The Twelve Tables Ch. 27

Authors Note: Thank you to everyone left comments or sent me feedback about previous chapters of this story. Thank you again to Margaret who proofread for me. ~ellie

Peri fidgeted nervously. Andie had been so good over the holidays at choosing her wardrobe that she had agreed to let her make a quick shopping trip for something sexy for her weekend away with Josh. While Andie claimed it was all the rage, Peri thought the Body Bow was ridiculous and she had to read the instructions several times before being able to put it on properly and it still looked lopsided. She had stared at the pictures she could find of it, on her phone, until she realised it was supposed to look lopsided.

She was considering taking it off but after all the trouble and time wasted putting it on she was reluctant to do that either. She was feeling a little out of sorts about not going home to check on the babies before coming here. She missed them terribly and even though she knew Antonia and the nannies would look after them without any problems, she craved the feel of them in her arms. She had been considering a date night before Joseph had pressed upon her the need to have some time alone with Josh and she had come up with the plan to have a weekend away. It would have been better she lamented if she hadn't organised it following her night away with Dante.

Looking into the mirror, she tried to put her worries about the babies to the back of her mind and get ready for his arrival. She stood arguing with herself about the Body Bow when her phone rang, and she looked at it as she picked it up.

"Josh?" she asked curiously into the phone.

"Hey there, I think I'm going to be late for whatever you had planned for tonight, Papa has detoured our plane to Andreas' winery," he said apologetically.

"Oh? It's still only early. What time do you think you'll be done there?" She asked.

"You know what they're like," he said, and she could tell he was rolling his eyes.

"Maybe you should take a walk up to the chalet? You never know what surprises you may find there," she tried to keep her voice even, but she heard the silence on the other end of the phone stretch out and imagined him looking up to the small building at the top of the hill. "I might have left something nice for you there," she teased further into the silence.

"I might have a look later then. I'm sure Marisol won't let me go without grilling me about the trip. You know how she is," he said nonchalantly, glad that she couldn't see the grin on his face, as he walked up from the airstrip toward the house behind his father and Uncle.

"I think you should go up before you see her then, the surprise might not be as fresh if you take too long," she said trying to think fast.

"Did you leave me bread that will go stale?" he laughed. "I'm sure it's nothing that can't wait an hour or two," his tone was so casual she believed he was serious and wasn't sure what to say as the silence stretched again. "Peri are you still there? If it means that much to you I'll go up now," he said worried at her silence.

"It sort of does," she said, "I'm sure Marisol will understand if you don't mind the extra walk up the hill."

"For you, anything, always and forever," he said with meaning. He ended the call saving her from saying anything else.

Gerrard and Phillipe were at the house. They had followed her here from the marina. The winery was considered a safe zone, due to its location and the security systems already in place, so they didn't have to stay as close as they had out on the bay with Dante. She knew if Josh went to the house first he would realise she was here and wouldn't have long to wait even if he didn't come here first but it would ruin her surprise.

She suddenly became self-conscious, 'What if he doesn't come alone?' Everyone else knew she was here the only one who might come would be Joseph to check on her. She ran into the bathroom to grab a bath sheet just in case Josh wasn't alone.

She heard the door of the chalet open and a single set of footsteps enter. Relaxing, she stepped out of the bathroom and grinned.

"Now that's a gift worth running up the hill for," Josh breathed, as he took in the sight of her wearing the Body Bow. "I should warn you, though, as much as you're the sexiest gift I've ever received, I'm a married man, and my wife is waiting for me at home, so we can get away for a romantic evening."

"I hope she knows how lucky she is having such a devoted husband," Peri swayed her hips and closed the gap between them. "I mean I wouldn't let myself be gifted to just anyone." She teetered on the too high heels, craning her neck up to kiss him softly. "But if you don't want the gift," she went to turn away and felt his hand curl around her waist.

Josh was done joking, he pulled her to him and kissed her deeply holding her close. When the kiss broke, he smiled down into her upturned face. "Hi," he said huskily. "I've missed you."

