Word count: 2772

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Angela's POV

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Eros wouldn't stop meeting my eyes even for more than a few times throughout our journey over to his family house and I had to remind him to keep his eyes on his laptop twice.

Unlike the exterior of his limousine which was all white and silver in some places, the interior was black. And it had Eros's strong masculine scent written all over it.

Each time, a smile would be on his lips while his long fingers flowed eloquently over his keyboard. It was both entertaining and a bit unnerving. What was he smiling about?

Was my face so amusing to him? I rolled my eyes and ignored him, focusing on the chat with my girls who were trying to calm me down by telling me my first meeting with my mother-in-law and grandmother-in-law wouldn't be that bad.

They all knew how terribly awkward I usually was on first meetings so what was the assurance that this would be an exception? There had never been an exception except of course with Mr Eros Del Peiro who pretended to be Donovan just to get acquainted with me.

"We're almost there." Eros murmured lowly and I nodded but kept quiet, focused on my phone. My lower lip was caged tightly between my teeth while I tugged at it subconsciously. "Hey Angel?"

I looked up at his face, and my eyes went up to the spiky beauties that were enjoined to form this beautiful man that'd been wrecking havoc to my insides since the first time we met.

His eyelashes.

They were not long, not as long as mine at least. Stephano' and Giuliano's eyelashes were also as long as mine.

But Eros's eyelashes weren't just long.

They were thick though, and had a nice curve to them. I caught myself staring just in time and blinked away quickly.

What do men need long lashes for?

The limousine stopped in front of a white gate. I looked out as we drove in to see a walkway with pink flowers paving way to one of the most beautiful and homely looking houses I'd ever seen.

"We're here...." I breathed. My hands were getting clammy. I picked my handkerchief and rubbed my hands over it, forming the handkerchief into a ball.

"Hey, hey.." Eros's eyes were on me. There was no doubt he tell how nervous I was.

"Let's go down. Right?" I smiled at him to ease the nervousness a bit. I could handle this, besides, Eros was here with me. What could possibly go wrong?

Eros shook his head and shut down his laptop. "We'll be out in a bit Rob."

The driver alighted with a soft thud of the door as he shut it and Eros cleared his throat.

"I'd like to tell you something." Eros smiled at me. My breath siezed for a second, then I sucked air in greedily the next second. My heart palpitated. I returned his smile, I couldn't help it even if I wanted to. I was always captivated by his smile as if that was the first time I was seeing it.

"Okay?" I murmured, then shook my head. He had me getting too mesmerized for a second there. "What's that?"

"I love you." He grinned.

My heart broke into several pieces as my eyes tore.

He spoke from his heart, with eyes clear and pure that the sincerity in his tone broke my heart into a tiny million pieces. I didn't know what to say, my tongue was tied.

Eros cleared his throat and adjusted himself to sit and face me properly. "Angela, I love you. I've known it for a long time but maybe I didn't confidently confess to you. It's weird, knowing you're here right now, sitting beside me and you're already mine. Fùck, God really did pardon me my sins to have given you me. I feel so fucking complete."

"Eros..." I covered my mouth and slung an arm around his neck, too emotional to even ask him anything or make a comment.

I pulled back and dabbed at the sides of my eyes, getting emotional at his confession. That was the sweetest and most genuine confession I'd ever gotten from a man I really liked.

"Come here baby." He motioned but before I could even move an inch, he already pulled me closer to himself.

I placed my head on his chest and his two arms around me held me tightly.

"I must've done really good things for me to meet you in this life Angela. You don't know how I feel whenever I look at you. Like Gatsby feels for Daisy. I feel on high, as if I'm in a fantasy world, baby. You'd never know how much you've come to mean to me in just this little time. You're my little secret." His hazel eyes twinkled as he made the confession.

"Who are those guys you mentioned?" I smiled into his chest.

"They are popular book characters from The Great Gatsby." I could feel the smile in his words.

"I'm about to be exposed to the whole world though...I'm no longer a secret. Your secret." I ended in a whisper and smiled. There was longing in that smile as I gazed up at this man beside me.

The look he casted me almost made me come undone and I gently pressed my cheek into his suit, afraid I would get makeup smudged over it. Just how much had he fallen in love with me?

Was this love?

Yes. Eros was in love with me. When, how or where, I had no idea. He knew me far before I knew Eros Del Peiro existed. 

