Rome for Always (The BAD BOY BILLIONAIRES Collection) (13 page)

Vittorio cleared his throat, looking like he wanted to
be anywhere but there. Shows of emotion either made him uneasy or embarrassed,
that much was obvious. When he spoke again his voice sounded pseudo-cheerful. “Arie,
Rome, to show you we mean what we say we’ve gone ahead and arranged a family
dinner for tomorrow. Everyone will be there. You’ll get a chance to meet the
entire family, Arie.”

She didn’t know if she liked the sound of that. After
all she’d been through she would rather just hang out at the hotel with Rome. But,
reluctant to dampen Vittorio’s spirit, she gave him a brave smile and nodded. “I’ll
come,” she said, “as long as I get to meet your father.”

Vittorio probably guessed why she’d said that but he
didn’t back down. “Deal,” he said, with a broad smile. “We’ll see you both at
three.”

Long after Lily and Vittorio left, Arie sat in the sofa,
curled up against Rome’s shoulder. Still in shock, her thoughts raced ahead to
the family gathering planned for the next day. His parents had apologized but
it had seemed too easy, even too good to be true.

Would she meet more rejection when she met the rest of
Rome’s family or would they give her fake smiles while hating her the whole
time? No matter how she tried she could not stop the thoughts from swirling
wildly, creating a whirlwind of confusion in her mind.

Needless to say, the Milanos had messed up yet another
of her evenings in Italy. With all the trepidation she was feeling there was no
way she would be making love tonight.

CHAPTER TEN

"Mama mia
, she is
bella
.
Come here and give
Nonno
a hug.”  The tall, stately man had a huge grin
on his face as he held his arms wide and there was nothing Arie could do but go
to him.  He immediately caught her in a bear hug that threatened to snap her in
two.

When he put her away from him he was still smiling
broadly, as if he’d found a long lost friend. “So this is the Arie I’ve been
hearing about. Pleased to meet you, my dear.”

“And you, too, sir,” Arie said with a nod and she
couldn’t help but respond with a wide smile of her own. It was possible she
wasn’t reading him right but he certainly came across as genuine.

“Sir? Did you call me sir?” He gave her a look of
indignation which she knew was fake. “It is
Nonno
for you, not sir. You
are family and don’t you forget that.”

“Thank you, sir,” she said, just to tease him. “I mean,
Nonno
.
Thank you for your welcome,
Nonno
.”

“My pleasure, my pleasure,” he said in a deeply accented
voice that Arie was enjoying. None of the other Milanos spoke with such a deep
Italian accent but she had no trouble understanding
Nonno
. In fact, she
was enjoying his beautifully lilting speech.

“Come over here and tell me all about America,” he said
as he drew her toward the living room. “I have not visited that country in a
long time. You will fill me in on the latest news, yes?”

Arie smiled. “I would love to.”

“Ernesto, please leave
signorina
Arie alone.”
Before they could disappear, a tiny white-haired woman approached and jammed
her fists on her hips. Arie didn’t have to ask. This had to be
Nonna
. “Arie,
if you’re not careful this man will talk your ears off. Come to the kitchen
with me, my dear. Come and relax at the table while I finish preparing the
calzone
.”
And with those words the lady marched over, took Arie’s hand and began to draw
her out of her husband’s clutches.

But he was not giving up so easy. “Rosetta, Rosetta my
dear, Arie is not interested in Italian cooking. We’re off to have some
stimulating conversation about America, her homeland.”

“No, Ernesto. You’re off to talk this poor young lady to
death and I will not have it. Do you think I want you to scare her off before
she’s even settled in the family?” And again Rosetta tugged at Arie’s arm,
obviously intent on getting her away from her husband as fast as possible.

“But Rosetta, my dear, she wants to come with me,” Ernesto
insisted, making sure his hand was on Arie’s other arm so his wife could not
pull her away.

She was just beginning to fret that she would be split
in two by the tug-of-war when, to her relief, Rome came to her rescue.