"Hi," she whispered smiling back at him. "I love you." She pressed against him, tightening her hold on him. The relationship she had with Dante was wonderful and was only growing stronger, but Josh was and continued to be her first real love. She breathed in the smell of him and closed her eyes contentedly. "I need this," she whispered, "I need you."

Josh's heart skipped a beat, and the reprimand he had planned to give her, about telling him her plans regardless of his father's wishes, disappeared at that moment. He heard the truth of her words and it filled him with an unexpected sense of joy that he couldn't explain, even to himself. He had come up the hill eager to see her and tried to bury his anger about the evening before and then being here now without telling him. He hated surprises like this. He hated feeling out of control, and he didn't want to argue with her here. Not in this place that held so many memories for him.

"I need this too," he replied softly, holding her as they remained standing in the middle of the room. He needed her, not this tryst in the chalet, but he closed his eyes and swallowed down his anger and disappointment. "I've been on the road since early this morning why don't you fill the bath, and I will see what we have in the fridge to drink. "Then I'll take my time to open my sexy gift," he tugged on the material bow that sat across her breasts.

"I didn't know if you would be hungry so I have some pasta I made earlier that I can reheat if you're hungry," she suggested before moving to do as he asked.

"Have you eaten?" he asked.

"I ate while I cooked, I'm not hungry at all, but I will make you something else if you don't feel like pasta," she offered.

"Is it the one with chilli that you make?" he asked enthusiastically.

"Now that I am not feeding the babies, I can eat anything I want again," she laughed, "And I used to make that for you all the time before our lives became so complicated, so I thought you might like it." At the mention of the babies his face changed and she worried that her regret about not seeing them today had carried into her voice.

"Let's fill up the tub and relax for a while." He let her go and walked toward the fridge. It was full of his favourite snacks and beer and reminded him of when it had just been the two of them. He felt a twinge of regret that they couldn't have done this at home where he could have seen his children as well as spend some alone time with Peri. He grabbed a beer for himself and a bottle of water for her and headed over to the bath that stood in a little glass alcove between the tiny living area and dining area within the kitchen. The small chalet was one large room with an attached bathroom that doubled as a steam room. It was an ingenious alpine style used in the high mountain resorts. A combination of the hotel room and Swiss chalet styling.

Placing the two bottles on the tile, that surrounded the tub, he stripped off his shirt, pulling it over his head rather than undoing all the buttons. He reached for his belt, but Peri stepped forward.

"Let me," she said softly and put her hands over his. Josh lowered his head and kissed her, as her fingers worked quickly on the belt, button and zipper. Her hands pushed the pants and his underwear down over his hips, but he stopped her from sinking to her knees before him. He didn't want that right there and then.

"My turn," he grinned once again squashing his bad mood and kicking his pants across the room. He ran his fingers around the material covering her shoulder down to the bow across her chest. "The question would be how," the corners of his mouth quirked up, forming a smile that barely made it to his eyes as he spoke. He watched as she stepped back and slid the ribbon-like material from her shoulder, then pulled the bow up and to the left, undoing the hooks and eyes hidden there, and the bow fell away from her.

"Mine," Josh groaned pulling her back into his arms and kissing her. He helped her into the tub before climbing in behind her and pulling her back onto his chest. He sighed contentedly, just happy to be with her again, regardless of where they were.

"Is everything okay?" Peri asked craning her neck to look up at him. She had expected a lecture at the least, physical punishment at worst, for not telling him about the plans for the weekend. This calm and seemingly docile side of Josh worried her.

"Sydney is not my favourite of places. I think I needed this bath to wash the filth of it from me," he said quietly. "I missed you and the babies. Did you have a good time with D. on the yacht?" he asked without any rancour.

"The yacht is amazing you would love it," she said still concerned by his subdued mood. "We talked a lot, I never really got the chance to know him properly the way I got to know you. I never even considered that he was that much older than you. I think it bothers him a little, the age gap between us."

