L'amore: The Luminara Series (31 page)

“Thank you for my presents, Uncle Lucca.” I’m impressed with her politeness and good manners.

Placing his oven mitt down, he lifts her up. “You are very welcome, baby girl. I am glad you like them. Have you got lipstick on?” he asks with a cadence of amusement.

She giggles.

“This better not be for the boys. I hope this is just for Uncle Lucca.” He kisses and tickles her.

“It’s Aunty Lexi’s,” she blurts out, squirming around playfully.

“Oh, is it now? Well, let us see if she has got it on too.” He carries her over to the sofa, places her down, then leans over me, kissing my lips and holding just a bit too long in front of Roberta. “Yep, it is definitely Aunty Lexi’s lipstick, watermelon flavour. Yummy.”

“You’re funny, Uncle Lucca.” I smile, rolling my eyes at him, but deep down I have so much love for him right now. He is melting my heart.

Once the food is ready, we go into the formal dining room and set the buffet style platters down for everyone to help themselves. It looks and smells divine.

Savio and Lucca pour champagne for the adults and give the kids fruit juice cartons. I notice Sarah passes on the champagne. Cameron sits across from me, but I purposely don’t make eye contact with him. I don’t want to talk to him in front of the others in the event I get angry with him. I’m still pissed about him hurting Lucy. Savio and Armando politely chat away with Cameron and Dominic getting to know them, which gives me a bit of a breather.

“Lex, can you pass down some bread please?” Cameron asks. Not lifting my head, I pass the platter. He looks at me with the blank expression on his face and shrugs his shoulders, obviously wanting to know why I’m so cold towards him today. I narrow my eyes, silently telling him we will talk about it later.

I’m about to bite into a piece of sautéed king prawn when I hear Antonia crying and think of Sarah. I place my fork down and excuse myself. I have an idea.

Sarah is trying to shush Antonia, pacing the floor with her. “It’s normally her bath time, so she is all out of sync. I’m going to bathe her and get her down, and then I can relax. I’ll heat my dinner later.” Sarah passes her from arm to arm, patting her back trying to calm her sobbing.

“Look, I was out for lunch today and I’m not that hungry just now, so you go eat and enjoy some food. I’ll put Antonia in the bath if you’d like. I can reheat something up later if I’m hungry,” I offer, because she does look tired and flustered.

She takes a moment then sighs with exhaustion. “Thank you, but it’s fine, really. I’ll do it.” I think she is only trying to be courteous, but her tired eyes tell me she would probably welcome the help and a break.

“Sarah, I’m fine, honestly. I wouldn’t offer otherwise. Please, go back in and relax, and I’ll take good care of this little girly.” Antonia stops crying when she sees she’s getting attention from someone else.

“Okay, if you’re sure, that would be great. All her things are in the baby bag, and there is a monitor already on in the first spare room. Her travel cot has been built already should she fall asleep. Her soother should be in the cot.” She kisses Antonia’s forehead and hugs me, passing me her daughter. “Shout if you need anything,” she adds, kissing Antonia before she heads off.

I smile then walk with Antonia and the baby bag up into our suite, leaving them all to enjoy their food and company downstairs. I sing and play, trying to distract her as I run the bath. Not that I’ve done this before but Lucy has a niece and I’ve watched her do bath time when her niece stays over. How hard can it be? I strip her clothes and diaper off since she’s a lot calmer and not wriggling as much. Then I sit her on my knee, putting my elbow in to test the water. I make bubbles with her baby bath oil, and once she’s in, I let her splash around while keeping a grip on her.

“Hey,” Lucca says as he bends down to the floor and wraps his arm around my waist, kissing the side of my head. “This is a really nice thing you have done for Sarah. I do not think she has sat down properly with Armando for a meal at a normal time in ages.”

“Honestly, it’s fine. She looked tired and I’m more than happy to help. Plus, this little girly really likes her Aunty Lexi.”

I really like her too.

“I’m glad at least one of her aunts is sensible. Kate and Anna are opening another bottle of champagne.” He laughs.

“Look, Antonia, Uncle Lucca has come to play with us,” I sing to her. She gurgles and coos, then kicks her legs with excitement in the water and both of us end up soaking wet because we are leaning over the tub.

“Cheeky,” Lucca says as he strips his top off.

“She really is adorable,” I say, watching every expression she makes. It amazes me.

“Hmmm, so are you. You look so sexy right now. I am picturing you doing this for our kids. I know I said it earlier, but you are very good with them. You are a natural.” He smiles contently and looks so carefree washing Antonia, as if he’s enjoying the experience of bathing the baby.

Fuck!

File M for maternal. Maternal denial.

“This is different. It’s nice to enjoy other people’s kids, but you know I’m not in a good place emotionally to be a mother. I am too insecure, and it wouldn’t be fair. Besides, I want you all to myself.” It’s probably not what he wants to hear, but it is the truth.

“Hmmm…” He presses his bare chest into my back and kisses my shoulder. I quiver under his touch, feeling a light tempo beating in my stomach.

“Lucca,” I whisper when I feel his hand slide under my skirt. He strokes between my legs, then cups my sex. “Not in front of the baby, because you’re getting me revved up and core teasing me,” I moan, trying desperately to block out the pleasure he’s showing me.

He groans, then laughs. “Okay, let’s get her out and dried. You ready, wee cheeks?” He trails his hands up and gropes my ass cheeks, teasing me.

Antonia smashes her thick legs in the water, splashing both of us again. Hopefully, that will cool him down. Once she’s out, I dry her on the bed with a big fluffy towel. Then Lucca puts her diaper on and buttons her into her pink romper suit. She rubs her eyes and yawns.

