Page 32 of A Touch of Fate

Giorgia bit the corner of her lower lip. “I’m sure it’ll be good. He knows what he’s doing.”

“Yeah,” I whispered. “But it’s not like he chose to marry me.”

“You look friggin’ hot. He’ll be into you unless he’s gay.”

I giggled. “I’m pretty sure he’s not.”

A few minutes after midnight, Samuel and I took our leave and headed toward Samuel’s black Mercedes limousine. Our families and a few others followed us to see us off.

Samuel opened the passenger door for me, then his brows pulled together. I usually had no trouble lifting myself into a car seat, but the long dress made it a tad more difficult.

“I can lift her into the car.” Danilo stepped forward.

“No, I can handle it,” Samuel said at once. He bent down and slid one arm behind my back and the other under my legs. I quickly slung my arm around his neck, and my hand came to rest against his chest. His sudden closeness drove heat into my cheeks. He lifted me out of the wheelchair, and I clung to him, acutely aware of the crowd watching us.

“You won’t always have to lift me into the car.”

Samuel set me down on the leather seat. “It’s our wedding day. It’s tradition to carry the bride over the threshold, so I might as well carry you into the car.”

I grinned, relieved by his casual words. They lifted a weight off my shoulders.

“Thank you,” I said as I buckled up.

Danilo watched me with his usual look of vigilant concern. I rolled my eyes at him before Samuel closed the door, and the privacy glass prevented the outside world from seeing my face.

Samuel slid behind the steering wheel and started the car. When we pulled away from the hotel, I could feel a sense of wistfulness. One part of my life was over, and a new chapterhad begun. I was looking forward to it with trepidation and excitement. I wasn’t sure what to expect from a marriage with Samuel.

We pulled up in front of a beautiful mansion, which sat right at the lakefront. It was a newly built, two-story mansion on Lake of the Isles. Ramps had been built beside the two stairs that led up the slope to the front door. Floor-to-ceiling windows dominated the front on the first and second floors to give a view of the lake. Samuel pushed me up the ramp, then he opened the door for me.

“Would you like a tour?” Samuel asked as I looked around the entrance hall with its high ceiling. I had seen the exposé and a few photos Samuel had taken, but seeing it in person was an entirely different experience.

I couldn’t wait to see the outdoor pool in the backyard and the fireplace on the deck. All day, I’d been nervous about tonight, so I knew I wouldn’t be able to focus on anything else. “Maybe tomorrow morning, but now I’d rather go to bed.” My cheeks exploded with heat, but Samuel simply nodded. He looked calm and not at all nervous. I wished I could have a bit of his calm.

Next to the staircase, a modern glass elevator had been installed. Samuel pressed the button, and the doors slid open. He motioned for me to go in first and followed me. He stood very close to me as the elevator did not allow for much space between us. Not that I minded. Still, it was strange to be almost at eye level with his groin area, considering what would happen soon. My cheeks warmed further, and I tried to get my mind out of the gutter before I turned red like a tomato.

The elevator stopped on the upper floor and slid open. Samuel exited so I had room to wheel out. I glanced around. The gallery allowed a nice view over the entryway and onto the lake. Even in the dark, I could tell the view was spectacular. This could become a true home.

I glanced up at Samuel, who waited patiently beside me to look out the window. I hoped the two of us could make this a home.

He gave me a small smile, but it was so hard to read his eyes. He seemed so controlled, almost disinterested. Didn’t our wedding night make him nervous at all?

I gave him a smile in turn and glanced past him to indicate that we could move on.

“The primary bedroom is over there,” he said, leading me toward the first door on the left. He opened the door for me, and I moved inside. The walls were painted dark blue, and a beautiful light gray herringbone parquet covered the floor. A chandelier hung over the wide king-sized bed with its silver bedding. The soft light from the chandelier immediately relaxed me.

After finishing my first quick assessment, I stopped in the middle, unsure what to do and where to go. To the bathroom? But the dress was closed by dozens of tiny buttons I wouldn’t even be capable of opening myself. Samuel closed the door before he faced me.

He looked magnificent in his dark blue tuxedo. He had blond hair and stunning blue eyes, with wide shoulders and strong arms. I tore my gaze away and lowered it to my hands, which fumbled with my purse.

Silence cloaked us like a heavy drape, settling itself like a suffocating weight on my heart until my throat tightened and embarrassment crowded my chest. I should let him off easily and tell him I was tired.

I didn’t want him to sleep with me because he felt obligated when he didn’t desire me. “Is it okay if I go to the bathroom to wash my face and freshen up?”

“Of course,” Samuel said, and the tight note in his voice made me look up. His brows were drawn together as he regarded me,maybe wondering if he needed to help me. With that intense look, he seemed even less approachable, like there was no way I could ever crash through the walls he had built as a high-ranking Made Man. The thought that he might worry about having to assist me to go to the toilet drove shame into my cheeks.

I rolled my wheelchair into the bathroom but didn’t close the door and continued until I was in front of the sink. The bathroom was incredibly spacious, so I had more than enough room to move around. The shower was accessible with a wide door that allowed easy access and handles so I could pull myself up, and one of the counters was lower so I could easily see my reflection even when seated in my wheelchair.

Samuel followed me and leaned against the doorframe. His scrutiny made me nervous, but at the same time, I wanted to show him that I wasn’t as helpless as he worried. I arrested the brakes of my wheelchair, then slid my legs to the floor and carefully pushed myself to my feet. Samuel rocked forward as if he thought I would fall, but I gripped the edge of the counter to steady myself and straightened. His eyes trailed along my body, and I realized he was checking me out in my wedding dress. I couldn’t read his expression, but I hoped he liked what he saw. I loved the dress, loved how I looked in it. I went through my evening routine, cleaning my face and brushing my teeth, while Samuel stood in the doorway.

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