Page 49 of Unrestricted
When it gets to midnight, I tell my brother I've had enough and make my way upstairs. As I approach Eliza's room I see the door is closed and the lock engaged, signaling she's inside.
I pause for a moment, my hand over the handle. Do I want to fuck her senseless or repeat what we had this morning?
As I open the door and find her lying on the bed waiting for me, wearing nothing but a serene smile, I decide it's the latter. I want to take my time with her. Don't ask me why.
SIXTEEN
Eliza
When I come down to the kitchen, Giuliana is already there. She and Benito spent the night after he drank too much wine to drive them home. I don't know what he and Adriano discussed last night but apparently a lot of alcohol was involved.
Adriano didn't get drunk, though. He was perfectly sober when he came to bed and pounded me into the mattress for two hours. The man is insatiable. He barely gives my body time to recover before he's back for more.
Rosa isn't here yet but it is only six a.m. She doesn't usually start work until later. Adriano went out for his run a half hour ago. He didn't lock me in the bedroom when he left, telling me instead to behave while he was gone.
To be honest, there's not a lot of mischief I could get up to in this place. Unless I took a knife to some of the so-called works of art hanging in the downstairs corridor.
Giuliana looks up from the coffee machine and smiles when she sees me. Wearing a silk robe and with her hair down she'sconsiderably more relaxed than she was last night. She also looks younger without the makeup on.
There's a freshness to her complexion that the layers of foundation and powder conceal. This is the real Giuliana, not the guarded woman who came to dinner. I like her a lot more like this.
"Did you sleep well?" I ask her.
"Better than I have in weeks."
She doesn't elaborate but I'm guessing this wedding business was weighing on her mind. I get the feeling she held onto it for as long as she could before finally telling Benito what her husband had threatened.
I find the dynamic between her and Adriano's half-brother fascinating. She seems more willing to take her troubles to him than to her own son.
Perhaps she thinks Benito won't overreact the same as Adriano would if someone upsets her. From what I've seen she's wrong about that.
"Do you know how to work this thing?" she asks, waving at the coffee machine. "It's far too fancy for me."
"Yes, I've worked in a coffee shop or two in my time." I can use a gadget like this in my sleep. "What would you like?"
"Cappuccino, please. I like to start the day right."
"Me too," I agree.
She steps aside and allows me room to make the coffee. It doesn't take long before I have two cups of rich smooth coffee with perfectly frothed milk on the top. We take them to the kitchen table.
"I've been thinking about the wedding," she says. "I think you're right about my hair. I will wear it up." She pulls her hair back and twists it into a knot which she holds in place for me to see. "Something like this, I think."
"That's perfect."
"What do I ask the stylist for?"
"A French twist." It's not quite what she's showing me but it's what will work best for her hair.
"A French twist. That sounds so sophisticated." There's a hint of girlish glee in her voice. "Maurizio will hate it."
"Why?" I furrow my brow. "Because it's French?"
Giuliana throws back her head and laughs. "No, dear, because he prefers it when I wear my hair down."
"Ah." Now I feel silly. "You should ask the stylist to put some jewelled pins in your hair. Gold with embellishments to match your dress."
Giuliana sips her coffee as she contemplates that. "Yes, that would be perfect. Do you know I'm starting to get excited about this wedding now. I was dreading it but now you've given me ideas about my hair, my makeup, I'm looking forward to it."
