VITTORIO'S WOMAN (The Vittorio Series) (13 page)

Simon leaned forward.
  “
Io vogtio te
,
mio amore
,” he said in a voice that was thick with desire.  “I want you, my love, and I intend to have you, so I suggest you stop playing with your food or we will not reach the room before I make good on my promise.”

Lilly licked her lips nervously, having no doubt in her mind he meant every word he said.
  “There’s more to a relationship than…than what goes on in the bedroom, you know.”

His gaze moved to her mouth.
  “I am sure there is, and I am more than willing to learn all about what being in a relationship entails…after I take you to bed.”

“Is that all you can think about?”

Simon’s smile was far from contrite.  “Does that disappoint you?”

He was close enough that she could almost feel the heat of his body reaching out to caress her and she trembled in response.
  The spicy scent of his aftershave sent another thrill racing through her, but it was the soft brush of his lips across hers that was Lilly’s undoing.  Food no longer held any appeal for her, nor did the long talk she’d intended to have with him.  She drew back, her eyes silently answering the question in his, and without a word they both rose from the table.

The decision to have dinner at the hotel’s restaurant now seemed to be one of the best she’d made in days because they were back in her room less than five minutes later.
  There was no need to pretend what either of them wanted, no need to stall what had been inevitable from the first moment Simon had stepped into her room earlier that day.  As soon as the door closed behind them, he swept her up in his arms and carried her to the bedroom, swiftly divesting them both of their clothes before lowering her down onto the bed. 

Because he’d been so anxious to get her back up to the room, Lilly expected his loving making to be as fiercely intense as the look in his eyes had promised.
  Instead he seemed perfectly content to languish over her body, touching and caressing, feathering kisses over every inch of exposed skin until she thought she would go mad if he didn’t ease the aching need deep inside of her.  By the time he finally positioned himself over her, Lilly was practically in tears from wanting him so bad.

“Now, Simon,” she pleaded in a breathless whisper.

Simon entered her slowly, and only when he’d filled her completely did he speak.  “I love you Lillian Barclay.  I love you and I am going to marry you.”

“Simon…”

He silenced her with a kiss that lasted far into the night, as did his passionate love making.  Lilly barely had time to still the erratic thumping of her heart and catch her breath before he was on her again, and after the third or fourth time she lost count.  He was insatiable, but she matched each thrust with the same wild excitement that she’d felt when they’d first begun.  It was nearly dawn before he whispered something in Italian then told her to get some sleep.

Lilly curled up next to his side, feeling warm and safe and happier than she’d ever been in her life.
  There were things she wanted to tell him, but every time she tried to start a conversation Simon cut her off by kissing her.  She supposed what she had to say could wait until tomorrow, but it suddenly occurred to her why he’d been so intent on keeping her from speaking.  Lilly pressed her lips to his chest then tilted her head back and gave him a sleepy smile.

“I love you too, Simon Vittorio, and nothing would make me happier than to be your wife.”

Simon drew in a ragged breath.  “I was…unsure…”

“Afraid, you mean.”

“Terrified,” he admitted with a tight laugh.

“Then you were scared for no reason.
  I know you probably don’t remember, but I saw you once before I came to the island.  Something inside me just…
knew
that you were it, the one man I could love for the rest of my life.”

“But you ran from me then too,
cara
.”

“You noticed me?”

“Noticed you!  My darling, Lilly, I had to wade through a sea of woman to get to you, and when I finally did reach the table, you scampered off like a frightened rabbit.”

“I was embarrassed.
  When you looked at me I felt…funny inside.”  She smiled up at him.  “I realize now what is was you had done to me, but I’d never experienced anything like that before and didn’t understand it was sexual desire.  And then when you got to the table and wished Amanda a happy birthday, I felt foolish for thinking you’d noticed me when you had all those other women practically throwing themselves at your feet.”

“It was the same for me when I first saw you.
  There was this instant connection and I knew I had to be with you.  I could not get you out of my mind so I hired someone to find you.”

Lilly’s eyes widened.
  “You hired a private detective?”

“One who will never work for me again,” his voice hardened.
  “For months he sent me reports that he had tracked you to one place or another, only to arrive and find you had moved on.  It was Milana who finally found you.”

“I’m afraid you lost me.
  Why would you ask Milana to help find me?”

Simon explained
how Milana heard him calling out Lilly’s name while he was in the hospital, and that his sister had taken on the task of finding out who and where she was.  It was his good fortune that she was a physical therapist, he told her, because it gave Milana the perfect excuse for bringing them together.

“Except you didn’t want me there,” Lilly reminded him.