He knew me, before my family even told me about the proposal. He'd planned all these ahead all because he wanted to be with me. How sweet.

"You'll always be my secret. You're only for my eyes to explore and reveal in private. No one else's." He chuckled.

"I really like you too." I confessed. "A lot." I mumbled into his chest and felt his breath hitch.

The movement of his hand on my back halted and I lifted my gaze to gauge his reaction.

"You like me?" His eyes shone with pride. Because of none other thing than my acceptance.

"Yes, Eros. You hurt me by lying to me.." I told him sternly and his brows curved into a helpless expression. "...but I couldn't help it. You're really charming when you try."

"And I swept you off your feet?" He chuckled, wiggling his brows while leaning in to steal a kiss on my lips. I smacked his chest and he shook his head when I tried retreating back to my seat.

"You're so cocky."

"You love me anyway." He looked down at me and revealed his dimpled smile.

"Hmm. Let's get down now. Your family will be waiting."

"Not before I kiss this beautiful woman beside me." His voice drew lower and huskier with each little movement till he'd captured my lips with his in a tantalizing kiss.

My hands went around his back and neck while both of his hands tightened around my waist. I didn't want to ruffle his hair, it was perfect for tonight's occasion.

"Eros..we'll be late." I mumbled against his lips, panting in helplessness at his seductive tortures.

"A second more..." He groaned and pulled me impossibly closer to his chest, softly biting my lower lip. I was already pressed against him, I could feel the heat emanating from his sculpted, hard body. His tongue invaded my mouth as he kissed me hard and made me want more.

He finally pulled away and I gasped.

"You're so beautiful." His palms clasped my cheeks tenderly. He smiled again and leaned in for another kiss.

Why was he so loving and touchy this noon?

"Why are you suddenly so touchy?" I accused, looking down at my gown and struggling to catch my breath.

Eros's eyes twinkled.

"I'm not touching what doesn't belong to me, am I?"

"Possessive much, are we?"

"You love me still."

"Oh shut up!" I smacked his arm and pouted.

"Whatever you say, my woman." He chuckled and pecked me once more.

I couldn't hold back my smile. He called back the driver, who drove us in and parked in front of the house.

"I'm going over to the other side to open the door. Don't get down till I come get you."

"Okay." I nodded.

Eros alighted and seconds later, opened the door on my side. Holding his outstretched hand, I picked it and alighted. I hooked the hand around his elbow.

"You have a lovely...and cozy looking home." I complimented. This wasn't a house, it was a mansion. Painted in green and lemon in an elegant pattern.

I nodded, knowing the inside would be even better than this.

"Thanks love, but you'll tell that to my mum...and dad. We'll be heading back to my condo tonight. You've never been there."

"Okay." I merely replied.

Eros pressed the doorbell and it was opened only a second later.

"Welcome sir, ma'am. We've been expecting you." An elderly man who looked to be in his mid fifties saluted. He was in a black suit, with nicely trimmed hair and a curt smile.

"Thank you Walter."

"Thank you." I smiled at Walter, who volunteered to help me with my bag. "I can help myself with that, don't bother, and thank you again."

"Alright miss."

"My family must all be getting set for dinner. Luca would be in the study with my dad or the smaller living room. The others should be in the center room." Eros mentioned as we walked through a wide passage.

His hold suddenly tightened around my waist and I saw we'd entered a room where two men were discussing.

"Luca. Dad..." He stated in monotonous voice before I even spotted the people sitting around on a faraway table.

The house was just as I expected and even more. The interior had the same theme with the exterior. And the house looked even bigger inside than it did on the outside and the theme was even much warmer, purple and cream.

There were bold paintings in random spots and a large family portrait hung on the wall by the left hand side.

There I could see Eros, a man who looked like an much colder version of Eros with hazel eyes, there were three girls standing in front, all with brown hairs. A very young looking Eros was on the far left side, then two boys were beside him, both with with very dark hair like Eros's and a woman I guessed would be his mother was standing beside his father.

Did Eros have that many siblings? I shrugged in wonderment.

Eros's father had cold eyes, which were looking down at the woman like she was the camera person but I could sense the warmth in that gaze.

