Eventually, breaking from the kiss, Emelia rose up and smiled into his eyes before she slid back down.
“What are you doing?”
She giggled and raised a brow. “You’re seriously asking me that question?”
He didn’t answer because he couldn’t with the pleasure running through him, but he showed her just how serious he was by flipping her over to her back. He then proceeded to make slow, sweet love to her for most of the night.
Chapter Thirty-Five
Emelia knew that she shouldn’t feel so refreshed after being awake for most of the night with Dante, but she did.
They’d just left the hospital, and Mateo had been propped up in bed, high on drugs, but he grabbed her to him and kept her close while he’d whispered, “I love you, Sis. Be happy.” His words had been unexpected, but appreciated. The funny thing was that she hadn’t even given her and Dante as a couple a thought once they’d arrived to see Mateo. Her injured brother had been the only one on her mind, and everyone else’s.
Now that she’d been assured, again, that Mateo would be okay, she just wanted to spend time with Dante away from everyone. At the hospital they’d been unable to talk without one of their brothers trying to listen in. She loved them but they could be annoying when the occasion called for it, or didn’t.
Crossing the road with her arm through Dante’s, it looked like he led her to a park. They both needed fresh air after the warmth of the hotel, which boarded on too warm. It had been the same at the hospital, and had become difficult to catch a proper breath.
But, as Dante urged her toward a bench, she found that she missed the leaves on the branches because the trees that would look vibrant in spring looked desolate now. A chill was in the air, more so as they sat on the bench with the open lake in front of them.
In her winter jacket, she was bundled up for the winter temperature, which surprised her. She’d always thought that Dallas was warm year-round. She’d gotten that wrong.
“I have something for you that I don’t want to wait any longer to give you,” Dante broke the silence, and Emelia felt her excitement rise.
“I like presents.”
“Hmm, I know…and, I think you’ll love this one. Um, at least, I hope you do.” He looked worried.
Emelia reached out and rubbed the frown lines on his forehead. “Tell me,” she urged.
“I love you, Em. So very much, and one day, I want to marry you.” Dante smiled as her eyes filled with tears.
Dante continued, “Until we can marry in the Catholic Church or until I’m ready to marry elsewhere, I’d be honored if you’d wear this ring as a sign of my commitment to you.”
Emelia nodded and slipped onto his lap, her arms around his neck while she softly cried.
“Em?”
“Yes…just give me a minute.”
She’d waited a long time for this, and Emelia knew that she’d wait a lifetime if it meant they could marry in a Catholic Church because she knew that it would mean more to Dante if they did. But the ring he offered to her was so beautiful and she couldn’t wait to see it on her finger. She’d just become overwhelmed with emotion and needed a minute to breathe.
So when her minute was up, she held her left hand out. Her tears wouldn’t stop, and more fell, as Dante slipped the ring onto her ring finger.
She hadn’t noticed but he had another ring in the box, and as he removed it, he passed it to her.
Why?
And then it registered. They had the same platinum wedding band, except hers had small diamonds all the way around.
Emelia wiped at her tears, again, and slipped the ring on his finger as her heart pounded in her chest with love for the man.
“This is our own commitment to each other, Em. I actually planned on taking you out to dinner to do this, but with Mateo and everything, I needed to do it now. I couldn’t wait any longer.”
She cupped his face and smiled. “I’m glad that you did, and I love our rings. So much, Dante. I love you.” She pressed her cold lips against his and pulled back laughing. “I think we need to get warm again.”
“We do, and I know how to warm us up.” Dante wiggled his brows.
She giggled. “Hmm, I bet you do.”
“Tut, tut. I’m not sure what you were thinking,” he grinned, “but my idea was a hot chocolate with whipped cream from Starbucks.”
Standing, Emelia held her hand out to him. “I wouldn’t mind one of those, if I’m honest…even though it wasn’t what you really meant.” She smirked.
They huddled together and headed for the Starbucks across the road, when she asked, “When did you have time to get me the ring?”
Dante smiled and took her hand, rubbing his thumb over her ring. “I saw it in Denver…I was nervous about my meeting with the bishop, and arrived early, so I took a walk. I didn’t intend to purchase us rings, it just happened. As soon as I saw it, I knew it was meant for you.”
The flutters in her belly made her smile. “I can’t believe you bought me a ring before you’d even talked to the bishop. What if he’d made you change your mind?”
He shook his head, and smiled softly. “That wouldn’t have happened, Em. I was determined to be with you and I wasn’t prepared to let anything stand in our way any longer.”
“Good.” She caressed his jaw. “No matter where our journey takes us, we’ll always be together…and, that’s what matters.”
Dante sighed, tears on his lashes. “Always, Em.”
Starbucks was warm and not as crowded as Emelia had expected, considering it was just around the corner from the hospital. It was nice though, and it meant she could snuggle up with Dante on one of the sofas by the window when he returned with their hot chocolates.
She was excited to share their commitment with their family, as she held her hand in front of her face to admire her ring. Her heart felt so full at the moment as thoughts of Dante and their rings filled her mind. The only sadness in this moment was the worry over how Mateo was doing. She loved him, and worried that the accident hadn’t just crushed his knee, but his spirit. Mateo had loved to tease her and, although she used to find it annoying, she wished with all her heart that he would start again.
