201

201
Juliette's POV

At the wedding, everyone danced and enjoyed the party. Sharing this moment with the whole family was incredible; it will be one of the best memories of my life.

Most of the guests had left by now. Luc was waiting in the car for Gérard and me. He will take us home to change clothes and pick up our luggage. We're heading to Rome for our 5-day honeymoon.

"My dear Julie, are you ready?"

"Yes, my love."

"We'll be taking the family's private plane. You can rest comfortably. There's plenty of space."

"Thank you. I'm a bit tired, but the advantage is that it's a short trip."

I felt like I'd only dozed off for five minutes, but in reality, I'd slept through the entire flight to Rome.

We finally arrived in the beautiful city. Just as we were heading to the hotel, I caught a glimpse of the city of Rome—it looked spectacular.

"This place is truly beautiful."

"It's one of my favorite cities. Even though we'll only be here for 5 days, I'm sure you'll enjoy your stay."

"Then you're my official guide to Rome," I smile.

"I've got your itinerary ready, Mrs. Durand. Tomorrow, you're in for a day full of adventures with this handsome guide," he says, and we both laugh.

"I'm excited."

"Darling, we've arrived at our hotel."

"It's a very elegant hotel," I look amazed.

"It's one of the finest hotels in all of Italy. Come, let's get out of the car."

The hotel staff welcomed us warmly. Everyone was very friendly. Gérard speaks Italian fluently, so there were no issues.

Upon entering the room, I noticed that the entire place was beautifully decorated with red rose petals and candles—everything was so romantic.

"Do you like the surprise, my love?"

"It's lovely, thank you, darling." I give him a kiss.

"Do you want to eat something, Julie?"

"I'd prefer to take a bath first. I want to relax."

"Then leave your bag on the bed, and let's head to the bathtub."

As we entered the bathroom, the tub was already prepared with rose petals and aromatic essences.

Gérard and I undressed and got into the tub. The water was at the perfect temperature. He started to massage my body, which was incredibly relaxing. Then, his hands moved to my intimate area, and the heat started to envelop my body.

"You're beautiful, Julie."

"Gérard, you drive me crazy. I desire you," I say in response to his unabashed touches.

"My dear, you're my downfall. I'm addicted to you. I'm at your mercy, and I won't let you rest all night," he threatens with a husky voice full of desire.

His hands make me moan with pleasure, his kisses burn my skin, and the rhythm of our bodies takes us to infinite madness. My mind quickly clouds due to the multitude of orgasms he gives me, and the fervent movement of our pleasure-thirsty bodies is sure to remain etched in my memory forever.

I'm in paradise, and I haven't even died.

The night was quite intense. We let ourselves be consumed by desire and didn't stop until we satisfied each other completely. Our bodies were covered in sweat, and the best part was that our honeymoon had only just begun.

It was a perfect night.

The next morning...

"Darling, it's late. You need to eat something," my husband says, giving me kisses on my back.

"I'm so tired," I complain like a little child.

"It's for your own good and our child's. Besides, remember we're in Rome. You need to explore the city."

"Alright, my love," I say with a smile.

We got ready and went down for breakfast. Everything was delicious. Gérard insisted that we make the most of the afternoon and take a stroll around the city. I got to see St. Peter's Basilica; its architecture was incredible.

The days passed by quickly. Gérard had put a lot of effort into planning this trip, filled with surprises and romantic moments. It was the best honeymoon.

We could only stay in Rome for a few days. Gérard had a lot of work, and on the other hand, I had promised Chloé that I would go to the airport to see her off on her trip to Canada. 

I couldn't let her down.

I could understand her wanting to fulfill her dreams, although I'm sure she would have put them off at least a little if Vincent had made up his mind for her.

It wasn't like that before and I didn't know if they could ever be together, so I was glad deep down that she put some ground between them, it would help cool things down.

Vincent was scared and Chloé was a determined and hard working girl, he probably thought she was like Alice, interested only in money, but that's not the case and I hope he quickly realizes what a big woman he's missing out on.

Gerard had told me to stay out of it, apparently Vincent had been in a bad mood lately, though more specifically since Chloé had given up being his assistant to go to another country.

When I asked him if he suspected his cousin's feelings, he assured me he wouldn't take the step until he felt he had truly lost her, which made me roll my eyes.

Why do men have to wait until they lose us to start acting?

Anyway, the big day arrived and I had a lot of mixed feelings, which Gerard quickly realized.

"Everything okay?," he looked at me with concern. "You look a little pale."

"Maybe it's the pregnancy," I muttered, knowing it wasn't entirely true.

I had conventional ailments, but what I felt in my heart right now was sadness and homesickness.

My best friend since high school was moving away and right at a vulnerable time in my life.

Gerard caressed my cheek, taking away the moisture that had begun to well up in my eyes.

"I know you too well, Juliette," he made me look into his eyes and I couldn't help but cry. "Oh, come on... You know I hate to see you cry, love."

"I'm sorry," I sniffled through my nose, smiling sadly. "I've been playing hard to get for days, but knowing this is real... it's beyond my limits, Gerard."

"I understand you, I'd feel like you too, but you know we'll always be in touch with her, okay?" Besides, she'll come when Claude is born, she promised you."

My husband was trying to comfort me, his attitude after the pregnancy had softened quite a bit and he was now more patient (or at least he was trying to be), so I took refuge in his arms, hoping that Chloé would not arrive yet to our house.

"I'm better now," I said when the sobs started to subside. "Stupid hormones, they ruin everything.

"It's normal to miss your friend already, when I was away from you I thought I would go crazy, but I kept hoping to have you back in my arms again," he said as he stroked my hair. "Just think with Chloé it will only be a 'see you later' and not a 'goodbye', that makes it more bearable."

"You sure know how to comfort someone," I smiled, pressing a soft kiss to her lips. "My phone is vibrating and I sense it's my friend, so I have to put on my best face so she doesn't feel bad about leaving for Canada.

I took a breath and wiped away my tears, certain that I would see my friend again sooner than I thought.