Authors Note: My apologies for the delay in this chapter. My muse went walkabout and left me with no words to string into the web of this story. I hope you enjoy this chapter. Thank you to everyone left comments or sent me feedback about previous chapters of this story. Thank you also to Margaret who proofread for me. ~ellie
*****
Peri and Andie had done some expert shopping that afternoon, and Peri had driven home in a rush, keen to put all of the preparations in place. Andie had had a great idea, but they had bantered back and forth perfecting it to Peri’s liking.
Peri looked around at the back deck she was pleased with the effect the decorations had. She went in to continue preparing the meal. She knew, with her nausea, that cooking was not going to be in her immediate future, so she had opted for fresh seafood for the evening. She had sniffed the air at the fishmongers deeply before going ahead with her purchases. The evening she had planned was not going to go well if she was going to be sick from the smell of the food. She had opted for a non-alcoholic cider for herself and beer for Josh rather than their usual wine.
She looked at her watch and went to change. She dressed in a pair of his loose boxers and one of his shirts leaving the top two buttons undone. Andie had suggested some new lingerie, but Peri knew Josh’s preference for loose more accessible clothes particularly his shirts and no bra. She was glad and walked comfortably back through the house making sure everything she needed was in place. Then she went to lay on the daybed and read until Josh got home. She dozed off while reading and woke with a start to the sound of the door opening and closing.
“Peri?” Josh called into the dimly lit rear of the house.
“Your home!” she smiled coming to her feet to greet him.
“You should have told me you had something prepared, I wouldn’t have been so late,” he held a bag of takeaway food. “I thought with your tummy and all I would grab something on the way for us.”
“That’s so thoughtful, but I have something special planned, will it keep?” she asked nervously.
“It’s Chinese food, we can reheat it tomorrow,” he dropped it to the bench and pulled her into his arms. “I wouldn’t mind if we skipped dinner all together,” his voice became husky as his hands travelled down her body.
“At the risk of sounding like a nagging woman, we need to talk first,” she laughed and squirmed out of his arms.
“Uh oh, nothing good ever comes with those words,” he grumbled following her into the kitchen.
“Here take these out to the deck,” she passed him a beer and a small bottle of cider, continuing to laugh. “I have the first course all ready for us.” She took the two small plates of natural oysters and followed him out taking a seat and smiling.
“You know you don’t have to feed me aphrodisiacs to get into my pants,” Josh laughed.
“I know, I’m already in them,” she flipped the bottom of the shirt up.
“You always look better in my clothes than me,” he laughed with her. “Between the food and your outfit, you better talk quick before I get totally distracted.”
“Just eat,” she laughed nervously sipping the cider Josh had poured into a glass for her. She had planned it all in her mind, exactly what she would say and how she would do it but now, here in the moment, she was suddenly very nervous. “How was the lunch with everyone?” She asked procrastinating.
“Maryanne wanted to confirm her engagement party dates for May when everyone is home for the gathering, and she is considering November for the wedding, assuming no one has anything else planned,” he said warily. “Why don’t you just tell me what you wanted to talk about. I’m starting to get worried,” he said seriously.
“I’ll just grab the next course, and then we’ll talk,” she said pleased that oysters on the half shell were a quick entrée.
“This cider is new? Is your stomach still giving you problems?” he asked concern heavy in his voice making her feel guilty for the big build up.
“Yeah, it’s nice, try some,” she said walking back out with a prawn and crab salad. She sat, and they began to eat. “What happens if you couldn’t make it in November, I mean if something you couldn’t change came up?” She said doing mental calculations in her head and frowning.
“I’d let Maryanne know, but there isn’t much that I wouldn’t change around for her wedding,” Josh said easily. “She’s the baby of the family and deserves her day to shine. She’s been there for all of our big days so far.”
“I guess it would have been hard having eleven older siblings to pick on her,” Peri commiserated with her.
“Not really most of them were so much older than her they just gave her what she wanted most of the time. Nik picked on her the most because they had to share a room but boarding school fixed that and Nik had been thrown out of the best ones by the time Maryanne got there,” Josh shrugged.
“I would have thought the Donati’s would have had tutors and the like rather than boarding school,” Peri mused idly.
“We did until we were old enough to board, then it was all about making connections with the right families and so on,” he explained. “We had to be socialised to be able to fit into the society our parents were a part of.”
“That makes sense I guess,” she nodded. “That’s how I got my job in the research dungeon, through connections at the university.”
“Peri it’s nice that you’re interested in my family but seriously, tell me what’s bothering you because I am starting to get more than a little worried now,” Josh said in a pained voice as they were almost finished eating.
“You’re right,” she said nervously and took a sip of her drink. She stood and walked around to where Josh sat. She knelt down beside him smiling at his stunned expression and lifted a small leather box in her hand. “Joshua Craig Donati, will you marry me?” she asked
“Oh my God,” he squealed in a high-pitched feminine voice. “Yes, yes, oh my god yes!” He snatched up the box and opened it, the funny voice and silly demeanour dropping as he took in the ring. The onyx and gold design was spectacular, and he was rendered speechless by the perfect square cut diamond that sat on a bed of Onyx in its setting. “This is amazing,” he breathed. “I’ll marry you tomorrow if that’s what you want,” he said pulling her up into his arms and kissing her.
“Maybe not tomorrow but I was hoping in a few weeks,” she said softly disentangling herself from his arms and kissing his stunned expression. “Let me sit back down and I will explain,” she murmured into the kiss.
“A few weeks,” Josh said in confusion. “Why the rush? What aren’t you telling me?” Panic and dread combined with his voice making his words sound harsh. His mind immediate went back to everything that had happened to her.
“It’s nothing bad,” she hastened to reassure him. “At least I hope it’s not a bad thing. I’m not dying or anything like that.” She saw him relax slightly, but his face still showed his dark emotions. “You see there was a side effect from my injuries,” she paused and watched his face. “I’m fine,” she reassured him again.
“What side effects?” Josh asked, the sick feeling in his stomach returning as she spoke slowly.
“Well, I have this little rod in my arm here,” she pointed to the inside of her upper arm. “It got damaged somehow and stopped working,” she explained carefully. “I didn’t know, and no one thought much about checking on it, least of all me.” She shrugged trying to read his face.
“Why do you have a rod in your arm exactly?” Josh asked not understanding the significance in the context of her injuries. She hadn’t broken her left forearm and he didn’t think any rods were inserted to heal it. He considered the possible side effects of a head injury despite the fact that she was talking about her arm.
“For birth control, you knew that didn’t you?” she asked wondering if he had known.
“So it’s not dangerous for you or anything,” he let out a breath of relief. “Pete can probably fix it or give you a new one. We’ll just have to be more careful until then,” he said in relief. “You had me so worried. This was all about birth control?” he asked. “That can be fixed easily enough.”
“I don’t think you understand,” Peri said softly. “This one has to be taken out, and I won’t need another one for a least another nine months.”
“Wait, what?” he exclaimed. He had been so focused on her recovery from her injuries that pregnancy had been the last thing on his mind.
“I’m having a baby, your baby,” Peri said softly still unsure of his reaction.
“I’m gonna be a Papa?” he asked in bewilderment, and she nodded tears springing to her eyes thinking he wasn’t happy about the prospect despite having spoken to her about starting a family right away once they were married. This just sped things along a little bit.
“I know it’s not what we planned, and I didn’t mean to fall pregnant, I just didn’t know it had stopped working. Pete said there could be a few reasons why it didn’t work anymore, but he wouldn’t know for sure until he took it out,” she babbled put off by his reaction to her news. “I want to be married before it comes Josh, it’s important to me, will you still marry me?”
“I’m gonna be a Papa!” Josh burst out laughing and stood up gathering her into his arms. “This is amazing, this is wonderful, this is stupendous! Yes, yes, a thousand times yes, I want to marry you over and over again.” He twirled her around and kissed her still laughing.
“Josh there’s more,” Peri said, but she was smiling and laughing with him now.
