Nicole was absolutely mesmerised by Salvatore when he was looking after the two new born babies that had come into the world. 

She can recall how Serafina's water broke when they all had come together to welcome Stephan, the poor guy fainted at the sight, while Alessio stood in shock, having dropped his glass and broken it. Salvatore was the one who took command of the situation, telling one man to bring the car around, another to go upstairs and get the baby bag he had kept for Serafina in case something like this happened while another called the hospital to let them know that they were coming.

Once they got to the hospital Serafina was wheeled into the maternity ward and then the delivery room. The transition was a long time so Salvatore suggested that some people go home and they'd inform everyone of the situation. In the end, Salvatore remained back with his parents and Alessio while the rest went home. Next morning, everyone got a call informing them of the birth of Marina Adele Romano and Michele Amedeo Romano.

Nicole was the first one to arrive from the rest, surprised to see Serafina asleep with Alessio sitting beside her, and Salvatore sitting on the sofa, both of the twins held in his arms as he was just looking down at them. Silently sitting down beside him, she looked at the two babies swaddled in their blankets, cooing at the two as she gently touched their cheek.

Once they had gone home, Salvatore spent a lot of time there, going over to Serafina's after work, just to check in and see how she was doing and bickering with her for old time's sake. 

And if he wasn't with Serafina, then Salvatore was most definitely with Stephan. Both of them spent hours on end together, sometimes doing nothing, and sometimes doing everything under the sun. 

For the past one and a half month, Nicole didn't see much of her husband. He had been waking up earlier than her and was gone by the time Nicole awoke and being busy with work, he couldn't make it to lunch with her; then he even had dinner either at Serafina's, his parent's place, or went out with Stephen. They talked on the phone every once in a while, but that only for a few minutes before he was leaving again. As the day's progressed, Nicole found herself not wanting to do anything and often started looking around the estate, somehow ending up in Salvatore's office, or study, or even his walk-in-closet. 

"You miss him," Manuel had smirked matter of factly when she stepped out of his empty office, and Nicole simply scoffed at his words, waving them away before busying herself with one thing or the other. 

But the worst part was that by the time Salvatore would come to the room, she was always asleep. She had tried very hard to stay awake but always ended up falling asleep. In the middle of the night, she would wake up for something and be relieved to find him sleeping next to her.

Their room was bathed in darkness as Nicole lay on her back, having woken due to something and stared up at the dark ceiling with Salvatore sleeping beside her. Heaving a sigh, she rolled on top of him, a sleepy hum escaping him since he had grown accustomed to her eccentric habits.

"Salvatore, are you awake?" She whispered into his ear, running her finger down his exposed back.

"I am now," He muttered with his eyes still closed. "What's the matter?"

"You're weird," Nicole sighed, resting her cheek against his shoulder blade, reveling in the warmth he radiated. "I don't get you."

"And you woke me up to tell me this?"

"You're very very confusing, you know that?"

"I've never heard that I'm confusing," Salvatore admitted, turning to be lying on his back as he rubbed his eyes, blinking away the sleep when Nicole straddled his waist, her hands rested on his chest as she looked down at his bleary eyes and disheveled hair.

"And you're annoying," She pouted. "I got you flowers and you get me an emerald necklace in response. I bake you cake and you buy me an Olivia Burton watch. Next, I know, I give you your phone and you buy me a house."

"There actually is one," Salvatore yawned behind his as he watched Nicole interlace their hands together and let out an exasperated sigh. "A summer home on the coast of Marasusa,"

"Calabria?" Nicole confirmed, playing with his fingers and his wedding ring.

"Yeah, and it wouldn't take much to put it under your name."

"You're so irritating!" Nicole exclaimed as she leaned over him, having their interlaced hands over his head as her hair curtained them both, their noses almost touching as she could smell his shampoo. 

"And you waking me in the middle of the night isn't?"

"You have to tolerate me, no choice there, Salvi," Nicole shrugged, rubbing her nose against his.

"And you to accept me, no escaping that, Nici," 

She let out a groan as she ran the tip of her nose down his jaw and neck, suddenly feeling very warm as her heart rate increased in her chest. Hesitantly, she placed a kiss on his neck, feeling him tense beneath her as his grip tightened around her hands as her kisses trailed down his neck to his chest.

"I swear to God, you just wake me up to lead me on,"

"Hey, not my fault you're hardly ever home," She murmured, nuzzling into his neck. "And besides, you're the one with too much self-restraint for my liking."

