The dining room table was covered, every inch, in pictures of flower samples, bouquet arrangements, fabric swatches and examples of beach themed arbors.

I had my checklist of the million things still left to choose or arrange: Arbor, chair decorations, aisle decorations, chair style, music, petals for the aisle, a runner, floral bouquets, corsages, extravagance of the reception, open bar or not, and keepsake signs. Security needed to be increased of course, but Luca had volunteered to take charge of that. A dull ache began spreading from my temples. With my middle finger, I rubbed slow, firm circles on the pressure point.

Steading padding of tiny feet grew louder until small arms threw themselves tightly around my waist. Instantly my heart warmed and the oncoming migraine dissipated.

"Ciao Principessa," I murmured, draping an arm around her then kissing the raven curls atop Carina's head.

She kissed my inner arm since that's where she could reach in my seated position. "Ciao, Maddie," she grinned up at me. "Can I help choose my dress?"

"Oh!" I exclaimed, totally forgetting I hadn't yet chosen her flower girl dress. "Yes! I was just looking at some."

Lifting her onto my lap, she settled with her back to my front. The fresh scent of salt and cookie dough lingered in her hair. I took a long inhale of the comforting aromas. They were two of a handful that didn't make me queasy lately. It must be the stress.

Carina giggled, feeling I was smelling her hair. "I helped Zia Aza bake cookies. They should be done soon."

"Yummy," I giggled, tickling her sides. "Snacks and big plans!"

She squirmed, laughing lightly and kicking on my lap until I wrapped my arms around her middle, kissing her locks again. We both settled down and flipped through several pages of a wedding magazine researching ideas.

"Ooooh!" she squealed, pointing at a vibrant pink dress with way too many layers of tulle. "I want that one!"

I laughed and tickled her tummy. "That's not one of our colors, silly! I thought you would look like the princess you are in the teal dress here."

Carina nodded with a wide grin on her lovely face. "Yes! Yes! That one!"

"Alright," I grinned, placing a sticky note on that page. "Let's see what else you can help me decide on."

Reaching for the stack of selections I had narrowed down to for bouquets, Carina gave them a judgemental once over. She quickly separated them into "yes" and "no" piles. Her speed and efficiency was impressive. When satisfied, she held up one option for the bridal bouquet and the other for bridesmaids.

"Principessa, these are perfect," I complimented and Carina grinned from ear to ear.

Those selections went into the pile with a picture of the flower girl dress she chose, bridesmaids dresses I chose earlier and the sketch of the cake I wanted. Those key items were done. With determined strokes of the pen, I crossed off those items. A few of the others on my list I needed Luca's opinion.

With Carina's help, I was making quick progress. Soon the wonderfully mouthwatering aroma of chocolate chip cookies wafted into the dining room. Carina and I looked intently at each other, both licking our lips noisily and grinning. I set her down, took her hand in mine then we scampered off toward the kitchen.

Aza had just taken out another sheet of perfectly browned cookies and set them on the counter. Carina and I slid onto two of the bar stools and rested our chins on our fists. We were both given a scolding glare.

"You'll both have to wait a bit until they cool," Aza warned. "I don't want to deal with burned tongues on top of everything else I have to do."

I grinned in appreciation to this older woman. She had been a priceless support both underground and since coming here. Luca was adamant he wanted classic italian horderves at the reception. He trusted no one else to prepare them authentically other than Aza. Dutifully she agreed and Luca was more than pleased. One less thing I had to plan.

"My, my Aza!" my favorite voice called out along with the clicking of his shoes on the wooden floors. "I smell your delicious cookies!"

Luca boldly reached for one and received a fast swat on the back of his hand. He retracted, shooting Aza an adorable boyish pout. "They are still hot. You will have to wait."

"We've been cookie blocked, too," I pouted up at him.

Right on cue, Luca stepped behind Carina, placed a kiss on her head then stood behind me and wrapped his arms around my front. A soft, lingering kiss was delivered atop my head as well.