“I did not want you to see me like that; blind and crippled, not a man at all.  No, let me finish,” he said when she tried to interrupt.  “I wanted to scare you off, but even then you gave me a reason to go on.  And then I realized something.  You did not see me as I saw myself.  I was no less a man in your eyes for all my incapacitations…and you wanted me any way you could have me.”

“I’m sorry for pushing you away, Simon.
  I was on an emotional rollercoaster and couldn’t seem to decide if it was better if I stayed or went.  I know this sounds silly, but I was so disappointed when I found out I wasn’t pregnant because by then I was hopelessly in love with you and couldn’t think of anything more wonderful than having your baby.”

Simon rose up on one elbow, a soft smile curving his lips.
  “Oh,
cara
, I was just as disappointed as you were.  I have a confession to make.  After you found out you were not pregnant, I kind of…sabotaged the rest of the condoms.”

“You did
what
?”

“Do not be angry with me
, but I…I took a pin and…”

Lilly’s laughter cut him off.
  “Simon, you didn’t!”

“I did, but there is something more and you may not find this so amusing.
  I wanted to give you a baby,
cara mia
, so I…”

She covered his lips with the tips of her fingers.
  “I know, my darling.”  Lilly stared up into those dark eyes of his and fell in love all over again.  She slipped her arms around his neck and drew him down for a brief kiss.  “I thought it was a dream, but you came to my bed that night didn’t you?”

“I did not know the wine would affect you as it did,” he grinned sheepishly.
  “Can you ever forgive me for taking advantage of you?”

“I have already,” Lilly beamed up at him.
  “I forgave you the minute I realized it hadn’t been a dream at all.”

“And when was that,
tesoro
?”

“At the doctor’s office.
  It was when he told me how important it was to maintain healthy eating habits.”

“Now it is
you
who have lost
me
,” he teased.  “What do your eating habits have to do with figuring out it was not a dream?”

Lilly locked eyes with his, glad that the first morning light illuminated the room just enough so she could see his expression when she told him.
  “The doctor said it was important to have a well balanced diet…especially during the early stages of pregnancy.”

There was a moment of silence before the significance of what she’d said began to sink in.
  Simon’s face went blank as he stared down at her soft smile.  Then, as comprehension finally broke through, he tossed back the covers and splayed his fingers with reverence over Lilly’s flat belly.

“You are sure?”
  His voice was as shaky as the hand that skimmed along her abdomen but the expression on his face was one of sheer joy.

“Believe me,” she laughed, “when the doctor told me how far along I was, I asked him to repeat it
twice
.  Once he confirmed it, I knew exactly when our baby had been conceived.”

“Our baby,” Simon repeated.
  “I have dreamed of this moment,
mi amore
; dreamed of the day you would tell me you are carrying my child.”

“Are you truly happy about it, Simon?”

“There is only one thing that would make my happiness complete.  Marry me, Lilly.  Now, today.  Let us go back to the island as man and wife.  We can throw a huge party to celebrate and invite an obnoxious amount of people, what do think?”

“I think it sounds wonderful,” she said earnestly, “but I’m a little concerned that our families will be upset if we don’t have a formal wedding.”

Simon considered that for a few minutes.  “You are right, of course, and I should have thought to ask if it was important to you too.  I suppose every woman dreams of having a big wedding with their family and friends as witness to the special day.”

As careful as he was to hide it, Lilly could see he was disappointed at having to delay their marriage
, and the truth was she didn’t care if they were married in a courthouse or a chapel, but her parents would care and Simon’s parents would probably feel the same way.  Still, putting together the size of wedding that their combined social status required could take weeks even if they rushed it. 

She’d have to shop for a wedding gown and dresses for the bridesmaids, and they’d have to arrange for a caterer and select the food and cake and what drinks to serve.
  Then there was the church to book and a reception to plan; the list seemed endless and Lilly wasn’t at all happy with the idea of having to wait that long.

“I don’t think we can get out of having a formal wedding,” she told him, “but I believe I may have figured out a way we can make everyone happy.”
 

By the time Lilly finished outlining her idea, Simon was nodding in agreement and sporting a broad smile.

The first wedding took place in a courthouse four days later with only Milana and Luc as witnesses.
  Simon was beside himself because he’d gotten exactly what he wanted; to make Lilly his wife as quickly as possible.  After swearing his sister and Luc to secrecy he carted Lilly off to Italy for a honeymoon and to show off his native land, though they’d seen precious little of it, having spent most of their time cocooned in one of his smaller estates near the coast.

The second ceremony was performed a month after they returned from Italy in a church that was filled to the brim with friends and family, followed by a reception that was nothing less than spectacular.
  Lilly was elated when Simon agreed to have a second wedding and she’d been even more ecstatic when their mothers joined forces to plan the entire affair.

