Page 26 of Beautiful Desire

“Oh, right. Um, yeah, I think I can.”

I nod my head in response before resting it on the back of the seat and closing my eyes, trying to stop these racing thoughts. But it doesn’t help. All I can think about is what happened the last time I was here. I must have dozed off, because the scent of flowers fills my nose as I’m nudged in the shoulder and hear someone calling my name.

Fiore.

I must have said that out loud, because I hear Elle say, “What’s ‘fiore’? I think I remember you saying it that night.”

Opening my eyes, I see the beautiful angel before me.

Ignoring her question, I simply say, “Sorry, I didn’t mean to fall asleep.”

She seems to accept my tactful diversion strategy, as she responds with a small chuckle. “It’s okay. You didn’t snore, so I didn’t have to open the door and push you out.”

I smirk back at her before looking around and seeing where we are. All three Rolls Royces pull down a long driveway lined with olive trees before the house comes into view. Fabi’s family villa looks more like a castle, to be honest. It’s a beautiful white Tuscan-style villa that’s been in his family for generations.

As soon as the car comes to a stop, Elle jumps out and runs to where Gia and Fabi have exited their vehicle.

“Oh. My. God. I knew you were rich, Fab, but I didn’t know you werethisrich! Where in the world did you find this place?” she says, looking around, not paying attention to him in the slightest.

Fabi chuckles. “This is my family’s villa.”

That stops her as she slowly turns back and looks him straight in the eyes. “This mansion is yours?”

“Yes. It’s been in my family for generations. My sister, Sofia, lives here now and looks after it, though it’s just her staying here. Once she heard we were coming, she insisted we stay here with her.”

“Damn, Fab. No wonder Gia fell in love with you.”

Gia smacks Elle as they both start to laugh.

“I’m kidding. Do you, by any chance, have a brother, though?”

Fabi shakes his head, chuckling, and looks at me while he says, “I do. You’ve met him, though.”

He inclines his head in my direction, and the confusion is back on her face as she looks between the two of us.

“Wait, are you being serious? I can never tell.”

I decide to put her out of her misery. “No, we’re not really brothers. Not related at all.”

“You don’t need to be blood to be family, though,” Fabi says, looking directly at me.

Isn’t that the truth?

A scream from the front of the house catches our attention. A beautiful, tall, thin young woman with long brown hair comes running down the driveway and straight into Fabi’s arms.

Sofia.

“Oh, brother, I’ve missed you. Still as handsome as ever, but maybe a few more grays than the last time I saw you,” she ribs and starts laughing, while Fabi looks horrified at the thought of having gray hairs already.

“I do not have any gray hairs!” Turning to his wife, he asks, “Do I, dolcezza?”

Trying to hold in her laughter, she cups his face. “No, my love, you definitely don’t. But you’d still be sexy as ever if you did.”

“Okay, Sofia, is it? Unless you want to see your brother and sister-in-law go at it, we’d better stop this now and move inside,” Elle says as, once again, Gia hits her playfully.

“We would not go at it here, in front of all of you.” she says while blushing.

“Speak for yourself, gattina,” Fabi says before grabbing her and passionately kissing her in front of all of us, proving his point.

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