After the babies were fed, burped, and happily doing whatever babies did where they just stared at their surroundings, Antonio and Ria finally got to finish their interrupted breakfast. "Where would you like to go next?" He asked Ria, polishing off a sausage.She shrugged as she wiped her mouth. "Anywhere quiet. I don't really mind where. As long as I'm with you."Antonio's heart skipped a beat."Anywhere quiet and fun, you mean," Antonio said with a boyish grin. "Yes. That too." She laughed. "Fine. I have an idea." He leaned forward so he could speak to Dario in the driver's seat. "Dario, find us a baby shop."Ria widened her eyes theatrically. "Oh, no. Are we selling them?" Antonio gave her an amused look. "Dark humor isn't good humor." She rolled her eyes and snorted with laughter. "It was a bit funny. What are we going to a baby shop for anyways?" "You'll see," Antonio replied. Ria eyed him. "Are you going to share this idea of yours?""Nope," he replied. "And I have severa
Ria looked away, her face hot, as the spell was broken. Antonio glared at his flashing phone, and when he realized who was calling, his expression turned rueful. "It's my mother," he said, rolling his eyes up to the ceiling, before picking it up. Ria giggled at the look on his face, but inwardly, her heart was pounding. She couldn't stop thinking about how much she'd wanted him to close that distance between them. How much she'd wanted to feel their lips touch, even if it's just a little. Her lips felt like they were tingling from just her thoughts, and one of the babies gave a loud wail distracting that thought. She immediately snapped out of her wishful thinking, and picked him up, while simultaneously trying to continue eating. The baby in her arms fussed and jerked, and Ria abandoned trying to eat, and began trying to shush him instead. A couple at a near table shot her dirty looks as the baby's cries grew louder, and the look Antonio gave them in return was strong enough to
Ria's expression was stormy as they left the estate behind, and beside her, Antonio was silent. He didn't know how to start up a conversation now that Lucy had put a damper on things. He knew Ria was a smart woman. She had seen the way Lucy acted, and she could deduce correctly that something was up. But how could he explain it? Dario pulled into the parking lot of an upscale breakfast restaurant, and when Antonio and Ria were seated and waiting for their orders Ria finally spoke. "Who was that woman?" She asked, unable to keep it to herself anymore. Antonio cleared his throat. "A friend of mine.""A friend," Ria repeated. She wasn't fooled. Her eyes narrowed slightly. "What did she want?" Antonio shrugged. "She just wanted to hang out, I guess?" He gave her a small, innocent smile as if he truly didn't know what Lucy wanted. When Ria kept glaring at him, he finally caved. "Her name is Lucy, and I promise you, baby, she's no one important," Antonio said in a pleading tone. "She
Lucy's car screeched as she parked it angrily in front of the house. She stomped out, and when she saw that there was no one nearby to take her keys and put her car in the garage, she hummed angrily, prancing up to the house. Molly was just about to step out, and they almost bumped into each other. "Lucy, darling." Molly's voice was filled with surprise. "What are you doing here so early?" Lucy's expression was furious. "What am I doing here? You also don't want me here?"Molly was taken aback. "Of course I do," Molly immediately placated, sensing that Lucy's foul mood had to do with running into Antonio on her way in. She wondered curiously what Antonio must have said to her to put her in such a foul mood. "What is the matter?" "It's Antonio!" Lucy exclaimed, storming deeper into the house, and throwing herself on the couch. "He doesn't want to see me, and he doesn't even appreciate that I made an effort to see him! He said I'm a nuisance!"Molly winced. Oh, dear. Antonio had nev
When Ria woke up the next morning, it was because her babies were cooing. Someone was playing with them. She opened her eyes to see Antonio leaning over both babies, a smile on his face as he lightly tickled their bellies. He made a face when he touched one of them, and whispered. "Someone's wet. Let's get you changed."As he picked the baby out of the crib and turned to the changing table, the other baby made a noise of protest, and he laughed quietly. "Don't worry, I'll change you too," he whispered, like the babies could understand him. As he placed the one in his arms on the changing table, his eyes caught hers and held. "Hey." He stopped whispering. "I didn't mean to wake you."The smile on Ria's face grew. He was just so cute. She also noticed that he was already dressed in what passed for casual wear for him. A dark button down, and dark slacks. Damn. Her husband was attractive. "You didn't," Ria said, stretching and getting out of bed. She was wearing a thin nightgown, an
The sound and sight of Antonio laughing was not a sight Molly was used to. As she stepped into the house, just returning from work, she took a moment to stand by the doorway and take in the scene before her. Ria and Antonio sat sprawled on the floor of the sitting room, the babies lying in their bassinets on the floor. Ria was pink-cheeked from laughing at something Antonio had told her, and Antonio was leaning towards her, a smile on his face. As Molly watched, he flicked Ria's nose, making her snort with laughter, and the air between them quickly became charged with tension as their eyes fell on each other's lips. Feeling like she was intruding, Molly began to back away, but Antonio must have seen her movement from the corner of his eye, because he looked up. Ria turned too, to see what Antonio was looking at, and when she saw Molly there, she yelped and blushed, scrambling to her feet. Both Molly and Antonio chuckled. "Hello, Mother," he greeted, his hand curling around Ria's