"My poor girls," he playfully pouted, resting his chin on my head and no doubt giving Carina a puppy face with batting eyelashes.

She giggled gleefully. "Papà, sei sciocco!"

(Daddy, you're silly!)

I felt his arms release me as he raised his hands in the shape of claws. "Preferiresti che io sia un vecchio orso scontroso?" he growled.

(Would you rather I be an old grumpy bear?)

Carina screamed a squeal as she scrambled off the barstool with Luca chasing after her. The whole house echoed with rumbling growls and shrieking laughter. Aza and I stayed in the kitchen smiling at each other and laughing.

"Madison," Aza sighed, scooping the cookies off the baking sheet two at a time to rest on a cooling rack. "I'm so glad he has you."

My smile widened. I rested my chin on a palm. "How long have you known him?"

With a slow shake of her head, Aza focused on the cookie transport. "I watched all three of those children grow up." She froze, eyes wide and cheeks reddening.

"He told me about Giorgiana," I whispered, guessing she didn't realize I knew about Luca's sister.

She released a sigh then continued. "As the youngest, Luca had the hardest time. Brayden got all the attention from his father and Giorgiana was doted on my their mother. That left poor Luca to only have his tutors. That is until he reached 14 and began showing more promise than Braydan."

"What do you mean?" I frowned.

"He always did much better in his schooling, progressed faster in his trainings and showed more focus," Aza explained pausing her task to look Madison in the eye. "There was a time when Nikhil seriously considered naming Luca as the heir. One thing stopped his father. One weakness he felt his younger son had."

There wasn't a single weakness I saw in Luca so I was intrigued.

Aza sighed and smiled at me. "His heart, Madison. He has always had a caring heart."

"That he does," I agreed, smiling wider.

"I knew he was hooked on you that first night, Madison," the older woman smirked, resuming to move the cookies. "He was supposed to break you in beginning that first night in a private room, yet he didn't. It took him nearly a month to request a private session."

Glancing down, I felt the heat crawl up to my cheeks and ears at the memories of that night. The way he always held me, the fire his touch left behind and that dark look of desire that hasn't faded over time. I very much doubted that it ever would. He knew my feelings would always be strong and unwavering.

Now with her voice softer, Aza reached out and laid a hand over mine. "I heard about his threat to Brayden. Eventually word of that made it to Nikhil and the argument between father and son was epic. Luca and his father never got along especially after Giorgiana. Her death caused the already existent rift to grow deeper and wider."

"And Nikhil saw that compassion as a weakness?" The words from Luca's proposal rang in my mind. Love makes you weak, yet Luca didn't believe that. Instead, he chose to believe his mother's wisdom.

Aza nodded. "Luca is anything but weak."

"I know," I agreed in a whisper, my smile growing.

Both of us turned toward where a vicious sounding playful growl carried in from the living room heading back toward the kitchen. My jaw dropped nearly to the floor at the sight of a shirtless, swimming trunk clad Luca. The adorable factor skyrocketed because of the squirming, giggling Carina in a pink ruffled bathing suit hanging over his shoulder.

"I finally captured her!" Luca announced proudly, gleaming as his emerald orbs locked onto me. "I have my snack," he grinned, "Later...I'll have my feast," he added in a hushed tone, dark eyebrows wiggling suggestively.

Cupping his cheek, I tugged his lips to mine for a chaste kiss. "Don't spoil your dinner," I chided.

"I have dinner already packed in a basket to have at the beach, Gattina," Luca grinned. "We will meet you out there after you change into your bathing suit."

"Alright," I giggled, sliding off the barstool. "I'll bring the toys, Carina."

"OK!" she called. Luca carried her out the patio doors.

****

An exhausted Carina yawned as I patted her dry after her bath. I took a shower in her bathroom while she played in the separate tub. The sand had gotten ingrained into her hair from the water fight the three of us conducted again. It took three turns at shampooing her hair to get rid of all the grains and four turns to clean out mine.