“More? How can there possibly be more?” he asked putting her carefully back down on her feet again. “Will I get a free set of steak knives too?”
“Possibly,” she laughed.
*****
Two weeks later, Joseph stood with Charles in the hallway of his son’s new house greeting people as they came through the door and directing them to the living area and back deck which would lead them to a temporary support structure put in place to extend the deck. While Josh and Peri had maintained that they only wanted immediate family and close friends to attend the house warming party, it had been difficult for Joseph to rein in his wife when Peri had asked her to help out, and the guest list blew out to include more than a few uncles and aunts as well.
“She can’t possibly still be getting dressed,” Lucia said to her father as she tried to move past him to enter Peri’s bedroom. “I’ll just see if she needs a hand.”
“Good, you’re here, get your Papa another beer like a good girl. I think your mother has forgotten I exist,” he complained shaking his head.
“I’ll get it,” Dino said helpfully from his position a few feet further up the hall and turned to walk away.
“I think it’s time for Josh’s speech,” Charles said, “Why don’t you and Lucia go and gather everyone together and I will hurry up the lady of the house.”
“Good idea,” he said cheerfully and guided Lucia away from the door they had been blocking back into the gathering.
Charles watched them go and cracked open the door to Peri’s room, “Just a few minutes now, are you ready?”
“I’ve been ready since the first guests arrived,” Peri laughed. She smoothed out the ivory coloured evening gown she wore. It was simple but beautiful and highlighted her curvaceous figure. It was the only thing she hadn’t shared with Josh about the party.
“You look gorgeous, baby,” Andie grinned. “How are you feeling?” she asked cautiously.
“I’m good,” she smiled placing a hand on her belly. “I’m nervous but not nauseous.”
“Then let’s go and enjoy your party, we’ve kept everyone waiting long enough for your entrance,” Andie picked up a plain white box and Josh’s jacket passing it through the door to Charles.
Stepping out of her room into the hallway to follow Andie and Charles to the other end of the house, Peri could hear Josh begin to thank everyone for coming. She was walking through the living area still shielded by Charles and Andie when Josh finally turned around to check on her progress. She could see him breathe a sigh of relief and smile as he turned back to the people gathered out on the deck and extended area.
“We’ve invited you all here not just to warm our home with your presence and good thoughts for our future together but also as witnesses to our commitment to each other as we join in wedded bliss,” Josh went on as Peri finally stepped out from behind Charles and Andie to stand beside Josh. “With the blessing of our parents, we have invited Father Vincenzo to perform the ceremony today.”
There were gasps and cries of delight as Antonia escorted the elderly priest to the front of the small crowd. In that his family held to the archaic law that the best man at a wedding would in the event of the husband’s demise care for his widow, Josh and Peri had discussed who Josh would ask to stand with him and who would stand with her as their official witnesses.
“Thank you, everyone,” Vincenzo addressed the small crowd raising his hands slightly to quiet the noise of surprise. “Those of you who are able please take a seat and those who are not, please make yourselves comfortable. Could we please have Dante Donati and Louisa Giles come to the front and join the wedding party?”
Andie stepped forward with the plain white box and as they were asked if they would be part of the wedding party, presented Josh and Dante with rose boutonnières and Peri and Louisa with flower garlands for their hair and small bouquets of ivory coloured roses.
The ceremony was short but sweetly romantic as Josh and Peri vowed to love honour and cherish each other forever and always while the sunset bathed them in beautiful colours. As Vincenzo pronounced them man and wife, Josh took her in his arms and kissed her passionately before Vincenzo could direct him to kiss his bride.
“You realise that this means I have to plot your murder,” Dante smirked at his brother as they finished signing the registry and accompanying paperwork.
“So I can haunt you for all eternity?” Josh quipped chuckling.
“I could live with that,” he shrugged.
The surprise wedding had been a big success with Josh’s brother’s congratulating him on escaping the formal rituals of a wedding day and all the trappings that went along with it. Carlo alone had grumbled but only because he had thought he would finally get the chance to be a best man when Josh got married and was disappointed. He cheered up considerably when Peri introduced him to the few friends she had invited that were single.
Having a buffet set up on the open deck Peri found that she could manage the small bouts of nausea she felt as the night went on. It seemed odd to her that rather than morning sickness she felt nausea most keenly in the evening.
“Just don’t spin me,” she said in a whispered giggle as Josh took her in his arms for the first dance.
“You will always be safe in my arms,” Josh said gently and bent his head to kiss her as they slowly circled the makeshift dance floor.
Peri found she was passed around the dancefloor by almost every man who had been invited until she finally asked for a reprieve to get some water. She had seen that Josh too had danced with both of their mothers and other relatives and was still on the floor as she went in search of a cool drink. As if reading her mind Dante appeared before her holding a glass of iced water.
“Oh gosh, thank you! That’s exactly what I needed,” she said with a smile and took the glass gratefully.
“Part of the best man duties,” he chuckled. “Come and sit for a few minutes you must be worn out.”
“So it’s a secret honeymoon Josh tells me,” Dante said once they had taken a seat.
“We haven’t planned to go away if that’s what you mean. Being here away from everything and everyone has been like we’ve already had our honeymoon,” Peri laughed. “We’ve done everything the wrong way around it seems.”
“Everything?” Dante raised an eyebrow.
“Oh you know what I mean,” Peri tried to make light of her gaffe. “House, living together and honeymoon all before the wedding.”
“Mmhmm,” Dante said suspiciously knowing she had been unwell and that she had seen Pete on a number of occasions recently. “This happened pretty fast are you sure this isn’t a shotgun wedding?” he said only half joking and looking at her critically.
“Do you see any guns?” Peri laughed off his question and cast her eyes around for someone to come and interrupt their muted conversation.
“No, but if you give me a proper answer now, I won’t have to go and spread the rumour by asking Josh in front of whoever he is talking to or dancing with,” Dante pressed her on seeing her evade his question.
“Your mother was right when she said you were too clever for your own good,” Peri huffed. “Don’t tell anyone yet please, we don’t know for sure if everything is okay. There have been some side effects from my injuries and such.” She tried to downplay her concerns about the medications she’d been taking even though Pete had reassured her that everything would be fine.
“What sort of side effects,” he asked in concern scowling at Josh, who was still on the dance floor.
“My birth control is not working for one,” she giggled softly. “We didn’t plan this,” she reassured him as he turned his scowled on her and then back towards where Josh stood. “We didn’t know it had stopped working until it was too late.”
“You’re happy about it though aren’t you?” Dante asked concern still lacing his voice.
“Over-joyed,” she laughed. “I don’t think I have ever been happier than I feel today.”
“Damn,” Dante shook his head. “I’ve been looking for a reason to kill him since he made me best man.” He said it seriously, but his sparkling eyes betrayed his dark humour.
“Don’t dirty your hands. He’s planning on building an airstrip out here and learning to fly. As if he wasn’t crazy enough behind the wheel of a car,” she advised Dante with a perfectly straight face.
Dante looked at her speechlessly for a moment then burst out laughing making those around them look over to see who it was.
“I think it might be time I reclaimed my beautiful bride. You two seem to be having way to much fun over here,” Josh said extending his hand to Peri.
“Just doing the job you gave me and looking after her for you. Happy to step in any time you can’t perform your husbandly duties,” Dante teased. “She was just telling me that you were a good choice for a first husband.”
“First and only,” Josh chuckled good-naturedly and wrapped his arm around Peri’s waist proprietorially. “Let’s go cut the cake and then we can start the honeymoon.”
“That sounds wonderful,” she said taking his hand and walking to the table that held the three-tiered cake. Peri was happy that the whole event had gone perfectly, and the guests had been pleasantly surprised. She mingled with the guests as the cake was served and eaten noticing that no one seemed in a hurry to depart despite many having a long drive ahead of them.
“No one seems ready for the party to end,” she whispered to Josh as they sat talking with Andreas and Marisol.
“They’re waiting for us to leave,” Josh whispered back with a grin.
“But we’re not going anywhere, except our bedroom,” she laughed.
