Afterward, when we're finished in the pool and changed, the kids say they want to watch a movie. Santino excuses himself as he received a text from my Uncle, which seems to relieve Joey.

Halfway through the movie, JP gets a text from his dad to see him, and by the time the film is almost over, Carmen and Marco have fallen asleep, completely wiped out.

Annalisa and I decide to start cleaning up the food and take it back to the kitchen.

When we walk back in, the scene where Ralph is falling from the sky is on. Annalisa and I notice Joey following along as Ralph chants, "I'm bad, and that's good. I will never be good...and that's not bad. There's no one I'd rather be than me."

Joey doesn't realize we are back in the room as he starts whispering to himself. "Don't cry, don't cry, don't cry." Annalisa and I look at each other and burst out laughing, and he turns his head quickly, his face red.

"That's freaking adorable, Salvatore!" Annalisa says in between her laughing. He scowls at her as he gets up and turns the TV off, and begins to walk out without saying anything.

"Oh, come on, Joey!" Annalisa says, walking after him.

I grab blankets out of one of the cabinets in the family room and cover Carmen and Marco. I leave a small lamp on for them, in case they have to use the bathroom, during the night.

When I walk out into the hallway, Annalisa walks over to me, shaking her head. "Who knew he had a sensitive side?" She laughs.

"Are you sure you don't want to stay? It's late; you can stay in a spare bedroom." I tell her as we continue walking towards the staircase.

"No, I've got a meeting with that non-profit organization I was telling you about in the morning. Thanks, though; it was fun. Love you!" She hugs me tightly, and I walk her towards the door, closing it behind her.

I grab the baby monitor and head to JP's room since baby Lola is sleeping in my room. I change out of my clothes and slip into a shirt of JP's.

I start to drift to sleep when his bedroom door opens and then closes quietly.

"Sorry, baby," JP whispers. "I didn't mean to miss out on the rest of the night."

"It's no big deal." I yawn.

He leans over and kisses my head before going to his bathroom. Then, after a few minutes, he walks out only in his boxer briefs and slips under the covers and comes up close behind me.

His hand slips under the shirt I'm wearing and lays flat against my stomach. I love how it both calms me and makes me feel safe yet also sends a warmth through me.

When he doesn't make any other attempt to touch me, I press myself back against him. He chuckles behind me, and then he shifts and begins kissing and sucking gently on my neck.

I grab his hand and push it down over myself and then move it under the elastic of my underwear.

JP chuckles against my neck again, "Eager are we, principessa?"

I press myself up against him in response and feel his hardened length, and I moan from that alone.

He plunges his finger into me quickly, and I gasp loudly; his breathing accelerates with mine. He trails his nose down the side of my neck as his warm breath fans over my skin. "Is this what you want, amore mio?"

His voice is low and rough, and it turns me on even more. "Yes!" I pant out.

He presses against my clit, and I moan out in pleasure, and then he moves his mouth over my neck while his fingers work their magic inside of me. The tightness is building, and I know I'm close.

"Not yet, baby." He orders and slows down the movements his hands and fingers are doing inside of me.

JP slides his other arm to hold me from underneath while he adds another finger inside of me. But then I feel his hand come over my throat, and he holds me up against him; the pressure on my throat isn't tight but firm to keep me in place as I feel him press himself against me, and he accelerates the movements of his fingers.

My moan comes out more like a scream of pleasure as I come undone on him.

He shifts, turning me as he comes over me and lifts the shirt over my head, and then he kisses me, thrusting his tongue in my mouth.

I tug his boxer briefs down and push him on his back, and move down to take hold of him in my mouth. "Fuck" I hear him say, and that only encourages me more. I swirl my tongue around him and licking his length, and moan as I taste the salty fluid dripping out of him.

"Damn, baby." JP rasps.

I start to take him in as far as I can go, moving up and down on him. Then, I lick down his length, then lick and suck each of his balls while moving my hand up and down his shaft.

I start to lick in-between his balls, moving my tongue feverishly against the soft skin there.

"Oh god!" His voice cracks.

He sits up on his elbows, watching me. I keep my eyes on him as I move back up and take him in my mouth again and suck on the tip hard and start to move over him until he explodes in my mouth.

He's covered in a sheen of sweat with his arm over his face. I wipe my mouth and move up next to him.

"That was..." He takes in a few deep breaths before he finishes, "fucking mind-blowing." He moves his arm down and looks at me with wonder, and chuckles. "If only people knew my girl likes being naughty and dirty in bed."

I frown at him. "I'm not dirty, JP. I just like reciprocating what you do to me."

JP laughs again. "Baby, not a lot of girls would do what you just did." I don't know if I should take that as a compliment or not.

"And I don't mean that as a bad thing. What you did was fucking amazing. If I'm honest, and as irrational as it sounds, it makes me incredibly happy that I'm the only one who's had the pleasure of knowing what your beautiful mouth can do."

He grins at me and holds me against him, and I start to drift to sleep on him when I hear Lola crying through the monitor. I move to get up, but he stops me, "Let me do it."

