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“Elle. Away.” Giovanni’s voice was back to being cold and intimidating as he fixed his menacing glare on the poor lad behind the till. The man looked like he was about to shit himself as Elle rolled her eyes and walked away. I stood by Gio’s side as he paid for the boots, more for the guy's sake than for my own. He never said a word to the man, but his terrifying glare was enough to cause the man’s hand to tremble when he handed him back his card.
“That was a bit over dramatic, don’t you think?” I whispered as we sat on a bench to put the clumpy things on my feet. I struggled and fussed with them awkwardly until Giovanni got down on his knee and lifted my foot into the boot easily and fastened them.
“No.” He picked my other foot up to do the same.
“Elle is my age, Gio. She has a right to be interested in boys. Ow! Do they have to be so tight!”
“Yes.”
“They are pinching my skin! Can’t you loosen them a little?”
“No.”
“Chatty today, aren't we?” I said sarcastically, raising one eyebrow up at him and he paused. His face softened slightly as he stared into my eyes. “All I am saying is let her have a little fun. Even if it is a harmless flirtation with a ski instructor!”
He gripped my knees with his strong hands and pushed them apart aggressively before kneeling between them. My eyes widened and I immediately scanned the shop frantically to check Raya and Sani weren’t around. “What are you doing?”
“Do you know that you are the only person I let talk back to me?” His deep voice was a low purr and I saw the desire swirling in those dangerous eyes.
“And why is that?” I challenged back, getting lost in them and no longer caring who could see us. His large hands ran up my thighs over the padded ski pants and he narrowed his eyes.
“That is what I am trying to figure out,” he muttered. I held my breath as his hands gripped my hips and he pulled them into his body so I could feel how turned on he was. I bit my lip on purpose, giving him a smouldering look and he growled lowly at me.
“Liv! Come on! The lesson starts in five minutes!” Sani shouted, running towards us, head to toe in his new ski clothes. I shoved Gio’s chest and he fell back on the floor with a chuckle at seeing me freaking out. The kids were the only ones in the family that didn’t know that Gio and I were... whatever we were and I was nervous as hell for them to find out. What could we even say? They were far too young for the birds and the bees conversation.
“Coming,” I tried to stand up in these uncomfortable boots and race after him which was much harder than I thought.
“You will be,” I heard Giovanni’s filthy mind take control of his mouth and I glared at him over my shoulder, which only made him chuckle more.
I had signed up to do the beginner classes with Sani and Raya. I was relieved to hear that they had never skied either, so I had a good excuse to start on the green runs, which were pretty much equivalent to a small mound. How much damage could I do to myself there?
The hour lesson was nail biting stuff! I was the only adult in a group of children, but that was where I was most comfortable anyway. The instructor was an attractive Frenchman with a kind smile and award-winning patience and by the end of the lesson I had mastered the snow plough and had maybe allowed myself to go faster than 3mph.
“Come on Liv! You can go faster!” Sani clapped his gloved hands as I reached the bottom of the tiny slope at a snail's pace.
“Thanks for the support, Sani,” I giggled. He had advanced into the next group pretty quickly and was looking like a little pro in the making. Of course he was. He had Buccini genes.
“There she is! Ready to hit the big time now?” Elle shouted as she zoomed straight up to me on her skis, spraying Sani, Raya and I with powdery snow. She lifted her goggles from her eyes with a smile.
“Er... definitely not!” I shook my head as I looked up at the enormous mountain that people seemed to be whizzing down with grace and style. How were they doing that?
Then I caught sight of Cecilia and Giovanni coming down together. They were hard to miss with Cecilia head to toe in a stunning white ski suit and fur hat and Giovanni’s sexy black ski pants and... oh god he had taken his ski jacket off and was only wearing his tight black lycra under top which showed off every defined muscle in his body. He looked like a real-life action man as he skidded to a halt before us and removed his mirrored goggles.
I swallowed my desire to jump him then and there and looked away when he caught me staring. “Well, I think I am done for the day. I will stay down here with the kids and Marco now, Olivia, so you can go up on the slopes,” Cecilia smiled sweetly, but I could see the mischief in her eyes.
I waved my hands frantically. “No, no. I am quite happy to stay down here.”
“Don’t be silly! You won’t get the true experience on the baby bumps! You need to feel the wind in your hair and the breeze on your face and I promise you, you will be hooked!” Elle winked and glared at her.
“What I need is a guide on how to ski for dummies and about 100 more lessons with Andre.”
Cecilia chuckled but I felt Gio’s pointed gaze at me. I didn’t dare look over at him.
“Giovanni would be more than happy to teach you Liv. He won’t let you get hurt, I promise,” Cecilia gave me a reassuring look and I refrained from rolling my eyes.
“It’s okay mamma. Liv is too scared. Don’t push her. Let her stay down here where it’s safe,” Giovanni’s smooth and teasing tone made my nostrils flare. I knew he was baiting me. And he knew it would work.
“Fine. I will try it once, but I am not going down that massive mountain!”
