Submitting to My Best Friend's Dad by Scarlett Rossi
Chapter 383 -

*Olivia*

I woke up with a cramp in my neck from sleeping on top of Giovani all night. I turned it slowly from side to side to work it out. Once I was loosened up, I pulled myself off him, and he groaned, "Oh thank goodness you're getting up. My arm is asleep."

"You could have woken me!" I shoved my arm against his as he rubbed it dramatically.

"No, I love to watch you sleep. You look so sweet when you're sleeping."

"Well, that just sounds creepy. But I love you, so I'll let you get away with it," I teased and turned from him so I could get out of bed.

Before I could get up, he grabbed me around the waist and pulled me back for a long kiss. He moved his hands up from my waist to my hair and let his fingers tangle up in it while he caressed my mouth with his.

"I thought your arm fell asleep," I pulled myself away long enough to say.

"Kisses make everything better," he murmured before grabbing at me again.

I laughed and let him tangle me back up in the sheets and wrap his arms tightly around me. He was always a little more playful in the morning. I got the feeling that this was a side of Gio that others never got to see, which made it all the more precious to me. The morning light shining in through our window lit up his face and highlighted the golden undertones in his skin. I was struck by how beautiful his face was, especially basked in the morning light. As an art lover, I appreciated art in all forms, and Givoani's face was exceptionally lovely to me.

I kissed him everywhere that the sun touched, hoping that the memory of my kisses would stay with him throughout the day. I hated how often this playful side of him got beaten down with worries throughout the day until he looked like he was carrying the weight of the world by dinnertime.

Once I was satisfied that every inch of his face had been kissed, I got up.

"I am starving. What do you think is for breakfast today?" I asked as I got up and wrapped my dressing gown over my pajamas. I was looking forward to having a lazy day and had no intentions of getting dressed any time soon. If I was lucky, I could convince Gio to come back up to the room with me after breakfast.

"I'm sure something delicious," Gio came up behind me and kissed my neck, "but not as delicious as you."

An incredible shiver of desire made its way from his mouth on my neck down to my stomach. I leaned into his kiss, loving the way his lips felt against the sensitive skin just below my earlobe. He wrapped his hands possessively around me and I melted against him as a new hunger awakened inside me.

"Hmm, maybe breakfast can wait," I muttered and turned around to face him, pressing my body tightly against his.

He laughed, sending pleasant vibrations through the parts of me that were touching him.

"Not so fast, my love. I know how you are, there's no way I'm letting you skip breakfast after you just told me you were starving. Don't worry, I fully plan on bringing you back up here afterward. I don't have too much on my plate today." His words sent a thrill through me. I loved it when he didn't have to rush off to work, especially when he was feeling frisky.

He reached down and squeezed my ass just enough to make me jump, then spun me around toward the door. We walked to breakfast hand in hand, his promise to bring me back to the bedroom the only thing on my mind.

Tallon and Dahlia were already at the table by the time we got there, but they hadn't started eating yet. It looked like the cooks were in the middle of whipping up a full English breakfast. I still wasn't so sure about eating baked beans for breakfast, but it was one of Giovani's favorites.

We sat down next to each other, Gio keeping his hand in mine under the table. Dahlia made eye contact and raised her eyebrows at me. I rolled mine back at her. I don't know when she developed such a dirty mind, but she loved to tease me. I was just happy that we could be honest with her about our relationship. No matter how long we were together, I would never take that for granted, not after we'd had to do so much sneaking around before. "Giovani, have you heard anything else from Gabriele?" Dahlia asked.

My mood immediately darkened, and I could see from the way Gio suddenly sat up a bit straighter. That playful Giovani was gone for the day. He was going to go back to carrying far too much stress again. I felt a bit annoyed at Dahlia for bringing it up, but I also understood why she wanted to know. If I was being honest, I also wanted to know.

Gio squeezed my hand gently, then let go, preparing to tell us whatever new information he had. But before he could say a word, Tallon jumped up and yelled, "I have a proclamation!"

"What the fuck, Tallon?" Dahlia asked, rubbing her ear. "You damn near blew out my ear drum."

