Enchanted and Desired (48 page)

Authors: Eva Simone

We had a rough start, with Verona and Jess fighting for their lives, but my girls are survivors, strong-willed, fierce and determined when they put their mind to something. Verona is so like Jess, not only in looks, but in personality. She has a tenacity that can be trying as a parent, but it will stand her in good stead when she’s older. I swear she is going to be a real ball buster! I fucking love that about her.

Since we brought our baby girl home from the hospital, Jess and I have really found our stride together. We’ve learned to trust each other again, far beyond what we ever had before. We rely on each other, we’re a team. It’s a joke of ours when Verona is giving us a hard time,
it’s us against her baby.
We’re a family.

Jess and I still share an intense and explosive passion for each other that never seems to fade or falter. I always thought that the fierce connection we share would be the death of us, because that level of passion can become toxic between two strong-willed people, but I was wrong. Our explosive connection is our greatest strength; it’s an unshakeable foundation that will always be there. Embracing that fact has allowed us to build on it, to use it, and to cherish it.

Taking a step back from work and handing over the day to day running of the clubs was the best decision I’ve ever made. I get to spend so much time with my favorite girls. I have been there for all of my tiny Tesorina’s firsts – first word, first smile, first steps. You can’t put a price on that, and I wouldn’t change it for anything.

Jess decided not to go back into advertising. Instead, she spends her days with Verona, and she loves it. She has set up a charity to help raise money and awareness for premature babies in the N.I.C.U. and their families, and she has also started a website for young women who’ve had hysterectomies, which has been a great success, bringing women together from all over the world, giving them somewhere they can talk with other women that understand what they’re going through.

It was a major turning point for Jess when she started the website. It has allowed her to connect with and help so many other young women. It’s still hard for her, and for me, to know that we can’t ever give Verona a biological brother or sister, but we’ve spoken about adoption, and I think at some point in the future, we’ll give a baby a home and a family, and a big sister that will love the crap out of them!

The party is in full swing, and Verona is being completely and utterly spoiled by everyone. It’s a joy to watch her interact with her grandparents, and with our friends. She has funny little names for everyone, and her own special relationship with each and every one of them. Brandon and Lily are B and Lelly – they dote on her and I wouldn’t be surprised if Verona had a little playmate in the not too distant future. Sofia is Auntie Sof Sof, and Nate is Nay – We don’t get to see much of them with their work schedules, but when we do, Verona is mesmerized by her ballerina aunt, and she has a soft spot for Nate and his charms. He’s great with her, always ready with a silly game or a funny face to amuse her.

I have no idea what is going on between Sofia and Nate anymore. I don’t think they’re together, but I can see that they still have feelings for each other. Jess made me promise not to beat the shit out of him, and to let Sofia make her own decisions. I can’t refuse her anything, so I agreed, but if he ever hurts my little sister, all bets are off, and I will bury him in a shallow grave!

Everyone seems to be enjoying themselves today, and most importantly, Verona is having the time of her life. Jess arranged for this little corner of Central Park to be turned into a princess paradise. Everything our baby girl adores. Cinderella and Snow White are entertaining all of the kids, dancing and singing and telling stories. There is a face painting station where all of the girls have been covered in glitter and pink! She even organized a princess makeover boutique. We now have twenty or so toddlers running around dressed in the smallest ball gowns you’ve ever seen.

I’ve done my duties and mingled, saying hello and making small talk with all the dads, half of whom I’ve never laid eyes on before. My girls are social butterflies with their Gymboree and mother-toddler groups, but I try to steer clear of that whenever possible. I love my princess, but spending time around lots of tiny terrors at once is a living nightmare.

Everywhere I walk, and everyone I talk to today – they are all just background noise. I can’t take my eyes off of Jess and Verona. They are inseparable; the best of friends, and they get up to all kinds of mischief together when my back is turned. It’s fucking adorable.