“You didn’t think I would miss out on taking my bride on a real honeymoon did you?” Josh asked with wide-eyed astonishment.
“But we agreed. What about the publishing house?” She began to protest.
“I never agreed. You just told me that you understood that we wouldn’t be able to get away for a honeymoon right now and went on with the rest of your plans,” he laughed. “Rick can handle things for a few days,” he reassured her. “Are you ready to go?”
“No, I haven’t packed or anything!” Peri gasped.
“Andie has packed for you and if she forgot anything I am sure we can get it where we are going,” Josh said calmly.
“I guess I’m ready to go then,” she laughed, trusting that Josh would have an answer for anything she might try to argue.
******
“A friend of the family has ties to the company,” Josh explained as they were shown to a first class suite on the Air Emirates Airbus.
“This is amazing! I never even imagined that commercial aeroplanes offered suites like this,” she gazed around the small cabin. The bed was strewn with rose petals and a tray holding champagne and chocolate sat perfectly in the middle of it.
“Only the best for my wife,” Josh grinned and pulled her into his arms. “So Mrs Donati shall we join the mile-high club?”
“Maybe we should wait until we are actually off the ground,” she laughed and kissed him tenderly. “The flight will take a little over twenty-four hours, so there’s no rush.”
“I guess we should wait until after take-off,” Josh pouted exaggeratedly and led her to the two seats they would be required to sit in during the take-off and landing. The engine began to whirl shortly after and Josh reached out to hold Peri’s hand as the plane began to taxi toward the runway. The stewardess who had been standing by discretely turned on the monitor on the wall in front of them. It flickered from the still shot of the plane they were on to show a steward doing the emergency demonstration.
The take-off was relatively smooth for such a big plane and as the seatbelt sign turned off Josh waggled his eyebrows and stood to beckon her to him. Peri moved close placing her hands on his chest as she tilted her head up to kiss him. His hands followed her curves down her body and he smiled into the kiss. She was finally his wife and he wanted to savour every moment of their first night together.
“My wife,” he murmured hotly, slowly beginning to peel her dress from the soft flesh he adored.
“My husband,” she whispered softly feeling her breath catch by the look in his eyes and kissed him passionately as she helped him shed his clothes. He stepped back kicking his pants to the corner of the tiny suite and noticed the way she looked at him eyeing his body with a cheeky grin.
The cheeky grin on his sexy wife’s face undid all Josh’s resolve to take it slowly and savour each moment. He closed the distance and wrapped his arms around her tightly kissing her deeply as he ground his cock against her, “You are so fucking beautiful, Mrs Donati,” he murmured into the kisses.
“You’re pretty much an Adonis yourself,” she grinned letting her hand snake down between them wrapping around his cock squeezing it tightly before gently moving it up and down his shaft.
“Oh yeah?” Josh grinned picking her up and laying her on the bed. Climbing and kneeling beside her where she could still reach him with her hands, he began to explore every inch of her with his mouth starting with her lips. His head moved down kissing and nibbling at her neck. His hands worked at her breasts as he sucked and bit lightly as her nipples letting his teeth scrape over them. He groaned as he felt her hand once again wrap around his cock.
Josh moved until Peri lay with her head between his knees. He lowered his cock enough for her to lick around the fleshy head. Her body was quivering in pleasure as his mouth continued to travel over it, his hands kneading at her breasts as his tongue teased and laved its way down her body. She squeaked and widened her legs as she felt his teeth nip at and tease her inner thighs. His tongue swipe across the lips of her cunt making her body tremble in expectation, and her legs widened further. She felt her lips pulling apart with her legs, as he forcefully pulled them wider and his tongue tantalisingly began to flutter over her clit.
Josh wrapped his hands around her thighs and held her tightly to him as he tongue whipped her clit, biting it now and then as he explored her wet cunt. Her squeaks and whimpers were music to his ears and drove him to tease her further. His long legs made the position difficult, so he rolled holding her lower torso in place. This allowed her to set her pace as she sucked his cock slowly, her tongue fluttering under the mushroom head of his cock making him groan deeply.
Peri’s thighs began to shake as he pushed a thick finger into her while flickering his tongue over her clit, lifting her head from his cock she panted and began rolling her hips. She tried to brace her knees on the bed to slow the shaking that had gripped her legs. She found she was barely able to control them, and she whimpered loudly around his cock, her head spinning as he pumped his fingers in and out of her and sucked on her clit until she lifted her head and howled out her orgasm.
Moving quickly, he rolled her off him and climbed on top her. He lifted her legs high and rammed his rock hard cock into her wanting to feel the last ripples of her orgasm around him. He leaned down to kiss her open, gasping mouth as he buried his cock deeply within her. He rose up then to begin a slow sensual fuck, wanting to make the moments last. Letting her legs go to wrap around his hips he leaned in to kiss her deeply, sharing the same breath as their bodies moved together. He could feel her thighs begin to shake again as they gripped his hips and his pace quickened, kissing her deeply again he broke the kiss to rise on his arms and begin to pound into her.
Peri felt as if her first orgasm had never left her but rather simmered just below her skin keeping her tingling and on the edge. As he rolled her and began to fuck her hard, she thought she could almost cum again right then and there. Then he stopped and started a slower, more sensual pace that left her on the very brink of ecstasy. She wrapped her legs around his hips and reached up to stroke the hair at the nape of his neck as they moved together in unison her hips rocking to meet his every thrust. The sensations built again as he fucked her until, once again, her legs began to shake and her body quivered in pleasure. She saw him rise above her and increase his pace and force sending her quickly to the edge she tried to hold back, but her head exploded as she came hard, her inner muscles pulsing around his cock.
Josh was in heaven, as the woman he loved lay beneath him writhing with pleasure, the pressure of her climax on his cock, milking his orgasm from him. He growled low in contrast to her howl as they both came and he collapsed on top of her, trying not to crush her as he held her close and kissed her again. After a few minutes, he rolled off her but unwilling to break the contact they shared, he pulled her with him to half lay on top of him and wrapped his arms around her.
Neither of them spoke while their breathing slowly returned to normal. Peri needed a drink but like Josh, was loathed to break the connection she felt with him at that particular moment, as she listened to his heartbeat her head resting against his chest. Reluctantly she lifted her head and went to wiggle free of his arms only to find them wrap tighter around her. “Where are you going?” He whispered.
“I need some water. I am hardly going to be running away. We’re on a plane remember?” she grinned at him.
“Fine then,” Josh released her watching her as she moved. She was so sexy, and the fact that she held his child within her made her more so in his eyes. His gaze zoned in on the soft curve of her belly. She was his wife and the mother of his child. She was even more beautiful to him than she had ever been at that moment. He found himself wanting more of the incredible body that swayed and moved unselfconsciously before his eyes. He smiled, they were married now and had the rest of their lives together but he grinned as she approached him carrying two glasses carefully, there was no time like the present.
*****
Peri and Josh spent time being tourists in what Josh had to admit was the very romantic city of St. Petersburg. He was glad he had spoken to Louisa and Andie about Peri’s interest in travel and where she had spoken about wanting to visit most. It was colder than expected for spring in the northern hemisphere and the coats they had brought with them had needed replacing soon after their arrival.
He had laughed with genuine warmth as she tried to decide what she wanted to do during their stay and her complaint that she would need six months to see everything she wanted to do in the land of Catherine the Great. Josh enjoyed the places they visited with equal amazement and wonder, but his real pleasure came in watching his new wife as she took in every little detail.
They stayed at the Kempinski Hotel in the heart of the city, a short walk from the Winter Palace and almost looking like a palace itself. The room had large floor to ceiling windows that looked out over the busy street below, and Peri stood there each morning and evening feeling so lucky to have fallen into this life. All of the problems that had plagued her seemed to disappear in that week, and she revelled in her love for Josh and the new life they were creating for themselves.
