“I think this a way better way to spend a Sunday, don’t you?” He didn’t let go, sensing this time that touch was needed to ground both of them. “And I think I can eat more than you today. Just like I can outlift you.”

A smile ghosted Wolfe’s lips. “Bullshit. I already had two bowls to your one.”

“Then I’d better get my ass back and get to work.”

He walked Wolfe back to the table and took his seat.

Julietta stared at him with a worried look he was beginning to savor. How odd to have a female care about him and his welfare. “Are you okay?” she whispered.

“yeah. Now I am.” They smiled at each other and the room slammed into vivid neon color. Same type of thing that always happened when his wife walked into a room.

He lifted his empty plate and raised his voice. “More pasta, please!”

Lily giggled.

…

Most of them settled into the living room for coffee and dessert. Maggie remained in the kitchen, grumbling at the task of having to help bake two desserts. Alexa sat Lily on top of the counter to watch the process and offer occasional assistance. Julietta noticed the sparkle in her mother’s eye.

Mama loved a woman with fire and had taken a complete shine to Maggie the moment they met, though she seemed the complete opposite of what his brother searched for in a wife. Alexa slid seamlessly into the family without a hitch, her laughter and kindness a perfect fit for the Contes.

The twins were put down early to bed, and Julietta rocked Maria in her arms.

The six-month-old fit snugly in her arms. She enjoyed the hefty weight of diapered baby booty, the little toes that curled in pleasure as she slept. Julietta propped herself against the cushion and settled in while the fire roared. “So, what’s the plan for this week? Sightseeing? relaxing? you know we’ll have to invite all our cousins over.”

Carina snuggled next to Max. She noticed her baby sister never strayed too far from his side, and they still acted like a pair of newlyweds, their hands constantly all over each other. Tears pricked the back of her lids. Mio Dio, she hated acting like such a girl. But Carina had grown into such a strong, independent woman with a fire Julietta had never noticed. Her erotic art had taken off huge in Manhattan, and now she did shows while helping Alexa with the bookstore. Max still burned with banked sexual energy, but all that delicious focus was on his wife. His blue eyes lit with such love and gentle humor when he looked at her. Her family had finally found their happiness.

She looked up. Sawyer watched her with a heat that caused her to suck in her breath and shift her weight. The way he commanded her with his gaze or a bow of his head completely mystified her. How could she have gone from frigid to nymphomaniac? Her fingers itched to tear off his clothes and press her body against his naked skin. Skim the rippling muscles, fist his erection, and guide him into her heat.

Color flooded her face. Sawyer dropped a lid in a naughty wink, acknowledging her fantasy. Promising to give it to her later. And more.

Michael sipped his sambuca and stretched his legs out on Mama’s coffee table. “Maggie has a shoot in Milan this week. Maybe we can come and see the progress of Purity?

I’d love to see it, Sawyer. And kudos on such a huge business maneuver. Combining an exclusive luxury chain with La Dolce Famiglia was brilliant. I knew my sister would put our name on the map.”

Julietta smiled at the pride in her brother’s voice. It had been a long, hard road to finally get him to back off and trust her to run Mama’s empire. Maggie had nudged him in the right direction, and finally Julietta felt as if he truly let her go on her own to run the business as she thought fit.

“Grazie, Michael. That means a lot to me. Purity is simply amazing. The vision, the plans, the marketing. everything fits seamlessly together. We’re lucky he wanted us to join him.”

Sawyer gave a half laugh. His face showed a touch of embarrassment at her praise. “Just call us the mutual admi-ration club.”

Her brother’s gaze sharpened. “yes, things moved quite fast between you two. I wish you had waited for us to attend your wedding.”

She cleared her throat. “I guess we followed Max and Carina on that path. elopement seemed the best choice. We wanted to be together quickly but decided we didn’t want to sacrifice work at this point in the deal.”

Michael nodded, glancing back and forth between them. “of course. I guess business and pleasure do mix sometimes.”

“We’ll have you over to the new house,” she offered.

“you’ll love it.”

Carina snorted. “How come the women are always cooking and the men are always eating? I want to go out to dinner.”

Maggie’s voice echoed from the hallway. “yeah, me, too.

Why don’t you take your women out? or are you a bunch of billionaire cheapskates?”

“I agree!” Alexa shouted.

Max laughed. “We have children to disperse. Who’s going to watch the bambinos? Mom?” He looked over and his mother let out a chiding stream of Italian.

