“You haven’t said anything,” Dante stated the obvious to Aiden.
“I haven’t said anything because you were both saying enough for everyone,” Aiden drawled. “You’re my brother, and it’s a relief that I don’t have to tell anyone that I have a priest for a brother when they ask.” He smirked. “It kinda kills the vibe with the ladies.”
The room filled with silence, and then Dante burst into laughter, and so did she. Her head lifted from Dante’s chest and she didn’t miss the twitch of a smile on their father’s lips before he hid it behind a frown.
“That’s better.” Aiden grinned. “I’m good with it…in case you were wondering.” He stood and moved to the door. “I’m going to bed, and I’ll see you all in the morning.”
Aiden disappeared out of view and Dante announced, “Emelia is sleeping in my room tonight.”
Her mom gasped, and their father started to protest, “I said to give me time to get used to the idea of the two of you. I can’t have you both—”
“I said sleep, Dad,” Dante corrected. “I promise. I just need to hold her. To know that she’s really with me,” his voice broke as he finished talking to his father.
Emelia reached up and wiped at a stray tear that slipped down his face. “I want that as well.”
Dante nodded and met his father’s gaze over the top of her head.
She knew if the situation had been different, and either one of them had been there with a different partner, there would have been no question about them sleeping in separate rooms. It made her sad that they weren’t being made to feel like a couple by their family, although she understood the reasoning behind it, plus they’d just dropped it on them.
Their father looked as though he’d had enough, and her mom was there, holding his hand, offering comfort just like Emelia did for Dante.
It had been a difficult night, probably more so for Dante and their father, so with that in mind, she said, “We’ll see you in the morning. Diego will be here either tonight or tomorrow.”
Her mom smiled. “He’s coming to back you up, isn’t he?”
“Yeah. He’s only known since this evening, in case you were wondering.”
She smiled. “I know. Diego wouldn’t have been able to keep it to himself.”
She agreed, and with a tear-filled smile, she pulled Dante from the office, and upstairs to his room.
Glad that it was all out in the open, Emelia was exhausted, even though she hadn’t been awake that long when she’d heard the raised voices.
But it was over with, which was the main thing.
All she had to do for now was take care of Dante, who hadn’t said a word since she dragged him from the room.
Chapter Thirty-Two
When Dante, restless in his sleep, opened his eyes, the room was shrouded in darkness. The glare from the bedside clock, once he’d twisted his neck around, told him that it was forty-seven minutes past four. There was a slight early-morning chill in the room. It wasn’t bad because he knew that the heating was on, albeit low.
He brushed Emelia’s hair from his neck, and looked down at the woman snuggled against him. Emelia. His heart. His love.
He couldn’t remember much after the discussion with their family, but he did remember that Emelia had tugged him back to his room, and then pulled him down onto the bed. He’d pulled her into his arms and cuddled against her knowing that she was safe. That was the last thought he remembered, until now.
As he spooned against her back, he realized in shock that she was nude against his clothed body. Every inch of her smooth skin was available to his touch. Every delicious curve.
He’d promised his father that they’d just sleep, and everyone had known that he’d meant that they wouldn’t have sex under their roof.
He rolled over to his back and bit back a moan as his hardened flesh tented his sweats with how solid he was. With the stress of last night, he shouldn’t be so hard and eager to go now, but he found that
he was, and that he couldn’t control the urge for more.
The promise he’d made, he would keep, although he wished for once he’d kept his mouth closed because he couldn’t stop thinking about the woman he loved lying naked next to him. She was beautiful and her body had given him so much pleasure at his cabin that he’d thought he would combust.
And now, he throbbed so badly that he wouldn’t be able to go back to sleep or step out of the room until his flesh had relaxed. He needed release.
Remember the promise…but, no one would know…he couldn’t…