Page 57 of Secret Match
The moment she turned the corner, her gaze flew to meet Gio’s. He was handsome and it felt like wings grew on her high heeled shoes because she practically flew to the altar.
Once she took his hands, the day became real again. His slightly calloused hands from sewing and working in his vineyard made every cell in her body wake.
Kiwi’s knees trembled, but Gio placed his hand on her lower back as they stared at the minister and she slowly calmed.
His nearness made the air even sweeter than the grapes. This was as close to heaven she’d ever been.
Suddenly the minister broke through her bubble that surrounded her as he asked, “Do you take this man to be your lawfully wedded husband?”
This was it. The question that mattered. She smiled wide and nodded. “I do.”
The minister then turned toward Gio and all her focus went to him as the minister asked, “Do you take this woman to be your lawfully wedded wife?”
Nothing moved in her world until he said, “I do.”
A laugh escaped her again. She never laughed this much but today was the happiest day of her life.
Gio hugged her waist and a craving for him grew inside her.
Finally the minister said, “You may kiss the bride.”
Her eyes fluttered closed and her lips parted. A fraction of a second later, Gio kissed her.
They were now one. Forever.
Chapter 20
Gio stood near the warehouse where his workers transformed his grapes into wine and watched the wedding guests shimmying and swaying on the wooden dance floor positioned over the grassy area they weren’t farming this cycle.
Today he had lots of brothers and sisters. His mother, if she was alive, would have been happy her children were at peace with their siblings and not at war.
Anthony was the only one that didn’t quite see that and Gio wasn’t sure why.
Bartolemeo and Lorenzo were both knee-deep in conversation with their half-siblings from Paris.
But most of all, Gio was entranced by how radiant his lovely wife was when she laughed with her friend Serenity, as a young boy and girl raced by. The girl won despite the pink princess dress that fluttered in the air.
He pushed himself off the wall to return to the wedding celebration, but his blonde, blue-eyed American sister Victoria waved him over.
He kissed her cheeks and intended to continue past. But then Anthony broke away from his small group and tapped him on the shoulder. “I’m going to find Belle now.”
Another mistake, but Gio glanced ahead at Kiwi. Right now it was time to join her and just hope his family figured out their own lives.
Victoria leaned past him and said, “Wait. Belle? You know where she is?”
Anthony’s lips curled like he was still a boy before he mumbled, “You weren’t supposed to hear that.”
Victoria stepped in front of Gio so he couldn’t just slide past them. “We’ve been looking for her for months. My brother is making a huge mistake today.”
“With the woman I love.” Anthony crossed his arms.
Victoria’s eyes widened like she’d just been hit with an electric shockwave.
Gio stopped a waiter and picked up a few champagne flutes for Victoria and himself as she said, “Jennifer? Really?”
She waved off the offer of the champagne and pressed her hand to her belly like Kiwi did when she thought about their baby.
Gio’s gaze narrowed in on his partner and then further along toward his wife who did the same gesture as she laughed with the children. The Morgan clan was growing.