Now dressed in her pink princess nightgown, I scooped up the hooded eyed girl and carried her on my hip toward her bed. Carina's soft snores fanning my neck told me the sweet girl was already fast asleep. I laid her down gently on the soft pink covered bed then tucked her in.

Tiptoeing out of her room, I headed toward the master bedroom following the sound of Luca's baritone. He was talking to someone so I paused at the doorway.

"I made arrangements weeks ago! This should not have happened!" Luca barked. He was in mafia mode. "No...it's too dangerous to do that. If another attack happens then we won't have the men to take care of it...How can I trust you will follow through?"

I decided to let him handle his call in privacy and padded downstairs to gather the wedding supplies. There were certain things I needed his opinion on so I would carry the binder upstairs and share the decisions made so far. Luca had given me freedom to plan the wedding however I wanted, no expense spared but still I wanted him included. Especially in the major items. The warm smile Luca always gave me sent a clear message he enjoyed being involved.

The water in the shower was running by the time I made it into our room again. I put the binder on the bench at the foot of the bed, began changing into a rose pink chemise then plopped onto the bed. Legs up, ankles crossed, I lounged at the foot of the bed, flipping through the wedding binder.

Soft footsteps casually padded across the carpet shortly after the water turned off. I was putting post its on pages in a magazine of reception decor ideas when I felt the bed dip. Two strong arms caged me in place while a knee nudged at my thighs, coaxing them apart. The soothing aroma of lime and pomegranate surrounded me.

"Busy making big plans again?" his low tone rumbled against my neck. Luca lowered more of his weight onto my back.

I grinned and wiggled my hips against his bulge. "Mhmm, of course. The wedding is only a couple of weeks away. Final decisions have to be made. Some that I need your help on."

Warm lips grazed across my shoulder blades, sending a shiver through my body. "Ask away, Gattina," Luca whispered, brushing my locks aside.

"Open bar or limited?" I began, flipping to that section.

"Open," he growled softly against my shoulder, grinding his hips down. Tilting my hips up, he eased my lace panties down only sitting back to remove them completely. Languid, sloppy kisses made their way up my leg.

"Luca," my breathing sped. His hand dipped around my hip then under, finding its mark. "We need to f-focus..."

He growled against my neck, his other hand pushing my chemise up over my round backside. "How can I focus...with you laying here like this?"

"Hand me that blanket?" I chuckled, really wanting to get these decisions made tonight to finalize everything tomorrow. The wedding was in two weeks!

Admiring hands roamed over my silk covered back down the the exposed flesh. "I'm not covering this up," Luca scolded. The finger on my bud rubbed its teasing circles firmer.

I groaned, my hips rolling on their own accord. "P-p-pick a tux!"

Luca chuckled and scooted forward, purposefully brushing he length against my core, rolling his hips. He peered over my shoulder at the photo samples laid out on the bench. My legs parted to make way for him. The velvet head of his member teasingly poked at my entrance causing me to moan louder into the soft comforter.

"I like that one best, Gattina," Luca pointed to one. Groaning as his subtle teasing motions continued, I put it in the pocket of the binder. "That corsage matches your bouquet best, I think," he casually mentioned, passing the picture. "That's my favorite aisle decor," he murmured. "Is that all?"

Open mouthed kisses languidly covered my shoulder blades and I gave in, slamming the binder closed. "Yes! That's all!"

Luca grinned against the flushed skin of my back. "Eccellente," he growled and then plunged.

Only six days and the school year is over! My baby will graduate from Kindergarten! 😭 no joke, I cried when she graduated preschool last year lol

Ok, moving on! Aren't Luca and Madison adorable?!

I adore Carina 😜

🎶I can hear the bells!🎶

Hairspray the musical? Anyone?

I'm hungry. Happy Wednesday!

Enjoy, vote, comment and share!

❤️