“They ache.”
He swirled his tongue around them both and then continued his journey from my neck to my mouth. I grabbed his butt with my hands and pulled him against me.
“Impatient,” he teased.
“Always.”
We stayed wrapped in each other’s arms all morning. Finally, our mutual hunger for food overcame the endless hunger we had for each other.
“I should go to the winery,” I said, while we ate the food I’d brought with me earlier that morning.
“Can I come with you?”
“Um…okay.”
“Are you hesitant?” he asked.
“Georgio, the winemaker, can be…difficult.”
“It’s better for him to know I’m here and accept it.” Mylos took my hand and brought it to his lips. “I promise not to make things more difficult between you and him, but I won’t hide, Pia. It’s important that everyone here knows I intend to stay and be a part of your life—that includes Valentini.”
“My mamma,” I gasped, realizing that no one knew where I was, including Lucia and Gabriella. I’d gotten up before anyone else and came straight to the farmhouse after getting food from our kitchen.
“Why don’t we go and say hello to her before we go to the winery?”
“Okay.”
Mylos brought my hand to his lips a second time, turned it over, and kissed my palm. “What’s worrying you?”
“My mother hasn’t been well. She’s going to wonder why you’re here.”
“Can we tell her the truth?”
Which truth was that? That he was here because I was pregnant? That we’d secretly been seeing each other for several years? I had no idea how to explain to my mamma why I’d never shared my relationship with Mylos with her. When he asked about saying hello to her, it suddenly occurred to me that my lies of omission may hurt her. Mylos’ family knew all about me. Mine knew nothing about him. Maybe he would be hurt too, that I’d kept him a secret.
“I haven’t told her about the baby.”
“Pia, I know you’re worried, but I promise you, everything will be okay.”
“How can you be sure?”
“She’ll want you to be happy. That’s all that will matter to her.”
I smiled. He was right.
Since the day was as warm as yesterday, we took our time walking up the hill to the house. As we passed, many of the workers who were in the vineyards, checking to see if the vines were ready for pruning, tipped their hats or waved.
“I remember the first time I was here, they used to make fun of me.”
I laughed. “What are you talking about?”
“They knew I was arse over elbows for you, and they got a kick out of it.”
“Arse over elbows?”
“Head over heels? Crazy in love?”
I stopped walking. “Crazy in love?”