“We’re getting this off you now. Sit up a little.”
I swiveled my head to look at him. “I don’t think I can.”
He grinned. “That good, huh? Well, just a little.” He kissed the side of my ear. “When I’m inside you, I want you completely naked, and I want to hold your tits in my hand.”
I remembered the night we’d gone out to dinner, when I’d worn the black skirt. At this minute, all I can think is that I want to back you into the wall, lift up that skirt and drive into you. Wrap your gorgeous legs around my waist, with your heels still on, so I can feel them against my back. Fill my hands with your tits, suck your nipples into my mouth. Pound myself inside you until you come so loud and hard, you scream my name loud enough for the whole building to hear.
I giggled and leaned up. Liam pulled hard enough that the bra finally flew off, over my head.
“What?” He raised an eyebrow.
“I was thinking that I want to wear my black skirt and heels again, soon.”
“Oh, my God, Ava, you’re going to kill me.” He palmed my boobs, his eyes dark and smoldering. “Never complain about the jiggle, baby. I fucking love your tits.” He bent his head over them again.
I used his distraction to reach down between us and touch him through the thin nylon of his running shorts. He hissed in a breath, but he didn’t move. I smiled and stroked his length with steady fingers.
“I want to touch you,” I murmured into his ear as he held himself above me.
“I thought you were.”
“No, I want to touch you without ... these.” I pulled at the shorts.
“That can definitely be arranged.” Liam slid off the shorts, kicking them to the floor, and a brand new desire shot through me at the sight of him, jutting out hard and long. I grasped him and moved my fist up and down, but I was having trouble reaching everything I wanted to reach.
“Flip over.” I pushed at his shoulder.
“Why?” He kissed the valley between my breasts.
“Just do it. I promise, I’ll make it worth your while.”
Grinning, he flipped to his back. I sat up next to him and eased one leg over until I straddled him.
“Okay, I like this.” He reached up run his finger over my nipple.
“Stick around, you might find something else you enjoy, too.” I bent over his chest and fastened my mouth on the flat disc of his nipple, curious about how it felt. Clearly it was a good move, because he groaned and rubbed the back of my head. I licked the circle and then moved to the other side, leaving my fingers on the first moist point, mimicking what Liam did to my breasts.
I reached below to take hold of his cock, trailing my fingers over it as I began to kiss down the center of his stomach.
“Ava, what are you doing?”
I sat up and smiled at him. “Whatever I want to do.”
He caught my hand. “I want to come inside you. You don’t have to do this.”
I shook my head. “I know I don’t have to. I want to try this. I want to ... feel every part of you. In every way.”
Before he could say anything else, I lowered my mouth to take him in, experimenting with pressure and movement. I licked him, bringing my tongue in a circle, and then moved my mouth up and down the shaft. It gave me an unbelievable sense of power to do this, to feel his pleasure as he groaned my name.
“Ava, oh, my God, Ava. So. . so. . good.” His hips began to thrust toward my mouth.
The need was building again between my legs. More than before, because now I wanted more than just pleasure. I wanted to be filled. I crawled up his body, and laying down half on top of him, whispered in his ear.
“Make love to me, Liam. I want you inside me. Please.”
In an instant, he had flipped me back over, and leaning to the desk drawer, pulled out a small paper square. I sat up on my elbows to watch him roll on the condom. His eyes met mine, all fire and want, as he rose over me.
His lips crushed mine at the same moment that he nudged at my entrance. I cried out and lifted my hips, taking him deeper so that he was buried inside me. The muscles of his arms stood out in knotted tension as he thrust, deep and long and hard.
“Ava, my God, Ava—”
It took me a moment to get used to the feeling of him within me. He stretched me, and I moved a bit, experimenting with the sensation. When I arched up, he stroked against a spot that made me gasp. I gripped his ass to bring him in even tighter.
“Ava—baby—I don’t know how long I can hold out.” He was speaking through gritted teeth, barely holding onto control. I pulled his face down to kiss me.
“Then don’t hold out.”