She’d been a little intimated when she first met Ravenna Vittorio because the woman had swept into the room looking very regal and extremely unapproachable.
  Ravenna presented her cheek to Simon with all the mien of crowned royalty, and Lilly had braced herself for the disdainful glance she was positive Ravenna was about to bestow on her.  But to her surprise, and immense relief, Simon’s mother  turned to Lilly with warm acceptance in her eyes.

“So you are the young woman who has captivated my son’s heart.
  We had almost given up hope he would ever fall in love and give us grandchildren.”

Lilly’s eyes flew to Simon.
  “I thought we agreed…” she started, then clamped her mouth shut when he shook his head.

There was a moment of silence as Ravenna took in the warm blush that was creeping into Lilly’s cheeks.
  Obviously, Simon hadn’t told his mother about the baby, and Lilly couldn’t decide if she wanted to laugh or kick herself.  Even if her own guilt-stricken expression hadn’t been a dead giveaway, Simon’s blatant avoidance of eye contact with his mother certainly was.

Ravenna turned to her son.
  “Simon,
È incinta
?”

A smile as big as Texas spread across his face.
  “
Sì, mamma, stiamo avendo un bambino
.”

Ravenna wasted no time telling everyone that she was going to be a grandmother, though Lilly and Simon did manage to tell her own parents before word got around.
  And once the news had spread, Vittorio’s from both the States and Italy showed up in hordes to congratulate them in person.  There had been quite a period of adjustment during those first few months of marriage when it seemed as if their home had turned into a hotel for Simon’s relatives, but Lilly hadn’t minded too much.  Yes, she’d missed her quiet days with Simon, but there was always the nights, and in time everything returned to normal.

There had been some bumps along the way, but with a man as passionate as Simon was, she hadn’t expected any less.
  He’d been fiercely protective of her during her pregnancy and insisted she quit her job, but Lilly had been just as adamant about continuing her work.  In the end, they compromised.  Simon financed the construction of a rehab center where Lilly could train others, and through them, she was able to accomplish more than she ever could have on her own.  She loved being a physical therapist, but after the birth of their son, Simon Alexander, she found it increasingly difficult to go to work and leave him behind.

When Lilly discovered she was pregnant again
, just a few months after Alex’s first birthday, she left the Vittorio Rehab Center in the capable hands of her staff and became a full time mother.  Simon couldn’t have been happier and she found a greater joy in taking care of her family than she ever thought possible.  Nico’s birth had been every bit as celebrated by their families as Alex’s had been, and two years later Lilly bore a third son they named David, after her father. 

It was after Nico was born that Simon finally made the decision to relinquish some of his control in the family business, delegating a good portion of his responsibilities to the three younger Vittorio males.
  He’d been moving in that direction for quite some time, albeit a bit sluggishly, because he hadn’t felt confident his brothers could run the company as well as he did.  But when Alex took his first steps while Simon was working overtime, he started to resent being away from his family and resolved to make the transition complete as soon as he could. 

The last straw was when he nearly missed out on
David’s birth altogether because he was in a board meeting and didn’t get the message Lilly had been taken to the hospital until almost two hours after she’d been admitted.  She’d been upset with him when he arrived and accused him of caring more for his job more than he did her.  She knew she was being unfair, but she was hurt because she’d needed him and he wasn’t there.  Simon hadn’t taken it well.  He’d let her down, something he promised he would never do, and Lilly had forgiven him long before he forgave himself.   

And now, as she stood in the doorway of David’s room watching Simon tuck him in and press a soft kiss to the
ir baby’s forehead, she felt such a rush of love for her husband she could have cried.  Her hand moved absently over her belly; the bump barely noticeable even though she was in her fifth month.  She remembered her first pregnancy and how worried she’d been that Simon would find her unattractive once her figure started to expand, but to her amazement it had just the opposite effect. 

He was completely enamored with the idea that it was his child growing inside of her and couldn’t seem to resist any opportunity to touch her, especially once the pregnancy became more obvious.
  It was incredibly endearing to watch his eyes light up when he ran his hand over her stomach, as if it was Christmas morning and he had just received the most wonderful gift.  It made her feel loved and secure, confident in both herself and their marriage.  Lilly couldn’t have asked for a better husband or father than Simon. 

“He is asleep already,” Simon said in a hushed tone as he slipped his arm around her waist and walked her back to their bedroom.

“I’m not surprised,” she laughed, “he was a holy terror today.”