“You change your clothes while I try and settle her,” he says.

When I return from the dressing room in my pink lace lingerie, I admire the most breath-taking sight I’ve ever witnessed. Lucca is lying on his back on the bed still bare chested in his jeans with his legs sprawled out, and Antonia is sleeping across his chest on her front, her face snuggled just below his neck. Lucca has one hand cupping her little bottom, and the other resting on his chest with Antonia’s little chubby fingers curled around his.

Two angels.

Her pale pink romper against Lucca’s deep coloured skin is a pretty picture.

Lucca’s body is so brawny and muscular that Antonia looks like a little light pink feather against him. It’s the sweetest vision I could imagine. It’s doing nothing for my maternal denial. I’ll need to file that thought.

He glances towards me smiling. “Come here,” he whispers.

My heart drums.

Thud.

Thud.

Thud.

I walk to the bed and curl into his side, wrapping my arm around Antonia’s back and across Lucca’s chest. There is something so warm and lovely about this feeling. I close my eyes, enjoying the closeness and intimacy as Lucca kisses the side of my head.

“Lexi, we should put her down.” Lucca’s hot breath against my head causes me to stir as he moves a stray curl from face.

“Did I fall asleep?” I ask, yawning.

“Yes, I have been watching the two of you sleeping on me thinking how lucky I am.”

“How long was I sleeping?”

“Maybe thirty minutes.”

I unhook my leg from his, sitting upright, then lift Antonia from his chest and cradle her into me. She’s in a deep sleep, a heavy weight in my arms as I walk towards the spare room and place her down. Lucca’s body heat presses right against me and his hands splay over my hips.

I lean back into him, moving my head to the side. He kisses my neck softly then trails his hands up and over my breasts, running his finger across the pink lace. My chest is rising with anticipation and my nipples strain against the lace fabric.

“That was a really special moment in there. You have me, Romeo.” I turn around and jump up wrapping my legs around his waist and kissing him desperately. He groans and walks me back into our suite and closes the door, forgetting about our visitors.

I’m his.

He’s mine.

And nothing else matters.

We change our clothes after some quick fondling, check on the baby, then walk downstairs.

Strolling into the downstairs family room, everyone turns around and we get whistles and claps from Savio and Armando. Lucca scowls at them, but I’m sure I hear him roguishly laugh under his breath. I’m mortified and blushing a shade deeper than my pink vest. I tighten my grip on Lucca’s hand.

“You two are supposed to be babysitting, not baby making.” Anna chuckles.

Oh my God.

Please subtract me from this equation. After some banter back and forth, we manage to change the subject, thankfully.

Cameron shakes his head then carries on with his game. Cameron and Emilio are playing against Dominic and A-Jay on some guitar game on the Wii console. Roberta is hanging over Doris putting her dolly’s hairbands on her, telling her she’s her new pony, and Sarah looks like she has relaxed as she hugs a wine glass.

“Thank you, Lexi. I really appreciate it. Is she settled?”

“Yes, she’s fine, out cold. She soaked us with the bath water. That’s why I um … um … changed.” I blush again looking down at my top, I feel like I need to give an explanation and remedy their ideas of what were up to.

“Lexi, we left you a plate of food,” Hazel says. I walk back into the kitchen to heat it up. Lucca follows me, grabbing a beer from the fridge. I sit at the dining area next to the kitchen, and Lucca sets a large glass of wine down in front of me.

Hazel comes and sits next to me with her own wine. “Did you idiots know the baby monitor was on in the spare room?” She laughs, wrapping her arm around my shoulder.

“Oh my God,” I drop my fork, suddenly feeling humiliated all over again.

“I had to stop Roberta from coming up,” she adds.

Fuck! It’s only getting worse.

Lucca leans against the counter, holding his Peroni. “Relax, Lexi. Roberta will not have a clue, and we were only in that room a minute. It’s all clean. They would not have heard us in the suite.”

I take a huge swig of wine, followed by a bite of lasagne, and realise I’ve worked up an appetite. I’m starving and I never ate lunch today either. I know I need to get something in my stomach. The last time I starved myself and drank alcohol, it didn’t go well.

Cameron walks through, very chuffed with himself. “Team Emo, victory,” he announces, fist in the air, then grabs a beer. I don’t make any eye contact. “So you going to tell me why you’re so pissed off at me? What have I done now?” He leans against the kitchen island, flipping his beer cap off.

I ignore him and continue to eat. I know I need to speak to him, but I don’t know how to address it without it sounding too abrupt.

“Lucca called and told me about your argument with Mum. Is that why you’re fuming?” That’s it, the trigger.

“Hmmm, let me see. Mum thinks I’m some sort of gold digger and with Lucca for his money. She doesn’t approve and is disgusted with my behaviour because she says it’s too soon to fall in love, yet she dismisses your man-whore tendencies. But then there's also the fact that my best friend is hurting badly, and the funny thing is that it’s all about you, Cameron. Were you ever going to tell me?”

He sighs and shrugs his shoulders.

Not good enough.

“It’s not a big deal. Lucy and I had a thing, but I always wanted Rachel deep down. Lucy knows it would never be anything serious, and before you ask, yes, Rachel knows I’ve been with Lucy. I don’t know what the big deal is? Lucy and I had fun, that was it, nothing more, and Rach doesn’t want to settle down with me.” He absently munches on some tortilla chips and salsa.

“Hmmm. It is a big deal, a massive bloody deal, and Rachel, Anna, and Lucy don’t deserve this treatment,” I spurt.