’ll want to hear every detail of our relationship, but she’s not nosy. She’s just really interested in everything that’s going on with all of us.” I turned. “And that’s her daughter, Rose. I’m definitely going to have to steal her away for a little while, since there aren’t many people here who speak her language.”
“Oh? How did that happen? Was she raised abroad or something?”
“Um, no. She was born deaf.” I chewed my lip, waiting for the inevitable sympathies or awkward silence.
“It sucks when you can’t communicate with the world around you. You’re definitely going to have to introduce us.” Gio smiled softly, his eyes on my cousin.
She was tall, willowy, and most people would’ve considered her a knockout, but she and I bonded over being what my mother referred to as “difficult to match”.
The lack of judgment or feigned sorrow in Gio’s voice surprised me. I realized there was still so much I didn’t know about him or the people in his life. Or was it more about Neil, having to navigate the world without a limb he’d been born with?
Gio’s phone chimed in his pocket, and he frowned. “I should take this. It’s my curator. I’ll be right back, okay?”
I nodded, and as he walked away, cell phone in one hand and drink in the other, I let my eyes drop to his butt. If it would keep him safe from Mom’s hands, it really was my job to keep an eye on it, right?
Circling the room, I greeted family members, and stood graciously as I was introduced to friends, and Marcus’s kin. But all the while I wondered where Gio was, if I’d somehow scared him off.
Daphne flounced over, looking ever the radiant bride to be in a soft peach colored dress. “Hellie, you didn’t tell me Gio spoke sign language.” She glanced back over her shoulder. “It looks like he and Rose are hitting it off. You better watch out—you might have competition.”
I laughed, but as I followed where she was pointing, it was hard to deny the chemistry there.
Gio and Rose were signing quickly back and forth, faster than I could keep up with her despite my best efforts. They sat close together, their knees touching, and the smile on his face was almost too much to bear.
Was Daphne right? Did I have competition that I never would’ve suspected?
10
Giovanni
After I finished my call with Carissa, promising to send her pictures of works in progress by next Wednesday, I headed back into the party.
I couldn’t find Helena at first, and my gut instinct was to turn off the implant microphones, shut out the world, and wait for her to find me. There were so many people, so many I didn’t know, it was overwhelming.
But then I saw Rose, sitting at a tall bar-table, all alone.
Walking up, I tapped her on the arm before signing, “Hi. You’re Rose, right?”
Her hands moved in front of her and her face lit up. “You know A.S.L.?” She signed excitedly. “Thank God someone else at this party does. I was sure I was going to sit over here alone all night.”
I brushed my hair back, showing off the external part of the implant. “It’s my native language. I’m Gio, Helena’s fiancé.”
She made the sign for “butterfly” and then the one for “H”, and gasped.
I figured that was her way of saying Helena, and I mimicked it, following it up by spelling out her whole name. “You’re surprised?”
“I just never thought Helena would settle down. She’s so independent, does everything on her own.” She smiled. “But it looks like she picked a good one, even if you are deaf.”
I laughed. “Hey, we’re the best ones.” I glanced around, trying to find Helena. “You have to tell me why you sign butterfly and H for her name.”
“She’s pretty much the only one of the family who bothered to learn sign, other than my parents. When we were eighteen, we both got tattoos.” She turned around, showing off a bright blue butterfly on her shoulder. “Hers isn’t so easy to see.”
As if I needed another reason to want to strip her naked.
“I love it.” I smiled. “Do you see her? I had a phone call, and now I can’t find her.”
“She’s over with bride-zilla to be.” She pointed to where Daphne and Helena were talking.
Helena didn’t look happy at all.
“I should go see to my fiancée. We can talk again later, okay? Any time you want a break from your quiet corner, text me.” I pulled out my phone, and let her type in her number, before sending her a text so she’d have mine as well.
It was nice to have another friend here, someone who got it, who understood how loud the quiet could be.
Before I even made it to Helena, she signed, “You know A.S.L.? You didn’t think this was something I should know?”
I shrugged and signed back, “I have cochlear implants. I only use sign when the batteries die, or I come across someone who doesn’t use voice.” I covertly shifted my hair, not really wanting to expose my implant to the whole room right now.
“Hey, can you all use English? I’m sure you’re just signing flirty hot things at each other, but some of us feel left out.” Daphne’s lower lip stuck out in a pout.
Helena quickly said, “Sorry, Daph. It really wasn’t anything that fun. Just checking in.”
I stepped up to her and wrapped my arms around her from behind. “Boring work stuff, I assure you.” I kissed Helena’s cheek and smiled. “She told you I’m deaf, right?”
“No, she did not.”
Daphne glared at Helena, so I quickly followed up with, “That’s my fault. I hide it well with my implants. I don’t usually like to tell people. Helena was just respecting my wishes.” I squeezed her gently and tangled my fingers with hers. “But if we’re going to be family, there’s no real reason to keep it secret.”
