The Twelve Tables Ch. 24

"I sometimes forget because you have always been there for me. Not in the same way Josh has been there, but you have been such a big part of my life for so long," she began to explain, but he silenced her with another kiss picking her up and carrying her to the small table in the room.

"This thing has more petticoats than Josh has chest hair," he chuckled leaning her back on the table and lifting the skirt. Gently sliding his hands along her legs, he slowly lowered her panties and moved between her legs. Leaning down he kissed the mounds of her breasts which strained at the tight corset-like bodice before he moved up her neck to nibble at her ear and entered her slowly. He groaned softly feeling the warm moist flesh envelop him.

Peri pulled her knees up and wrapped her legs around his hips pulling him further into her as their lips met again. Feeling her need and desire rise to meet his, Dante wasted no more time and began moving within her. He lost himself in her passionate embrace and held nothing back as he fucked her, revelling in the soft whimpers of pleasure she gave in response.

They moved together in unison their costumes and the chances of being walked in on making them feel the moment more keenly and while it seemed only minutes it was in fact much longer when Dante groaned loudly and slumped over her breathing heavily. Peri quivered with the remnants of the small climax she had managed to achieve.

"There's something to be said for a quickie now and then," she purred softly in the afterglow of sex. Dante chuckled and kissed her helping her to sit up and clean herself up with the panties he had discarded earlier.

"Not a hair out of place," he whispered and stroked her faced tenderly. "I guess we better get you back in there, little mother."

"Oh stop that," she laughed but let him guide her back out into the ballroom. "I'm just going to visit the ladies room," Peri said softly and moved off through the small crowd leaving Dante to deal with Josh who was stalking toward them.

"I thought she had expressed her milk earlier," Josh raised an eyebrow as he spoke and a knowing smile crossed his face as he turned his head to watch her disappear into the bathrooms.

"I don't think that bodice leaves much room for surplus milk," Dante went along with the excuse for their absence.

"Now that you're both back, Mama wants speeches. So help gather everyone to their seats at the tables," Josh instructed with a nod and went in the direction of the bathrooms.

"Sure thing," Dante said as he walked away. Josh seemed unimpressed by their absence and Dante worried. Things between the three of them had been going so well he hadn't considered that Josh would be so bothered it.

Peri quickly cleaned up and fixed the few tendrils of hair that had come loose from the ornate clips she had used in her hair. When she left the bathroom, she had been surprised to find Josh waiting for her and blushed guiltily.

"How did everything go with Mama?" Peri asked with a smile.

"I think Nik's death has hit her harder than she would like to admit," Josh said quietly. She'd like Papa and me to make a speech before midnight. We've just been waiting for you and Dante to return," he said giving her a strange look that made her feel uneasy.

"Oh, I'm so sorry," Peri said not knowing how to explain so she faltered and said nothing. "I'm here now, though," she smiled softly and took his hand in hers.

"During nights like this we need to show a strong united front," he murmured without accusation but showing he wasn't happy that they had disappeared for so long together without telling him where they were going.

Peri realised that it wasn't what they were doing as much as the fact that he didn't know they had left for more than a few minutes and didn't know where they were. Given recent events, she could understand why he would have worried and in some way would have felt excluded from the moment when he liked to have full control over every situation in their lives.

They walked back to the table where Antonia and Joseph sat taking seats beside them. Joseph nodded to Josh and stood.

"It's that time of the evening where you all grumble while I mumble my way through the usual platitudes of thankfulness for having such a fine family to support Antonia and me in our endeavours to make our family name one of the most respected in our town and beyond. Whether in business or philanthropic pursuits no facet of society takes us lightly, and that is due to the hard work of all of you in this room. Without you we could never have achieved what we have in our lifetimes, building on what those who came before us envisioned for our family in this country. Antonia and I want you all to know how grateful we have been for your support over the years and hope that transfers to the new first family, Joshua, and Perinique as they embark on a new era for the Donati family." Joseph raised his glass. "To family," he toasted his audience.

