Page 102 of Mafia And Taken

I smiled at my husband. “I think this news calls for a celebration.” My voice was husky, and I bit my lower lip.

“You can’t be serious. You’re pregnant now.”

“Yes, I’m pregnant. I’m not ill or breakable. Pregnant women can definitely have as much sex as they want.”

Alessio looked uncertain. “Maybe we should check with the doctor first…”

I slipped my hands around his neck. Feeling his warm skin against my fingertips, I pressed my mouth to his and then pushed him back onto the bed and straddled him, grinding myself against him.

“Oh, don’t do that, Cate,” he groaned. “You know I can’t resist you when you do that.”

“That’s the idea,” I laughed, but my laugh soon turned into a gasp as his hands reached under my top and fondled my nipples, and for the next half hour I was as lost to him as much as he was lost to me.

***

After we had tidied ourselves up and I’d brushed out my hair, we headed back downstairs. We held hands as we walked into the kitchen, and everyone looked at us expectantly.

“Well, it’s clear to see that the flush on your cheeks isn’t just due to receiving good news,” said Marco dryly. Everyone knew what we’d been up to, and normally that sort of comment would have made me turn bright red, but today I didn’t care.

“You’re pregnant?” questioned Juliana.

“Yes…”

“Oh my goodness!” She ran up to me and hugged me tight. “This is so exciting. I can’t believe it. Did you hear that, Maximo? You’re going to have a baby cousin! I hope it’s a boy and then they can play together.”

“Yeah, that might distract the little tyrant long enough to give us both a break,” said Marco as he kissed my cheek and hugged me.

“Hey, congratulations, man.” Camillo grabbed Alessio in a bear hug.

Soon everyone was talking at once while they congratulated us and hugged and kissed us, and I thought to myself that marrying Alessio was the best thing that could have happened to me. He had been right when he had said that we were made for each other.

***

That night, I laid back in bed, sated after another round of sex. Juliana had dug out her pregnancy books and I had shown a section to Alessio which specifically stated that sex was fine for pregnant women. I wouldn’t be able to go through the next nine months without it.

“I love you, Alessio Marchiano, even though you’ve turned me into a nymphomaniac,” I gasped. I was slowly getting my breath back after Alessio had brought me to an earth-shattering orgasm.

“I think you always were destined to be one. It just took me to show you the ropes.”

“And you definitely enjoyed doing that, didn’t you?”

“Oh, yes. And I can’t wait to try even more things with you, but maybe I’ll leave some of the more adventurous stuff until after this baby’s been born.”

After that time at the Marchiano villa in the swimming pool, it had become one of our favorite spots for lovemaking. I would never have believed that I would enjoy the thrill of having sex outdoors, but Alessio had brought all sorts of things out of me.

And the best thing he’d brought out of me was the willingness to trust someone and love them. I knew now that he would never hurt me like my father had. His love was whole and complete, and he showed me that every day we were together—and now I showed him the same back.

7 MONTHS LATER

CATE

I turned over in bed and sighed.

“Are you okay, Cate?”

“No, I’m not okay. My back has been aching all day and I can’t get comfortable with this huge bump. I just want this baby to be born now.”

“You’re only three days overdue, cara. First babies are often late and it’s not a sign of anything to worry about.” Alessio sounded like a textbook.

---