Open Your Eyes (24 page)

“Make love to me, Gabriel.
Like you really want me
.”

“Fuck
, woman, I want you so much my balls ache,” he groaned, his voice low and husky, faltering as his gaze flickered over my face. I could see the desire in his face, feel it in every tense muscle of his body.
He really wanted me
.

Finally I believed
it all.

Gabriel made love to me that night,
again and again. It was as if he couldn’t get enough, making up for lost time. I had difficulty in remembering he’d had erectile problems because he was willing and eager to deliver one orgasm after another.

Somewhere close to dawn
, completely spent, we fell asleep in one another’s arms.

The problem of where each of us was sleeping
easily solved.

Chapter Forty-eight

The kids were arriving today, and I was excited to see them again. Gabriel had rented the cottage next to ours for them. When I asked why he rented two cottages as the couch could fold out into a sleeper bed, he just grinned and wiggled his eyebrows. I knew what he meant and instantly felt a warmness between my legs. A place that right now was sore and slightly chaffed; a reminder of our heavy lovemaking.

Gabe laughed when he saw me grimace. It was a hearty, happy laugh, bellowing from his chest. One I hadn’t heard from him in a very long time.

H
e grinned as he pulled on his jeans. “I want you to remember how thoroughly I fucked you last night and know I'm going to do it to you all over again tonight. And, so help me God, for the rest of our lives together.”

I walked up to him and gripped his balls in my palm, squeezing tightly. “Just watch out
, big boy, cause
I'm
going to fuck
you
just as hard to make up for lost time, and I’m going to make your cock want me all the time.” I smiled at him sweetly as if butter couldn’t melt in my mouth.

Stunned,
Gabriel’s mouth dropped open. He had never heard me speak like that before today. I was never the kind of woman to speak ‘dirty’, even in the throes of passion. I liked to hear him talk to me like that, it really turned me on, especially when I was about to climax, but I was never comfortable saying the words myself.

“
God, what a turn on that is. That cheeky mouth of yours, I'm going to want it all over me now,” he hissed as he pulled me against his still naked chest. My fingertips grazed his length and I felt him harden even more.

“Get used to it, cause now you have unleashed my wild side again, it’s here to stay,” I warned him.

“Sweet Jesus, I could come right now just hearing you talk like that,” he ground out, his cock throbbing against my hand.

I pivoted on my heels and walked from the room. “Just so you know you aren’t the only one who can play this game. I can make you squirm too…” I laughed as I heard him groan loudly, swearing profusely.

“Natalie,” he called after me. “
Babe
. Have mercy, you can't leave me like this all day,” he called from the bedroom as I was halfway down the stairs.

“Oh yes I can. Feel the torture
, Gabriel Lawson, and think of me and remember how thoroughly I am going to fuck you tonight,” I called back. “Oh, and there is a car outside, I just heard it pull up. Must be the kids.”

More swearing from the bedroom. I laughed out loud as I went to open the door.

The children filtered in, tired from the long flight and driving. Figuring they would be hungry and thirsty too, I went to the little kitchen to prepare a late breakfast and fresh coffee, while the kids unpacked their stuff. I was ravenous – our all night lovemaking really used all my energy.

Olivia came into the kitchen and helped me set the table. I could se
nse she wanted to talk to me, so I gave her an encouraging smile.

She took a deep breath. “M
om, I hope you don’t mind, but I invited Sarah over for a few days. Her and Josh are in Italy too. Can you believe the great timing? They are up at Lake Como at the moment and will drive down tomorrow to see us. Is it OK if they come to the ceremony too? I know it's supposed to be informal,” she blurted out.

My heart started beating rapidly. Sarah and Josh? No, that wouldn’t be good. They were connected to Nick. I couldn’t face them being there. The reminder of Nick would be too strong.

“Livy, honey, I don’t think – ” I started when Gabe walked in, his arms outstretched to hug Olivia.

“My baby girl,” he cooed, a huge smile splitting his face. She jumped into his arms and they hugged one another. “Sorry if I interrupted? What were you saying?”

“Oh, I was just asking Mom if two of my friends who happen to be in Italy can come over tomorrow…” she started explaining.

“Of course it’s OK, baby girl, it's an open ceremony, the more the merrier!” he said without consulting me. Gabe was quick to say yes to the kids whenever they wanted anything; I was the strict and often unpopular parent.

I shook my head. “No, I don’t think it’s a good idea.”

“Nat, don’t be ridiculous. Sharing the love and the happy day with Olivia’s friends is hardly a problem. Let them come. There will be plenty of space and lots of food and wine. Besides I like meeting
Livy’s friends.”

Olivia grinned from ear to ear. “Thanks
, Dad, that’s so cool. But Mom – ”

“It's OK,” I conceded
. “Let them join us, I am sure it will be OK.” At that moment I could have kicked Gabriel in the shins. He was always Mr. Nice Guy and I was always the Wicked Witch. I rolled my eyes and pulled the dish from the oven. “Call everyone, breakfast is ready.”