"It would seem that it falls to me to make you all groan and fidget restlessly while I wax lyrically about commitment to family and the continued prosperity of the Donatis," Josh said with a crooked smile as he stood next to his father.

"I haven't had much time to think about what I would like to say to you all on the eve of a new era for us as a family. Despite Papa's words he is far from retiring, and while those of us who have been chosen to lead will begin taking on some of the work and freeing up our fathers to spend more time with their grandchildren, we are not taking the reins just yet. We are fortunate to be following the footsteps of such great men and women, and I am humbled to have been chosen as the spokesman for the next generation." He paused for a moment and looked around the room.

"I'm not sure today is the day for a rousing speech about hard work and loyalty instead I would like to make mention of the love in this room. From our newest family member, welcome Margarite, to our oldest, and I won't mention any names there," he chuckled with his audience. "It's always been love that's held us together and those who question it or don't feel it as keenly as the rest of us fall by the wayside as we go from strength to strength, together. We aren't a business we are a family. We may not always agree, we may argue and curse, but in our heart of hearts that love is always there."

"As the new generation takes up the gauntlet passed to us by our fathers it is only natural that there will be a time of adjustment for everyone. What we ask of you is to remember that we are a family built on love and loyalty first and foremost, everything else we are, the businesses, the philanthropy the standing within society come secondary to that." Josh raised his glass and toasted them all, "To love."

"I would like to take a personal moment now to extend that speech to include my love for my wife." He gazed down at her with a smile. "In loving me she gained all of you and your open and welcoming ways, some more welcoming than others," he looked directly at Dante and grinned widely. "Peri has taken it all in her stride and not run in terror from our family laws and traditions. Instead, she has embraced them as if born to a family such as ours. She's done this with great care and respect for all of us. I hope as we go into the new year, you will all support her as she attempts to follow in the footsteps of the most formidable woman I have known in my lifetime," Josh's voice was soft as he spoke of his mother and smiled softly at her.

Peri watched Josh as he spoke seeing the confidence and self-assuredness with which he had addressed his family. He was so handsome standing there beside her, his cape hanging off his broad shoulders and his lean muscular physique showing through the leather-vested costume he wore. He looked heroic. He was her hero. Josh was her first love and as she gazed up at him and listened to his speech about loving her it took all her self-restraint not to launch herself at him and cling to him smothering him in kisses.

"Thank you, Peri. Thank you for loving me and in turn my family. You are the sunshine in my day, my guiding star, my soul mate, my love. I, we, adore you," he said and pulled her up to stand beside him wrapping an arm about her waist. "To Peri." He toasted and raised his glass again. "Now if you will all indulge me one last time, Mama has requested that we sing with the band." Peri froze, but Josh took her hand and led her to the space in front of the band.

"You know this song, it's not a duet so we'll just take alternate verses," Josh murmured in her ear and held up his phone to her showing the lyrics of a song they both loved from a movie they had watched during her recovery. She smiled and looked up into his face, unable to hold back any longer she wrapped her arms around him and leaned in to kiss him.

"I love you," she said breathlessly as they broke apart and took the microphones from the band leader. "Forever and always," she whispered blushing as she realised everyone was watching them. She was grateful when the music started, and she tried to blot out the curious eyes who watched the new leaders of their family empire.

"How long will I love you?" Josh sang launching into the song. "As long as stars are above you. And longer if I can," he took a breath and smiled as he kept singing. "How long will I need you? As long as the seasons need to, follow their plan."

"How long will I be with you," Peri began the smaller verse grateful that Josh had taken the larger verses. "As long as the sea is bound to, wash upon the sand," she drew out the last note hating how she sounded beside Josh's beautiful tenor.

"How long will I want you?" Josh looked at her, and she could see the smouldering look in his eyes as he sang the words directly to her. "As long as you want me to. And longer by far." He continued with the verse holding her gaze, and she melted inside. This was the man she had loved so intensely that not even her near death experience could pull her away from him. The heat in his eyes seemed to go straight to her core, and she felt her body react as if pulled on some invisible strings as she listened to him serenade her in front of his family.

