Mama Conte held baby Maria in her arms, her eyes filled with joy as she gazed around the room. Her voice snapped with command. “Don’t ever say such a thing. This house has been empty much too long. It needs children and laughter. you stay as long as you like.”
Julietta hugged and chatted until a strange silence fell over the room. She swiveled her head and caught her husband’s gaze.
Pure discomfort and the urge to flee echoed from his eyes. Wolfe shifted his feet and looked nauseous and un-comfortable, staying as far away from the crowd as possible with his back pressed against the door. Her heart lurched, and she walked back into the foyer to slowly take each one of their hands and link them with her own.
“This is Sawyer, everyone. My new husband. And this is Wolfe, a very close friend who’s more like family.”
Max stepped forward, his dark good looks battling with Sawyer’s smooth blond grace. The male testosterone crack-led in the room and kept her transfixed. “you’re a sneaky bastard, you know that, Sawyer?” Max challenged, standing in front of him. “Not a lousy phone call or e-mail to tell me you got hitched. I guess we’re now related in some strange incestuous way.”
Julietta held her breath, about to tell Max to back down, but a smile curved across her husband’s face. “Too bad. Who the hell would want to be related to you? you suck at poker and you’re butt ugly.”
Max leaned forward. “But I’m taller, and I can beat your ass.”
“only when I let you.” His gaze slid to Carina. “And thank God I finally did.”
A short silence fell. Then the men boomed with laughter and clapped each other on the shoulder in that half hug grown men use. Totally not getting their code, Julietta shook her head and tugged Wolfe into the fray. “I love your tattoo,” Maggie announced, taking control and stepping in front of Wolfe. “Serpent. Goes down the chest, too?”
“yeah.”
“Very hot. And I love the cut of your hair. Do you model?”
He narrowed his eyes as if preparing for mockery. “No, of course not.”
She gave a thoughtful snort. “you’d be amazing in a cover shoot. I see you work out. Great biceps. ever think of modeling?”
Michael grabbed onto his wife and pulled her away. “La mia piccola tigre, please leave the poor boy alone. He does not want to strip to his underwear for your camera.”
“Why not? He’d make a ton of money. The photographs I can do would be extraordinary.”
“Are you really serious? Is that something you think I could do?”
Michael groaned. “Here we go.”
Maggie practically hopped up and down, ignoring her husband. “I’m working with a new Italian designer, and you’re exactly what he’s looking for. He needs edge. I’ll call him in the morning and set up an interview while I’m here.”
Wolfe straightened his posture. “Cool. yeah, I’m up for it. Thanks.”
“you’re not taking my best assistant away, are you?”
Sawyer called out.
Maggie smiled sweetly. “Let’s see how much Victorio wants to pay him first. Then we’ll talk.”
“Mi dispiace, Sawyer. My wife cannot control herself when she sees someone to photograph.”
Maggie wrinkled her nose. “I’m not cooking for you tomorrow.”
“Thank goodness.”
Julietta laughed at their easy camaraderie and the sexual spark that still shot like wildfire around them. As if underneath the teasing and insults lay pure combustion just ready to explode in private. Carina wrapped Wolfe in easy conversation that was such a part of her generous heart, and Julietta took a moment to immerse herself in the crazy chaos of family. She missed Venezia and Dominick, who would have completed the entire circle, but V had to dress a celebrity client for a movie premiere, and Dominick had decided to accompany her to London and stay for the week. Julietta made a note to call her so they could at least Skype.
The hours passed as they drank bottles of Chianti, played with the children, and hurried back and forth into the kitchen with platters of appetizers. Thick tomato with buffalo mozzarella, fruity olive oil and fresh basil on Italian bread. Plump mushrooms with lumps of crab, salty prosciutto wrapped around sweet, juicy melon. She kept a close eye on Wolfe, who at first didn’t eat, obviously nervous about being accosted by numerous family members he didn’t know. He seemed to loosen up as the evening progressed, and as his appetite increased, she noted Mama Conte made sure to keep bowls of food near him at all times. Sawyer also seemed to relax, enjoying conversations with Max and Carina and finally meeting Max’s mother, who beamed with pride at her son’s accomplishments and her new daughter-in-law she’d always loved as her own.
Maggie beckoned Julietta from the door and she crossed the room. “What’s the matter?”
Maggie’s cinnamon-colored hair shimmered under the chandelier. Green eyes spoke volumes of worry. “I’m not cranking pasta by hand again, Julietta. It takes me forever, it always sucks, and I’ve completed the tradition. It’s your turn.”
Julietta bit her lip. “I make pasta all the time, Maggie.
Anyway, I see Alexa in there. She’s got it covered.”
Maggie lowered her voice in a hiss. “your mom thinks I don’t cook enough and wants me to practice. I already com-mitted to the apple cake; I do that much better than pasta.
Alexa is nuts, she loves this stuff—look at her in there.”
Alexa beamed and listened to directions from Mama Conte, elbow-deep in dough as she kneaded mercilessly.
“Besides, Mama said you can take my place because you haven’t served your husband yet.”
Panic fluttered and Julietta’s stomach sank fast and low. The Conte tradition of cooking by hand for each new spouse in the family was unwritten, unspoken, but a known passage of intimacy. Feeding your husband with your own hand was a way to connect on a deeper level and nourish a connection beyond the physical. Not that Sawyer would know, of course. He’d have no idea if she slid a plate in front of him, but Julietta didn’t think she could handle it.
It had been two full weeks since their wedding night and the fragile bond formed then seemed to bloom brighter with each day. They never analyzed their new relationship.
each night, Sawyer took her into bed, made love to her in every way imaginable, and held her through sleep. Purity was taking form with the speed of light, the construction complete and all the details finalized for the unveiling in three months. yes, she cooked for both him and Wolfe when they weren’t working overtime, but it was quick and effi-cient. They formed their own routine as a family, but none of them looked deeper than that.