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Athena heard Humphrey’s excited squeal and rushed out from the kitchen to find her son being swung high into his uncle’s arms.
“Dio mio! You scared me to death!” She chastised and immediately retreated when the man advanced with her laughing son tucked under his arm.
Giaimo Tesano’s long strides put Athena’s retreat to shame. He caught her easily and earned a kiss to her cheek for his trouble. “How are you, bella?” he asked.
“Very well,” Athena’s response was sweet, but she didn’t linger in her brother-in-law’s arms. Quickly, she backed away when his hold loosened. “You’re early,” she called on her way back to the kitchen. She and Liam were hosting his brothers for dinner that night.
Giaimo got Humphrey settled in the living room with one of the child’s never ending supply of dump trucks. Then, he followed Athena to the kitchen.
“There’s red wine on the table,” Athena said from the stove.
Giaimo moved past the wine and went to Athena. She worked at the stove sprinkling scallions into a bubbling pot of red sauce.
“Looks good,” he raved, “how long has it taken?”
“All day,” Athena sighed. “Same as everything else.”
“Sounds like you could use time for yourself.”
She laughed, quickly wiping her hands on a dishcloth before checking another pot. “Where am I supposed to find that?”
“Perhaps your husband.”
More laughter rippled from Athena’s throat. She turned then, smiling up into Giaimo’s face. “Did you come over early just to lift my spirits?”
“Is it working?”
Something in his tone quelled a portion of Athena’s amusement. In its place, rose the very missed sensation of excitement. The kind a woman was only capable of experiencing from a man she found attractive. Inside, she willed herself to dismiss that sensation.
Quickly, she turned back to the stove. “I should finish this. Your other nephew will be waking soon.”
Before she could turn away, Giaimo had her off her feet and against him. The kiss happened an instant later.
Athena didn’t resist, at first too stunned to do anything except wait while Giaimo Tesano took her mouth with long, slow strokes that caressed every inch of her mouth. It didn’t take long for her to resolve that she wasn’t resisting, because she wanted it. She desperately wanted it. More than that, she needed it. She and her husband had come and gone without so much as holding hands for the last few months.
Giaimo moved a few steps and she felt the cool wood of the countertop under her bottom. The kiss went on and on with the speed and exploration of his talented tongue increasing and deepening. The act took on an intensity that would’ve forced her head back had she not met it with a force that rivaled his. Giaimo ran his hands over her thighs, his intention to spread them for his wide frame.
“No, no, don’t...” her resistance was weak at best. She continued to kiss him passionately. Her hands fell atop his but, beyond that, she did nothing to quell his actions.
Giaimo drew closer, drawing Athena flush against him. Her sex was snug against his where he pressed insistently against the barrier of her panties. He mimicked thrusting movements and then broke the kiss as though he were overwhelmed.
“I’ve wanted to do that for so long,” he panted, his forehead resting on Athena’s shoulder.
“I-I’m your br-brother’s wife.”
“I’m aware,” Giaimo lifted his head. “I wonder if my brother is.” He began to rain kisses across her jaw, down her neck and Athena vibrated amid the pleasure. “Giaimo...please I-I promised I would be good.”
“And it’s killing you, isn’t it?”
“Y-yes,” she admitted on a low moan. She felt his massive form shake with the laughter her admission encouraged.
“Shh...stop,” her words carried sudden heat and she used her agitation to wiggle for her release.
Instead of granting freedom, Giaimo lifted her from the counter to resume their kiss. Her breasts crushed into his chest and Athena locked her arms around his neck. She gasped when his hand covered her breast.
Another of Humphrey’s high-pitched squeals hit the air. The sound of male laughter and a jumble of deep voices confirmed the little boy had opened the door to another wave of dinner guests.
Giaimo set Athena down easily and unhurriedly despite her renewed attempts to free herself. She stilled when he put his face into her neck, inhaling deeply before he straightened. “I’ll keep them out of here while you get yourself together-”
“Wait,” Athena dashed to the sink, running a dishcloth under the faucet. She returned to Giaimo and wiped her lipstick from his cheek.
Giaimo’s potent stare followed her every move. He returned her thoughtfulness by brushing a thumb over the lipstick smudge favoring her cheek. Then, he left her with a wink and went out into the living room.
~~~
Athena wasn’t as upset as she may’ve been by Liam arriving home late for dinner. It had given her time to fix her face and get Humphrey tucked into bed for the night once he’d had his dinner while the adults enjoyed cocktails and antipasto.
