Page 23 of Indulgence
“Weren’t you pissed?” Norah asked, her fork paused mid-air.
“No.” I shook my head. “Matteo wasn’t snooping because he was trying to find me doing something wrong. He wanted to help me fix the problem. I’m actually glad he did because it took the uncertainty and guilt out of it for me, and I was finally able to tell him what I was feeling.”
“I don’t know,” Norah disagreed. “I think I’d be super pissed.”
That was an understandable response, and it was how most people would probably feel. The fact that I didn’t wasn’t wrong; it just wasn’t the standard. Each person’s situation was different. “I think that if he had been accusatory when he asked me about it, I probably would have gotten defensive. But he didn’t. He planned an entire night to show me that he could be who I needed. He even read a few of our books for tips and ideas.”
A sly grin spilt Norah’s lips. “That explains all that dirty talk.”
Penelope chuckled. “I guess that’s kind of sweet.”
The way he understood me and accepted me was more than sweet. It was everything. God, I loved that man. “I’m glad that it happened this way. I love that he went so far to show me what I mean to him. It’s really been freeing to explore this with him, hence the sex in Norah’s bathroom. We couldn’t help ourselves.”
We laughed and then remembered our food. The sauce on the pasta was buttery and rich, and I almost choked on it when Penelope turned to Norah and asked, “So, is dominant Matteo hot? I keep trying to imagine it, and I can’t. I just can’t place Matteo and dirty together.”
Norah nodded her agreement with the sentiment as she chewed and swallowed her burger. “Right? If I hadn’t heard it, I wouldn’t have been able to picture it either. But he has this whole Clark Kent vibe. Like he has this bad-ass persona only Natalie is allowed to see. Although after I caught them, he had an I-don’t-give-a-shit-that-you-just-heard-us bounce in his step.”
“Hello?” I attempted to cut in. “That’s my husband you’re talking about.”
They ignored me. “On a scale of one to ten, how hot is Matteo’s sex voice?”
“Since that was the only time I’d heard it, I don’t know how he sounded before all this, but hearing him tell Nat to let everyone hear her come, I almost creamed my panties. I was worried I might’ve gotten pregnant just listening. It was low and deep and controlled. Definite seven for me since he isn’t my type. If Derek spoke to me with that same voice, my ovaries would explode.”
She emphasized her point with hand explosions. “Good to know.” I snorted.
Penelope’s gaze flew back to me. “What other crazy stuff have you done?”
We spent the next twenty minutes discussing the adventures of Natalie and Matteo. I was almost ashamed to admit that seeing the excitement in their eyes made me want to tell them more. This wasn’t just a story; this was my amazing husband and me. I was proud of us.
Chapter Twelve
Matteo
Nerves rattled in my gut. Dessert had just been served, and it was time to move onto my after-dinner plans. Plans that Natalie had no idea of.
I’d spent weeks planning and researching and thinking about all the details. I’d hired a babysitter, made reservations, and vetted everything I could about where I was taking Natalie.
It was time to share the part two of the night with her.
Nat dug into the slice of triple-chocolate fudge lava cake and moaned around her fork. “This is so good. I really love that you did all this. Date night was a really good idea.”
Last week, we had our first Date night. We hired the neighbor’s daughter to come hang out with the kids for a few hours one night a week. During those hours, Natalie and I could do whatever we liked.
“This is only the first half.”
She paused, licking the fudge from the fork. “What else are we doing?”
“I have a surprise for you, and it requires an open-mind.”
She considered things for a moment then asked, “Are we going to a strip club?”
The waiter chose that moment to come by with the bill. He smirked and said, “Have a great night.”
I pulled enough bills from my wallet to cover the check and tip and tucked them into the billfold. “Nope,” I told her, stealing the last bite of the chocolate cake before she could eat the whole thing.
She eyed me wearily. “Where are we going?”
My tongue darted to the corner of my mouth and licked the bit of fudge there. “Do you know what surprise means, love?” I questioned.