After breakfast
, we cleaned up and decided to go for a drive to Pisa – I had always wanted to see the leaning tower with my own eyes. Just as I expected, the tower was spectacular. It was taller than I imagined and it really leaned badly to one side. There were hundreds of tourists, who like us, were trying to get pictures of themselves holding the tower up.

It was great fun trying to get the angle of the photos right, so we laughed and joked a lot. This was what life was all about
– having my family together in such a relaxed atmosphere. I was a really lucky woman.

The boys started grumbling something about being hungry, so Gabe steered us across the street to a small restaurant, his hand firmly on my back. We ordered pizza; after all we were in the country that invented them, along with a bottle of wine.

The guys wolfed down the pizza as if I hadn’t cooked them breakfast only a few hours ago. It must have been all the fresh air stimulating their appetites.

I was happy – I had all my loved ones to share this wonderful experience with me. What more could I ask for?

Chapter
Forty-nine

Starting over.

We’d been in Tuscany for a week now. This was the day Gabriel and I were renewing our vows. When he first suggested it, I wasn’t sure that I could do it. But after our candid talk and getting an insight into what actually went wrong in our relationship, I finally wrapped my head around it and knew it would be symbolic of our new beginning.

A
leisurely bath to relax and enjoy the start of this day was just what I needed. I wanted to give this day the reverence it deserved. Olivia and I had been out shopping and I’d found a gorgeous champagne-colored dress at a small boutique tucked into a side street in Florence. It draped around my body, the fabric soft and cool on my skin.

I stacked my hair on top of my head, allowing a few dark tendrils to frame my face softly.
The gossamer wrap around my shoulders added a touch of elegance. I left the room with a smile, ready to face this important day. After all, I had the love and support of my children to help me through it.

As I walked down the stairs,
the sound of Gabriel humming and singing to himself became clearer. The tune was not lost on me – I recognized that he was humming
our
song – the one we danced to at our wedding. It was one of my favorite songs. Touched that Gabe even remembered, I slowed my pace so I could keep listening.

“I said I love you and that’s forever…and this I promise from my heart…”
he crooned, his back to me, unaware I was sneaking up on him.

I joined in to finish the verse
. “I couldn’t love you any better… I love you just the way you are…”

Gabe spun around when he heard my voice, surprise on his face, his eyes
fixed on mine as he held out his hand to me, a sad smile tugging at his lips as he pulled me to his chest. His eyes were misty when he looked down at me.

“
Nat
. I can't believe I nearly forgot the promise in that song. But this time…this time I will honor every word. I do love you just the way you are. Please don’t change. And I will never take you for granted again,
I promise
.”

“I know,” I whispered against his chest. “You look very dashing, all dressed up
.”

Even now Gabe
turned heads whenever he walked into a room. His special brand of charisma charmed most women, especially when he was in a good mood and his wide mouth bestowed generous smiles upon them. Tall and sturdy, his frame filled the dark gray suit to perfection.

H
olding me at arm’s length, he took a step backwards, appraising me with a glint in his eyes. “You look absolutely gorgeous. I am a very lucky man indeed. Thank you for accepting me again, you have no idea how much this means to me.”

He reached into the pocket of his jacket and brought out a familiar aqua
-colored box. “These will match your eyes,” he said as he opened the box. I gaped at the beautiful sapphire and diamond necklace.

“Allow me
.” Gabe placed the stunning chain around my neck and fastened the clasp. “Wow, that really brings out the blue in your soulful eyes…” he said as our eyes met in the mirror.

“Thank you.”
I turned and stood on tiptoes to kiss him – a long sweet kiss, not only as a ‘thank you’ for the beautiful gift but also a promise for our future together.

“Are you as excited as I am to renew our vows?” Gab
e asked as his arm pulled me tightly to him.

Before I could reply, the door burst open and the kids came streaming in, their happy laughter filling the space. I also heard two new voices and
recognized Sarah and Josh’s happy banter.

“M
om, you look so beautiful.” Robert beamed as he walked in. My other two children were way too engrossed in the new company to even look in my direction. It seemed as if Daniel could not take his eyes off Sarah, he looked like a lost puppy dog. Olivia and Josh, however, were in the middle of an argument, neither giving an inch either way.

“Natalie! How lovely to see you on your special day,” Sarah said as she hugged me. It was lovely to see her again. But when I looked at Josh, my heart skipped a beat. He had the exact grin on his beautiful face that I had seen so many times on
Nick’s
face. My heart tumbled in my chest until it fell all the way to my feet. I couldn’t bear to look at him; his very presence reminded me so much of Nick I had a crazy urge to run from the room.

Josh looked at me with a question in his eyes. Could he sense my unease? “Thank you for having us join you today. It is an
honor to share this occasion with you and your family.”

I smiled at him and nodded, avoiding his eyes. They had the same piercing quality of a man I did not want to be reminded of today.

Olivia quickly introduced Sarah and Josh to Gabe, who welcomed them with open arms, gregarious and charming as ever.
Is Gabe aware that they are related to Nick?
I hadn’t mentioned it, and I guessed Olivia hadn’t either.
Oh dear.
That was one topic I was certainly not bringing up now
.