Apparently he’d heard the dispute because he left the
den where he’d been with his brothers and now he was hurrying toward them. “
Nonno
,
Nonna
, please. Arie’s here to relax, not to get caught in battle between
the two of you.” Without apology he took both her hands and drew her out of his
grandparents' grasp. “And besides, she’s mine. I found her first. Now go find
somebody else to harass.” With a huge grin he pulled her close then led her
away, but not before she heard the grumbles about selfish grandsons.

“Looks like you’re in high demand,” Rome said, laughing
as they walked away.

Arie chuckled. “Talk about irony. First I’m not wanted
and then I’m wanted too much.”

“That, I can deal with,” Rome said as he escorted her
back to where he’d been ensconced with his brothers, leaving Arie to the mercy
of his grandparents. When the cooking had started all four of the young Milano
men had run off to watch European soccer – or football, as they called it on
this side of the world – determined that they weren’t going to get drafted into
beating batter, chopping lettuce or doing the dishes. It was the younger
sister, Sophia, who had taken Arie under her wing until
Nonno
caught her
in the hallway.

Now, instead of trying to make conversation with the
family, Arie could hide out with the guys until dinner was ready. And although
she didn’t know one thing about soccer – oh yeah, football – she didn’t mind it
one bit.

It ended up that Arie had a blast with Rome’s brothers. They
all seemed so eager to get to know her and to please her. Maybe it was because
of what she’d suffered at the hands of their parents. Maybe they wanted to make
it up to her. Whatever their motivation was, she was grateful. And she was a
fast learner, too. Within minutes she was the one cheering loudest for AC Milan
and when Manchester United sneaked in a final goal that gave them victory she
could sympathize with Lorenzo, Dante and Marco.  In the end it was Rome who
moaned loudest. Arie was in the middle of comforting him when Lily came to the
door.

“We’re ready for you,” she said, looking tired but
happy.

In the end it turned out that dinner was not so bad
after all. When they got to the dining room there was a free place between
Nonno
and
Nonna
and they insisted that Arie occupy that chair. “This way we
can share you,”
Nonna
said as she patted the seat. “Rome can’t keep you
all to himself, you know.”

“Don’t fall for that,” Rome warned. “They’re either
going to grill you on what kind of fiancé I am or they’ll bore you with stories
about me and my childhood pranks.”

“And I don’t mind either one,” Arie told him as she slid
onto the seat beside
Nonna
. On the contrary, she was growing to love all
the attention the two elderly Milanos were showering on her. It was more than
she’d gotten from either of Rome’s parents.

But then after dinner, to Arie’s surprise, Vittorio did
something that redeemed him in her eyes…sort of. While the other adults lounged
around drinking wine and coffee and tea he retired to the living room where he
sat on the floor with his five grandchildren who ranged from age six all the
way down to fourteen months.  There,  he let them climb all over him and pull
his hair and he gave not a whimper of protest. Better than that, he went on
hands and knees and became ‘horsey’ for the little ones, going so far as to
shake his tail and neigh at their command.

For the moment Arie had escaped from the grandparents
and now she leaned over to whisper in Rome’s ear. “I can’t believe that’s your
father. I wouldn’t have thought he had it in him.”

Rome chuckled. “Believe it,” he said. “When it comes to
family he takes his duties seriously.”

“Hmm, I can see that,” Arie murmured as she watched the
bear of a man, now gentle and kind, frolicking with his grandkids. He seemed to
be totally dedicated to their enjoyment and he was protective, too, rescuing
them from tumbles even before they saw the danger themselves. Was that how he
was with his own sons and daughters? Although his son was now a grown man was
that how Vittorio still saw Rome, as a beloved offspring he needed to protect?

There was no excuse for his behavior, of course, but
maybe – just maybe – he’d done it out of concern for his son and not out of
mere spitefulness. Yes, she would hold on to that line of reasoning. Maybe then
she would be able to accept him in his role of future father-in-law. Maybe.