"Eros, you're finally here...with your fiancée." A tall, slender woman rushed up to him. She had fair skin, and was beautiful with a heart shaped face and button nose. Her blue dress reached her knee, giving her a cool look.

I could guess she was around twenty two or three. She was on low cut with her hair tinted in gold, and elegance was written all over her. She had sparkly dark brown but tiny eyes, with red, attractive lips. 

"Brenda." Eros nodded. I paused beside him, waiting for him to introduce the lady but Eros merely kept walking with his hand moving dangerously close to my backside.

I looked back to see the figure disappearing through the door.

"Who was that?" I asked.

"A staff. Oh, dad is here." We were led through the passage into a wide and beautiful living room with dark brown and cream theme.

"Why are you just coming?"

"You little brat! keeping the girl all to yourself!" Two voices echoed at the same time. I recognized the first one as Luca's voice. The second one, I had no idea who'd spoken but it sounded familiar. Like Eros's voice, but much calmer and patient.

"Let me introduce you to my dad, baby." Eros murmured and I nodded.

"Okay."

"Dad, meet Angela Alfonsi. My-"

"I know who she is. Come here girl, you've grown into a beautiful young woman. You weren't a day older than twelve the last time I saw you." Eros's father said.

He didn't look much older than how he'd looked in the family portrait.

He had a healthy smile, and even healthier physique. But Eros was far more handsome. This man would've surely had had his own moments where women were all over him, of no doubt. And maybe he still had it. 

"Hello sir..."

"Call me dad, you're engaged to Eros aren't you?" When he smiled, he revealed two sets of dimples that made my own lips curl. Now I knew where the infamous dimples were from.

He didn't look as cold as before, when he smiled.

My mind eased as a smile graced my face at the warm welcome. "Dad...how do you do, sir?"

"Very well, my dear. How are your parents and your siblings? I heard younger Alfonsi jnr wants to go into the corporate business."

Giuliano was planning on going into the corporate business? I didn't know this. What about his modeling career?

"We haven't had much time to discuss in a while sir, so...I can't say." I smiled sheepishly. His eyes twinkled as he returned the smile, then his attention moved to Eros who was quiet beside me.

"That's alright. Eros, take her to see your mom. She's with your sisters. They've been waiting and preparing since forever." He said helplessly, a doting smile appearing on his face.

Eros nodded and led me away but I was suddenly pulled away from him.

"Have you no manners boy?" Grandpa Luca glared at Eros, his hold firm on my arm but not enough to bruise.

Eros's father chuckled and went back to sit as if he hadn't heard a thing.

Luca then turned his attention to me and his expressions softened considerably, "How are you, my dear Rose? Has this boy been treating you right? Don't forget Luca is always here if you have any complaints." His eyes went fierce as they moved from me to Eros.

His gaze lingered on Eros's hand which calmly rested on my waist. Eros looked anything but interested, angering the man further.

"No Luca, he has been amazing so far. How are you doing? How is the business? I love your outfit."

He was in read and brown leaf printed vintage shirt and cargo three quarter pants.

"Very thoughtful of you to say that, my little Rose, thank you. Business is blooming, and so is my health even though my grandson doesn't seem too pleased to see me." Luca scowled.

"Stop flirting with her and I'll be fine. Go flirt with your own woman." Eros muttered disinterestedly. My eyes widened at his audacity.

"Is that how to talk to your own grandpa?" Luca himself all but sputtered. "I should've fed you to the birds when you were a baby if I knew you would grow up rude and grumpy." Luca stated regretfully and I stifled a giggle at his scowl.

"Whatever." Eros muttered.

"Apologize to him." I pinched Eros at the side but he ignored me. "He's angry..." I whispered but Luca shook his head as he watched us.

"Oh my dear Rose, don't bother with home anymore. I know how to deal with him later on. You go on, Ritalin has been in a very good mood since she knew you'd be coming over today." Luca stated gloomily and went back to his seat.

I glared up at Eros and slapped his hand off my waist. "You can return to your condo and sleep alone tonight after how you treated the poor old man."

Eros didn't look too pleased with what I said but wordlessly led me through another passage where I guessed his mother was.

"You don't mean that, do you?"

"You know the answer to that question already."

"You're taking sides with an elderly man who finds pleasure in seducing you right in my presence." He harrumphed, sounding displeased but I ignored him anyway.

*

Let's meet the familyyyyy

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