“Well, seems we are all here. Let's head down to the chapel at the end of the garden,” Gabe suggested, holding his arm out
to me. Rita and Angelo had kindly suggested we use their family chapel on the property, it was centuries old and had a rustic charm all of its own. Gabe had agreed that they could witness the ceremony; it seemed nothing was going to spoil his good mood today, not even the presence of a handsome flirtatious Italian.

The chapel was tiny but beautiful. It could only seat a dozen or so people; luckily we were only a small group today. Olivia had tied ribbons and flowers to the ends of the pews and a few candles glowed at the altar.
The priest waited for us, a big smile on his serene face as we approached.

The large windows were thrown open, letting the sunlight filter into the tiny space, dust particles dancing in the air as we walked down the short aisle. Gabe beam
ed from ear to ear, his step sprightly and eager. The guests took their places and the priest started the ceremony in Italian. I had no idea what he was saying, so I just smiled and nodded when he looked in my direction. Gabe squeezed my hand a few times, glancing sideways as if he couldn’t believe I was standing beside him.

Finally it was time for us to make our vows to one another. Gabriel turned to face me, holding both my hands in his large hands, staring directly into my eyes with intense focus.

His demeanor was earnest; I knew he took this very seriously. “Life is short…and life is
not
a dress rehearsal. I’ve learned that the hard and painful way, by nearly dying.” I squeezed his trembling hands.

He paused for a moment and cleared his throat.
“We’ve all heard that saying –
but what does it really mean
? It means we have to grab life with both hands –
now
. Use the goddamn good china and cutlery every day, not only on special occasions. It means not putting our lives on hold, thinking that tomorrow will be a better day. Because all we really have is now –
today
. The past is over and tomorrow will never come for some of us.” A muscle in his jaw twitched, yet his gaze never wavered.

He took a deep breath. “You taught me to open my eyes and to really see what is in front of me. I never saw all of you before – I was blinded by my own needs. But moving forward, I will be making sure I meet your needs too.”

“Gabe,” I breathed, touched by his words.

Gabriel swallowed hard. “I have been an absolute idiot for taking you for granted for so long. I will try to make it up to you for the rest of my life. I now
realize how much you mean to me. You are my life and my very existence. I love you more than you will ever imagine.”

“
Thank you,” I whispered, my eyes burning with tears I fought back.

His words were so sincere, his eyes blazing as he made his declaration.
Now it was my hands trembling in his. I bit down on my lip to stop it from quivering. These were the words I had longed to hear for such a long time…

Blinking a few times as if fighting his own tears,
Gabe continued, “My promise to you today: I want to be the man you need me to be; I will do everything in my power to be that man. Because if I have you by my side, it will be the easiest and most natural thing to do. Natalie, you inspire me to be the best man I can be.”

He
recited the words of
our
Billy Joel song, words I already knew by heart: “I need to know that you will always be the same old someone that I knew. What will it take till you believe in me – the way that I believe in you? I said I love you and that’s forever – and this I promise from my heart. I couldn’t love you any better – I love you just the way you are.”

These words were as precious to me now as what they were
twenty-three years ago.

My eyes misted up. A huge lump in my throat made it near impossible to speak. I took a moment, absorbing what Gabriel had just said.
I slowly looked around the little church at all our guests, beaming back at me reassuringly.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw a movement outside through the window. I automatically looked to see what it was. My blood ran cold and my breath froze in my lungs.

Nick
. Through the window, I saw him standing in the distance, looking straight at me. I gasped for air, feeling as if all the oxygen had just been sucked out of my lungs. I blinked a few times, unable to believe my eyes.

“Natalie! What's wrong? You look as if you have seen a ghost!” Gabriel
gripped both my arms, concern on his face. I closed my eyes for a few seconds, certain I was going mad. When I opened them again and looked out the window, there was no one – just the tall cypress trees in the distance.

I fought desperately to regain my composure. This was not the time to be seeing things. Gabriel was handing me his heart and here I was seeing visions of Nick.

Had I gone stir crazy?

Rita jumped up and brought me a glass of water. I drank thirstily, reali
zing that I hadn’t had a decent meal all day, meaning that my body was most likely very dehydrated. That would explain the illusion I saw. It was impossible that it could be real, I knew that.

The water quenched my parched lips and soon I felt better and stood facing Gabe again. His eyes were searching my face for clues.

It was my turn to make my vows.

“Gabriel, life has given us a
lucky break. We are the fortunate ones: myself, Daniel, Olivia and Robert – to have you with us, alive and well. We cherish every moment together as a family, I know I speak for all of us.”

I turned
toward the three pairs of wide blue eyes peering at us, seeing the adoration there. They eagerly nodded their heads in agreement. That alone was proof that we were doing the right thing today. Yet I couldn’t shake the ghost of Nick that had appeared before me.

What the hell did that mean?

Everyone was waiting for me, looking at me with expectant faces. “Gabriel, I promise to make these next few years of our lives together the best years ever. I am overjoyed that our family can be one again.”

Triumph shone in his eyes as he leaned down to kiss me.