"Ah, so you're one of those girls,"

"What girls?" Nicole asked skeptically, lifting her head up to look at him in the darkness, squinting at him.

"You're one of those girls," Salvatore trailed as he suddenly turned them over Nicole finding herself pinned beneath him with his knee between her legs and one of his hands holding both of hers above her head. "Who likes it rough, and hot, and sweaty, and dirty," He purred seductively as Nicole swallowed thickly.

"What...what makes you say that?" She choked out, trying to sound as dignified as possible."Are you telling me you wouldn't enjoy it if I was just a little too rough? Or if I left a bite? Or marked you as mine? Held on just a bit too strong? leaving impressions?"

"No..." She squeaked with flushing cheeks, squirming beneath him as her heart thundered against her ribcage.

"Oh, baby, your body is begging me to touch you, to do something." Salvatore leaned down, grazing the shell of her ear with his lips, sending pleasurable shivers down her back and causing her to gasp when his lips nibbled on her lobe. "Something hot and steamy, something which has you moaning my name, begging for more? Are you telling me you wouldn't enjoy that? I know I would love hearing you moaning my name."

A guttural sound escaped her as her body heated under him, her heart hammering as she felt the sudden impulse to clamp her legs shut, being unable to do so with his knee between her thighs.

"Say my name," Salvatore demanded in a gruff voice, the authoritative tone having her jolt beneath him as she couldn't help but comply.

"Salvatore," She moaned beneath him sending electricity racing through his veins and he watched her squirming in need as he smirked down at her.

"Say it again, baby."

"Salvatore," She repeated breathlessly, her heart feeling like it would jump out of her chest, her breath hitching in her throat when he leaned down to have their lips touching with every word that followed.

"And again,"

"Salvatore," Nicole managed out in a breathy whisper, her mind muddled as she couldn't think straight while knowing that his lips were mere millimeters away from her's.

"Just you wait and see all the things I'll do to you," He growled possessively, suddenly letting go of her just as his phone alarm vibrated on the side table. In the blink of an eye, he was off her, leaving her to lie there with her eyes wide as her cheeks flushed in embarrassment.

"Fuck," Nicole exclaimed in unease, covering her face with her hands as it suddenly occurred to her of all that he was doing to her with just the use of words. "You're such a bloody tease!" 

"That is just the beginning, gattino," Salvatore's voice chuckled as she covered her face with a pillow, groaning into it. "I'm taking you out on a date today, so be ready by 6." He informed, leaving before she could retort.

"Ha, you sure you don't have other matters to attend to?" She asked in exasperation before shifting to be lying on her stomach, her chin rested on top of her folded arms as she tried to breathe and settle the blush on her face. 

A surprised squeak escaped her when she felt his hands grasp her waist and pull her back as she turned in the process, finding herself at the edge of the bed with her legs dangling down and Salvatore looming over her. She forced herself to hold her breath as he leaned over her with his hands placed on either side of her head. 

"I know I've been busy lately and we haven't been able to spend time with each other," He murmured gently, cupping her chin into his fingers. "And I'm trying to figure this out given that I have a wife, two newborns babies, a family, and a best friend with whom I want to spend time with, and its currently very haphazard, but I promise, I'll fix it. Because that's what I do. So just give me this one week to settle everything and even then if I'm not spending enough time with you, then you can tell my mother," 

Nicole couldn't help but laugh at his last words, trying to cover her mouth, but relenting when her husband just shook his head with a soft smile of his own. 

"Okay?" He inquired, his rich blue eyes having her trapped as she smiled and nodded. Giving him a kiss on the cheek just before he got off from her and made his way into the walk-in closet. 

Throughout the day, Nicole couldn't bring herself to focus on the work because Salvatore's ministrations and the anticipation for the date had her mind occupied leading her to get off later than usual. She had just gone to the estate to drop off her files and was then heading out again. Not even having a chance to change out of her royal blue pencil skirt dress and grey blazer.

"So where are we going?" Nicole asked Thomas who was driving her to the venue, given that Salvatore was already there.

"It's a surprise," Manuel informed from beside him. "We've been ordered not to tell."

"Fine," She leaned back in her seat and looked out the window.

Soon they arrived at a little cottage as Nicole leaned forward in surprise to see Salvatore's car standing there. Stepping out of the car, she looked around her hesitantly, seeing not a single living soul on either side of her with nothing but a rustic cottage before her – and even the cottage looked uninhibited. The desolation having a chill travel up her spine with the cold October evening enveloping her.