“Oh! Well, of course we don’t need to tell anyone you’re not comfortable with.” Daphne smiled sweetly at me, and part of me just wanted to shake her.
How could she immediately get accusatory toward Helena, but act like nothing but sunshine and rainbows toward me? It wasn’t her knowledge to have, even if Helena had known before now.
“You understand, right? It’s important to keep your fiancé’s best wishes at heart.” Helena still felt too tense in my arms, but at least Daphne seemed to buy it.
“If you don’t mind, I’m going to borrow this beautiful woman for a minute.” I nuzzled against her neck, really trying to lay on the devoted boyfriend routine thick.
“Of course, of course!” Daphne smirked as if she knew exactly what we were about to do, even though she had no idea.
I pulled Helena out onto the terrace, looking out over the vineyards lit up with twinkle lights. “Are you mad at me?”
“Mad? Gio, I wouldn’t even know what to be upset about.” She sighed, turning to look at me, away from the beautiful scenery. “I’m confused, more than anything. Why didn’t you tell me? Didn’t you think I
deserved to know?”
I sighed, running a hand through my hair, carefully letting it fall back over the implant again. “I didn’t think it would come up. Or if it did, it would be alone, in our room. I didn’t expect you to have a deaf cousin.”
Helena reached for my hand. “Is there anything else I need to know? A trick hip, a weird growth? A twin you absorbed in the womb?”
“Not that I know about.” I chuckled and pulled her into my arms. “It really is something I just try not to tell people about. I don’t like people looking at me like I’m defective. Especially since that’s why I was given up for adoption, how I ended up with the Wrights.”
“You’re not defective, Gio.” She looked up at me, and for half a second, I thought she was going to kiss me. “You just had some adversity to overcome. That’s nothing to be ashamed of.”
“I’m not ashamed. It’s a badge of honor, if anything. But it’s hard to not feel a little bit like I wasn’t enough to love, since as soon as the deafness set in, I was given up.” Logically, I knew there was so much more to it than that. Mom had shown me pictures of the village I was born in. I never would’ve had the opportunity I did if they hadn’t given me up for adoption. But I still couldn’t bring myself to go back to Brazil, to face the people who let me go.
She cupped my cheek, and I leaned in to press a soft kiss to her lips. “In case I didn’t say anything before, you look absolutely gorgeous tonight, Helena.”
A soft flush heated her cheeks, and she leaned into me. “You don’t have to say stuff like that when we’re all alone.”
“Would it be better if I signed it?” I smirked. “Or said it in Spanish? I could learn it in Greek or Latin, if you’d prefer.” I kissed her cheek. “When are you going to get it through this adorable, thick head of yours that I’m drawn to beautiful things, and you, Helena Stratton, definitely fit the bill.”
Her blush turned redder, and she looked away. “I should go talk to Rose. Make the rounds again. And at some point, Mom’s going to want to hear the story of how we met, how you proposed.”
“Then lead the way. I have a fiancée to show off, and if I do say so, she’s likely to outshine the bride.”
Helena laughed. “Yeah, right. I haven’t outshined Daphne since the moment she took her first teetering steps across the kitchen.”
I squeezed her hand just before we made it back into the main party room, stopping her for just as second. “Helena, one of these days, I’m going to prove to you just how incredible you are.”
Before we got to Rose, her mother grabbed my arm, making us both stop in our tracks. “So, Gio, you’re marrying my little girl. You know, it’s customary to ask permission of the parents.”
I smiled, even though I could feel Helena tense up next to me. I was dying to know just what caused all this anxiety, so that I could wipe it away. “I know, and I’m just hoping you’ll forgive me. If truth be told, I just couldn’t wait another second to ask.”
Scarlet’s eyes looked hazy, like she was well sloshed, but the party hadn’t been going on long enough for her to be this drunk. “Well, this is a story I’m going to have to hear. Daphne, I could understand. But pudgy Hellie?” She focused her gaze on her daughter, narrowing her eyes accusatorily. “You’re not pregnant, are you?”
“Mom! No.” Helena’s voice raised half an octave.
“Why don’t we go out to the terrace, get some fresh air, while Helena gets you a cup of coffee from the bar?” It was obvious that Scarlet had no trouble embarrassing her daughter, and I doubted Daphne wanted her party ruined by a drunk parent.
“I don’t want coffee. Hellie, be a lamb and get me another champagne, while your fiancé here explains why he didn’t have the respect for me to ask for your hand properly.”
“Mom, my permission is all he ever needed.” She took my hand and dragged me a little way away from her mother.
Helena sighed, signing quickly, “Daph has sparkling cider stocked behind the bar. I need to make sure the bartenders know to cut her off. Are you okay to handle her on your own for a minute?”
I stared down at her, taking in her beauty. Even agitated, annoyed, and frustrated, she looked beautiful and determined. I was tired of playing the nice guy and the arm piece. I pulled her in before she walked off, pressing a hard, hungry kiss to her lips. She melted into me, just for a moment, letting her soft curves mold against me. Feeling her body pressed against mine, I knew I wanted more than just a muse or a friend. Her body tortured me, and her sparkling eyes tempted me and there were all kinds of things I could think to do with her mouth.
