Protecting The Principessa (Complete)

~ Chapter 26 ~

She wasn't sure what kicked up the butterflies in her stomach, but she knew she had them when she pulled back and saw the smile on that man's face. Good fucking Lord, he was sexy as sin. Not that she didn't know, because she did, very much so, but that smile, yeah, she could see tons of panties dropping for him, for that look. And she tried to tell herself she wouldn't be in that mix, in that line, however, she wasn't sure she believed that. Truthfully, she was thinking of little else but getting him in bed these days and that was not good.

She finally stepped back, and he let her go, but she couldn't miss the flash in his eyes like he didn't want to let her go. And she almost screamed not to stop at him, but that wouldn't have been right. Not when they stood outside her dad's place with Sara lingering about. Talk about a sobering thought. Nothing like thinking of the woman he was going to marry to make all of her wanting to disappear.

"Shall we?" he told her, resting his hand on her lower back and turning her to the door. She wanted to shake his hand off, as childish as that sounded, but she needed to think. And when he was touching her, she couldn't. Well, she could, but the only thoughts she had was of him and she wrapped up in his sheets, fucking around like rabbits. Which lead her down the road of his stamina and what else...fuck, she had to stop! That wasn't healthy. Wanting this man wasn't healthy.

She glanced up as the door opened and a voice squealed before launching herself into Izzy's arms, causing her to smile. She wasn't sure why Sienna took such a strong liking to her, but it was nice. Izzy hugged the little girl back and then smiled at the woman in the doorway.

"Come on Sienna, let poor Ignazia breathe, it's not like you haven't seen her." Izzy smiled down at the little girl and followed her inside, the presence of Adriano strong behind her. She had to get over this thing, or this dinner was going to suck for her. It was bad enough that she felt him, she didn't need to worry about him when he was next to his fiancé.

"Ignazia." She turned and smiled at her dad who drew her into a hug. "Are you okay now?"

"Fine. Everything got squared away." Izzy smiled at him before turning to look at Stefano who had just walked down the stairs. His eyes danced between his dad and her.

"Something happen?" She glanced at Adriano as he passed the family and his eyes shot to hers. She wasn't sure what to explain and what not to get into. She had a feeling that the other kids hadn't seen anything like that, even though this was probably more their world than hers.

"Nothing big, and nothing to worry about," she told Stefano who nodded. She was older than everyone, yet it seemed Stefano was willing to defend her, which she found odd but endearing.

"Let me know if there are problems, I got your back, sis," he told her before walking to the table. She wasn't sure what to make of that but by the chuckle that her dad let out, it seemed like he didn't mind.

"Got a bodyguard with a brother. Funny, Sara doesn't," he told her, leading her to the table. "Sure you're okay? When I talked to you on the phone, you did sound rather upset." Izzy took the chair that he held out and nodded.

"Promise dad, I'm okay. It just rattled me for a moment, but nothing that I couldn't handle." She unfolded the napkin and crossed it over her lap, glancing up as Adriano took the seat next to her. Her head snapped over and she saw Sara sitting across the table from him. That was different. Adriano threw her a smile before grabbing his own napkin.

"Take care of everything?" Carlo asked Adriano as he sat down at the head of the table.

"Oh no you don't, no discussion of work at the table, you know that Carlo," his wife said, sitting down herself. Izzy hid her laugh behind the water glass.