Page 24 of My Italian Stepbrother

We don’t have to sneak around, but a big part of me misses that excitement.

Benito is sitting across from me at the dinner table just like our parents want us to. We think they’re worried we’d start feeling each other up during dinner. I don’t think we would have before they restricted us, but now we do.

Benito is staring at my chest while I slide my foot up his leg. When we finish eating, I know he’s going to take me back to our room and “punish” me for doing this. I just love the excitement of breaking the rule.

When dinner is over, he leads me back to the room, and I bite my lips with anticipation of what he’s going to do. Instead of fooling around like I expect him to, he stands in front of me and holds my shoulders while looking down into my eyes.

“What are you doing?” I ask with a nervous laugh.

“Brie, I love you so much,” he says in a soft, calm voice. He runs a finger along my jaw before grazing it across my lower lip. “I’ve never met another woman like you, and I don’t ever want to. You’re the love of my life, and I want to spend the rest of my days with you.”

I stare up at him with a smile. “I love you, too, Benito.”

Benito drops to one knee right in front of me, and I gasp, my hand flying to my chest.

“Brie Stevens, will you marry me?” He pulls a giant sparkling diamond ring out of his pocket.

“Yes! Yes, of course.” I speak through tears and stick my hand out for him to slide the ring on.

He kisses my hand and stands up to hug me tightly.

I never want to let him go.

EPILOGUE

BRIE

Almost Two Years Later

Benito walks ahead of me with Benjamin in his arms, and I watch them both with a fond smile on my face. A few weeks after he proposed, I found out I was pregnant, and Benito was as happy as I’d ever seen him. He’s the greatest father I’ve ever seen, too. He’s so good with Benjamin, and he cares so much about him.

My mother and Enio finally accepted our relationship, but they don’t get to see Benjamin much because they moved to Italy to retire. When Benjamin is a couple of years older, we plan to take him there to visit. Benito is immensely proud of his Italian heritage and wants Benjamin to be, too.

Benjamin’s little face lights up as he watches the twinkling Christmas lights all around us. A park near the house has a beautiful light show every year, and we decided to celebrate Benjamin’s first birthday by visiting it.

I catch up to them with a huge smile and grab a hold of Benito’s hand. He tosses his arm around my shoulder, and I snuggle up against him to shield myself from the cold. Benjamin giggles while he reaches his little arms for me.

He’s such a happy baby.

Benito looks down at us and kisses the top of my head.

I freeze in place and gasp when I feel the baby kicking in my belly.

“Benito, she’s kicking.” My voice rings with urgency, and he rushes over to feel for himself.

“There he is,” Benito says with a laugh. This is the first time our new baby has made any movement yet. “He’s saying ‘happy birthday’ to Benjamin.”

“She,” I correct him. “I’m telling you this one is going to be a girl.”

He shrugs his shoulders as if he doesn’t believe me. But I know I’m right. We don’t want to know the sex of the baby until the day I give birth. We want to be surprised by it.

“We need to place some kind of bet on this,” Benito tells me with a devious smile.

I roll my eyes, pretty much reading his mind. If we have the kind of bet he wants, I’d be pregnant again right after giving birth. This man can’t keep his hands off me.

“No bets,” I laugh while Benjamin grabs my face and pulls my hair.

Benito watches us with a huge grin on his face. Our little family is so happy, and I just want to stay like this…forever.

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