Arie was brought back to the present when she felt
Rome’s warm breath tickle her ear. “I’m bored,” he whispered. “Let’s get out of
here.”

That made her cock an eyebrow at him. “Are you sure it’s
boredom you’re feeling?” she whispered back.

“Naw,” he said softly, giving her a wicked grin, “but it
sounded a lot more dignified than ‘I’m horny’.”

Arie gasped and clapped her hand over his mouth. She
glanced furtively around, wondering if anyone else had heard him. Rome had said
the ‘H’ word out loud in his father’s home and he’d said it with his entire
family in the room.

Which meant he was serious. Arie knew she’d better take
him at his word and pack up.  Immediately, she got up and went over to take
Nonna’s
hand. “It was so nice meeting you,” she said, “and you, too,
Nonno
. It
was such a pleasure.”

“You’re not leaving already?”
Nonno
was frowning
and looking like he was about to object but
Nonna
put a hand on his arm.

“Arie is tired,
caro
. She’s had a long day with
us.” She squeezed Arie’s hand. “It was our pleasure,
cara
. You will come
back to see us soon, yes?”

“Yes,” Arie said with a nod, and she meant it. She would
come back to Italy one day if only to see her new friends,
Nonno
and
Nonna
again.

She was reminded of how big Rome’s family was when she
went the rounds from Lucia to Sophia and their husbands, and then to Dante to Marco
and to Lorenzo. Then it was time to hug each of the children and finally it was
time to bid Rome’s parents goodbye.

“Thank you, Lily,” she said, taking the woman’s hand and
this time she felt no resentment. She was nowhere near loving Rome’s mother but
at least she could accept her, if only for Rome’s sake.

“No,” Mrs. Milano said, shaking her head, “thank
you
for coming. You didn’t have to do this but you were gracious and I appreciate
it.”

Vittorio didn’t give her a chance to go over to him. He
came to her and pulled her close in an unexpected embrace. “Thank you, Arie,”
he said, his voice gruff. “It means a lot.”

That was all he said but when he released her Arie could
see that they were not just words. He meant what he said and for that she was
grateful.

But now it was time to go. She had a hungry man to feed
and her skin tingled, just thinking about it.

She was looking forward to being Rome’s dessert tonight.

***

Rome couldn’t get back to the hotel fast enough. He’d
been craving for Arie since the night before, when his parents had turned up at
the restaurant and rained all over his lovemaking plans. After that unexpected
visit his girl hadn’t been in the mood so he’d had to chill, pretty much put
his passion on ice.

And then, as if that weren’t bad enough, he’d had to
endure an entire day of small talk when all he’d wanted to do was make hot,
sweet love to his woman.

But he would wait no longer.

The door to the hotel suite had barely closed behind
them before Rome bent and lifted Arie off her feet, raising her high until she
squealed and flung her arms around his neck. “Rome,” she shrieked, “what are
you doing?”

His answer was a growl. “What does it look like I’m
doing? Time for me to get what I’ve been waiting for these past two days.”

She laughed. “It hasn’t been that long.”

“Too long,” he countered. “I haven’t made love to you
since we left New Orleans.” As he spoke he was striding toward the bedroom
where he dropped her on top of the king-sized bed. She squealed again but he
didn’t give her the chance to recover. In quick time he divested her of shoes,
jeans and blouse, leaving her in lacy bra and matching panties.

He followed suit, swiftly unbuttoning his shirt and
letting it fall to the floor then kicking off his shoes and dropping his
trousers on top of the pile. He leaned over Arie and gathered her in his arms
again. “I’m in the mood to see you pretty-pink all over,” he said. “Let’s try
out the Jacuzzi hot tub they’ve got in here.”

“Sounds good to me,” she purred and dipped her face to
nibble at his neck.  Within seconds she was lounging, relaxed and nude, in the
bubbling water.