Breathing in deeply, she made her way towards the structure and knocked on the door, peeking into the scarcely furnished interior before stepping in, seeing no one there. Going further in, she looked around herself before finding a door leading out to the back. Pushing it open, she found a few stairs going down and leading towards a vineyard.

Walking down the steps she stepped on the path leading to the vineyard and just when she stood between the grapes and cottages, lights illuminated her surroundings. Gasping in surprise, she looked around herself, seeing fairy light dangling from the trees, wrapped around the branches and lighting up the whole scene, making it look almost surreal. In the center of it all lay a blanket on the ground with a basket and two glasses and pillows put around it.

"You're late," Salvatore's voice called out from her right, turning to see him standing in a white button up whose sleeves he'd rolled back with navy blue dress pants.

"I...I got caught up at work," Nicole made her way towards him, halting when he gestured to the blanket laid out before them.

"Shall we?" He moved towards the food, giving her a small smile. "I'm starved,"

Nodding they both made their way over to the blanket and sat down on the ground as Salvatore took out various packed food from the basket, laying them out followed by two plates and cutlery, and a wine bottle. Opening the boxes, Nicole's mouth watered at the delicious smells that wafted around her and watched him make a plate for her, containing a bit of everything.

The two ate with light chatter and a few laughs. Nicole told him about her day as the two leaned against the pillows with glasses of white wine. The entire ambiance very relaxed and comforting.

"Food was good?" Salvatore took a sip of his wine, looking out at the night that had fallen over the vineyards.

"It was delicious."

"Really? I thought I went a little heavy on the cheese there,"

Nicole nearly spit out her drink at the insinuation, looking at him in shock.

"You made the food?"

"While dealing with Mafia transactions," He chuckled. "Multitasking is my favorite sport, even had the guards taste it to tell me how it was."

"Wow," She spoke in astonishment. "I had no idea you made it,"

"Stephan insisted I cook for this,"

"He was right to insist so." Nicole nodded, taking a sip of her drink as Salvatore shook his head in amusement as a response. A comforting silence fell over the two as they both sat back, relaxed with their shoes are taken off and their glasses of wine finished as they both looked up at the sky.

"You know, this used to be our family picnic spot," Salvatore spoke in a quiet whisper as if though he were afraid of ruining the bubble of peace around them.

"Really?" She asked, just as quiet.

"Yeah," He nodded, propping himself onto his elbows and pointing to a patch between two vines. "We used to set up a table in the middle of the vines and bring out food here. And after eating, we would all take these baskets and pick grapes and compete in who picked the most delicious grapes. It was often dad, but it was always fun."

"When was the last time you guys came out here?"

"Almost 11 years ago," Salvatore responded after a moment of thought. "Yeah, 11 years ago,"

Another silence descended between the two before Nicole sat up, pulling her knees to her chest as she looked out at the view before them. Closing her eyes and imagined young versions of the Regnante's all seated at a table, all of them wide-eyed and laughing as they ate contently.

"Salvatore," Nicole called out to him gently, causing him to look towards her. "What do you think?"

"About what?" He shook his inhaler and took a shot, the cold always troubling him. 

"Where we're headed," She clarified. "I mean, we've been married for five and a half months now, and we haven't even kissed nor done anything for that matter, so where are we headed?"

"We're headed where time wants us to go." Salvatore sighed, turning to be leaning on his side as he looked up at her and watched her lay down with her hands folded on her stomach. "And the kissing thing can change anytime," He shrugged as Nicole chuckled.

"I'm serious, it can even change now," He told her, looking down at her.

"Right now?" Nicole laughed in disbelief.

"Yes, why not?"

"Then change it." She challenged with a raised eyebrow, a sly grin on her face as she watched Salvatore glare down at her, almost certain that he wouldn't do anything.

But her breath hitched in her throat when he caressed her cheek with the back of his hand and looked down at her. His eyes melted into pools of liquid warmth as he cupped her chin into his hand, parting her lips as she looked at him anticipation, knowing that he was either going to kiss her now, or not anytime soon. Instant relief flooded through her when he leaned down, their lips just mere centimeters away when the sound of music had them pull apart.

Nicole sat up as Salvatore looked over his shoulder, both of them seeing a pale-faced Matteo and Thomas standing not too far away having connected a phone to portable speakers.

Groaning, Nicole threw back her head, knowing that he was going to kiss her, but the music ruined it instead of making it more romantic. She watched him pull on his shoes before standing up and holding his hand out to her.

"May I have this dance?" He asked with a gentle bow.

