“Nope,” she says. Then she catches Mom’s eye, a spark of amusement in hers. “Just got talked into doing a favor for a friend.”
Oh god. What’s going on?
I glance back and forth between them frowning, trying to work it out. I don’t have long to wonder, though, because pretty soon the coffee shop bell is ringing again. This time, it’s another welcome sight, but an even more confusing one.
Giovanni strides into the shop, dressed to the nines in a suit and tie. I frown. He told me he had a business meeting today… Maybe something went wrong with it? Or they let him out early? But then, why is he here, at lunch with me and my mother… He’s way too well-dressed for that.
I’m still trying to puzzle it out when he reaches our table. He can probably see the confused frown on my face, the calculations I’m doing because he wastes no time.
Gio drops to one knee beside my chair and catches my hand.
Oh.
My.
God.
My lips part as I stare down at him. For a moment, he doesn’t even speak–he doesn’t need to. Everyone is beaming. Cameras flash–not just Mom’s and Diana’s, but the new kid at the coffee shop, and a few other tables around us. I don’t mind. I don’t have eyes for anyone but Gio right now.
“Corbella,” he says, his voice thick with emotion. “Ever since I met you, my life has changed. Sometimes for the stranger,” he says, and both Mom and I laugh. “But always for the better.” His grip tightens on my hand. He reaches into his coat, and I feel like I could float away right now. I never expected this.
When he draws out the little box, I almost want to stop him right there and say yes. But he’s nothing if not precise about the way he does things–that’s my Gio. He locks eyes with me, a little smirk on the corner of his mouth, already knowing what I’m thinking, probably.
“Corbella, will you marry me?” he asks, at the same moment that he flips the lid of the box open.
The ring inside is stunning. A heart-shaped diamond, surrounded by my favorite stones, rubies, on either side. But I have eyes only for him.
“Yes,” I say, grinning at the way his whole face lights up when I do. “Yes, yes, yes, a thousand times.” I barely have enough time to get those last words out, because he’s already launched to his feet to pull me into an embrace. Our lips meet, and this time, our kiss really does last forever.
When we part, he slips the ring onto my finger–a perfect fit, because he always knows how to size me up.
Diana and my mother are both crying, hugging him, then me, then both of us at once. The whole coffee shop is watching us, some people taking photos, the kid behind the counter pouring XL lattes on the house for us in celebration.
As Giovanni loops his arm around my shoulders and draws me tight against his side, I know that I could not possibly be happier. I finally found the perfect man…
And he might enjoy tying me up, but I couldn’t have found a better man to tie down. As if reading my mind, as usual, Gio leans in to kiss my cheek softly, then nibble lightly on my earlobe.
“I already have some ideas for our wedding night…” he whispers, his stubble scratching my cheek as he draws away to accept another congratulatory hug from my mom. My face is burning red-hot, and yet, I can’t stop grinning either.
I can’t wait to see what he has in mind this time…
I stand in the bathroom mirror, staring at myself, still not quite able to believe it. But the ring–the rings on my finger–don’t lie. I’m a married woman now.
I’m Gio’s. Now and forever.
I smile at myself, and slip off the wedding dress. Downstairs, the festivities continue, Diana and her date drinking all the champagne in sight. Mom and her new boyfriend (thoroughly vetted by Giovanni, and about a million times the better man than Anthony could ever hope to be) tearing up the dance floor. But we slipped away early. After all, I’ve been waiting months to find out what Gio has in store for me tonight. I couldn’t stand to wait any longer.
“How are you doing in there?” he calls, his voice gruff with impatience.
I smirk and drop the dress to the floor. Turn in the mirror to admire my brand new lingerie. I have a feeling he’ll enjoy it. The top is a tight white corset, open on the back, and tied tight, so he can see the way the strings dig into my back. He loves that.
The bottom is just a barely-there lace thong, matching of course, complete with garters that stretch down to the garter belts at my thighs holding up the matching lacy thigh-high tights.
Yeah, he’ll definitely eat this up.
I slip off my wedding shoes and into the backup pair I brought. Sparkly gold heels, which I’m pretty sure he’ll recognize from the last night we spent together as client and escort. I haven’t worn them since that night, but I doubt it’s a night Gio is going to forget anytime soon.
Sure enough, when I stride out of the bathroom at last, the first thing he does is look me up and down, his gaze lingering appreciatively on the heels before he lifts his eyes up to savor the corset. He’s smirking, his gaze hot as ever.
“Turn around,” he says softly.
I obey, doing a delicate twirl on the spot so he can ogle me from every angle.
Then, as I turn back to face him, hilariously, he actually reaches up to pat himself on the back. “Definitely wifed the right one,” he says, and we both burst out laughing.
He strides across the room to sweep me up into his arms, and I wrap my arms around his neck, kissing him hard. I’ll never get tired of the way it feels to kiss this man.
He lifts me off my feet, spins me toward the bed. But before he can lay me down on it, I rest my hands on his chest, pushing him slightly to get his attention. We break our kiss, and he sets me on my feet beside the bed, head tilted, watching me.
“Yes?”
“Wife has a request,” I say, a little smile playing on my mouth.
His eyebrows rise. “Whatever you ask, my dear, I’ll try to do it for you.”
I step aside and point at the bed, watching him. “Lie down.”
His eyes widen. He even laughs a little. “Were you hiding your inner dom side all along?” he asks, still smirking playfully.
“Oh, I still want you to dominate me,” I explain, grinning. “But first, I want a turn. Can’t let you have all the fun, can I?”
Despite the playful tone we both have, I can tell this is turning him on. He obeys me, lying down along the bed, hands behind his head, cockily propping himself up on one elbow.
“Clothes off,” I add, as I turn toward the closet, where I hid this particular surprise. I know he’s got a full night in store for us, but I decided he shouldn’t be the only one with secrets. I can surprise him every now and then, too.
I take the item out, carefully concealing it behind my back, as I turn back to the bed to enjoy the show. Giovanni keeps his eyes locked on mine as he strips off his shirt, slowly. I’ll never get tired of that view, the slow unveiling of his tattoos scrawled across his muscular torso. There’s a new one, right over his heart, which he had inked on yesterday. It’s still shiny, fresh. The bright red outline of a heart. I watch that spot in particular, as he leans up to shimmy out of his tuxedo pants.
Those land on the floor beside the shirt and tie. His boxers follow soon after, giving me a full, glorious view of the sexy as hell man that I just married.
I stride back over to the bed, leaning over him. “Hands up,” I say.
Now his eyes really go wide. But he listens, lifting his arms over his head. I draw the length of white silk cord from behind my back now, and wrap it around his wrists. I’ve watched him tie me up enough times that I know how to do it well.