Page 17 of A Wedding in Tuscany

Sydney

Imay have gone a little overboard.

I’m seated in our lounge room literally surrounded by magazines? bridal and travel?all with Italy on the covers. And I may have stopped at the stationery shop to stock up on new folders and dividers and sticky notes. And coloured pens. And they had the most adorable wedding stickers?how was I supposed to resist those?

But it looks like Instagram exploded in here and when Josh walks in the door after work, his first words are, ‘Should I be worried?’ He crosses the room and deposits his laptop bag on the dining table, then leans down for a kiss.

A magazine falls from my lap onto the floor with a thud so loud it scares our cat, Domino, and he takes off down the hallway?Domino, that is, not Josh. ‘Why that’s, Joshua? There are people all over Sydney arriving home precisely at this moment to this exact scene.’

He sniggers and plops onto one of our armchairs, running his hands over his face then breaking into a loud yawn. ‘Sorry. Is it Friday yet?’

‘Tomorrow it is,’ I say brightly. ‘So, how’s the new team coming together?’ Josh is a software guy?he, well … you know … works on software stuff. His company has brought together a team from all over the world and Josh is now their manager. It’s a big deal, this promotion, and he deserved it but he’s looking a little peaky after only a fortnight.

‘Good. They’re a cool bunch of people, but lots of different personalities and skillsets and experience and … honestly?’

‘Always.’

‘I’m feeling a little … like I’m in over my head. I mean there are fifteen of them and one of me.’ I stack the magazines that are in my immediate proximity and set them on the table?which is also covered in magazines?then cross the room and crawl onto his lap.

This is less sexy than it may sound as I am an athletic (i.e. solid) woman of five-foot-six-inches and it’s not that big a chair. Those ballet-dancing hippopotamuses in Fantasia? They have way more grace than I do. Eventually I manage it and when I am ensconced in Josh’s arms (the best place in the world to be, in my totally biased opinion), I look deep into his eyes and say, ‘Cut the crap, Walker. You’re a bloody genius and they’re bloody lucky to have you. Okay?’

He laughs?full on ‘ha-ha-ha’ laughing, then stills and kisses me properly. ‘What do you say we call in sick tomorrow and stay in bed all day?’ he asks, his gravelly voice tinged with lust.

‘Hmm. Tempting, but my students have their practice exam tomorrow and most of them are freaking out enough as it is without me being absent.’

‘You love them more than you love me.’

‘What do you think the bridal magazines are for? Once they pass their exams?with flying colours because, like you, they are all brilliant and also because I am their teacher and I’m also brilliant?then I will be the first secondary teacher to officially marry her job.’ He shifts in the chair. ‘Oh, am I squashing you?’

‘You’re not squashing me?well, maybe a small part of me.’

‘How small?’ I ask, waggling my eyebrows cheekily.

‘Not that small?and growing by the minute.’ I lean in for a kiss and just as Josh’s hands find their way inside my waistband, a loud ‘meow’ interrupts us. We break the kiss as Domino decides this is now a family meeting and that there is room on the armchair for three.

‘For fuck’s sake, Domino. You’re so heavy!’ I pluck him off the chair and deposit him on the floor which earns me a disdainful look over his furry shoulder. Sexy moment ruined. I climb off Josh’s lap as inelegantly as I climbed onto it but before I can leave for the kitchen to feed Domino, he grasps my hand.

‘Leave him. He won’t starve.’

‘He won’t because he’s a total boombalada.’

Josh chuckles. ‘Exactly my point.’ He stands and snakes his arms around my waist, then leans down and kisses me softly. ‘How about I take a shower, wash the day away, and I meet you in the bedroom?’

His grey eyes are stormy with desire and when I lean into him, I can feel his erection straining against his jeans. ‘How about I join you in the shower and we see what happens from there?’

‘Better.’

‘Meow.’

‘Quiet, Domino,’ we say together. A miffed ‘maw’ follows, but I barely register it as Josh takes my hand and leads me to our en suite.

‘Seh-rah!’ Lindsey’s voice echoes through the house.

‘In here!’ I call.

She appears in the doorway of our spare bedroom. ‘Hey. You’re not dressed.’ I look down at my jeans and T-shirt. ‘For yoga,’ she adds.

‘Oh shit.’ I flick my wrist, my watch telling me I’ve been at this for way longer than I thought. ‘Sorry.’

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