His accident had frightened them all, but being in Dallas where they could easily have access to him had settled some of them down. Kasey had been a pain when he’d arrived, but through all his anger was his heartbreak for their brother.
“You’re deep in thought, Em.” Dante observed, setting the drinks on the table in front of them.
“I was just thinking about Mateo, and hoping that he soon picked up. It worries me that he was so quiet. He tried to hide his sadness when we were in the room, but I caught it.”
Dante wrapped an arm around her. “He has us all around him, Em. We’ll keep him going and be there when he needs us. He knows this.”
“Hmm…and what about that wicked witch? I overheard her talking to a nurse about his homecare. I’m telling you now that there is no way on this earth that I’m going to let him go home with her while he recovers. He needs us.” She sniffed into a Kleenex that Dante passed her after the heated words.
“We have to respect his wishes, regardless of what we want.” Dante kissed her forehead before he leaned forward and passed her the hot chocolate. “Drink some of this.”
She sighed. “Hmm, it smells good.”
“Of course it does. Hot chocolate with whipped cream is the best.” He smiled, and her world righted itself.
“So this is where you two disappeared.” Kasey dropped into the chair opposite, and Diego leaned over, kissed her on the top of her head before he sat beside Kasey.
“We went into the park first,” she smiled at Dante before she continued, “and then in here to warm up. I’ll probably end up with a bad cold at this rate. Everywhere is so warm inside, and then stepping outside is freezing.”
“Thought I was going to pass out in that hotel, though. That was bad,” Kasey grumbled. “I’ll go and get so
me drinks. Anyone?” he offered.
Diego gave him his order and got comfortable in his chair. Or at least he did until he suddenly sat forward and grabbed her hand. “You’re married!” He looked into her eyes, anger clear in his.
She shook her head. “Not yet.” She reached out and gripped his hand. “I’d never get married without you there, Diego, or the others. Neither of us would.”
He visibly sighed with relief. “Then…I don’t understand. That’s a wedding band,” he glanced at Dante’s hand, “and so is that.”
“What’s going on?” Kasey glanced between them, setting his and Diego’s drinks on the table before he took his seat again.
“We exchanged rings of commitment.” She glanced at the man she loved, and smiled before facing their brothers again. “We can get married if we wanted to in a civil ceremony, but not in a Catholic Church, at least not yet.” Both Kasey and Diego glanced at Dante. “You know that Dante has spent most of his life in the Catholic Church in one capacity or another. We won’t be married until he’s ready, but, for now, we’ll wear our rings of commitment.”
Diego shook his head. “I hear you, but you deserve to be married, Sis.”
“Don’t I deserve to be happy?”
“Of course you do,” Diego grumbled.
“Then know that I am happy. More than I’ve ever been,” Emelia interjected.
“I love your sister, Diego, and when I’m ready to marry Emelia in a civil ceremony, you’ll be the first to know. It will happen one day, just not yet.”
After moments of silence, Kasey said, “I’m never getting married. Too much like hard work. I like variety.” He grinned like an idiot, and drank his coffee completely oblivious to the stares directed at him and Diego by the group of college girls off in one corner.
Diego rolled his eyes and chuckled at Kasey before he met Emelia’s gaze. “I’m happy for you, Sis. It’s just all happening at once, and you know how I prefer to have time to think things through.”
“I know,” Emelia admitted.
Her twin was hotheaded, but once he’d had time to think everything through properly, he was more realistic and easier to talk to.
“I love you both, so I’m here and ready for whenever you decide to officially tie the knot,” Diego admitted.
“You’re getting too fucking mushy now that you’re getting close to thirty,” Kasey grumbled at Diego.
Diego winked at them, and turned his attention on Kasey. “I love you,” he announced, not too quietly either, “I wanna kiss.” He puckered his lips.
Kasey, without a blink of time, shot forward and slapped a kiss on Diego, and then patted his cheeks. “I love you, too.”
And then Kasey fell back into his chair as he doubled over with laughter because the look of surprise on Diego’s face was funny. It wasn’t often that her twin got caught off guard. He hadn’t been expecting Kasey to react like he had.
Diego had probably expected a punch in the face.
She tried to smother her amusement, but one look at Dante’s face had her laughing with everyone else.
“You asked for that.” She chuckled. “I just hope I’m around when you get Kasey back.”
“It’s gonna be good,” Diego admitted.
Their laughter eventually calmed down as they drank in silence. It was nice to be able to sit out in the open with their brothers, while she had Dante’s protective arm around her shoulders.
Emelia just sat back and didn’t really pay much attention to the conversation the guys were having. She just enjoyed being surrounded by their love.
Chapter Thirty-Six
Three months later.
“Mmm…you need to let me get dressed,” Emelia mumbled, not really wanting to put clothes on. She loved being naked with Dante, and while he had her facing the wall with her thighs spread and hands above her head, she loved it all the more.