"I think it's taken some time for him to get over the fact that his little brother grew up and married such a wonderful woman," he chuckled. "I might have to have a word with him about being a dirty old man, preying on such a beautiful young lady," his chuckle turned into a laugh.

"Don't do that," Peri smiled enjoying his laughter. "I think he is sensitive about it, even though it's never crossed my mind."

"That's because you just accept people as they are, not everyone is like that. I think all of my brothers have had to rethink their idea of me as the kid brother since the announcement," Josh admitted.

"Dante said that they hadn't thought of you in terms of the chair, now he couldn't imagine anyone else occupying it," she said softly reassuring him of Dante's support.

"I think it's been harder for Ben than anyone. Not because he is the second son and everyone thought the chair would go to him, but because he watched out for me from the time I moved to the city, like Papa would. I'll always be that kid brother to him."

"I always wanted a sister or brother, someone who would look out for me. It must have been nice having the five oldest brothers all looking out for you," she sighed.

"Seven not five," he groaned. "It was okay sometimes, but more often than not, they teased, bullied and picked on me," he said with the mock sadness of a child. "I guess there was always someone to ride with or just hang out when they were home for the holidays, so that was good. Carlo was the only one who never treated me like a kid. I loved him even more for that," Josh said.

"So Carlo was the favourite brother?" Peri asked.

"I don't know that I had a favourite brother, they were all pretty good in their way. I didn't get picked on any more than the others even though it felt like it at the time. They all taught me how to do something cool I guess," Josh seemed to think about it.

"Cool like what?" Peri was genuinely curious.

"Let's see, Ang and Ben taught me to surf one summer when I was home from school. Carlo taught me to ride like a rodeo cowboy. Lio taught me how to shave properly," he scratched at his stubble. "D. taught me to drive, and appreciate the necessity of good driving music," he laughed.

"Mama told me about that," Peri laughed as he murmured in surprise. "She didn't like that the first driving lesson was about the music selection. She thinks you two are trouble when you're together," she grinned and rolled slightly to her side in the huge tub to look up at him without craning her neck. "I have to say I think I agree with her."

"Speaking of trouble," his voice lowered slightly. "I can understand that you thought you were doing the right thing, and you didn't realise you would have no reception when you tried to call me but," he paused. "Tell me next time, I can't bear it when you just disappear, I don't need surprise weekends. This is great, amazing, awesome to have the whole weekend with you but tell me if you're going away overnight, just in case I can't contact you." he was having trouble keeping his voice even, so he picked up his beer and took a swallow.

"I'm sorry," she apologised making no excuses for her behaviour. "I knew you wouldn't be happy when you found out, and I should have told you."

"Yes you should have," he said sternly but seemed reticent to lecture her as she had expected. "Peri," he said cautiously. "Does it bother you when I call you mine?"

"I don't understand why you would ask that. That's what we have always called each other, from our first weekend in this chalet," confusion laced her voice.

He sighed unsure of how to say what was on his mind. He had spent a sleepless night thinking about what his father had said and remembering the vision of the Martino Prince with his submissive on a leash in public. It had shocked Josh to find out that the girl wasn't a kept but rather a woman Alfonzo was considering marrying or as the pretty young man said, owning. Josh expected Peri's love and submission, but he would never treat her so badly, even if she agreed to such a scenario.

"I want you to know that I love you. You are my soul mate and the other half of my being, you are mine in more ways than I ever dreamed another person could be," he began trying to make sense of how he was feeling. "I'm not jealous of Dante because I know that everything that has happened in the last year to get us where we are now, is because you feel the same way about me," he knew he wasn't making much sense. It was hard to explain without her knowledge of what he had endured from his father and the meeting with the Martino heir last night.