It would’ve been so easy to deepen the kiss, to really push her boundaries by letting my tongue slide into her mouth, tugging her hair as I positioned her head in just the right angle to make her moan.
But I had to remember that we were in a room surrounded by her family.
And I had to remember that she wasn’t mine. Not really.
Pulling back, I made sure to let my hand slide over the curve of her ass before I let her go. “Come back quick.”
Helena nodded, her eyes glazed over, not entirely differently from her mother’s, but for a much more fun reason.
By the time I turned back to Scarlet, I was irritated at her very existence, for making Helena feel bad about herself, and for making Helena leave my arms. “Now, Mrs. Stratton, I’m sure you’re used to your daughter deferring to you, letting you talk to her however you like, but I’m not going to be as easy to talk to like that. I want you to know right now, that I am madly in love with Helena, and this negative attitude you have toward her stops right now. She is a goddess among women, the likes of which I know without a doubt that I’m not good enough for, and I’m not going to stand here and listen to you put her down, for any reason. Do you understand?”
Scarlet scowled, and for breath, I thought she was going to rail back at me, push the issue.
But instead, she let out a loud, almost cackling laugh. “Well, aren’t you spunky?” She shook her head. “Of course, that headstrong girl picked a man who’s just as stubborn.”
“Damn right I’m stubborn. At least when it comes to her.”
She smirked. “And you think you can take care of Hellie?”
“Absolutely.”
Helena came back, with a champagne flute in her hand. “Here you go, Mom.”
Scarlet downed the glass so quickly I wasn’t sure she even tasted it.
“Okay, let’s hear this story.”
Before Helena could speak, I started.
“From the moment I saw Helena, I knew I needed to get to know her better. That I needed to talk to this beautiful woman. But that wasn’t enough. It’s never going to be enough I don’t think.” I kissed her cheek. “So, this weekend, when she came with me to my family’s house for my birthday, I knew there was only one wish I wanted to come true. I waited until we were alone, just the two of us. Under the moon in Aspen, I got down on one knee, took Helena’s hand, and asked her to be the woman I spend the rest of my life with.”
Either Helena was a world-class actress, or she was eating this up as much as Scarlet was.
“I didn’t even have the ring yet. It wasn’t planned, completely spontaneous.”
Helena smiled softly, leaning her head in toward my chest. “And completely perfect. I had to say yes.”
I kissed her forehead, wrapping my arms around her waist. “I wanted to wait until after Daphne’s wedding. I knew Helena wouldn’t want anything to take away from her sister’s big day. But I just couldn’t help myself. Not when I saw her at my parents’ house, just as perfect as ever… I didn’t want to wait another breath.”
Scarlet made an aww sound, and I figured we were in the clear, at least for now.
I wasn’t sure if she’d remember everything I said to her while Helena was at the bar, and part of me was glad Helena hadn’t overheard, but I wouldn’t have taken it back for anything. Helena didn’t deserve to be talked to like Scarlet had and being drunk was no excuse. I
had no doubt all the booze had done was loosen her lips, make her say things she was already thinking.
And fake fiancé or not, no one talked to her that way.
Not while I was around.
The rest of the party passed in a blur, and by the time we headed back to the rental house, Helena was buzzed on good Tuscan wine. The flush in her cheeks was sexy as hell, and the way her hair had gained volume, as if she’d purposefully been fluffing it all night, making her look like a sex kitten just begging to be rumpled.
“You know, you’re pretty good at this whole schmoozing thing. Did you learn that growing up with famous parents?” She leaned her head on my shoulder as I drove, her fingers gently running up and down my thigh as if she wasn’t even aware she was doing it.
Even if she didn’t realize it, I was on high alert from the touch. I couldn’t understand how she didn’t have men breaking down her door with just the chance to show her how amazing she was.
And every touch was just making it harder to remember she wasn’t mine. Not really.
“It’s not that, so much. But I do have to go to an endless number of cocktail parties. You get used to making small talk, looking like you’re deeply interested. Even when all you can think about is getting home and stripping out of the penguin suit.” I stopped in front of the rental and reached down to catch her hand. “Or drawing the woman who’s been in your thoughts all day, and all you’ve wanted is paper and a pencil to capture even an iota of the vision before you.”
“You’re always thinking about drawing, aren’t you?”
“Sometimes it’s painting. Sometimes it’s sculpture even. I even have a pottery wheel in my studio back in New York, in case I get the urge.” I pressed a kiss to her palm. “Come on, let’s get you inside and out of those heels.”
“Promise me, you’re never going to make a sculpture of me.” Helena gestured at her body and scowled. “There’s enough of me on this planet already. Too much, if you believe my drunken mother.”
“Your mother doesn’t have any idea what she’s talking about. You’re perfection personified.” I slipped out of the car and hurried around to open her door.
The Fiancé Agreement Page 9