“Soon.” He nipped at her shoulder with his teeth as a hand slipped between her legs and found her bundle of nerves before he slipped a digit inside her. “You’re already so wet for me.”
“Yes…inside me…please.”
Her body burned from head to toe with arousal and passion for the man she loved. They hadn’t been able to get enough of each other these past few months, and she hoped it never changed.
Dante’s flesh pulsed between the cheeks of her bottom, and she felt his precum wetting her skin—he was just as excited, so it was no surprise when he held her hips and thrust inside her tight sheath.
He stretched her wide with his large penis, but the feel of him so strong against her caused goose bumps to cover her body.
“Em,” he gasped, and slipped his hands up her torso to cup the globes of her breasts, his thumbs played with her rock hard nipples.
Tiny flutters of pleasure pulsed around her channel as he withdrew, and slowly slipped back inside. “Too good, Em.”
“Yes,” she moaned. “I…I’m…Mmm,” she moaned and started to convulse when her climax hit. Dante grabbed her hips and held her on him as he ground up into her. Seconds later, he pulsed against her quivering channel and spilled his release, which was just as powerful as hers.
Panting hard, Dante dropped his forehead to her back and wrapped his arms around her waist. “I love you.” She felt him smile against her skin. “So much.”
He slipped from her body and turned her in his arms, Dante’s lips meeting hers in a soft kiss. His fingers brushed the hair from her face as he smiled at her. All his happiness was clear in his dark eyes.
“I have to pinch myself sometimes,” she slipped her hands to his shoulders, and then to the hair at the nape of his neck, “to make sure this isn’t a dream. I love you so much that it would kill me if it was.”
“After that, you still think you’re dreaming?” he smirked.
She chuckled. “Not anymore…but, I do love you.”
“I know,” he wouldn’t meet her gaze, “and I hope you don’t get too angry with me when I tell you what I have to tell you.” He looked sheepish. “Let’s clean up and get dressed…again, and I’ll tell you.”
“Okay.”
He collected their clothes from around them, and tugged her into their bedroom. While they cleaned up, and dressed, she couldn’t help worry because he’d never held anything back from her before. Although she had no clue as to what he was about to tell her, she had a bad feeling about it.
So as soon as she was dressed, she followed Dante out into the living room of their new home, and said, “Please tell me. You have me worried.”
Dante caressed down her arms and took hold of her hands. “Bishop Colin Sommer is going to be here soon.”
“What?” she whispered. “Why is the bishop on his way here?” Emelia queried, while her heart started to beat frantically in her chest.
The thought of the bishop in their home scared her to bits because, deep down, she was worried that he’d try and talk Dante into returning to the church. Oh, she knew that Dante was devoted to her and their future together, but the nerves just wouldn’t stop now that she knew his friend, the bishop, was on his way.
A sudden thought struck her while she mulled over his visit, which was why she watched Dante closely. “Hmm. You didn’t by any chance know in advance that he was coming? Did you? Like, before today?”
He offered a wry smile. “Maybe,” Dante sighed. “I knew you’d worry so I thought it best to not tell you until his visit was more or less upon us…and to answer your unasked question, he’s had a response back from Rome.”
Her heart thumped in her chest at that knowledge.
The bishop’s visit made her grasp at the string of hope, but as she met Dante’s gaze, she asked, “If he’s coming here, do you think it’s good news?”
Dante moved his hands to her shoulders. “I honestly don’t know. He didn’t give any indication when he called.”
“I hope it is.” She took a step closer and wrapped her arms around his waist.
“We’ll see,” Dante add
ed in a non-committal manner. “Let me go and close the garage so I don’t forget later.”
She nodded and smiled when he kissed her nose before he disappeared through the front door.
The past three months had flown by since Mateo’s accident, and the purchase of their new home in Essex, Vermont.
Their home was everything she’d ever dreamed of, from the wooden floors to the high ceilings, and floor to ceiling windows with the picturesque view of the Vermont Mountains.
Her mom had tried to persuade them to settle close by, but a lot of folk in the town knew that Dante was a priest and it would have become awkward. They’d needed a fresh start miles away from where Dante had lived, so they’d ended up in Vermont.
She was happy and so was Dante. Not once had he appeared to regret his decision to be with her, and it made all the difference.
Dante’s restaurant, Emelia’s Bistro, had opened a few weeks ago and had already received rave reviews in some food magazines. She’d been surprised but delighted when he showed her the sign on the front of the restaurant. It should have been his name up there, but he’d refused and told her that it was a way of honoring the woman he loved.
They’d made friends in the town, and they always gave their past location as Great Falls, Montana, which was true, in a way. But they’d made a home in Essex, and planned on staying there, and raising any children they may have in the future.
Up to now, everyone had presumed that they were married because of their surnames, so they hadn’t bothered to correct that wrong assumption.
It was nice, and she knew that one day Dante would come around to the idea of marrying elsewhere, if it came to that. She knew him well. They’d decided to start a family within the next two years, and she knew, without having to ask, that he’d make sure they were married before the birth. A small part of her would find sadness in that even though she knew how much he loved her.
All her hope now rested on this visit…
Love in Purgatory (De La Fuente #2) Page 18
