Fifty-Three
Mateo
We were out of the harbor and out at sea. Brianna fidgeted a bit here and there, her eyes roaming the sea surface as if she was looking for something specific. I sensed her tension when we arrived at the harbor but she hid it.
Her small body pressed back against mine as I drove us out of the harbor. I used the sailboat motor to get us out. We’ll have other days and long sailing trips when we’ll take our time and use the winds.
Now, I couldn’t wait to get us to the open sea and set the autopilot on tiller along with cruise control so I could worship my wife.
My wife.It sounded foreign, familiar, and fucking right.
I tightened my left grip around her waist, while I steered with my right. Her fingers trailed my wedding ring, twisting it, fidgeting. She opted to stay in her wedding dress a bit longer and it made it hard for me to tear my eyes from her.
Mia moglie. My wife. Yes, I loved the sound of that. I loved her with an intensity that I never thought possible. This love for her hit like a wave and would never subside. I didn’t want to scare her with it, but I knew it wouldn’t bode well for me if she didn’t return my love. There was affection in her eyes and softness but I wanted her love. I craved to hear her words of love. I had seen what unreturned love did to my parent’s marriage. My uncle’s marriage wasn’t much better either. My uncle loved his wife with the passion that the Agosti family seemed to carry. Unfortunately, my aunt didn’t love him back nor was she faithful.
Fuck those gloomy thoughts.Brianna and I were not those people.
“You hungry?” I asked her. I noticed she didn’t eat much during the reception and stuck to drinking water. Even during the toast, she barely let champagne hit her lips.
“Not yet.” She wiggled out of my arms. I let her although a sense of loss hit me instantly. I watched her as she made her way to the side of the boat, holding on to the rail with both her hands.
The wind swept through her brown curls, her dress clinging to her body. Being at the sea suited her. I caught her closing her eyes, inhaling deeply and a lazy, happy smile playing around her lips.
She turned her face towards me, her soft eyes sparkling in happiness. “We should teach our kids to sail,” she shouted through the wind.
Smiling, I agreed. I fucking loved that she already made us a family unit. “Yes, we’ll teach Emma how to sail.”
Her eyes locked with mine and it hit me.Our kids.
She walked over, her bare feet peeking through the hem of her wedding dress while hope boomed in my chest.
“Amore, are you-” Could it be possible that I’d get so lucky with this woman?
Kids were never my goal. It was not something I strived for. I considered it cruel to bring my children into this world of mine. So love, children, and my own family were not in my cards. Till this woman entered my life. Now, I wanted it all with her. Love, children, family, happiness.
I watched her take a deep breath. “Yes, I’m pregnant.”
I cupped the back of her head and lowered my head to press my lips to hers. Gently at first, but my hunger for her always overwhelmed all my senses. The control I exercised all my life went out the window when it came to Brianna. With my other arm around her waist, my mouth grew hungry for her. She was like fresh spring water on hot summer days.
I forced myself to pull away.
She told me herself she was too young to have another kid. She didn’t want it. I was an ass for stopping her from getting that morning after pill. Emma was sick and Brianna had enough on her plate. But I couldn’t pretend not to be overjoyed with the news. She took a few steps away from me, her eyes on the horizon. There was light tension surrounding her, although it wasn’t as intense as it was when we arrived at the docks.
“Are you disappointed?” My voice was low, drenched with hope that she wanted this as much as me.
Her soft chuckle surprised me, her eyes telling me she wasn’t lying to me. “I’m actually happy. It wasn’t like we used protection a lot.”
She was right about that. Initially she insisted on the condom, then it transitioned to whether we should use a condom and ended with both of us disregarding the idea of a condom completely. I would never want to use that sheet of protection with her; I didn’t want anything separating us when I was inside her.
We were out in the open sea. I set the sails on autopilot and cruise control, then prowled towards my young wife.
“I am taking you to bed.”
The desire flashed in her eyes, and her tongue swept across her lower lip. Her deep brown eyes always captivated me. There was hunger in them, matching mine, but also yearning and something I couldn’t read. If I stared long enough, I’d convince myself she cared for me as much as I cared for her.
I cupped her cheek and she leaned into my touch. Every time I touched her, something in my chest shifted further. My wife was effortlessly claiming every inch of my heart.
I lifted her into my arms and carried her into our luxury cabin. I gently set her onto her feet and turned her away from me, my fingers effortlessly unbuttoning a long line of buttons running down her back. Her dress slid off her body, pooling at her feet and she stepped out of it.