The week had gone by so fast, and she stood at the window late on the night before leaving for home, looking out at the view. The darkness in the room behind her seemed to highlight the lights below and across the city, and she sighed softly in pleasure. Lost in her thoughts, Peri hadn’t heard Josh rise from the bed and jumped as he came to stand behind her. He wrapped his arms around her waist pulling her close.
He kissed her neck as his hands ran lightly over her shoulders and down her arms to her wrists pushing the robe from her body as he did so. She gasped as he pulled her arms behind her back making her arch slightly toward the window. He pressed forward rubbing his cock into her hands. She grasped him, massaging the cock she knew so well.
He pulled her closer trailing kisses over her shoulders as his hands moved to cover and cup her breasts and they swayed together as if slow dancing to soft music. Peri leant back against him as if begging his hands for their attentions. She continued to massage his growing cock as they moved in unison. She could see her reflection echoed back in the window, and his large hands sculpting the soft flesh of her breasts. She knew that in this position she was exposed for anyone to see from the street below should they dare to look up but at that moment, she didn’t care.
Josh felt her quiver with desire and he trailed kisses down her spine, his hands moving to her hips. His larger body and stance kept her firmly in the small alcove created by the stonework of the floor to ceiling window.
His hands ran slowly down her body again and trailed up her inner thighs widening her stance and brushing lightly over the small patch of her pubic hair. He smiled as she sighed in pleasure, his fingers delving down slightly to tease her clit, satisfied only when he could feel the tremble run from her legs up her spine and hear her breath quicken with the small whimpers that escaped her.
Peri closed her eyes blotting out the world before her. She felt Josh push his cock against her ass while they swayed together to the music in their minds. His fingers threaded into her hair pulling her head back and lowering his own to kiss her deeply his free hand roaming over her neck and breasts once again. Turning her suddenly and taking her in his arms he kissed her again forcing her back against the window revelling in the image it would give to anyone who happened to look up at the hotel window.
Placing a hand on her shoulder, he encouraged her to kneel, and she smiled looking up at him as her knees bent easily. The heat and sparks that flew between them never seemed to dim, and she could see the level of his desire in the depths of his dark eyes. Knowing exactly what he wanted, she squirmed in her need as her fingers curled around his shaft. She bent forward placing light teasing kisses on the tip of his cock before rolling her tongue around the swollen head smiling at his groan of pleasure.
Peri could feel his hands begin to thread into her hair again as she licked along the length of his shaft, bringing a hand up to cup his heavy sac. Lowering her head before he could take control of her actions she ran her tongue over his balls listening to the rumbling groan low in his throat. Keeping a hand on his cock and stroking slowly she ran the flat of her tongue over and around each hanging jewel before sucking one into her mouth. She felt his body tense and his groan become a louder growl a moment before his hands twist in her hair. Leaning back, she kissed the tip of his cock, parting her lips slowly to take him into the warm cavern of her mouth all the while fluttering her tongue along the underside of his cock.
Feeling his need for control, Josh held her head in place and began to move slowly in and out of her mouth, forcing more in and hearing her gag slightly before she swallowed hard around him. He closed his eyes and gritted his teeth as he moved at a slightly faster pace, going deeper as she took more of him. He looked down enjoying her struggle to accommodate his needs. The sight made him growl loudly in his need for her and pulled her up suddenly by the hair spinning her to lean against the window pushing her until all of her was exposed to the world outside. He took deep, ragged breaths and his hands trailed over her back and rounded ass as he tried to hold back the climax that had been so close by breathing deeply.
Peri felt him move against her once more, oblivious to the world outside she revelled in the sensations he gave her and his cock burnt hot and hard into the crack of her ass. His hands ran between her legs spreading her thighs and delving into the warm wetness of her cunt. His lips had moved over her neck and up to her ear before he rumbled, “So fucking sexy.”
“Please,” she whimpered, “Please, I need you, like this here and now.” She ground back into his groin feeling the hard cock against her. He hadn’t asked her to beg for a long time, but she knew what it did to him and smiled as she heard the effect it had on him.
Josh groaned deeply at her words and bit her neck. He bent his knees letting his cock travel down the crack of her ass and beneath her. Like a homing beacon, he found the dripping wet hole easily and straighten his legs slamming up into her making her shudder and cry out in pleasure. His fingers still teasing and rolling her clit he lifted the other hand to her throat squeezing slightly as he rammed in cock up into her again and again.
Peri pressed her hands and forearms against the glass of the window to steady herself as he fucked her like only he could and she felt the tell-tale quivers rise within her. “So close,” she cried, “I need to…” she cried out hoarsely as the fingers on her throat grew tighter.
“Show anyone lucky enough to look up here just how beautiful you are,” he groaned and slammed into her hard lifting her to her toes. His hand wrapped around her throat as he pinched and twisted her clit sending white lights of pain directly to her brain triggering off a monumental orgasm. She gave a hoarse cry from her constricted throat and felt Josh stiffen and pulse within her as her climax fired rapidly in a continuous roll and wave after wave of ecstasy racked her body. She floated on a high so big that her knees buckled and she arched against the window and shook with force.
Josh’s knees buckled with intense pleasure, and he collapsed to the floor pulling her with him. Peri curled against him and whispered breathlessly, “I think it will take me the plane ride home to recover from this week.”
“Don’t relax too much, the honeymoon isn’t over yet,” he chuckled.
“I hope it never ends,” she smiled softly placing her hand against his cheek.
*****
They flew home on a similar plane to which they had arrived and became frequent flyers with the mile-high club. When they landed, Andie and Charles were waiting for them at the airport.
“Oh baby, you look so happy,” Andie said gathering her daughter into her arms. “Tell me everything!”
“Seriously?” Peri laughed. “It was my honeymoon are you sure you want all the details?”
“Well, not that part of course but did you see the palaces and the Hermitage Museum? Was it everything you ever dreamed?” Andie asked enthusiastically.
“All that and more. I have lots of photos that I will show you once we are unpacked and caught up on everything that happened here while we’ve been gone,” Peri continued to laugh.
“She’s just happy to have you home in one piece,” Charles said lightly as he bent to kiss Peri’s cheek.
Peri smiled and gently hugged the man who was now in a step-father type role in her life. She hadn’t considered that the last time she had gone away without Andie, her mother had come to collect her from a hospital bed. She’d managed to move on and look to the future and while she still had occasional nightmares, she didn’t dwell on them, since she had started getting help for her panic attacks. She smiled as Josh embraced Andie.
“I promised I would look after her, didn’t I?” Josh grinned.
“I’m just glad you’re both home and safe,” she smiled and ushered them toward the exit.
“You didn’t have to come to pick us up, I ordered a car,” Josh said pushing a trolley with all of their luggage on it.
“Andie needed to make sure you got back safely,” Charles chuckled. “She’ll sleep better tonight having seen you both. Which reminds me, call your mother, she been a little on edge too,” Charles said.
The car Josh had ordered was waiting for them on the curb as they left the airport building. Charles helped with the luggage while Peri promised her mother to have dinner with her the following evening. Finally saying their goodbyes, Josh and Peri travelled home holding hands in the back of the car. Peri could see that lights were on at their house before they even got there.
“Who has keys to our house?” Peri asked frowning at Josh.
“Papa maybe?” Josh craned his head to see if he could make out a car but the house being positioned high in the fold of a small hill obscured his vision. “I gave D. a key for emergencies and the clean up after the wedding before we left but he wouldn’t have come all the way out here tonight.”
“It’s been so nice having you all to myself. I’m not sure I am ready for everyone to start invading our world again,” Peri lamented.
“Whoever it is won’t stay long, and it’s nice not walking into a cold dark house after being away for a week,” he placed an arm around her waist and drew her to him kissing the top of her head. “So it’s a nice gesture.”
When they pulled up at the house, there didn’t appear to be another soul in sight, and Josh gave Peri the keys to open the door while he helped the driver with their bags. Peri smiled as she found a note from Ben on the kitchen counter. She laughed and read it out for Josh after he farewelled the driver and shut the door walking through the house to where she stood.
