AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Why don’t you take your women out? or are you a bunch of billionaire cheapskates?”
“I agree!” Alexa shouted.
Max laughed. “We have children to disperse. Who’s going to watch the bambinos? Mom?” He looked over and his mother let out a chiding stream of Italian.
“Maximus, do you really need to ask? We would be happy to watch our grandchildren.”
Carina gave a whoop. “Tomorrow night then? We’ll meet here early. Five? We can go to Botinero, I love the food there.”
Julietta looked at Sawyer, who nodded. “Si. It is a date.”
Maggie’s whoop floated past their ears.
“How about we meet you down at Purity tomorrow afternoon beforehand?” Max asked. “We’ll get a tour and do some catching up.”
“Sounds good to me,” Sawyer said. “Michael, can you join us?”
“Si.”
Julietta smiled at Maria’s sleepy grunt. “We better skip out on dessert and get going. We have a ton of stuff for tomorrow. I think—what’s that? Mio Dio, is that Dante?”
A massive form of black fur prowled into the room. His body reminded her of a small dog set on gobbling up his next snack. Narrowed green eyes took in the crowd, his gaze assessing each member of the family and then snobbily dismissing them. The once-stray cat who had lived in the wild had been tamed and now lived with Michael and Maggie, but his cranky nature had not disappeared. Julietta bit back a laugh when Carina jumped from her seat and crouched in a kneel on the floor. “Here, Dante, come to Aunt Carina. I’ll give you a treat.” She did her animal-whispering mantra, a haunting tone that usually had any feline or canine falling over in ecstasy. Dante took a step forward and Carina’s face lit up.
The cat bared his teeth and hissed with sheer menace.
Carina’s shoulders slumped. “I see him all the time, and he just doesn’t like me.” Her tone held a slight whine. “I don’t think I’ll ever be satisfied until I can win him over.”
“That’s what he wants, sweetheart,” Max said. “Let’s face it. We all hate that cat except for Maggie. He’s mean, snarky, and greedy as hell. Lives to be served.”
“Leave Dante alone!” Maggie bellowed. “He’s perfect just the way he is.”
Michael snorted. “I wanted to leave him behind, but she absolutely refused. We take him everywhere. I swear, sometimes I get into bed and I’m afraid to touch my wife. He looms over her with menace. When we lock him out, I have to check my shoes constantly for my punishment.”
Julietta laughed. “I’m glad he finally found someone to love.”
Nick eased himself from the chair. “Be right back. I need to make a call.”
Alexa suddenly appeared with a powdered Lily on her hip. She frowned. “Nick, you just called my mother a few hours ago. They’re fine.”
Pure indignation beat from him in waves. “I’m not calling your mother. I need to check in with work. Just a second.” He disappeared, and Alexa gave a long sigh.
“Why is he calling your mom?” Julietta asked. “Is she feeling okay?”
Alexa rolled bright blue eyes. “My mom’s just fine.
She’s babysitting precious cargo on this trip, and he’s been a complete wreck.”
Carina giggled. “I’ve never seen a man so attached to two animals before. It’s adorable. even Max and I haven’t checked in on rocky.”
Alexa faced her. “My husband is worried over our dogs—old yeller and Simba. We left them with my mom because he refused to board them, and now he checks in on them every few hours. I swear, the man went from an animal hater to extreme animal parenting.”
The idea of a man loving his family, even his dogs, so completely left Julietta with an empty hole in her gut.
Suddenly, it seemed too much. And the truth was becoming harder to fight with every passing day.
She wanted the same thing with Sawyer.
Julietta stood and gave Maria to Alexa, stopping to press a kiss to her forehead. “We really have to go,” she whispered.
Alexa searched her face with a touch of worry. “Sure.
Thanks for taking care of her.”
“Wolfe, are you ready? I need—”
She stopped and watched the scene unfold before her.
Dante had stopped an inch before Wolfe and was studying him with a half-cocked head, as if sensing something deeper that could never be scented from the surface. Wolfe had one ankle hooked over his knee and was slumped into the cushions like any teen. She was opening her mouth to shoo Dante away, afraid he might try to bite poor Wolfe, when the unthinkable occurred.
With one graceful leap, Dante soared through the air and landed on Wolfe’s lap.
The cat wiggled his butt. Leaned his furry head close to the boy’s jaw and sniffed. Circled once. Then plopped his entire weight smack in the middle of his thighs.
“oh. My. God.”
Alexa stared, openmouthed. Maggie must have sensed something huge happening, because her footsteps echoed and paused in the doorway. Her gaze took in her mean cat purring like a chain saw, completely content in Wolfe’s lap as though they had been soul mates for centuries.
Wolfe seemed hesitant at first, but his hand finally lifted and began stroking Dante’s back. The cat purred louder and made an orgasmic sound of pleasure.
Julietta looked at her sister-in-law. A big smile curved Maggie’s lips and satisfaction oozed from every pore.
“Told ya Dante is smarter than any animal on the planet.
He only likes the cool ones. Welcome to the club, Wolfe.”
Wolfe smiled.
…
Julietta gazed out the window. Darkness soaked every inch of the night sky. The tiny sliver of moon emitted a weak trickle of light. Crooked tree branches swayed in spooky shadows, and frost glittered on the grass. She pressed her cheek to the cold pane of glass and wondered what she was going to do.
She was in love with her husband.
The knowledge rose up and mocked everything she’d thought she was. everything she thought she’d wanted. The rocky, littered path to this moment stunned her. First business. Then sex. She’d been so cocky, believing she could compartmentalize her feelings like a work deal. Somehow, emotion had mixed up with the physical and had snatched away any rational thought.
Sawyer was the perfect man not to fall in love with. He offered shocking bodily pleasures, but clearly stated he’d never be hers. He did not believe in love. Was not able to gift that emotion because of fear. He was honest about his limitations. Within two short weeks of marriage, did she expect to change him?
