Bonus Epilogue

Bonus Epilogue

Harper

Italy

I woke up to the light streaming through the large bay window. Our clothes were strewn on the small red suede chairs in front of the floor-to-ceiling window. The hotel we spent our wedding night in was on the shores of Lake Como. It was gorgeous and opulent, but the best part of the hotel was the views of the water.

I resisted stretching because I wanted to enjoy a few moments to myself before Leo woke up.

Yesterday, we’d gotten married in front of Leo’s family. I’d never allowed myself to dream of my wedding or what my day might look like because I never thought it was possible for me. When Leo suggested getting married in Italy and bringing everyone with us, I loved the idea.

Gia and his mother helped me get dressed, and when Mrs. G. pulled me aside, she said I’d always been a Giovanni but that she was so happy for it to be official.

I think the Italian wedding was Leo’s way of saying the Giovannis were my family now. The entire family traveled to be with us. The brothers hired a few managers for the restaurants over the past year, and they’d proven to be reliable. Although Matteo and Carlo were checking in with them to ensure both restaurants were running smoothly.

The opening had been smoother than anyone thought. The reputation of the first restaurant had helped with word of mouth, and I’d offered some tips on marketing online to build awareness.

Leo’s new motto was that the family was building a legacy and wealth, and what was the point if they didn’t enjoy it with their family? I think he was secretly hoping Matteo or Carlo would meet a girl and fall in love too. Because as soon as we got engaged, Mrs. G. upped the pressure for us to have a baby.

I wanted one, but we wanted to have one in our own time, on our own schedule, without any outside influence.

When we first got engaged, Manny upped the pressure, requesting more visitation, but when he saw how attached Evie was to Leo, he backed off. I think the idea of Leo being a permanent fixture in our lives intimidated him. I’d always hoped Manny would step up and be a father figure to Evie, but he hadn’t. At this point, I wanted Evie to see Leo as her father.

“What are you thinking about so hard, wife?”

I rolled over, feeling warm and sleepy, with Leo’s arm banded around me. “About how happy I am, husband.”

The skin around his eyes crinkled as he smiled. “I’ll never get tired of calling you my wife.”

“Same here,” I said softly.

Leo moved so that his hand was stroking my hair. “This past year, moving in together, and everything about this trip has been perfect.”

We moved into Leo’s house shortly after we got engaged. The renovation was still in progress, but I was able to participate in the renovation of the master bedroom, the master bathroom, and the kitchen. When it was finished, we decorated it so that it felt like ours. Evie was happy in her school, and Mrs. G. watched her afterward. Now that Mr. and Mrs. G. were working less, they enjoyed having more time to spend with her. They were truly her grandparents.

We invited my mother to the wedding and even offered to pay for her travel, but she said she was busy with her current boyfriend and couldn’t get time off work. I thought it would hurt that she’d once again found something more important than me, but instead, I felt distant from her. Like she couldn’t hurt me anymore. I was moving on and forging a new path with Leo.

“I’m so happy,” Leo murmured before he kissed me. “I love spending this time together, and we need it.”

“But you miss Evie,” I guessed.

“I do,” he said as he moved to his back, and I propped myself up next to him on my elbow.

“She’s happy and safe with your family. She probably doesn’t even notice that we’re gone.” I knew that wasn’t exactly true, but she loved being the center of the Giovanni family, and as the only child, she was.

“That is true.”

“But we need this time together as a married couple,” I teased, as my fingers moved lazily over his chest.

Leo grabbed my wrist. “Are you saying we need this time to explore each other’s bodies?”

“I haven’t had nearly enough time to get to know my husband’s body.”

“You’re very convincing,” he said as he rolled on top of me, settling his hips between my legs.

“This is our time.” I gasped as his cock slid through my folds.

The tip of his cock slid inside. “I’m getting that.”

My heart rate kicked up in anticipation. Being with Leo like this always felt so good. I felt a part of him, and now that he was my husband, I’d always belong to him. Evie and I had a home and the forever kind of love I never hoped to dream of.

I touched his back, pulling him close to me as he thrust deep, and we both paused for a second to enjoy that sensation of being filled up. My walls pulsed around him, and he groaned. “I need to move.”

“And I need you.”

His eyes flashed with need and desire and so much love.

Yesterday, we had a beautiful wedding that Gia helped us plan. But as amazing as that day was, I enjoyed these moments more. I preferred spending time with Leo when it was just us, and I enjoyed the moments when we spent time together, the three of us, as a family.

I wanted kids with Leo, but Evie deserved time with just us for a while yet, and he understood that. He’d do anything for my little girl, and it only made me love him more.

He moved inside me, his thrusts slow and languid, as if we had all the time in the world. He kissed me and whispered sweet words. “I love you, always and forever. Ti voglio bene, adesso e per sempre .”

I cradled his face with my hand. “And I love you.”

I tipped my hips, rising up to meet him thrust for thrust. I never felt more connected to him than in this moment. I let go and let myself love him, trusting that he’d protect my heart and Evie’s. He’d exceeded my expectations, and I knew he always would.

Leo was the man for me, and he was worth waiting for. He was worth every doubt and insecurity to find my way to him.

And when we went over together, he said, “It’s you and me.”

“Yes,” I said as I crested over the wave of pleasure, knowing I was right where I was supposed to be.

When we came down, he pulled me to him and kissed my forehead. “That was beautiful.”

As much as I wanted to start the rest of our lives together, I was content to spend this time with just Leo, as my husband. We had the rest of our lives to expand our family.

I hope you loved Harper and Leo’s story! Read more single parent books in this special edition bundle only available on Lea’s shop.