"How long will I give to you?" She picked up her verse with difficulty sure that her cheeks were flaming with arousal and desire as they stood wrapped up in each other's eyes and voices. They sang the last two shorter versus together and as the song ended Josh bent down to kiss her tenderly.

"I meant every word," he whispered into her ear.

"Me too," she smiled widely at him. She looked out into the audience and could see Dante looking somewhat bemused as he took in their performance. They had become an inseparable trio in the last two weeks, and Peri wondered if he felt excluded. Perhaps it was time to put in some ground rules of her own. She needed time alone with her husband to bask in her love for him and his love for her. She knew that equally, she needed to start making some memories with Dante that were separate to Josh if their relationship was going to work for her and each of the men she loved. The year ahead was going to be a complicated mess unless she could bring all the pieces of her life into one coherent picture.

"That was lovely, Peri," Carmen said sweetly as they went back to their seats. "Josh perhaps we could Auld Lang Syne at midnight?"

"At midnight I plan to be kissing my girl, but you feel free Carmen," he grinned.

"You two are a delight to watch together," Concetta joined them. "That's why you will make the perfect Mama and Papa for our family, the love between you is just so obvious." She patted Josh's cheek. "You are wise beyond your year's dear boy, and it was a pleasure to watch you both tonight. I am glad Antonia put her foot down, Peri you can't always be the one holding the spotlight for others, sometimes you have to step in front of it too. Don't you agree, Carmen?"

"I, umm," Carmen stuttered after closing her gaping mouth.

"Carmen has such a lovely voice, she deserves to be in the spotlight," Peri said easily. "I'm afraid I sound like a drowning cat next to these two virtuosi. I love to listen to them sing together at Christmas. Just as well I am not the jealous type." She giggled softly and looked up at Josh. "Romey probably feels the same way, he seems to be a reluctant singer like me."

"We all have our strengths," Concetta nodded glancing speculatively at Carmen who still seemed stunned to silence. "Gosh look at the time we better find our husbands," she winked and linked arms with Carmen. Josh and Peri turned toward where Dante sat with Lorenzo and Ben.

"Welcome back," Lorenzo grinned as Peri took a seat next to Dante and Josh sat beside her.

"That song was so familiar like I should know it from somewhere," Margarite's brow creased as she once again tried to place it.

"I first heard it in a movie called "About Time." If that helps," Peri offered.

"Yes, that's it!" Margarite exclaimed. "I love that movie."

"I don't remember it," Lorenzo said.

"That's because you always fall asleep five minutes into any movie that isn't full throttle action and car chases," she laughed. "I think it would kill you to have to watch a whole chick flick from beginning to end."

"I think Josh fell asleep too. I put the song on his phone and in his car once I had recovered from my accident last year," Peri admitted.

"She's always messing with my music," Josh groaned.

"So did Peri tell you about her New Year's resolution?" Dante smirked at Josh. "I'd say she holds out about an hour after midnight." Josh turned an inquisitive look on her, and she blushed under the scrutiny of the table. Josh raised an inquisitive eyebrow and Dante continued. "Sex, drugs and rock and roll all gone," he sighed dramatically. "Legal drugs I am assuming seeing as she's not a pothead that I know of. You might just have time to get one in before midnight if you forgo any foreplay."

"I was joking! I wouldn't do that. Eden needs a little sister after all," she rolled her eyes at Dante and looked up at Josh while the table burst out laughing at the look of mock horror on his face.

"Well, I am certainly glad you weren't serious," Josh said with a slight quirk of his lips. "I would hate to be the one who made you break your resolution before the sun comes up."

"Even if I was serious that little speech you made would have dissolved any self-control I had," she said quietly and leaned toward him and ducking under his arm pulling it around her. "My husband says the nicest things sometimes," she smiled at Margarite.

"He does indeed. I hope you were taking notes," scowled at Lorenzo.

"What? You know I love ya, babe," he said plaintively.

"Yeah I have to admit you can be pretty romantic at times," Margarite smiled softly.

"I think it's a family trait, we have good role models," Ben nodded his head toward his parents who held hands as they sat side by side. "All of the elders are very demonstrative of their love for each other."