He grabs his boxers and slips them back on before walking out. I listen and watch him through the monitor as he comforts Lola. He picks her up, giving her the pacifier as he starts rocking her gently. He starts singing a lullaby softly to her, and my heart melts watching him with her.

After a while, she falls asleep, and he lays her back down. He walks back into his room after a few minutes. "You're lovely with her."

He pecks my lips in return as he gets into bed.

I grab the shirt to put it back on, but he tugs it out of my hands. "I'll keep you warm, amore."

I lay back down, and he pulls me up against his chest, and I am instantly warm from the heat radiating off his body. "What was the song you were singing to her?" I ask quietly as I trace my finger over the tattoo sleeve on his right shoulder near the bandage of his wound, and I think he's fallen asleep since he doesn't answer me, but then he speaks.

"My mom used to sing it to me when I was a kid."

I nod gently against him. "You told me once when we were younger that you wanted a big family someday. Do you still feel that way?"

"Yes, I'd love to have a big family. But..." He trails off and doesn't finish. I move to look up at him.

"What is it?"

He looks down at me. "I didn't understand it then, but when we were kids, you said you didn't know why people would bring kids into this life, the life Timo leads, do you remember?"

I nod, remembering the conversation. We talked as kids, under the big tree in the back yard, about feeling lonely and being the only kids in our families. We both wanted siblings and felt that's why we were so close with each other.

We both also agreed that we felt like burdens at times and other times like an afterthought.

"I get it now...what you meant." He says. "What about you? Do you feel the same?"

"I still don't know that I'd want them around this life, JP. I've felt like a prisoner most of the time in this house; until recently." I smile and kiss his chest, knowing the change is because of him. He rubs my back soothingly.

"I'd try to make their life as normal as possible; outside all of this. But yes, I'd like to have kids someday. I like the idea of even numbers. That way, no one is left out."

He hums in response and continues rubbing my back slowly until we drift off to sleep.

****

The following day, Lola wakes us up with her cute babbling coming through the monitor. I get her changed and dressed while JP makes her a bottle, and then he heads to a meeting with my Uncle, and I head down to check on the older kids.

Marco and Carmen are at the counter eating breakfast that Carmela made for them. "Morning, guys. Did you sleep alright?" They both grin and nod back at me.

Carmela takes the baby from me and feeds her some food from her lap at the kitchen table. I tell her I'm going to shower before Tobias and Melanie arrive, and I let the kids know they can watch a little TV after they finish their breakfast.

When I come back down, Tobias and Melanie are walking through the door. "Charmaine! Thank you, Thank you! I owe you one for taking on our little monsters for the night." Melanie hugs me tightly.

Carmen and Marco run out when they hear their parents. Carmela walks out with Lola in her arms, and she reaches out for Tobias. "Dada, Dada!"

"There's my little princess." He says as he picks her up from Carmela's arms, thanking her.

"Did you guys have fun?" Melanie asks, and the kids nod their heads, smiling.

"Charmaine and John Paul kept kissing each other!" Carmen complains, and my face flushes. "I asked her why she lets him kiss her, and she said it's because he gives good kisses, but I told her my daddy gives better ones!" She says proudly, looking at Tobias, who winks at her.

"You bet he does!" Melanie laughs, turning to me, saying more quietly, "Last night was a good reminder of that." She winks at me. "Although not gonna lie, that John Paul makes me wish I was younger." She whispers.

I laugh at her while Tobias clears his throats, but Melanie gives him a mischievous smile in return.

"Speak of the devil," Tobias says as JP makes his way down the stairs. He looks at Melanie and Tobias before he finds me. I can't help how my heart skips a beat when we lock eyes, and he flashes me his handsome smile.

"See what I mean." Melanie giggles, causing Tobias to frown at her. JP walks over to me and wraps his arm around me, kissing me lightly on the lips.

"See, I told you, mom!" Carmela crosses her arms, shaking her head at us disapprovingly.

Melanie only laughs at her daughter's expression. "Trust me, sweetie, you won't feel that way in a few years."

"Yes, she will. She will never change her mind about that." Tobias says confidently, making me laugh at how serious he is.

The kids say goodbye, and they head out the door. I turn back to JP. "What time will the Dr. be here?"

"Around one. Let's go for a ride," He tells me, pulling me towards the garage.

He helps put his helmet on me, and I wait for him to start the bike.

I get on and sit behind him, holding him tightly as he drives out of the garage and down the long driveway.

Riding with him will be one of my favorite memories when we were kids and now being together with him. He pulls off to the side of the road in the open area we've come to for years.

He helps me down and removes the helmet, ruffling my hair after he pulls it off. Then, he puts his arm around my shoulders and walks us towards the edge of the drop-off, overlooking the ocean.

"You don't know how many times I wanted to tell you I loved you, whenever we came here before," He tells me.

I hug him tighter and look up at him. "You can tell me now," I smile up at him.

"I love you so much." He looks down at me and kisses me softly before he deepens the kiss, holding me close against him. We are both breathless when we pull away, and he leans his forehead on mine.

"I love you, John Paul." I nuzzle myself closer to him, inhaling his calming scent, wanting to engrave this moment in my mind forever.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

***thoughts on the chapter??***