“Welcome back, Mr and Mrs Wah-wah Donati!” She read and looked up at Josh, who rolled his eyes at his brother. “Mama suggested that we come up and open the house for you because it had been closed since the party. You know Mama’s suggestions aren’t suggestions, so we dutifully came up and opened up a few windows. Emily packed a few Tupperware containers of pasta, and there was a basket of cookies until D. saw them and helped himself. I hope you enjoy the crumbs,” Peri paused in her reading to laugh and look around for the basket. “The fridge is restocked, and we have left the essentials, so you don’t have to leave the house for a few more days if you are still in honeymoon mode. It’s signed Ben and D.,” she smiled. “There’s a PS that you should call your mother and let her know we arrived safely.”
“Why don’t you call her,” Josh suggested. “She would appreciate that.”
“She’s your mother, and she wants to hear your voice, not mine,” Peri laughed. “Do it now and then we can relax on the deck and stare at the stars before we pass out.”
“There are other things I’d like to do before we pass out,” Josh grinned.
“Like call your mother?” she asked laughing and dancing out of his reach.
“Fine,” he grumbled but she will want to talk to you too. He picked up his phone and called his mother while Peri changed into more comfortable clothes which Josh thought was a total waste of time. They could be naked as jaybirds here and no one would know, they didn’t have neighbours close enough to see or care. Still he never tired of watching her strip and he enjoyed how she looked in his shirts.
*****
Peri’s world seemed to be forever changing. She was happy, she and Josh lived in a blissful bubble away from the city and their family and she was finding ways to manage the nausea that plagued her since falling pregnant. When Josh had gone back to work after returning from their honeymoon so had she. Wanting to surprise Dante and Emilio she arrived at the House of Lorraine without any fanfare and went into her office to start working out how she would go about the work Joseph and the Table of Twelve had assigned her while still helping with the cataloguing. Once she had a plan in place, she would go and surprise her brother’s in-law then discuss it with them.
The problem was that when she got to her office everything had been changed or moved and she frowned in confusion as she took a seat at the desk and booted up the computer. She had been there barely five minutes when a woman walked in and scowled at her.
“Who are you and why are you sitting at my desk?” the woman demanded.
“This is your desk?” Peri asked taken aback by the question.
“You have two minutes to explain what you are doing here before I call security,” the woman said in a hard, accusatory tone.
“There seems to be a misunderstanding, this has always been my office,” Peri replied confused by the woman’s aggressive stance.
“This is my office and it was empty when I arrived several months ago, so you are either lying or you are delusional. Either way, I am calling security to escort you out,” the woman stated and moved towards the phone on the desk.
Peri smiled sweetly but inside she was fighting with herself. The woman she had been would have just left in the face of a woman like this but everything that had happened to her since meeting Josh made her stand her ground albeit on shaky legs. She watched as the woman approached the desk and picked up the phone and listened as she called her a would-be thief going through the computer system probably to catalogue the rare pieces in the upcoming auction. Peri was horrified but she said nothing during the call. Once the woman had hung up and looked at her smugly, she decided to speak.
“That was a little harsh don’t you think,” Peri asked quietly. “You don’t even know who I am and you have called me a criminal. I can assure you I belong here.”
“I don’t care who you are, lady,” she stated emphatically. “You are in my office going through my computer. That is trespassing on a number of levels and if you don’t leave quietly, I am sure the company will call the police and press charges.”
“Miss Wells?” asked a security guard as he approached the doorway slightly out of breath.
“Hello Micky,” she smiled. “I expect you’re here to evict me but do you think you could just go and get Lio or Dante to sort out this little misunderstanding?”
“There’s no need,” he smiled and stepped back from the doorway allowing the approaching men to enter the office. Peri glanced at the woman who now stared at her with wide-eyed disbelief.
“Peri, what are you doing here?” Dante strode forward and pulled her up into a bear hug.
“Surprising people obviously,” she laughed easily. “It seems that I’ve been replaced and I’m not welcome anymore,” she said with a mock pout as he stepped back to look at her.
“Life around here has been altogether too dull without you,” Lio chuckled and embraced her. “In the building a few minutes and already have everyone rushing to help you out of another dilemma.” He turned to look at the other woman. “I see you have met your new assistant? She’s been cataloguing for us until your return.”
“I have an assistant?” Peri blinked, her confused look and tone returning.
“Oh God,” the woman groaned making everyone turn to look at her. “I walked in to find you sitting at my desk going through my computer. I had no idea who you were and you don’t look much like your photo if I may say so.”
“I’m not very photogenic,” Peri laughed. “When I first came to work here I was still hiding behind my hair in most photo’s I think.” She noted that woman hadn’t apologised but rather made excuses for her aggressiveness. “I did try to explain that there had been a misunderstanding and that this had been my office,” she said pointedly.
“Perhaps if you had let us know you were coming we could have avoided the misunderstanding,” the woman shot back unapologetically placing the blame entirely on Peri. “You could have checked in with security which would have alerted me to your presence.”
“Ooh and she messes up the landing,” Dante whistled like a dropping bomb and shook his head.
“Even without an appropriate apology, Peri would forgive you for not asking her name and treating her like a criminal. I, on the other hand, can’t have you talking to her or any of my family members like that,” Lio nodded. “I wonder how you would talk to my mother or other family members who may visit and make themselves at home here.”
“It was just a misunderstanding. I did arrive unannounced after all,” Peri defended the woman who was wilting under the scrutiny of her bosses. “I don’t need an assistant but surely she could continue cataloguing for you or something.”
“Well you certainly surprised us this morning,” Dante said into the awkward silence. “Now let us show you our surprise,” he chuckled and led her towards the office door, leaving Lio to have a final word with the woman and catch up to them.
They walked through the building back toward the office the brother’s shared at the rear of the building and walked down a nearby corridor that Peri had never noticed before. The door at the end was of an old medieval design of heavy wood and cast iron. Despite its appearance, however, it didn’t feel heavy when she opened it and walked through into the large open space.
It was almost a replica of the Athenaeum that Joseph worked out of at the farm. The large space in the middle dominated by large round table with twelve chairs and alcoves lining the walls on three sides surrounded by book shelves.
“We were hoping you’d be back this week, I’d planned to come and talk to you about all of this,” Dante said as she walked slowly around the room her hand trailing over the table at its centre. “We’d been planning this archive for all the books since January when Papa announced his intentions with the books.”
“It’s just like his Athenaeum at the farm,” Peri said in wonder.
“It’s a good layout for what you will be needing. Each family can have their own space for the research they need and you can oversee it all from here,” he indicated a large working space near the door.
“I was only planning on coming back part-time and working from home on the other days,” Peri said apologetically.
“We know, but there is a sense of urgency amongst the other chairs. They have all contacted us about sending a representative already. This is why you will need an assistant if you want to have any chance of doing this part time and not letting it take over your life. Especially now,” he said reasonably.
“Why especially now?” Lio asked walking into the room behind them.
“You don’t imagine our baby brother is going to want to wait to start a family?” Dante asked with a chuckle, not telling Lio he knew that Peri was already pregnant. “If I know him, and I like to think I do, she is probably already pregnant with the next generation of little Wah-wah’s.”
“They just got back from their honeymoon, give Peri a break,” Lio rolled his eyes. “He’s right about the assistant, though. You’ve been through a lot and part-time is probably a good idea to start with and a good assistant will keep things ticking over here when you’re not around.”
“I don’t even know that woman’s name. How could I trust someone like that to have my back,” she pursed her lips thoughtfully. “I need someone I can work closely with and rely on to do things my way and maybe just say sorry when they screw up instead of making excuses.”
“We like to keep our family depository fairly well guarded so we tend to hire cousins, or at least reasonably close family. I can put the request out again and you can interview this time, just be mindful of the information we are sharing with whoever it is,” Lio said seriously.
“In that case, look for someone that finished an arts degree of some kind recently, art history would be best rather than someone with just office skills. I will need someone who understands research and how to put together concise reports not someone who will type without reading or understanding what they are dealing with,” Peri was clear about what she needed.
