Page 36 of Temptation

“What surprise?” Maddy’s eyes sparkle with innocent curiosity, her mind already racing with possibilities, her tiny hands clasped in eager anticipation.

“Well, if I told you, it wouldn’t be a surprise anymore, would it?” Fabrizio teases, his tone light and playful, adding to the excitement.

“But I want to know,” Maddy protests, her pout almost comical in its earnestness, her lower lip jutting out adorably.

Fabrizio chuckles softly. “The faster you go and get ready, the quicker you’ll see,” he says, his grin widening as he watches his daughter’s determination, the playful challenge in his eyes adding a spark to the moment. With a reluctant sigh, Maddy slides off the bed and skips out of the room, her brother close behind, their bare feet creating a rhythmic pitter-patter accompanied by their excited chatter and giggles.

As they leave, I let out a content sigh and sink back into the plush pillows, savoring the tranquility of the moment after the momentary excitement of nearly being found by the twins, rolling around naked in their father’s bed. Fabrizio’s voice breaks the silence. “The same goes for you,” he says, his tone gentle yet teasing, a playful challenge in his eyes. Yet he shows no intention of getting up; instead, his gaze slowly travels up my body, lingering on every curve and contour until his eyes lock onto my lips. I feel a thrilling shiver as I drag my teeth across them, the sensual tension between us becoming almost palpable. The world outside ceases to exist, the reality of everything going on ceases to exist, and the reality of our relationship ceases to exist, leaving just the two of us in this intimate, perfect moment.

“Just five more minutes,” I murmur, stretching out my body and wiggling deeper into the comforting embrace of the mattress, my voice a soft plea.

“Don’t tempt me,” he replies, his voice husky with unspoken desire. His eyes darken, a storm of emotions brewing within them, and a low growl escapes from deep in his throat as I daringly drag the tip of my tongue across my lower lip. He leans in, the warmth of his breath mingling with mine, our noses brushing in a tender, intimate gesture. The moment our lips meet, it’s electric, his tongue darts inside, exploring, tasting. I respond eagerly, sliding my arms around his neck and entwining my fingers in the soft strands of his hair, pulling him closer. All too soon, he pulls away, leaving me breathless and wantingmore. I watch, a mix of frustration and admiration, as he pushes himself up from the bed. His movements are fluid and graceful as he strides toward the closet. His back muscles ripple under his skin, and he pulls out a pair of jeans and a shirt. The simple, casual attire somehow looks effortlessly stylish in his hands. My eyes trace the lines of his body, from the broad shoulders to the narrow waist, lingering on the way the fabric clings to his muscular frame once he’s dressed. He’s a vision of masculine perfection, each detail adding to the allure.

“Are you going to tell me what you have planned?” I ask, my curiosity piqued, my voice a soft inquiry.

“No,” he replies with a teasing smile playing on his lips. “Downstairs. Five minutes.” His tone leaves no room for negotiation, and with that, he turns and heads for the door, leaving me to wonder what surprise he has planned for the children. I feel this isn’t something he’d do often, but the man keeps surprising me, showing me glimpses of what he could be in a different world, a different life.

After a quick breakfast, we pile into the car, and Fabrizio drives us to an amusement park. I blink a few times at my surroundings; I don’t know what I expected the big surprise to be, but it certainly wasn’tthis. The vibrant colors and the cacophony of joyous screams immediately overwhelm my senses, each detail adding to the lively atmosphere. Maddy leaps out of the car, her eyes sparkling with joy.

“Oh. Wow.” Her mouth hangs open in wonder as she takes in the bustling environment. It must feel like she’s stepped into a dream world, each sight and sound enhancing the magic of themoment. The impressions impinging on the children must be out of this world, especially given that their father usually keeps them as far away as possible from places like this. The air buzzes with excitement, and the scent of popcorn and cotton candy wafts through the air, adding to the sensory overload.

“Can we go and drive with bumper cars?” Flynn asks eagerly, his voice filled with hopeful excitement.

“Slowly, piccolo.” Fabrizio crouches down to eye level with the twins, his tone gentle yet firm. “No running around by yourselves, okay? You’ll always stay close toSiennaor me, understand?”

My heart leaps in my chest at the casual use of my name in front of his children, instead of the formality he usually clings to.

But maybe finding me in his bed this morning blurred the remaining lines between professional formality and the intimacy of staying together under the same roof.

“Yes, Dad.” Flynn nods vehemently while Maddy approaches me with a huge grin plastered on her face, grabbing my hand with a vice-like grip.

“Can we go now?” She laughs, using her whole weight to try and pull me further inside the park. I find myself giggling along with her as we step through the gate.

For the next few hours, I feel like I’ve been pulled into some kind of alternate world. The twins drag us from ride to ride, their joy seemingly boundless. Each attraction offers new thrills and impressions for them, and their constant laughter rings out like music.

And their father—the usually reserved and cold man—seems once again like a completely different person. His eyes twinkle with a rare lightness, and his laughter is genuine and hearty, adding a new layer to the day’s magic, at least for me.

I can’t keep myself from looking at him again and again. Being happy suits him. There’s a warmth in his expression anda carefreeness in his every movement that I haven’t seen before, and it makes my heart swell, as I see him laughing with his daughter while I wait for Flynn to end his ride with the bumper cars.

“Can we get some too?” Flynn’s tug on my arm pulls me from my daydream.

My gaze focuses back on Fabrizio who stands in front of an ice cream cart with Maddy perched on his shoulders, from where she studies the selections of flavors intently.

“Of course.”

When we join them, I pick up Flynn and rest him against my hip to give him a better view of the variety of flavors before us. The array of colors and options makes his eyes light up.

“And what do you want, little guy?” the man behind the counter asks with a friendly smile.

“I want chocolate with sprinkles,” Flynn declares immediately.

“Of course, with sprinkles.” The vendor grins at Flynn as he hands him the ice cream cone adorned with colorful sprinkles. “There you go, young man. And what does Mommy want?”

My heart skips a beat at his words. The unexpected label catches me off guard, and I can see Fabrizio stiffen beside me from the corner of my eye. “I—um.” A lump forms in my throat, but I manage to place my order. “I’d like a scoop of strawberry, please.”

The vendor nods and prepares my cone and hands it to me. Fabrizio wordlessly pays him and silence settles between us as we settle onto a nearby bench, the world around us a blur of muted colors and distant sounds. Maddy perches herself onto my lap, her small frame humming with happiness as she savors her ice cream. My hand quivers slightly as I mimic her, the cool sweetness melting on my tongue, but doing nothing to cool down the burning on my face caused by the innocent scene with an embarrassing misunderstanding.

“Can we go play now?” Maddy suddenly leaps off my lap, her boundless energy breaking loose after she and her brother inhaled their sugary treats in record time.

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