I lifted my legs and wrapped them around his waist, calling out his name again as I felt my climax building up in me. I bucked up one more time, my legs pinning him into me, and at the same moment, with one final stroke, I felt his release. His whole body tensed over me as I pulsed around him, his name my only litany.
Liam collapsed next to me, his lips at my ear. “Are you okay?”
I smiled, unable to speak yet as my heart still raced. “So much better than okay. So much better.”
He pulled me with him to lie on my side so that he stayed within me. I slid my arms around and held him close, the thud of his heartbeat a perfect lullaby to lure me to sleep.
***
“WHERE’S THE BAG with the gift in it?” I stood next to Liam’s car, poking into the trunk. “Did you bring it down?”
“It’s in the backseat.” Liam came up next to me, carrying a garment bag. “I figured it was safer there from being broken.”
“Good thinking.” I wrapped my arms around him from the back and tip-toed up to kiss his neck. “Must be why I have you around.”
“Well, it’s one reason.” He caught my hand and lifted it to his lips to kiss my fingers. “I think that’s it. Are you ready to go?”
“Yup.” We climbed into the car, and Liam pulled away from the curb. I sent my mom a quick text to tell her we were on our way.
“I hope you’re ready for this.” I put away my phone and glanced at Liam.
“What? I’ve already met your family. What’s the big deal?”
I shook my head. “Oh, sweetie, you met some of my family. And believe me, if you’ve never been to an Italian wedding, you have no idea what you’re in for. It’s going to be wild.”
“I can do wild.”
“Yeah, you keep thinking that.”
He smirked. “Baby, we could stop on the way, and I can show you how well I do wild.”
I sighed. “Don’t tempt me. Bad enough I’m worried that my mom’s going to take one look at me and know I’m having sex.”
Liam’s eyebrows rose. “Is that her superpower? She can tell when people are having sex?”
“I don’t think it extends to the general population. Probably just her children.” I giggled. “I remember the night of Carl’s prom. He and Angela sealed the deal that night, but of course no one knew. Except Ma. He walked in the door, and she smacked him in the back of the head and told him he was an idiot. Then she cried, and she told him she hoped he’d taken care of Ange.” I shook my head, remembering.
“So what do I have to expect from this wedding? Now you have me worried.”
“Oh, nothing to be concerned about. It’ll be fun. There’ll be more food than we can eat, and everyone will be drinking grappa and limoncello. And the dancing ... well, you’ve never seen dancing until you’ve been to a big Italian wedding. All my uncles will ask you when you’re going to do the right thing by me, and my aunts will pinch your cheek and tell you how cute you are. Oh, and if anyone asks if you’re Catholic, say yes.”
“But I’m not.”
“I know, but no one’s going to remember anyway, and it will just be easier.”
We turned on some Frank, and I sang along to make Liam smile as we drove. As I watched the pines flying past us out the window, I thought that I was happier than I could remember. Coming home with my boyfriend
for a big family wedding was exciting. I’d been thrilled for Carl and Angela anyway, but being able to share the day with Liam was going to make it even better.
“What are you doing?” Liam smiled at me as we turned down the street where my parents lived.
“Hmm? Oh.” I looked down at my hand and realized I’d been leaning on the dash, almost trying to push the car faster. “I guess I’m anxious to get there. Ma’s a nervous wreck about the rehearsal dinner being at Cucina Felice, I want to help her if I can.”
“Do you know, the cadence of your speech changes the closer you get to home? Also whenever you talk to your mother on the phone. It’s crazy.”
I grinned. “You can take the Italian girl out of the neighborhood, but you can’t take the neighborhood out of her.”
We carried our bags into the house. It was a bedlam of activity, with my grandparents and two aunts in the kitchen, while my uncles and cousins sat around in the living room.
“Ava Catarine!” My Nonna greeted me with outstretched arms. “Look at you, so pretty, so grown up! Look at her, Nancy.”
“I see her, Ma. Good you’re here, Ava. We need all the hands we can get. Your mother’s on the edge of a breakdown. I sent her to rest with a cup of tea—and I’m not ashamed to say I put a little something extra in there for her.”