"Sometimes too demonstrative," Dante groaned. "Let's not go there," he said picking up his drink and taking a large swallow.

"I agree," Lorenzo shook his head with distaste making Peri smile.

"It must be wonderful to grow up with so much love surrounding you," she said to Ben quietly. "I barely remember my father and what I do remember isn't pleasant."

Dante listened carefully. He knew so little about her past, and he suddenly had a pang of jealousy realising that Josh had been a big part of her metamorphous from the shy and insecure girl she was into the strong woman he knew now. His resolution, he decided then and there, would be to discover all of the elements that made up the woman he loved. With that in mind he looked over at Andie, he knew she hadn't always been as she appeared now and that the relationship she had with her daughter had been strained for years. For the first time, he wondered how Andie had met Charles and if he was responsible for the change in her relationship with Peri. He was so deep in thought he hadn't realised someone was talking to him.

"So since you brought it up, what resolution are you making?" Ben asked Dante.

"I think I am just going to try to value what I do have and disregard what I don't. Top that half empty glass I've carried around for a few years up with some well-aged scotch and be Mr. Happy," he chuckled.

"You've already got a good handle on that from what I can see," Ben chuckled with him. "Love will do that to you I suppose."

"Yeah," Dante gave him a goofy smile.

"I didn't realise you had a partner here," Margarite said looking around curiously.

"It's complicated," Dante said not wanting to push Josh into an awkward conversation just yet. "What about you giggles? Making any vows of celibacy that Larry should know about?"

"Gosh no! I only married him for his body," she let out a peel of laughter and leaned over to kiss Lorenzo. "I guess I would like another baby too. Though I'm happy to wait a little while yet," she quickly amended. "We both want a big family with lots of noisy boys racing around the place. I guess everyone here does though so it's not news I'm sure."

The band struck up the opening chords to The Final Countdown and Peri looked at her watching noting it was only a few minutes until midnight.

"I guess it's time, come on before they come to get us," Ben grimaced and went to the dance floor where the family was making a circle with the men on the outside and the women on the inside.

"It's Mama's way to make sure she gets to kiss all her sons," Ben said to the curious look Peri gave him as he stood next to Josh and Dante in the circle. Emily joined them taking her place with Ben.

"Peri, have you met my cousin, Vicky?" Emily introduced the woman beside her.

"I have, but I didn't realise she was your cousin, how nice you both came to live in the same part of the world," she said and smiled at Vicky. "I worried about Maryanne having to live so far from all the people who love her. It must make the wives terribly homesick initially when they get married and move so far away. I feel lucky to have my mum so close, still."

"I called my family all the time when I first moved up here. Ask Ben my phone bills were astronomical," she nodded.

"Well worth it," he said softly and took Emily's hand and kissed it. Peri could see the genuine love between the couple.

The band finished the song, and the countdown began. "Three, two, One..." Josh took her in his arms and kissed her gently.

"Happy New Year, Mine," she whispered softly.

"Mine, forever and always," Josh murmured in her ear before passing her to Dante.

"Hello you," Dante whispered and bent his head to kiss her lightly. "Happy New Year. This one will be wonderful for you if I have anything to do with it," he smiled.

"I hope it's wonderful for all of us," she replied sensing his pain at missing Emilio tonight. Even with the strong relationship he had forged with Josh and herself, she knew he still felt Emilio's absence keenly deep inside in that dark hidden part of himself. Peri moved on around the circle. As a gap came in the smaller circle of women, Josh turned to Dante.

"Last year wasn't so bad look at us and what we've managed to achieve despite all the shit that came our way. Above all else we have her," he looked over to where Peri kissed Charles.

"I love you, Josh," Dante said seriously. "I never imagined you'd be so," he paused unable to find the word he needed, "With her, I'm not sure I could be so generous in your place. In the early days before Christmas, I considered not acting on my feelings and concentrating on what we have now, making our relationship everything you missed out on with Nik. I can't give her up, though," he admitted. "Not now, now ever."