A giggle escaped Nicole as she pulled on her shoes, and gave her hand to him. Helping her up, Salvatore led them to a relatively flat area before he wrapped an arm around her waist, pulling her closer before interlacing their free hand and started dancing to the music playing in the background. Their forehead pressed together as they slow danced to the romantic song beneath the starlit night sky. 

Salvatore pulling his head away from hers to place a kiss on her forehead, lingering there for a second before he spun her, causing her to chuckle at his antics. They spent some time dancing before they packed up everything and head back to the estate, their hands intertwined on the center console.

Getting back, both of them went into their bedroom as Salvatore went and take a shower first, changing into black sweatpants and a long sleeved shirt. After he stepped out, Nicole went and got changed into grey silk nightgown that reached her mid-thigh with a matching robe. 

Going back into the room, she found it vacant of Salvatore's presence and the curtains billowing. Stepping onto the balcony, she found her husband leaning against the railing, looking up at the stars, and the cold wind blowing against her bare legs had her suppress a shiver before making her way to him. Placing a hand against the small of his back, she leaned her head against his shoulder.

"I loved today." Nicole murmured, looking out at the Tuscan peaks in the distance. "From start to finish,"

"The night is still young," Salvatore chuckled, placing a kiss on the top of her head.

"Then I'll love it from start to finish,"

"Should we head inside?" Salvatore asked, a cough building in his throat as he rubbed at his chest. "It's getting cold out."

"You're telling me? I'm standing in a silk nightdress here!" She exclaimed, wrapping her hand around his before pulling him back inside and closed the door behind them, pulling the curtains shut. Turning around, she was surprised to find Salvatore staring at her with an incomprehensible look in his eyes, a look which had cold sensation ooze down her spine. "What?"

Without saying a word, he moved forward, cupping her face into his hand as she jumped back at the contact, her eyes widening to find his lips on hers.

It was a gentle peck, a touching of the lips for a few seconds, but a kiss nonetheless. 

Pulling away, Salvatore rubbed his thumb over her cheekbone, looking at her in concentration as if though he were restraining himself from doing it again. But Nicole had no such self-restraint as her husband and wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him back again and pressing her lips to his.

They kissed with a feverish need, neither one realizing how much they had wanted this: bodies pressed together, hands roaming and grabbing onto whatever skin they could find, lips connected, the only sound being that of their erratically beating hearts and the blood flowing through their veins, the taste of each other on their tongue.

With a stuttering breath, they pulled apart, their foreheads pressed together and their eyes closed, both of them reveling in the lingering sensation. Nicole gently pressing her fingertips to her lips as Salvatore heaved a heavy breath, trying to get out of the daze he fell in.

"God, I had no idea how much I needed this," He groaned, pulling her hands away as he kissed her again, the suddenness having her stumble back and collide with the wall as she moaned into his mouth as his hands roamed over her body. Nicole clutched onto his shoulders when his lips wandered to her neck, placing open mouthed kisses against her skin.

He moved his lips back up to kiss her but stopped a mere centimeter away. Nicole looking up at him with a dazed expression and watched him place a kiss on her cheek instead. 

"Why'd you do that?" She asked when he pulled away, untangling himself from her. "You don't want to do this?" The hurt seeped through her voice as he raised an eyebrow. 

"It's not that I don't want to," He clarified with a shake of his head. "I don't want to push you, and inadvertently trigger something." 

"Oh," The words slipped out of her lips as a sudden dread filled her, anger and frustration bubbling inside her knowing that she had wanted this for a while now, and now that she had it, she couldn't take it further due to her traumas. 

"I'm sorry." She spoke with a quivering voice as Salvatore was about to walk away but stopped. "I'm sorry,"

"Hey, you don't have anything to apologize for." He turned to be facing her, cupping her cheeks into his hand and placed a gentle peck on her lips. Smiling down at her. "I'm sorry if I pushing you."

"No...if, if that hadn't happened I wouldn't be scared-"

"Hey, it's alright." Salvatore tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear. "Recovery takes time."

"But it's been two years,"

"It took me almost four and a half years," He opened up to her, the admittance having Nicole look up at him with wide eyes since he had never told her anything remotely intimate about himself. "Recovery takes time, and it's alright. We'll take things slow, yeah? We don't have an issue with slow, do we?"

"No,"

"No, we don't. So it's all okay, we'll take it gently at your pace, alright?"

"Okay,"

"There is nothing wrong with slow, and besides, we have all the time in the world." Salvatore intertwined his fingers with hers, leading her towards the bed as she nodded and gave his hand a squeeze, unable to wrap her mind around the fact that this man was her husband.