“Okay, I’ll drop my bag and dive in.” I paused, glancing back at Liam, who was standing in the middle of the room, our suitcases in his hands. “Oh—everybody!” I shouted, using my family voice, the one that carried through at least three rooms. Everyone turned to me as conversation stopped.
“This is Liam Bailey. He’s my boyfriend, and he came down for the wedding with me. Be nice to him, and don’t ask him any questions. Introduce yourselves.”
There was a moment of silence and then the talking started up again. My cousin stood up to help Liam with the suitcases, and they went upstairs.
“He’s cute, Ava.” Aunt Leonora patted my arm. “Here, put on this apron so you keep your dress nice. Cut up those onions, will you—we’re putting the salads together at the restaurant, but we’re chopping here, to stay out of the way, since they’re doing most of the cooking there.”
Liam came back downstairs. After being shuffled from one group to another, meeting more people than he’d ever remember, he ended up at the kitchen table next to Nonna.
“Mary Adela, get me the scalabage!” Aunt Leonora stood by the sink, a huge steaming pot in her hands. “This damn macaroni is heavy.”
My cousin came running with the colander. She tossed it in the sink, and Aunt Leonora poured the pasta into it.
“What’s a scalabage?” Liam leaned to whisper to me.
I smiled. “It’s slang Italian for pasta strainer. Most of us, especially the older ones, speak English with a lot of Italian words thrown in. Some of them are legit, some of kind of evolved over the years.”
“It takes a while before you’ll understand us all.” Nonna patted his arm. “That’s okay, you don’t get something, you ask me. Now how long you been with my granddaughter Ava?”
“Nonna, no third degree.” I dropped another section of onion into the bowl.
“What?” She spread her hands out, innocent. “I can’t talk now?”
“No, of course you can, but—”
“Ava! When did you get here? Why didn’t anyone tell me she was here? I was up there worried to death she’d gone off the road, God forbid.” My mother appeared in the doorway of the kitchen, wearing her robe, with her hair up in curlers and strain on her face.
“I’m sorry, Ma, I got here and they put me right to work.”
“Did you sleep, Frannie?” Aunt Nancy looked up from the red gravy she was stirring.
“I did, thank you. Liam, so good to see you again!” She crossed the kitchen to hug him and pat me on the shoulder. “It’s time to get ready for church. I told your father we’d just meet him there, that I could ride with you two.”
“Okay, we’ll go get dressed.” I stood up and kissed my mother’s cheek. “It’s all going to be wonderful, Ma. Don’t worry.”
She smiled, and then she looked at me with narrowed eyes. Blood rushed to my face, and I dropped my gaze. She wouldn’t say anything here, in front of the family, but she knew.
Then Liam stood next to me and rested a hand on my shoulder. “Is there anything I can do to help, Mrs. DiMartino?”
My mother’s face softened, and she glanced from Liam to me.
“You’re a good boy. No, just go on, get ready for the church.”
THE REHEARSAL WAS a mess. Half of Angela’s bridesmaids were her cousins, and they got stuck in traffic on the way to the church. The organist had all the wrong music, and the priest, who was new to our parish, kept calling my brother Chris instead of Carl.
But it didn’t matter at all to my brother and his fiancée. I watched them together, and I saw the way his eyes softened when she came down the aisle. As they practiced their vows, I glanced to the back of the church where Liam sat. Our eyes met and held.
After an hour and a half, my brother announced that they’d had enough practice. It was now time to eat. Everyone drove to Cucina Felice, which was open that night only for the families.
And my family had done a wonderful job. There was candlelight everywhere, and tulle draped over the windows and doorways. Food and drink were plenteous. My parents moved around the room, gracious hosts seeing to their guests’ comfort. I was proud of them. I was proud of all of us.
Frankie came skipping up to me for a hug. “Auntie Ave, wait ‘til you see my dress for tomorrow! Auntie Ange says I’m gonna be a princess.”