“Maximus, do you really need to ask? We would be happy to watch our grandchildren.”

Carina gave a whoop. “Tomorrow night then? We’ll meet here early. Five? We can go to Botinero, I love the food there.”

Julietta looked at Sawyer, who nodded. “Si. It is a date.”

Maggie’s whoop floated past their ears.

“How about we meet you down at Purity tomorrow afternoon beforehand?” Max asked. “We’ll get a tour and do some catching up.”

“Sounds good to me,” Sawyer said. “Michael, can you join us?”

“Si.”

Julietta smiled at Maria’s sleepy grunt. “We better skip out on dessert and get going. We have a ton of stuff for tomorrow. I think—what’s that? Mio Dio, is that Dante?”

A massive form of black fur prowled into the room. His body reminded her of a small dog set on gobbling up his next snack. Narrowed green eyes took in the crowd, his gaze assessing each member of the family and then snobbily dismissing them. The once-stray cat who had lived in the wild had been tamed and now lived with Michael and Maggie, but his cranky nature had not disappeared. Julietta bit back a laugh when Carina jumped from her seat and crouched in a kneel on the floor. “Here, Dante, come to Aunt Carina. I’ll give you a treat.” She did her animal-whispering mantra, a haunting tone that usually had any feline or canine falling over in ecstasy. Dante took a step forward and Carina’s face lit up.

The cat bared his teeth and hissed with sheer menace.

Carina’s shoulders slumped. “I see him all the time, and he just doesn’t like me.” Her tone held a slight whine. “I don’t think I’ll ever be satisfied until I can win him over.”

“That’s what he wants, sweetheart,” Max said. “Let’s face it. We all hate that cat except for Maggie. He’s mean, snarky, and greedy as hell. Lives to be served.”

“Leave Dante alone!” Maggie bellowed. “He’s perfect just the way he is.”

Michael snorted. “I wanted to leave him behind, but she absolutely refused. We take him everywhere. I swear, sometimes I get into bed and I’m afraid to touch my wife. He looms over her with menace. When we lock him out, I have to check my shoes constantly for my punishment.”

Julietta laughed. “I’m glad he finally found someone to love.”

Nick eased himself from the chair. “Be right back. I need to make a call.”

Alexa suddenly appeared with a powdered Lily on her hip. She frowned. “Nick, you just called my mother a few hours ago. They’re fine.”

Pure indignation beat from him in waves. “I’m not calling your mother. I need to check in with work. Just a second.” He disappeared, and Alexa gave a long sigh.

“Why is he calling your mom?” Julietta asked. “Is she feeling okay?”

Alexa rolled bright blue eyes. “My mom’s just fine.

She’s babysitting precious cargo on this trip, and he’s been a complete wreck.”

Carina giggled. “I’ve never seen a man so attached to two animals before. It’s adorable. even Max and I haven’t checked in on rocky.”

Alexa faced her. “My husband is worried over our dogs—old yeller and Simba. We left them with my mom because he refused to board them, and now he checks in on them every few hours. I swear, the man went from an animal hater to extreme animal parenting.”

The idea of a man loving his family, even his dogs, so completely left Julietta with an empty hole in her gut.

Suddenly, it seemed too much. And the truth was becoming harder to fight with every passing day.

She wanted the same thing with Sawyer.

Julietta stood and gave Maria to Alexa, stopping to press a kiss to her forehead. “We really have to go,” she whispered.

Alexa searched her face with a touch of worry. “Sure.

Thanks for taking care of her.”

“Wolfe, are you ready? I need—”

She stopped and watched the scene unfold before her.

Dante had stopped an inch before Wolfe and was studying him with a half-cocked head, as if sensing something deeper that could never be scented from the surface. Wolfe had one ankle hooked over his knee and was slumped into the cushions like any teen. She was opening her mouth to shoo Dante away, afraid he might try to bite poor Wolfe, when the unthinkable occurred.

With one graceful leap, Dante soared through the air and landed on Wolfe’s lap.

The cat wiggled his butt. Leaned his furry head close to the boy’s jaw and sniffed. Circled once. Then plopped his entire weight smack in the middle of his thighs.

“oh. My. God.”

Alexa stared, openmouthed. Maggie must have sensed something huge happening, because her footsteps echoed and paused in the doorway. Her gaze took in her mean cat purring like a chain saw, completely content in Wolfe’s lap as though they had been soul mates for centuries.