Page 62 of His to Claim

“The sooner you two start giving us grandbabies, the better,” he states.

“Dad! Can we at least get married first?” Carlotta exclaims, and I chuckle. The Rossi family definitely knows how to keep things lively.

“We’re practicing,” I murmur.

“Oh, I’m sure you’re practicing quite a lot,” Angelo interjects.

“Shut it, Ang,” Carlotta says, but she’s grinning from ear to ear. “C’mon, I’ll show you where we’re staying.”

She tugs me down the long hallway lined with windows and I can only imagine how nice it must be in the summer months with the windows open and the breeze blowing in from the vineyard.

“This place is amazing,” I say.

“Not half as amazing as you.”

We reach a room and she pulls me inside, closing the door swiftly. Before I can even look around, she throws herself at me, kissing me hard. My arms automatically wrap around her, lifting her up, and her legs circle my waist. After a very long and passionate kiss, our mouths break apart.

“I’ve been wanting to do that for hours,” she states breathlessly, and I smirk.

“Oh, yeah?”

She nibbles on my lower lip, sliding her hand down between our bodies to cover my already hard dick. When she lightly squeezes, I groan.

“You’re playing with fire, sweetheart,” I warn her.

“I’m ready to burn,” she whispers, releasing her hold and grinding against me. “And, hey, we have my dad’s approval, so we may as well have some fun.”

I chuckle. “Well, in that case, I don’t want to disappoint my new father-in-law.”

“I don’t suggest it.”

Turning, I toss Carlotta onto the bed. If she wants me, then she will have me. Without warning, I jump on top of her—carefully, of course—and kiss the daylights out of her.

Ah, I have a feeling Sicily is going to be wonderful in so many ways.

And, it is. Every single moment we spend with Carlotta’s family is beautiful. By the time the whole crew arrives for the holiday, I feel like I’ve known this family forever. They’re so warm and welcoming, overflowing with joy, love and laughter. Sometimes, I have to pinch myself because I can’t believe it’s real.

There’s Miceli, a pregnant Alessia and little Nico; Vin, Hannah and their little girls, Rosa and Bianca; Enzo, Gabriella and baby Luna; Angelo and poor Blake who has evening sickness at six o’clock on the dot every night; Salvatore and Carmela, of course, and us. Going from no family to a big circle of relatives like this has been the easiest and best thing. I worried it might be a little daunting, but they’ve welcomed me with open arms.

On the eve before our wedding, Carlotta and I take another stroll through the village to admire the Christmas decorations and visit the festive markets. Lights and poinsettias are everywhere and we pause to admire the live nativity scenes which she callspresepi viventi. I love listening to her speak Italian. Like the rest of her family, she is fluent and it sounds beautiful rolling off her tongue.

Candles illuminate the front of the church and it’s all so magical and quaint—like straight out of some old-time fairytale book. We’re both watching the baby make cooing sounds in the manger, and I thread my fingers through hers.

One day, I know we’ll have a little one of our own.

“Tomorrow night at this time, we’ll be married,” she murmurs.

“I can’t wait. You’ve given me so damn much to look forward to, Carlotta. So much more…” My voices chokes with emotion. “Well, things I never expected would happen.”

I turn to her so I can look into her pretty brown eyes.

“Thank you, my love. For everything.”

“Oh, Damon, you don’t have to thank me because you’ve returned it all a hundred times over. I love you and I’m so grateful for you and our future together.”

“I love you, Lottie. More than you’ll ever truly know.”

Somewhere nearby, the sound of people singing a Christmas carol fills the air. With the lights twinkling nearby and the scent of spruce in the air from the cut evergreens laid out in the manger, I pull Carlotta into my arms and kiss my girl with all the love in my heart.

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