"I do feel the same. After all that happened, I asked you to marry me in case you have forgotten. This life, my life with you is what I chose, what I want, I love you because you are mine just as I am yours," she reassured him sensing something was bothering him on a much deeper level. "I know you're not jealous of Dante," she leant into him and curled her arms around him. "You have no reason to be. We've been through so much to be here together, and we're as much in love as we've always been. I explained that to Dante last night. You and I had a courtship, a time of growing together and getting past that initial rush of lust and endorphins to something much deeper and real. He and I have never had that same sort of time of getting to know each other as individuals."

"I don't know that I am exactly past the lust and endorphins stage," Josh grinned reassured by her words and running his hands down her body beneath the water. "And that was a shotgun wedding after all," he placed his hand over her belly.

"You think I trapped you into marrying me?" she looked up in mock horror.

"Well, I was a very eligible bachelor. No one would blame you, I'm sure," Josh teased.

"Poor man trapped into marriage with a nobody like me," she said and frowned as she remembered Cherise's attempt to trap Dante into marriage. "The problem with that thinking is that if it were the case I don't think your father or Dante would have allowed it to happen. Given the history," she said meaningfully knowing that Dante had confided the real story of his heartbreak with Josh. "Perhaps it was you who trapped me into marriage," she tried to hide her smile. "I'd been through a pretty traumatic time, and you didn't know if I was still covered by birth control."

"If I knew it was that simple to get you down the aisle I would have gotten you pregnant long before then," he grinned. "I knew I wanted you forever and always after our first night together." They laughed easily together as Josh let his mood soften with her words of love.

"Did something happen on your trip to make you worry about us? Aside from not knowing where I was until I managed to call you," she asked.

"Papa threatened to ground me like a naughty child. I wasn't exactly rational when I couldn't contact you or Dante. I even tried your security team," he admitted. "I might have raised my voice to him," he said sounding contrite and surprising Peri. "You drive me so crazy when you pull stunts like this!" Josh felt his anger rising again, despite his desperate attempts to bury it deeply.

"It was Papa's wish that you didn't know, to be fair," Peri said softly. "Not that I am blaming him, I should have told you myself, I know that now."

"It wasn't that so much, even though Papa gave me a few home truths that were hard to face. It was the Martino family. Have you met with their representative for the family history?" he asked curiously.

"Not yet, I was starting with the Battaglia and Farnese families although a few of the others came to visit and start the process with my team. Not the Martino family, though," she answered thinking through all the information her team had sent her.

Josh told her what Joseph had said about their history, followed by his meeting with the pretty young prince and the young woman he had under consideration for marriage. Peri stopped him after almost every sentence, asking questions, becoming totally enthralled by the idea of researching this family's history and discovering whether there truly was an unbroken male line from the Savoys. She realised, as Josh teased her about her expecting him to be a walking family encyclopaedia for the tenth time, that she was ready to return to work.

"I told Dante we needed to talk as a family about me going back to work and where we would live," she said. "I like our home and think it's better for the children to be able to get out and run around in the fresh air. I imagine we will have Ben's children with us for some time now, and that lovely little school is close to the house." She added voicing her preference. "Staying at the penthouse would mean it wouldn't be such a long commute for me, and I could spend more time with the babies as well as the children."

"You seem to have thought about this a great deal," he considered her with some surprise.

"Since the holidays when I saw Antonia's room and knew you would be using the Athenaeum here I have been wondering how difficult it would be to build me a workspace at the house?" She asked enthusiastically. "The library we have there is wonderful but if I have the team out there I'd like it to be separate and set up a little differently."

"I thought you said the three of us would discuss this as a family, but you seem to have decided what you'd like already," he chuckled. This was the Peri he fell in love with. The woman whose mind was alive and always working on several projects at once. He loved seeing her face light up with the excitement of it all, and if it were up to him alone he would have promised her that he would build an Athenaeum just for her research projects, but he had taken his father's words to heart. He needed to share all of these decisions with Dante.

"Yes, and I meant it but," she blushed. "After hearing that story, I realise how much I've missed it, the work. I got a bit carried away I guess."