Chapter 23

Heather

"Come on now, let's hide," I shooed Luca to hide behind the couch with me as we heard Gabriele's car pull up into the driveway. Today was Gabriele's 30th birthday, his mother and I decided we're going to throw him a surprise party, some of his family was there and even Tristen. I didn't have much time to get acquainted with his family since we were busy setting up for tonight.

I heard the door being jiggled open and Gabriele groaning and tiredly muttering something about the door that was sticking for no reason. He just came home from work, Aiden was running interference while we were busy setting up.

The door opened slowly and he flicked on the light. I made up an excuse earlier that Luca and I were going to his grandmothers and that I was going to pick something up at my apartment after I dropped Luca off. I'm sure he thinks I forgot his birthday because I didn't mention anything.

"Surprise!" Everybody jumped up. Gabriele stopped and a smile spread across his face. His mother gave him a full-lipped kiss on the cheek congratulating him, Luca hugged him around his legs, he then picked him up and gave him a tight hug before setting him down. He undid his tie and threw his jacket onto the table beside the door. The clan clattered around him, he rubbed his stubbled jaw and talked to some of his aunts and cousins. I took my opportunity and snatched his tie and jogged upstairs, placing it on his bed with his present.

I slowly walked downstairs. Gabriele's eyes locked with mine on the last step of the stairs and it felt like the world just froze around us. I felt the rush of excitement spread through me. I patted down the material of my dress self consciously. He grabbed me from the steps and kissed me passionately.

"Thank you for this." He whispered as he let go.

"I couldn't just forget, you know, you're thirty now and might I add still hot." He winked at me.

" Oh, you know it. I'm going to open some presents now. I hope yours is there." I placed my fingers on my lips in a 'shh' gesture. He turned red but it quickly subsided when Tristen patted him on the back gesturing to the gifts. He wanted to open them before some of his family members delved into the wine.

He opened a few gifts, being the ordinary aftershave, cologne and his cousin (the one whose party we missed due to the accident) gave him an expensive watch. He didn't care much about the gifts but when he saw Luca's gift his face brightened up, it was a drawing of Luca, Gabriele and I-he hugged him and tears formed in his eyes. I looked away scared that I might have cried at this sight, that was love in its purity. The party continued, people danced and were laughing, some clearly having had enough wine.

Luca was being cooed over by Gabriele's cousins and his father. His father looked exactly like he did. I have never met him but I'm pretty sure that he is Gabriele's father due to the immaculate resemblance. The strong bloodline resemblance was evident in the faces of the family members, mostly the men.

A man came up to me, he was taller than me and he had the trademark brown eyes and dark brown hair, also a chiseled jawline to match.

"How about a dance?" I shrugged, I haven't danced on the makeshift dance floor in the living room and it was now packed. I mostly kept to the kitchen topping up refreshments and studying the tight-knit connection clearly seen in this family. It made me wish that I had a family like this.

"Sure." He took my hand and led me to the dance floor, we danced to the upbeat music for a good half hour. I saw Gabriele coming up to me. He tapped on the man's shoulders making him release me from his grip instantly.

"Mind if I cut in?" His voice was laced in anger, the man shook his head, gave me a sympathetic smile and retreated to a group of people.

"Why were you dancing with him? I haven't danced with you yet." He pulled me closer to him.

"I just wanted to dance."I rested my head on his chest. He rested his chin on my head.

"I don't like to see any other man touch you-you're mine." I liked his jealous side, it was a big turn on to see him like this. He held me close and his jaw stayed clenched. I felt a pull on my dress when I released from him. Gabriele and I saw Luca smiling at me.

"Can I dance with you?"He asked with his adorable puppy dog face. I nodded. I hoisted Luca up so that he was standing on my shoes. We danced together like this, he was giggling when I made a face when he wiggled around in the crowd.

The party soon fizzled out. Tristen left first, he had a flight to catch tomorrow but he gave me an envelope and said I should give it to Gabriele tomorrow, he mumbled something about a question. I had no idea what he was going on about. When the last people left, I slumped down on the couch beside a snoozing Luca. I stroked a piece of hair away from his face.

Gabriele sat down beside me.

"So...I'm not getting your gift then?" he pouted. I kissed his pouted lips.

"You are, it's just not in here." He picked Luca up and gestured to me that he is going to put Luca to bed. I started cleaning up. Gabriele sneaked into the kitchen somehow, I was too busy with washing plates. He wrapped his arms around my waist and I squealed in surprise.

"Sorry." He grinned at me, I let out a breath and glared at him.

"Please don't do that again." He continued to grin.

"I saw my tie on the bed and a box." He threw away some of the dirty paper plates and empty bags.

"I hope you didn't peek." He shook his head.

"Nope, I know you want it to be a surprise." I washed the last of the glasses, Gabriele took my hand and we walked upstairs together. After we first had sex, things were less strained, it was amazing to feel so out of control and trusting someone. It's frustrating to know that I could touch him when I wanted to, but when I took control I made him beg. The strong-willed Italian male was begging for me and the power felt in a situation like that, heightened the experience.

We walked into his bedroom, I grabbed my pj's and headed for the bathroom to change. When I came back in he was looking for something, he didn't wear a t-shirt and his uncovered chest with his pj pants that hung low on his v-line made my heart beat faster. He stopped searching when he saw me.

"You shouldn't stare." I felt flustered and looked away.

"You know for a thirty-year-old you don't look half bad, no beer belly." He rolled his eyes.

"Not half bad? Mmh?" I took his tie and placed it on his dresser, scenes about what has happened with ties around here flashing in my mind.

I took the box and gave it to him. He attentively opened up the wrapped box.

He cocked his eyebrow at me and pulled out a feather.

"Feathers?"

"The feathers are just add-ons; the real gift is at the bottom." He took out the rest of the long feathers and placed them on the bed. He finally pulled out his gift and stared at it for a while.

"Wow, and here I thought I was going to get something ordinary, this, ooh. This is interesting." He studied the black leather cuffs, pulling on them testing their strength and looking at the chain between them. He traced his fingers over the leather and a smile played on his lips.

"I love this, perhaps we should test them out?" I smiled.

"Perhaps, Luca is in the other room. I can't be quiet and I don't want to scar him for life."

"Then we should practice doing it quietly-Luca is going to be around and I'm sure in the future we're going to be in situations like this. Maybe not tonight, maybe tomorrow?" I nodded feeling sleep taking over. I rested my head on the pillow and looked at Gabriel as he was now turned on his side, leaning on his elbow looking at me.

"You know...you amaze me." He placed his arm around my waist pulling me closer to him, his heartbeat was like a lullaby to me. He kissed me on the head and said goodnight before turning the light off. I wondered what was in the letter Tristen gave me to give to Gabriele. I had a feeling that both of them were planning something. I shifted in the bed, I shouldn't be thinking about them-I have finals starting next week and when I finish there is graduation.

I should be focussing on that.

He pulled me even closer as his breathing became calm. I turned around so that my face was against his bare chest. I closed my eyes, his engulfing scent made me inhale deeply. The scent that made my heart speed up, my hands get clammy, my love.

I inhaled again sharply, this is exactly where I wanted to be, wrapped in the arms of a man that loves me and a man that was there for me.

I drifted into a dreamless sleep, maybe this was after all a dream and the terrible reality would crash down soon enough.