“My son is
not
a holy terror, he is a little demanding perhaps…”

Lilly stopped beside the bed, arching an incredulous brow.
  “A little!  You weren’t there when
your
son decided Alex needed to wear the strained carrots Luisa was attempting to feed him, nor when he got a fist full of Nico’s hair and wouldn’t let go.”

“He is like his father,” Simon said proudly, “a force to be reckoned with.”

Lilly dropped her robe to the floor and slipped between the sheets.  “You are far too indulgent when it comes to your boys,” she sighed.  “I suppose it’s too much to hope that you’ll toughen up before this one comes along.”

Simon flipped off the light and climbed into bed, pulling her up close to his side.
  “I am not indulgent,
cara mia
, I am merely allowing my sons the freedom to express themselves.  As for the new baby, he will be treated no differently than the others.”

“Oh, I have a feeling this one will be ruling the roost from day one.”

“You really think he will have a stronger personality than David?”

“I’m sure of it,” she said with conviction.

“And just what makes you so sure,
carissima
?”

“Something the doctor said.”

Simon muttered a few oaths under his breath.  “I cannot believe I forgot to ask how your appointment went.  Forgive me, darling.”

Lilly smiled up at him.
  “Well, it
is
getting to be a little old hat since we’ve already gone through three pregnancies.”

“It is not getting old,” he said with a frown.
  “I should have been there, I should have…” Simon stopped abruptly, the furrow between his brows deepening.  “The doctor said this one is different than the others?”

She traced the lines
on his forehead, touched by his concern even though it had always been this way.  He worried constantly that something would go wrong, but Lilly had carried all three of their sons to full term with little difficulty so she had no reason to fear there would be any trouble this time around.

“Don’t upset yourself,” she gave him a reassuring smile, “the baby and I are both fine.”

Simon’s hand moved over her belly, an audible sigh whispering through his lips.  “He is healthy then?”

“Perfectly healthy, I promise.
  There
is
one more thing I would like to talk to you about.  I know we usually pick out the name together, but I was thinking…I’d really like to name the baby Raven.” 

Lilly watched his face carefully and though his expression didn’t change, she could almost hear his masculine hormones groaning at the thought of his son being named Raven.
  There was a moment of silence as he tried to come up with a diplomatic way of telling her no.  It was all she could do to keep from laughing when he cleared his throat then kept an admirably even tone when he asked why she had chosen that particular name.

“After your mother,” she said
, as if it was a silly question.

“I am sure she would be flattered, but the name is a little…feminine.”

“Well, I should hope so,” Lilly smiled, no longer able to contain herself.  “After all, a girl should have a feminine name, don’t you think?”

It hit him square in the chest, knocking the air out of him for several minutes.
 
A baby girl
.  Simon loved his sons dearly, but he’d longed for a daughter he could spoil, a little girl with eyes like her mother’s that he could pamper in a way he couldn’t do with the boys. 
Raven Vittorio
, he mouthed the name and smiled.  Yes, he liked that.  

Simon’s heart leapt with joy, his big body shaking from an emotion so powerful he couldn’t have controlled it if he’d tried.
  He moved over Lilly, seeking her mouth with his and made love to her without having uttered a word, but his wife knew him too well not to understand how he felt.  There was no need for conversation…only
this
; this joining of husband and wife, friend and lover, heart and soul.

Afterwards, Lilly stroked his dark hair as he rested his head just above the swell of her belly, his warm hand moving tenderly back and forth as he’d done so many times during the course of her previous pregnancies.
  He was murmuring in Italian, something about pretty dresses and parties and giving his daughter whatever her heart desired.  There was that fierce protectiveness in his voice, the one she’d learned over the years was reserved for the women in his family, and it brought a poignant smile to her lips.   

They had a good marriage, a solid relationship that had endured its ups and downs because they’d learned from the mistakes they’d made during their tumultuous
beginning.  What they’d built together was open and honest and there wasn’t anything they couldn’t talk about with one another.  She adored her husband and children, and loved the way the close-knit Vittorio clan had welcomed her into the fold as if she’d always belonged. 

She even enjoyed the endless stream of relatives that always seemed to find a reason for dropping by, especially since Milana and Luc and their two boys were among the more frequent visitors.
  Lilly was happy, content in a way she’d never dreamed possible.  And now with a baby girl on the way, there wasn’t a single thing she could think of that would make her life more complete. 

She had it all
.  A mixture of love and pride swelled in her chest when Simon lifted his head and met her adoring gaze with one that was equally tender.  Cupping her face in his hands, Simon claimed her mouth, just as he had claimed her heart years ago.  His possession was made complete with the words that never failed to make her fall in love all over again. 

“
Mia donna
,” he whispered, “
mia moglie
.”  My woman, my wife.