“Makes sense,” Lio nodded. “I think I might know someone who can come in today for you to meet.” He scratched his cheek.
“Great they can have this space and I will take one of the alcoves. That way we can all be on equal footing, no family greater than the other in here,” she stated emphatically. “I have a few ideas already but first, I promised to call Josh once I got settled in. Would you be free for lunch?” She asked finally feeling like she was getting her bearings again. “I would love some of those Thai coconut prawns they do down at Woka.”
“Sure it’s a date,” Dante said easily, “We’ll leave you to it.”
“It took you all of five minutes to get back into work mode,” Lio laughed. “Welcome back Peri, I’m glad you’re here.” He embraced her tightly.
Peri called Josh and filled him in on everything that had happened since her arrival at work. He laughed about the misunderstanding and was proud of the way she had handled it instead of panicking and running away from a confrontation like that. He was also impressed with what his brothers had done with the archive room for the books. He was glad most of all that she seemed happy and relaxed and could hear the eagerness to get started in her voice. Now his only concern was that she would throw herself into the project and start taking on too much work and responsibility when she needed rest in equal measure. They had an appointment with Pete at the end of the week for a check-up. He decided that he’d hold off voicing his concerns until then.
Peri was smiling when she ended the call and went to the desk to find a pad and pen to start making of list of what she would need. She wondered idly if she had a budget of any description and who she should ask about that. It made sense that Dante and Lio were the ones who would oversee her work here but she also knew Ben was the financial adviser of the siblings here in the city. As she considered her options it occurred to her that this was a project Joseph had given her and maybe she should discuss her needs directly with him.
She called Josh again and asked for Joseph’s direct phone number having made up her mind that it was his project and she should consult him. Josh suggested that she would have carte blanche and should just give the invoices to Dante and Lio but she had said she would feel better including him in the project as he had asked her to do it.
Nervously tapping on the pad beside her she made the call to Joseph. “Hello Peri,” he answered without hesitation. “To what do I owe this lovely surprise,” he said in a cheerful voice which threw her thoughts off track momentarily.
“Hi,” she squeaked. “I wanted to call and let you know I had come back to work today and that I had some ideas on how to manage the compilation of the family histories you asked me to look after.”
“Ah that’s good,” he responded. “Did the boys finish the Athenaeum in time?”
“They did and it’s beautiful but there are a few more things I would like, like a laptop for each family so we can all be on the same server and an external hard-drive for everyone,” she carried on with her small list. “I wasn’t sure if I had a budget for this or who to go to for a budget and as you gave me the project to work on I thought it best to consult you first with my wish list.”
“Very wise, I would like you to keep me informed of your progress at each step. A weekly email would be nice but you may call me at any time if you have questions,” he said authoritatively. “I would like you to call CJ and discuss your computer needs with him. I will email you his details. I will have our bank issue you with a corporate credit card that you can use for your other expenses.”
“Thank you, Joseph,” she stumbled over his name unsure of what she should call him now. “It will be much easier than having to find someone each time I want something.”
“You are family now and you will call me Papa,” he said sternly. “You can let me know of any significant expenses in your weekly email. I expect you will need a small staff of fact checkers and researchers to assist those that come from the other tables who may not be as qualified as you are to undertake this process.”
“I hadn’t thought that far ahead to be honest but yes, if only for the collation of the research material and writing of reports. I think we would only need two or three if we can find that many within the group we have to work with,” she said thoughtfully.
“You can train them,” he said diffidently. “Hire what you need to get the project moving at a reasonable pace. The combined tables will bear the cost so if you need more then get them,” he instructed.
“Yes, Papa,” she responded testing out the title and feeling awkward.
“Good girl. Now I have emailed you CJ’s details call him and get things started. I will be eager to hear about your progress on Friday.” He hung up leaving her a little startled.
“Well that was easy,” she said out loud to the big empty room and booted up the computer on the desk to access her emails. By the time she had got off the phone from CJ, Dante was walking back into the room.
“Come on then trouble maker we have to meet Ben at the bank,” he chuckled.
“Troublemaker?” she raised an eyebrow at him.
“I’m assuming you did something to make Ben need to see you immediately and call me about it because he couldn’t get a hold of you?” Dante continued to chuckle as she picked up her bag throwing her phone into it.
“I was on the phone with someone else, it was important,” Peri said plaintively.
“Another reason you need an assistant,” he laughed and guided her out of the auction house.
Within an hour, Peri had a corporate card and was taking three of Josh’s brothers to lunch. She talked about the trip to St. Petersburg and all the wonderful things they had seen and done as well as her plans for the project Joseph had given her. They teased her like they would any of their sisters and she realised she loved each of them like brothers now. She was still getting used to being constantly surrounded by family and she was glad of the house she and Josh had far away from the maddening crowd. By the time they got back to the auction house, it was mid-afternoon and the reception room was half filled with well-dressed young men and women.
“Well this is a better turn out than I imagined,” Emilio said with a smile and checked his watch. “If anyone else arrives you can send them through, we’ll do a three O’clock cut off.” He instructed the receptionist giving any late comers an extra half hour to arrive. “If you would all like to follow us please,” he led the way through the auction house to a conference room near the offices. “You,” he pointed to a pretty young man whose face lit up at being singled out. “You can do the marshalling as your name is first on the list, you can also interview first,” he handed the young man the list he had been handed by the receptionist of each applicant’s name.
“Do you want us to do it with you?” Dante asked.
“No, I’ll be fine I know what I am looking for,” Peri said with a smile and turned to the young man. “We better get started then,” she turned and led the way back to the Athenaeum. She couldn’t have anyone with an attitude like the woman this morning, not when she was dealing with men and women from the other tables, she also needed researchers and report writers most of all. Thinking quickly as she sat she structured her questions around their university time, asking about favourite subjects and ones they disliked. She was only a few years out of university herself so she could empathise with them and discuss lecturers they had in common for those that went to the same school.
Of the nine interviews she ended up doing she sent five of the applicant’s home with her sincere apologies that they were not quite right for the position, she had available. Then she approached the remaining four applicants as a group.
“I have kept you all here an awfully long time and for that I am sorry,” she began. “I would like to offer each of you a job starting tomorrow if possible.” She watched the four young people all look at her with stunned expressions. Having thought that they were interviewing for a single position they were speechless that the offer came so swiftly to all of them.
“Initially, it will entail research and cataloguing of books and reference materials within the Athenaeum but as other people join the team, there will be more in-depth research on family histories and report writing involved. If the work becomes too demanding, we will seek out others to join our team but at this point, I would like a small close knit group where we all work together and help each other out. Everyone has their strengths and weaknesses and by being a cohesive team we can highlight those strengths and lessen the weaknesses,” she explained her vision.
“What about the assistant’s position?” Darius, who had marshalled the others, all afternoon asked.
“I’d like to get to know the four of you a little better first,” Peri said. “My assistant will need to research and write reports as well as answer the phone, make appoints and talk to the people involved with our project including the Donati family. This week it can be a shared responsibility and your wages will reflect that.” She watched them all nod their agreement.
“Well, I for one would he happy with a research position and not have to deal with the phones. I will do it, of course, if no one else is around but I would love to be delving into that awesome library and see what secrets it holds,” Penny, a young woman with a romantic view of history, said. “I have a part-time job I need to resign from, would it be okay to start next week?”
“Of course, anyone else who would rather not start tomorrow?” Peri asked. “I know it’s a bit cheeky of me to ask you all to start immediately but there is a sense of urgency about this project.”
“I’ll be here,” Darius said and leant back in his chair looking at the others.
“I’ll be here,” Silvio said and was echoed by the final applicant, Karlee.
“Wonderful, then I will see the three of you tomorrow and we can work out desk arrangements and schedules,” Peri said happily.
It was after six when Peri began the long drive home having been cautioned about driving safely by both Emilio and Dante. When she got home, Josh was already there and had defrosted some of the pasta Emily had left for them after their honeymoon. He gathered her into his arms and kissed her.
