Picnic? For old times' sake. I even left out your favorite outfit. See you soon, Tesorina.
I pick up the top of the white string bikini and laugh. Some things never change.
I strip, tie on the bikini, throw on a coverup just in case my parents are wandering around, and escape down to the beach and to my husband. He’s waiting for me, right where he said he would be, in the paradise we call home.
Extended Epilogue
Raoul
Ten years later
Back at my childhood home in Italy, it’s surreal to hear my three children wandering the same halls I did in my youth. Evelina, the oldest, trying to corral her younger twin brothers, Milo and Renzo. She’s only eleven, but her three-year-old brothers will have her exhausted by dinnertime.
Good. That means their mother and I can have some time alone.
Visiting my family has made me realize a few things. One, I’m older and grayer, but still greatly respected around these parts. Two, I miss this place, but not enough to return home. Three, making love to my wife in this home that held so many dark memories for me was slowly healing me from the inside out. The negative faded, and wonderful memories took their place.
Skye walks into our shared room and out to the small patio overlooking the city. She’s dressed for dinner, but pulling at the chest of her burnt orange dress.
“I swear I get bigger every year,” she complains. “I don’t know how you’re still attracted to me.”
I look at her lovely body and her luscious, irresistible curves, and laugh out loud, “You’re funny,Tesorina.”
“I’m being serious!”
I sober and turn, taking her face in my hands. “Skye, you’re more beautiful than you’ve ever been, and you’ll be even more beautiful still when you wake up tomorrow.” I kiss her softly, and then pull back with a smirk. “Plus, I love how rough we can be now,” she huffs as I grab her ass, making an appreciative noise, “I can throw you around now. You’re not so fragile anymore, and all the sexier for it.”
After all these years she still blushes, but stands on her tiptoes to kiss me, apparently satisfied with my answers. I give her butt a final squeeze and her bottom lip a last nip, before lacing my fingers with her. If I keep touching her, we’ll miss dinner altogether.
As if reading my mind, she tugs me forward until our bodies are flush together. “Call your sister and tell her to take the kids to dinner for us. I want to stay in suddenly.”
I grin wickedly and capture her mouth with mine. My woman, who has given me children, and a life worth living. Even now, I can hear our little ones screeching from downstairs, and I laugh against Skye’s lips.
“Let’s make a baby,” I murmur.
“You’re crazy,” she laughs.
“You already knew that, Tesorina.”
Her arms loop around my neck, and she presses her forehead to mine. “I guess I did, didn’t I? I’ll think about it.”
I take her hand and pull her into our bedroom, prepared to convince her. Over, and over, and over again…forever and always.
The End.