I touched her black curls. “I can’t wait, sweetie.”
She laughed and climbed into a chair near me, breaking off a hunk of bread like the seasoned pro she was. She leaned one small hand on Liam’s knee and whispered into his ear. He grinned and pulled her onto his lap, where she sat in contentment, munching away. It gave me a brand-new kind of thrill, watching him as he slid one large tanned hand over her curls.
As the evening wore down, my mother came over and slipped an arm around Liam’s shoulder. “Liam, would you do me a huge favor? My parents are staying at my sister’s house, but Nancy went home early with a headache. Could you drive them over?”
“Of course, we can do that.” Liam stood, pulled out his keys, and offered me his hand.
“Actually, I was hoping Ava could stay to help me with a few things here, if that’s okay.”
Panic gripped me. This was it. This was when she was going to tell me she knew what I’d done and remind me what a mistake that could be. I looked up at Liam, and though I knew he read the terror in my eyes, he only smiled.
“Sure.” He bent to kiss my cheek and whisper in my ear.
“Have fun.”
With everyone pitching in, clean up didn’t take long. My mother and I were leaving the restaurant, heading home, before I knew it.
“I thought Daddy was coming with us.” I climbed in as my mother turned the ignition.
“He’s riding home with your brothers. I wanted to have this time with just us.”
My heart flipped over. “Oh.” I struggled for something to say, anything to keep her from talking about Liam and me. “I’m sorry the rehearsal was such a disaster.”
“Not me! Bad rehearsal, good wedding. Trust me, it never fails.”
She backed out of the parking lot and turned onto the road. “I’m happy for your brother. I love Angela like she’s one of my own. She practically is, as long as she and Carl have been a couple. This is a happy day. Tomorrow will be even better. But you know ...” Her voice trailed off, and a sob caught in her throat. “Every happy day from now until forever will always have some sadness, because our Antonia should be here with us.”
Tears blinded me, and I put my fist to my mouth. My sister had been on my mind all day: she should have been cutting onions with me at the table, making faces at the rehearsal, fussing over her daughter’s dress for tomorrow. B
ut she wasn’t. All the places she should have been were empty.
“I miss her every day.” My mother dashed at the tears running down her face. “Every day, I talk to her while I’m getting up, getting ready. When I go over to open the restaurant. When I drop Frankie at pre-school. But it’s worse on days like this, when everyone’s together.”
“I miss her too, Ma.” I sniffed. “So much.”
“I know you do. That’s why I wanted this time with you. My sisters, my mother, of course your father and the boys, they miss her. But not like us. And I needed to just be with you, and cry a little. Remember.”
I reached across the seat and gripped my mother’s hand. “Wouldn’t she have loved all the family together today?”
“She would have. But I’ll tell you something, she would have hated those pink dresses Angela picked out for all of you. Can you just hear her now?”
And so we drove home, laughing through our tears, remembering, and somehow it brought Antonia closer to us again. I could almost hear her giggle and smell her perfume.
When I climbed out of the car, still wiping away tears, my mother gripped me and pulled me to her for a hug.
“I’m proud of you, Ava. Proud of your hard work and what you’re doing.” She stood back and patted my cheek. “Don’t think I don’t know things are hot and heavy with you and Liam. I don’t like it ... but I like him. And I understand. I remember what it was like to be young. It makes me lighter to know you have someone who loves you like that.”
“Ma, it’s not like that. Not yet. It’s new.” I glanced up to the light in my bedroom, where Liam was probably getting ready for bed.
“Don’t tell me what I don’t know. He looks at you with love. When you know, you know.” She took my hand. “All right now, let’s go in, and watch your father and the boys pretend they don’t see our wet faces. Because don’t think they weren’t doing the same thing all the way home.”
MY MOTHER’S PREDICTION for the wedding turned out to be on target. The ceremony was absolutely perfect, beautiful from beginning to end. I stood at the front of the church in my long pink dress, tears streaming down my face as I listened to my big brother pledge his undying devotion to Angela.
Just Desserts Page 17
