Page 74 of Dante
“What do you think?”
Spinning at hearing Dante’s question, she saw him standing behind her.
“Did you come to check out the house for your neighbors? Maria tried to save you a trip.”
Father and daughter shared a strange look before Maria turned back to her. “Since Dante is here, I better get home and save Matthais from his niece.”
“You didn’t answer my question,” Dante said once his daughter had left them alone. “What do you think of the house?”
“It’s gorgeous. Your neighbors hit the jackpot when Maria agreed to decorate it for them.”
“Maria didn’t decorate the house for the Hendersons,” Dante said, clearing his throat. “She decorated it for us.”
“I don’t understand,” Nadia said in confusion.
“This is our new home. I bought this home as a wedding present to you.” Dante walked further into the living room, dominating the space with his mere presence. “With Lucca taking over, and him and Chloe starting a family of their own, it’s time for them to create their own memories while we begin creating our own, as well.”
Rushing toward Dante, she wrapped her arms around his waist. “You didn’t have to give me such a big home.”
“I like space.” He shrugged. “Once Leo goes back to school, this place will be a madhouse with the friends he’ll invite over. At least it was before he was injured.”
Nadia pressed her fingers over his lips. “You’re not going to go there. You can’t blame yourself for someone else’s actions.”
Feeling the tension ebb out of Dante’s muscled body, she tilted her head back. “Are you going to show me the rest of our new home?”
With them going hand in hand, they went through the sliding door to the outside where there was an outdoor kitchen as well as a television area with cozy outdoor furnishings. Several feet away there was a pool, which had a huge gate-blocking entry that would be safe for his future grandchildren.
Going back inside, they went into the kitchen, which she was pretty sure she was going to have to have lessons on how to work the equipment.
The upstairs was decorated just as amazingly, as Dante showed her Leo’s room.
“He’s going to move his things in here before we come back from our honeymoon.”
Feeling warm inside from everything falling into place, they went inside the last room he was clearly waiting to show her.
Walking inside, she stared at the room in confusion. “Did Maria not get to this one yet?”
“She’s going to come by in the morning so you two can go furniture shopping. Our room will be finished before we get back. You’ll have to pick the paint color you want, too.”
Nadia liked the sound of being able to add her own personal touch to their bedroom, but she had a feeling that, with both of them designing a room together, they could do some serious damage. “What’s my budget?”
“Whatever makes you happy.”
“I knew there was a reason I loved you so much,” she said, sauntering over to him.
“Only one?” he teased.
“There might be a few other things I love about you.” Hugging him by his neck, she gave him a slow smile. “How understanding you are about my job, and how much you know the kids mean to me …”
Dante’s eyes narrowed on her suspiciously. “What do you want now?”
Damn.He was good. There was never no buttering up the ex-king of Kansas City.
“Winnie needs a job.”
“You look beautiful, Nadia.”
Grinning at her best friend, she dabbed at her eyes with a tissue, careful not to smear her makeup. “I hope Dante will think so.”