“So much for just a few hours to get back into the swing of things,” he said pulling back to look at her critically.
“There was a lot to do and it won’t be like this all the time. I’ll take it easy I promise,” she smiled. “It was nice to be back at work. You should see the team room I have now and I hired a few researchers and,” she began to talk excitedly making him chuckle. They ate and talked about both of their careers and all the new things happening for them. Life was exciting and that high energy took their sex life to new heights.
After two weeks full of highs for both of them, Josh and Peri spent the weekend alone turning down a myriad of offers for dinner or drinks with friends and relatives. It was Sunday afternoon when Josh broached a subject he had been considering since they both returned to work. He hesitated because he didn’t know how she would feel on the subject. He worried that not having been brought up in a family like his, she would take the suggestion of a housekeeper as a comment on her abilities rather than the benefit it would be to them.
He propped himself up on the couch cushions as she walked out of the bathroom and smiled at him. He was constantly amazed by how aroused she made him. He watched every move as she went to the kitchen to get a drink, the fresh lines on her skin making him relive the last few hours where she had submitted to his needs and slaked her own at the same time. She was his perfect other half and the idea that she could have left him seemed a distant memory for now.
“Sit with me,” he said stretching out a hand toward her. Peri laughed and took his hand snuggling into his reclining body.
“This isn’t exactly sitting,” she said laying her head on his chest.
“I like this better,” he said wrapping his arms around her. “This weekend is exactly what we needed, taking some time for us and the house.” He spoke carefully edging toward what he wanted to say.
“We’ve just been so busy that we haven’t had time for all the mundane things. We’ll get into a routine and it will all work out,” she added in a hopeful tone. She knew she had been rushing to get washing done and had been putting Josh’s shirts in for dry cleaning rather than deal with them herself. They ate out or defrosted leftovers rather than cook during the week and she promised herself she would try harder to be a more attentive wife for Josh.
“We both have careers that require a lot of our time and attention. Maybe we could think about getting a housekeeper a few days a week just to take care of a few of those mundane things and maybe a home cooked meal or two during the week,” he suggested tentatively. “You really should be eating better now.”
“Do you think we could?” Peri leant up and looked at Josh. “I mean, I don’t mind doing it but your right we have been so busy and I feel like I am on a tight schedule with these volumes,” she stopped speaking as he put a finger on her lips.
“Yes, I think we could. I worry about you trying to do too much and you need to look after my son as well now,” Josh said with a grin. Relief was evident in his voice as he took in her immediate agreement. “I’ll call Mama and see if she will send us one of her girls until a suitable one can be found. One that can become part of our household.”
“Wait,” Peri said as his words sank in, “One of the house girls? A slave? You want a slave girl?” She asked incredulously remembering her conversations with Joseph about slave girls.
“I want a housekeeper, maybe one that also has some experience at being a nanny. The training they receive at the farm and the Battaglia facility in some cases is the best possible. I couldn’t trust my home and family to anyone less qualified,” he said not understanding her reaction.
“I thought you might wait for a year or two before wanting to move one of those women into our house,” she said sadly. “And your mother will think I can’t look after you properly on my own.”
“Not all of the house staff are kept women,” Josh laughed realising what she was thinking. “Even if they were I have no interest in anyone but you and your sexy body.” He ran his hands over her curves as she reclined against him. “I would hate to think you didn’t trust me.”
“I trust you, but I know that your family looks at the Kept as a necessary evil. I can hear Papa explaining it to me in my head,” she knew she was silly but she couldn’t help it.
“I don’t need that in my life but what I do need is to spend more time relaxing with you and I can’t do that if you are rushing around doing laundry and cleaning every spare moment when we are home,” Josh tried to reason with her.
“You’re right I’m being silly,” she sighed. “Emily, Carmen and Bianca have nanny’s and housekeepers,” she added trying to reassure herself but her insecurities were hard to repress once they got hold her.
“Why don’t we talk to Mama when we go down for the gathering next weekend,” he suggested taking the pressure of committing to the idea immediately away. “We can survive another week the way we have been and after the gathering things will only get busier for you at work with the arrival of the archivists from the other tables so we will need someone by then.”
“That sounds like a good idea. Then I can choose a skinny grandmotherly type who will bake us cookies, instead of being interested in yours,” she grinned. She also realised that he was giving her time to get used to the idea of letting another person into their home. “It would probably be best if we told them I was expecting before we asked for someone with experience as a nanny,” she said seriously. She hadn’t wanted to tell anyone else until she was sure everything was alright with the baby. Pete had booked her in for an ultrasound this week and while she was trying to stay positive, she was worried about medications she had been taking when she fell pregnant despite his reassurances.
*****
Peri found that the following week flew by in a whirl of activity as she struggled to accomplish everything she wanted to before leaving for the farm on the weekend. The men and women she had chosen for her team had come together beautifully and Darius had risen as the undisputed leader of the small group with his easy charm and self-assurance. Peri found that they looked to him for guidance because he was on top of everything Peri was trying to do in the space they had been given.
She found that quite often he was one step ahead of her having followed her line of thinking and he was wonderful in working with the staff in the Auction house, particularly Emilio and Dante. He began to take on the responsibility of the front desk and handled the calls from the chairs of the other tables as if he were born to it and knew them well
The girls seemed to revel in every discovery they made and consulted with Silvio who had a vast knowledge and a seemingly photographic memory when it came to the books they had already catalogued and what era’s they belong to. His strength became the organisation of the library which had been assembled with only a rudimentary knowledge of the books it contained. Each team member seemed to be finding a niche that was theirs alone and Peri felt confident leaving the team to the tasks she had assigned knowing she would get a daily report from each of them via email.
She had given the girls the small amount of research she had started on the Battaglia family as well as a copy of the books she had created for Joseph and explained the concepts behind each and their history. She encouraged them to research as they catalogued and add notes to a file she had created for each family, about books that may be of interest to the archivists, who would look further into the family histories. She planned to impress each of the representatives from the tables with her team’s thoroughness and dedication to the project.
It was Wednesday afternoon when Josh walked into Peri’s Athenaeum to meet her team and drag her away from her work to see Pete for the ultrasound he had scheduled for her. Darius looked up in surprise at someone new entering his domain and immediately came to his feet extending his hand in greeting.
“Hello, I’m Darius and you are?” He said in his genial friendly way.
“I would be the neglected husband,” he nodded his head toward where Peri sat between the two women at the far end of the round table.
“It’s nice to meet you finally Joshua,” Darius said, “I’ll let her know you’re here.”
“No need, I can walk that far,” Josh said easily and began to walk through the room. Peri looked up as he drew close and smiled at him before checking her watch and pulling a face.
“I’m running late again aren’t I?” she asked looking up at him. “I’ll grab my bag and we can go.”
“Slow down and at least introduce me to the people you’re spending so much time with lately,” he chuckled. The women both came to their feet and shook his hand as Peri introduced them and looked around for Silvio, who was in one of the alcoves rearranging a set of books they had discovered earlier that day.
“Silvio?” she called out and he immediately stepped out into the centre area. “Come and meet my husband, Josh.”
“Joshua Craig,” Silvio said as he walked toward the small group. “I had hoped I would meet you. My Uncle Ryan worked with you up until this year.”
“Oh?” Joshua raised an eyebrow both at the name he was called and the reference to the publishing house he had recently left.
“You had quite a reputation, he spoke of you often,” Silvio said.
“I’m not sure I want to know the details of that,” Josh joked.
“It was all good,” Silvio chuckled with him. “He said you were a stickler for facts and details. You were tough but fair.”
“When your projects complete I might have to steal this one for my company,” he said with a wink at Peri. “It was nice to meet you all but we do have an appointment to get to.” He put his hand out to take Peris.
“I’ll see you all tomorrow,” Peri said with a smile taking his hand and picking up her bag as they walked passed the front desk. She waved to Dante as she passed the office and hurried out to Josh’s waiting car. He sped through the peak hour traffic and she wondered how she was still not used to his driving as she grabbed the seat when he swung into the car park.
