Sweet Temptation

“Do you like it?”

This meant a lot to her. The painting and her art in general. I hadn’t given it much thought so far. “It’s stunning.”

A smile broke free on Giulia’s face. “Really?”

“Really.” I kissed her but before I could lose myself in her scent and taste, I stepped back. “Let me get your present.”

Excitement flashed on her face, and I half expected her to follow me but she waited impatiently. When I returned with the small parcel, she dashed toward me. “What is it?”

“It would defy the purpose of gift wrapping if I told you.”

She rolled her eyes and snatched the gift from my hands, then unwrapped it with as much restraint as Daniele. She opened the velveteen lid and her lips fell open. “Sunflower earrings?”

I’d originally bought her elegant creoles, jewelry I would have chosen—nothing Giulia would have liked. Three days ago, I changed my mind and searched the internet for sunflower earrings. Most of them had been horrid, bright yellow atrocities. Then I stumbled upon Giulia’s present on the website of a goldsmith. The sunflowers were elegant, small, and completely made from gold. They were elegant yet quirky. They were Giulia.

“They are so beautiful,” she breathed. “I thought you hated when I wear sunflowers.”

“You love them.”

“Oh, Cassio.” She took them out and fastened them to her ears. “And?”

“Beautiful.” I couldn’t wait anymore. I picked Giulia up. She giggled. “Where?”

“In bed.”

“Not the pool table?”

“No.” Tonight, I wanted to make love to her, not fuck her like two randy teenagers, even if one of us was a randy teenager. When I laid her down on the bed in front of me, I realized this would be something new for me too.

I took my time, was gentler, less urgent than usual, and after her initial confusion, Giulia mirrored my unhurried moves. Afterward, she curled up against me. “This felt different—as if it meant something.”

I heard the question in her voice but wasn’t sure what to say. I nodded. It had. Our first night together, I’d been this careful because Giulia needed me to be. Tonight, I needed it to figure out what was going on, to confirm what I’d never considered an option.

“Was it ever like this with a woman?”

Giulia’s voice was curious, but behind it, I could hear a flicker of… jealousy perhaps. I didn’t have to lie. “No. Not with Gaia, and before her I only had affairs.”

“And after?”

“There was no one after.”

Giulia peered up in surprise. “Really? You didn’t sleep with anyone since Gaia’s death?”

“No. I had other things on my mind.” I hesitated, wondering if I should tell her about that one slip. “But right after I found Gaia with Andrea, I slept with a woman I met when I was drunk in a bar. It was meant as a revenge fuck. To prove to myself that other women wanted me even if my own wife didn’t. I didn’t feel better afterward and never told Gaia.”

“I want only you, and when other women check you out, I don’t like it at all.”

A laugh burst out of me. “Jealous?”

“A bit.” She swung herself up and straddled my hips. “Like you, I don’t like to share.”

She didn’t have to worry. “To be honest, you’re demanding enough. I doubt I could satisfy another woman beside you.”

Her eyes widened in indignation. I flipped her over despite her pretend struggles and slammed into her, fucking her hard and fast, because there was no need to confirm what I felt anymore.

Giulia organized Simona’s first birthday party in January, baking a cake and decorating everything with balloons. My family came over around teatime.

Simona had done her first steps by now and followed Giulia like a puppy. She was too young to remember her mother. For her, there was only Giulia.

Faro and his wife and two children were invited as well. He joined me in a quiet moment. “She got Daniele to talk again.”

I nodded, following Giulia with my eyes. She righted the sunflower in Simona’s hair. My daughter’s dress also had a sunflower print. She looked adorable, so I gave up protesting. “She did. She’s good with the kids.”

“And good with you,” Faro said with a suggestive grin.

I narrowed my eyes.

“Come on, Cassio. It’s like you fell into the fountain of youth, and you’re less cranky than in the past. I’m happy for you.”

I didn’t say anything.

“Your father approached me.” From the change in Faro’s voice, I knew I wouldn’t like what he had to say.

“What did he want?”

“He asked me to talk to you about having a child with Giulia. He thinks you should be prepared for any eventualities.”

“The eventualities being that Daniele’s not my son?” I gritted out.

Faro shrugged. “It is an option, and not an unlikely one at that.”

“I don’t need another child, and I certainly don’t need you or my father to meddle in my business.”