Putting their first born down for the night proved to be a bit more difficult than usual. He was understandably excited about his uncles’ visit and all the attention they lavished on him. In the end, it had taken his father to get him settled.
While Humphrey didn’t argue with Liam, he seemed to know exactly how to plead for a little extra playtime. As Aaron was asleep in the nursery, Liam cherished the time with his oldest son. He subjected Humphrey to a breathtaking round of tickling before the child was tucked in for the night.
Back in the dining room, Liam and his brothers raved over the meal amid the conversations surrounding the table on world affairs, local politics and, of course, business.
“I can’t remember when I last enjoyed a meal cooked in someone’s home,” Emilio declared.
“That’s hard to believe considering all the clients you have,” Athena noted.
Toriano snorted. “Those meals are usually cooked by servants.”
Mica sneered in response to his twin’s observation. “We may as well eat in a cafe. But this...” he used a last corner of crusty bread to mop up the meaty gravy that had laced the spinach linguine Athena had prepared.
The men all agreed their brother was a fortunate man. Athena accepted the flattery gracefully.
“The rest of you could be just as fortunate if you were willing to give up your bachelorhoods,” she fixed each of the men with a playfully wicked smile. “Every woman on our staff is a little in love with each of you.”
“Only a little?” Mica queried to the result of wild laughter from the rest of the table.
Not everyone at the table was so amused though. Athena didn’t need to risk a look down the table where Giaimo sat. She knew if she did, she’d find his eyes on her. He had done a commendable job of keeping the looks covert, but what did that matter? Her mind had barely ventured two seconds away from what they had done in the kitchen.
Liam was calling to her then, commending her once again on the fine meal. The others renewed their ravings as well and Athena took that as her cue to escape for a short while.
“I’ll bring out coffee and dessert in fifteen minutes,” she said.
“That gives us time to tour the second office,” Liam decided, pushing up from the table. The office was just down the hall in the old apartment of the building’s former super.
Athena began to clear the table as the men moved from the dining area. She made a point of keeping her eyes down even when she heard Emilio telling Liam they may’ve picked up the scent of their American troublemakers.
Athena headed into the kitchen and moved quickly to get the table set for coffee and dessert which was to be a homemade fruit torte with ingredients from her own rooftop garden. The oasis was slowly emerging into spectacular bloom with an array of vegetables, fruits and herbs. She had even tried her luck and had a successful turn out of roses and hydrangeas.
Athena was preparing to bring cups and saucers to the dining room when she sensed she wasn’t alone in the kitchen. There was no need to turn and she didn’t have the chance to when his hands went to her waist, preventing the move. He cupped her hips briefly before linking his hands together before her waist.
“What are you doing?” she hissed.
“Relax,” Giaimo murmured. “They’re still in the other apartment. I told Li I was going to the toilet.”
“Stop,” Athena angled her head, but was unsuccessful at avoiding his lips nibbling one side of her neck. “There’s a toilet over there too, you know?”
“Mmm hmm...” the nibbling continued. “Relax...”
The word was like a caress on her skin. Giaimo smoothed a hand up to cup one heaving breast before finding his way inside her dress bodice.
“Stop...” her command sounded like a caress as well. She arched into his wide palm when it covered and squeezed her bare flesh.
“We’ve got time,” Giaimo murmured. “My brothers are telling Liam we may’ve found the swine who threatened you.”
She gasped, not sure if it was in reference to the news or what his fingers were doing to her nipple. “After all th-this time?”
“Better late than never.”
“H-how?”
“Later,” he cupped her chin, angling her head around so that he could kiss her hard and deep.
“But how?” Athena managed to free herself a few inches.
“We know where they live.”
“You’re certain?” She turned fully in his arms and saw the lethal glint flashing in reaction to Giaimo’s vivid gaze.
“I saw him, remember?”
Like that, memories of the night returned in full measure. Recalling her terror and the security of her rescuer’s embrace, Athena rested her head to Giaimo’s chest.
When he caressed her hips again, she didn’t resist and accepted his next kiss with a sweet wantonness that turned lusty in seconds. Giaimo crowded Athena into the angle made by the stove and counter. His hand returned to its place inside her dress and their kiss resumed its lustful display. They were oblivious to everything, the dishes they rattled on the counter, the soft whistling of the coffee pot and even the appearance of little Humphrey Tesano in the doorway.