“I hope you’re going to slow down a bit when we have a baby in the car,” she laughed lightly.
“What?” he looked at her innocently. “I was doing the speed limit some of the way. We were running late so I had to push it a little bit at times.”
“Amber lights mean slow down not go faster,” she teased as she got out of the car.
“I think you might have that part wrong,” he chuckled and they walked inside together to meet Pete, who had wanted to do the scan himself and consult with an obstetrician immediately to alleviate Peri’s anxiety.
Pete knew that Peri wanted to be sure that everything was perfect considering the timing of the conception and if he was honest, he too had a few concerns for her as well. She had been through a big trauma and rather than the slow well rested recovery he had advised she had been pushing herself through one major event after another. His concern lay with the impact the pregnancy would have on her still recovering body. While physically and mentally she seemed to be almost back to normal he knew that the trauma of what Nik had done to her would affect her over the longer term.
Peri had worn loose clothing so that she wouldn’t have to change into a gown to expose her belly for the scan so she wiggled her skirt lower on her hips and lay up on the bed. Josh came to her side and pulled up a stool taking her hand in his.
“You ready for this?” he asked trying to keep the excitement from his voice knowing she was anxious and sharing some of her concerns.
“As ready as I will ever be,” she smiled and put her free hand against his cheek. “I love you.” She smiled softly and he bent his head to hers kissing her lightly.
“Gees,” Pete said walking into the room. “They can’t keep their hands off each other for five minutes,” he commented to the woman at his side. “I imagine they will keep you in business over the next few years.
“That’s the plan,” Josh chuckled sitting back up and looking at the pair.
“Hello Peri, how are you feeling today?” Dr Anna Bellino inquired smiling at the newlywed couple.
“I feel great,” Peri said truthfully. “Aside from a little nausea now and then, I feel better than ever.”
“That’s wonderful. You are one of the lucky ones who seem to blossom and glow when pregnant,” Anna enthused. “Let’s have a look at baby shall we?”
Pete took the gel out of the warming container and squirted a liberal amount across her belly. Peri craned her head as the scanner ran over her belly making an image appear on the screen. The imaged changed and moved as Pete and Anna discussed in quiet tones the best angles to capture images.
“Everything is looking fairly normal so far,” Anna said looking from the monitor to the couple. “Your dates seem to be fairly accurate but it’s always so hard to tell precisely in these cases.”
“In these cases?” Peri said in alarm and felt the reassuring squeeze of Josh’s hand in hers.
“Nothing to panic about,” Pete immediately reassured her. “This small fluttering you see here is a heartbeat,” Pete said pointing at the monitor, “And this small fluttering here is a heartbeat.” He used his other hand to point at the second heartbeat.
“Twins?” Peri gasped but watched as Anna moved to place a third finger on the screen.
“And this little fluttering here is…” she turned to look at the stunned parents.
“A heartbeat,” Josh finished for her excitedly.
“Three?” Peri frowned. “That’s not possible. I mean, I know Josh is a twin but nothing like that has ever happened in my family.”
“It’s rare. Any multiple births without the use of hormones are rare, but not unheard of” Pete said trying to explain. “Damage to the rod in your arm could have caused the phenomenon but you have also married into a family that has a high percentage of twin births.” He smiled then, “more often than not there is no explanation for event likes these.”
“But triplets?” Peri frowned. “I can’t be having three.”
“We will have to take more care and possibly give you supplements to add to your diet but your pre-natal plan shouldn’t be too arduous and I am sure your husband will make sure you have everything you need.”
Peri lay back on the bed and sighed. “Since meeting Josh nothing in my life has been easy or boring why this should this be any different,” she began to laugh. “They call me a drama queen but in reality, it’s all his fault,” she blamed Josh but looked at him with a wide smile.
“I can handle that,” he smirked. “I realise it’s probably a bit early to tell for sure but I am sure my three boys,” he emphasised the word boys, “Will be kind to their mama while their playing in there.” He placed a hand on her gel covered tummy.
“These poor girls are going to grow up as tomboys,” she said to Pete and Anna.
“It’s a little early to be able to tell you the sex of your babies but I can tell you that you will have identical twins and an individual,” Anna looked from the couple to the screen again pointing out items on the monitor that looked totally foreign to Josh and Peri. “You could be lucky and have both sexes in there.”
“You’re going to be at the farm for two weeks so I can check on you there,” Pete said. “We’ll make an appointment with Anna for when you return and work out a schedule from there.” He said to Peri but he was looking at Anna for confirmation as he thought through what would happen next.
“Emily will be at the farm too,” Anna said, “So we can talk on the Friday about both women?” she asked in a way that made it more of a statement. “Emily is only six weeks or so from delivery if she makes it that long so keep a close eye on her. Peri should be fine, she young and fit and not feeling any side effects.”
“I’m sure Emily and I can look after each other, and Bianca and Carmen will be there not to mention Antonia,” Peri smiled.
Josh chuckled the gathering was different in that hundreds of people would be there and the little village would spring up out of nowhere but he decided not to remind her of that right then. Triplets was a lot to take in even for him and he was just glad that she was taking the news so well without all the usual questions and anxiety when she was faced with the unknown. He prepared himself for later when they were home and the realisation of what had been said sunk in.
For his part, the immediate concern was the size of their sweet little cottage and the knowledge that he would need to take on a building project almost immediately while trying to get his business heading in an upward direction. He had eight brothers though and a million relatives to call on but his house, the house his family would grow in needed to be built by him or at least heavily managed by him.
Peri and Josh both listened to Pete and Anna’s advice, as their minds raced through what this would mean for them and how their lives would go from being young and in love to a family with three children overnight practically.
“We haven’t even told anyone that we are having a baby, let alone three, so could we just keep this amongst us until after the gathering?” Peri asked still unsure of when or how they would tell Josh’s parents. “I mean I just want to be sure everything is alright with them,” she looked at the tiny fluttering spots on the monitor.
“As I said in cases like this, it is difficult to be absolutely sure of dates but they all seem to be developing perfectly for the times you have told me, you can relax and enjoy the moment and be spoilt by those who love you, Peri,” Anna said gently. Having read her medical background, it was difficult to believe that Peri was as healthy and happy as she appeared.
“She will be spoilt I promise you,” Josh said seriously. “We have already talked about getting some help around the house and not over doing it at work.”
“I wish my husband was that accommodating,” Anna patted Peri’s hand noting the bemused expression on her face. “You can call me anytime even if you just need to come in and chat about everything that’s happening to you physically. We’ll also get a hold of the family pediatrician for our next appointment it will be good to have him in the loop. The Donati’s are a strong, healthy bunch but I don’t think they’ve had a set of triplets in the family for some time,” she added.
The chatter continued for a while longer, without any major decisions or plans being made aside of the next month’s appointments. Both Josh and Peri were dazed by the news and the doctors could see that they were not taking much of what they were saying in. The long trip home was largely quiet as well, as they both considered what this would mean for them.
“You never cease to amaze me,” Josh reached out and put his hand on her thigh as he drove.
“Me? This is your doing!” Peri shot back with a laugh. “I’m an only child of only children remember.”
“Okay then I’m amazing,” Josh laughed breaking the quiet tension that had been building. “It changes a lot of our plans but luckily after tomorrow we have two weeks to think about it and a whole host of people nearby who can help us out with everything.”
“Like what?” Peri asked suddenly nervous that Josh was talking about getting people to help them.
“Well I don’t think our little cottage is going to be big enough anymore, for starters,” he said. “We will have to talk about if we want to extend or build that dream home at the winery we have been thinking about.”
“I like where we are,” Peri said thoughtfully. “It’s far enough away to be by ourselves, but not so far that I can’t drive into work easily. The vineyard seems so far away and I worry that I won’t be able to get to the city easily enough.”
“There’s no reason why we can’t stay where we are,” Josh said easily agreeing with Peri’s reasoning. “We just need to think about whether to extend what we have or build a completely new dream home.”
*****