"Sorry," he said, not looking sorry at all. "but I have planned a day trip for us all! I know that everyone could use a day of relaxation, so I wanted to do something special. And our car is going to be on its way to get us in about half an hour, so everyone needs to eat fast and get dressed!"

"Dressed in what?" Dahlia pressed. "You have to give us some kind of hint."

"No! It's a surprise! But you don't need to wear anything fancy."

I made eye contact with Gio, excitement making my heart flutter. "Are you coming too?"

He had said he didn't have a lot going on, but then again he often had meetings and things that he couldn't miss. I didn't want to get my hopes up, but it would be a lot more enjoyable if he could come with us.

"I don't see why not," he smiled indulgently, happy to give me the answer he knew I wanted to hear.

I couldn't help it; I was so overjoyed I clapped my hands together like a five-year-old. Giovani chuckled at my little outburst.

The cooks handed out our plates at the end of Tallon's proclamation, and we all ate in silence, trying to shovel the food down quickly so that we wouldn't be late for the car. Far faster than a full English breakfast should be eaten, we all finished up and went to our rooms to get dressed.

My plans for a lazy day were ruined, but this was far better. I looked through my wardrobe, trying to decide what to wear. To Tallon, "nothing fancy" basically just meant "don't wear a ballgown," which unfortunately still left me with way too many options to decide from.

"You should wear that one," Giovani said, pointing to a cream-colored sweater dress that was loose around the top but clung nicely to my waist and hips.

"Hmm, okay, but then I get to choose for you!" I said, picking out my favorite pair of his jeans and a black T-shirt that looked amazing on his back and biceps.

"You're so lascivious, carina." He chuckled and took what I had picked.

"I could say the same about you!" I told him, my back turned as I put on the dress he had picked for me.

We only had five minutes left, so I quickly gathered my hair into a ponytail and swiped some mascara on. It wasn't my best work, but it would do.

"You look beautiful, baby," Gio said quietly. I didn't think I would ever get used to being with someone who worshiped me the way he did. The way he treated me often left me speechless, and right now was no exception. I turned to him and stood on my tiptoes to kiss his cheek.

We left our room for the second time that morning, again hand in hand. We found Dahlia at the bottom of the stairs waiting for us. She looked gorgeous as usual in an understated black T-shirt dress. Somehow she had managed to put on a full face of makeup and fix her hair all in the time it had taken Giovani and me to get dressed.

"It's about time! Tallon refused to tell me anything until you both got down here. I was afraid you'd both forgotten all about the surprise!"

"Me, forget about a surprise?! Never!" Giovani responded, a hint of sarcasm in his voice.

Dahlia rolled her eyes at him, then turned to me, "You look great, Olive! Giovani could take notes from you."

"She's the one who dressed me!" he sputtered.

"I think he looks good, Dolly!" I protested.

She just laughed and turned on her heel, expecting us to follow. Giovani tickled my side, and I yelped, then poked him back. I smiled, apparently playful Gio was sticking around today. I had been excited about the day trip already, but knowing that Giovani could come and that he was apparently in a great mood only made me even more excited.

We made it out to the car where Tallon was already waiting for us. Instead of our usual black SUV, it was some kind of big, boxy thing with a ridiculous yellow color that made me smile. I could tell it was one of those things that only wealthy people liked or knew about. I hoped the seats were comfortable.

Tallon was leaning up against the car as we approached, then opened the doors for us like a true gentleman. Our driver and a bodyguard sat in the front seats so that the four of us could sit in the back together. As usual, a vehicle full of armed guards would be riding along behind us.

Giovani helped me step into the car and followed behind me, leaving Dahlia and Tallon to sit in the middle row together. As soon as I was seated and belted in, Gio placed his hand suggestively on my thigh and played absently at the hem of my dress. I took a deep breath and bit my lip, trying and failing to keep myself from blushing. He smiled at the flush spreading across my cheeks, then leaned over to whisper in my ear, "I love it when you bite your lip like that."

"So... um, where to, Tallon?" I choked out, wanting to remind Giovani that we weren't the only ones in the vehicle.

Tallon smiled at me, then turned his head forward to face the driver. "Take us to Tuscany, please!"