Page 33 of Italian Professor

We walk through the front door, and I nearly drop Jennifer’s bags on her toes. Aria is standing at the foot of the stairs, dressed in a form-fitting, royal blue gown. Her hair flows over her shoulders and settles on either side of her cleavage. Her diamond heart pendant catches the light and sparkles in her crystal blue eyes.

“Oh, Aria. That gown was made for you,” her mother gasps.

“Thanks, Mom. Are you sure it’s okay? I feel like every inch of me is on display in this.”

“Every gorgeous inch of you. Who would ever believe that you carried all of these children!”

I would love to add my two cents to the conversation, but she’s rendered me completely speechless. My wife is the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen, but in this gown, right now, she looks like an angel dropped down from heaven.

“Anthony? Is this okay? Do I look alright?” she asks and it takes me a moment to get out of my head and actually form words. This isn’t the first time Aria has left me breathless, but it feels like the first time, every time.

“You…you look amazing,” I stutter.

I walk to the stairs and hold out my hand to her. She takes it and I walk her out into the living room for the kids to see.

“Mommy, you look like a fairy princess,” Ariel tells her.

“Thank you, baby,” Aria says and I notice that she has a tear in her eye.

“Don’t cry, baby girl. She’s just telling you what we all see. Now, say goodbye. We need to hurry.”

“I’m sorry. I must have spent half an hour looking in the mirror trying to decide if I should wear this.”

“I’m so glad you made the right decision,” I wait for her to kiss the kids and escort her to the car.

* * *

Our welcome partyis being held at the Spiazzi di Gromo resort hotel. We receive a warm welcome when we arrive, but it’s no surprise to me that my wife instantly becomes the center of attention. She glides across the floor with a delicate radiance that comes so naturally no other woman could imitate it.

We shake hands with the board members and their wives then sneak off to the outdoor lounge. Once there, I do what I’ve been waiting to do since the moment I saw her on the stairs. I take her in my arms and sway her back and forth to the slow and sultry music from the band inside.

“Shouldn’t you be in there rubbing elbows with the bigwigs?” she asks me.

“They’ll forgive me for wanting to be out here with you. Every man in there is wishing he could be me right now.”

“That’s sweet, but…”

“No, I’m not going to let you say a word about it. Look inside and tell me what you see.”

“They’re looking at us,” she whispers, with a tremble in her voice.

“They’re looking at you, Princess, wishing they can have you but they can’t. You’re mine, little girl. Nothing will ever change that.”

“I love you so much, Anthony. You’re the sexiest man alive and you’re the best father and husband that any woman could ask for.”

I dip her and her face lights up with a smile so big it could illuminate the night sky. The music stops and she asks, “Should we go back inside now?”

“Not yet,” I say and pull her to a quiet corner out of the view of our onlookers. “First, I need to make out with my sexy date. Then, we can get back to the old tight-shirted educators.”

She laughs and says, “Remember when you asked me if I thought of you that way?”

“Vaguely,” I answer but I remember it very well.

“How could I ever think that way about you? You’re still a hulk of a man and an animal in bed.”

“You just wait, Princess. When this party is over, I’ll show you how much of an animal I can be.”

I take her sweet face in my hands and kiss her, slipping my tongue deeply inside her mouth. Her chest heaves, breath hitching, as my hand begins to wander. After all these years, she still has the same effect on me as well.

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