As I stand watching them, I can tell they’re conspiring against me. Verona’s perfect little cherub face keeps turning around to look at me, giving me a massive grin every time. Jess is crouched down on the ground beside her, whispering in her ear, and smiling over at me with feigned innocence.

I’m close enough that she can see me raising my eyebrows at her, a questioning look on my face. She simply blows me a kiss, hands Verona something, and sends her my way.

My baby girl comes teetering over to me, her face covered in birthday cake, and her cute, chubby little hands holding an envelope out to me.

“Daddy Daddy Daddy!!!”

I scoop her up into my arms and plant a kiss on her sweet little cheeks.

“What have you got here Tesorina? Is this for me?” My name is written in elegant script with a purple ribbon wrapped around the plain white envelope.

She points her tiny finger towards Jess, standing next to the princess castle bouncy house that we had set up for the party. She looks breath-taking in a powder blue summer dress that matches her sparkling eyes, her hair soft and flowing, her gaze fixed on me, and the smile she flashes me has my heart hammering in my chest.

“Did mommy give this to you for me?” She nods her head enthusiastically, proud of herself for doing what mommy asked. “Well done baby girl. You are so clever.” I nuzzle her cheek, drinking in her cute baby smell.

I tuck her into the crook of one arm so that I can open the envelope and see what Jess is up to. I peel off the ribbon and give it to Verona to play with, carefully opening the back so as not to rip the envelope. What I find inside is beyond anything I ever could have imagined.

I pull out three plane tickets to Barbados in two weeks’ time, for me, Jess and Verona. That in itself sounds amazing, but what I see glinting in the sunshine at the bottom of the envelope is so much better. There are two platinum wedding bands. They are attached to a piece of card that says ‘READ THE INSCRIPTION’. I pull the larger of the two rings free and hold it up to the light to read the engraving.

Forever yours, Jess xxx

My eyes dart up to meet hers, our friends and family oblivious to what is transpiring between us in this moment. I’m transfixed by her, enchanted by her, and filled with desire for her. A sly grin spreads across her face as she presses her finger to her lips and gives me a wink, “Shhhh.”

I close the distance between us in a few short strides, Verona bouncing in my arms, squealing with delight. I pull Jess flush against me with my free arm, sealing my lips over hers, tasting her sweet cherry mouth, lapping at her tongue with my own. I feel her melt against my body, giving herself over to me completely.

“So should I take that as a ‘yes’ then?”

“YES. I want to shout it from the rooftops.” I whisper in her ear.

She bites her succulent, pouty lip, slowly shaking her head.

“Just you and me, baby…just for us…you, me and V.” I nod my acquiescence. I would do anything she asked of me to finally make it official.

She cradles my face in her hands, pulling my mouth down on hers in a fierce kiss. The feel of her tongue twisting and tangling with mine igniting a fire inside me, a passion so great that I will never get enough of this woman. My body is so attuned to her every move, her every breath; the slightest touch of her skin causes a thermonuclear reaction. Every fiber of my being vibrates when I’m in her orbit. No amount of time together will ever quench my thirst for her. My lover, the mother of my precious baby girl, my best friend, my Tesoro.

As I kiss the woman of my dreams with my sweet little Tesorina wriggling in between us, cuddling us as tight as her tiny arms will let her, I know, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that this is what life is all about.

They say that there are only two things in life that are certain – Death and Taxes. That’s not true of my life. In my life there are three certainties. Three things that are unshakable truths – death, taxes, and the fact that I will love and protect the two women in my arms with a ferocity unparalleled throughout the course of history. I will protect their hearts with my own; I will protect their bodies against anything that could harm them, laying down my own life in the process if necessary. But above all else, I will cherish the love they give me, and I’ll give it back tenfold in return, freely, unconditionally, and never-ending. They are my life’s blood, the reason that my heart beats in my chest. It will always beat for them, and them alone. I miei per sempre tesori.
[My treasures forever.]