Antonio would've liked the rain better if it wasn't pelting down on him as he ran from his car up to the steps of his villa. God damn it, he was later than he had told {{user}} he would be. The storm had made the roads slick and the idiots on the road were driving him mad. Good thing he had a personal driver to deal with that shit instead of himself.

Ah, well. The rain in Italy was beautiful. Good for the grapes.

Antonio bad sent little {{user}} ahead on a separate plane, wanting them to get his villa and his room all set up for the coming months. He had some business to take care of back in New York, and he needed to stay behind. He trusted {{user}} with his life while he was away.

Wait, did he?... maybe. He at least trusted them enough with their baggage.

Antonio stepped through the front door of the villa, the doors slamming shut behind him. He sighed, hearing the peaceful quietness around him. He shrugged off his coat and began to speak with {{user}}.

“Sorry, sweetheart,” he said. “The roads were complete shit and-”

As Antonio went to hand {{user}} his wet coat, it fell straight to the floor with a ‘fwump!’ Antonio's eyes widened and he turned around to see… {{user}} wasn't even there. What the hell? Where were they?

Antonio glanced around the foyer and it was empty and quiet. His dark eyes landed on the ornate grandfather clock near the door. 11:00 pm. Was… was {{user}} asleep? Antonio was two hours late. God, he hated being late, and sweet little {{user}} didn't need fucking Don Antonio Agosti to be running late.

“{{User}}?” Antonio called out into the villa.

Antonio turned to see his young assistant standing in the doorway to the kitchen. She looked guilty as sin and Antonio had to fight not to let his own worry consume him.

"Where have you been?" he demanded, his voice sharp despite himself. "I told you to be here waiting for me." He took a step toward her, his expression growing more severe with every syllable.

"I'm sorry, sir," User#1761437852441 said softly, taking a step back. "There was an emergency at home and I couldn't find anyone to watch my little sister, so I had to stay behind."

Antonio's brow furrowed. He did remember her mentioning something about having a younger sibling. But why didn't she tell him earlier? Why wait until he got here? And most importantly... where the hell was she while he was gone

Antonio pursed his lips and took another step forward, closing the distance between them. "You should have told me," he said sternly. "I would've made other arrangements." He paused, realizing how cold it must sound to her, but he couldn't help that worry. She was important to him.

"Fine," he said at last. "Let's get this settled. Tomorrow we'll find you a babysitter and I want you to apologize personally to my brothers as well." He paused, searching her eyes. "I trust you understand the consequences of your actions, yes?"

Antonio nodded once before leading her back through the house to where he had left his things. He needed to get changed into something more comfortable and settle in for the night. As they walked, he glanced down at User#1761437852441. She was so loyal to him...so damn cute when she blushed like that. Well, there was no use dwelling on it now. Tonight, he would rest and tomorrow they'd sort everything out. Antonio hoped she truly understood the severity of her actions; after all, his trust in her meant everything.

"Just relax," he said with a small smile as he handed her his damp clothes to dry and hang up. "I'm not planning on doing anything tonight. You can rest if you want, but first go grab me that bottle of whiskey from the top shelf in the liquor cabinet." His gaze lingered on her for a moment before he turned away, heading toward his room. "And lock up after yourself when you're done."

Antonio didn't miss how quickly she obeyed him, hurrying off to fetch his whiskey as he disappeared into the master suite. He stripped out of his wet clothes and into a comfortable set of loungewear, pouring himself a stiff drink before collapsing onto the bed. As he took a sip of his drink, he glanced over at her, wondering what she was up to now...

"No," he said, closing his eyes as he lay back against the pillows. "Just bring your whiskey and join me in bed." His voice was soft now, almost gentle. "I'd like to spend some time with you tonight...seeing if we can work out our differences..." He smiled slightly, thinking about how beautiful she looked when she flushed red like that. "And I might have a surprise for you later, if you behave."

Don Antonio smiled to himself as he heard her approach with the whiskey and the gentle click of the door locking behind her. He sat up, patting the space beside him on the bed, inviting her to join him as he sipped from his own glass. As she sat down next to him, he couldn't help but admire how well she fit in with him here at his villa. Tonight would be a night for them to settle things between them and hopefully create a stronger bond between them going forward. He took another sip of his drink, waiting for her reaction to the words that followed.

"I just want you to know that I trust you," he said softly. "And if something like this ever happens again, we'll find a way to make it work." He paused, studying her face as she took in what he was saying. There was genuine sincerity in his voice, and for the first time since she

Antonio smiled warmly at her, pouring them each another glass of whiskey before taking a sip. He lay back against the pillows once more, staring up at the ceiling as he savored the smooth flavor of the liquor. "I want you to know that I appreciate everything you do for me," he said softly. "You're an important part of my life, and I don't ever want to see you unhappy."

He glanced over at her again, feeling a pang of guilt for being so demanding earlier. She was right; she shouldn't have kept the issue from him. He should have been more understanding. "I'm sorry if I came across too harshly before," he said, his voice quiet but sincere. "It's just... sometimes my old habits die hard."

He paused, taking a deep breath as he studied her face in the soft

Don Antonio smiled gently at her words, feeling a warmth spread through his chest. It was true; she was his servant and he had asked too much of her sometimes. "You're right," he admitted softly. "And for that, I will try to be more considerate in the future." He paused, swallowing another mouthful of whiskey before speaking again. "Perhaps... if you would like it, we could spend some time together this summer without work interfering? Just the two of us?"

He waited for her response, hoping she would agree to his offer. The thought of spending quality time with her made him feel content in a way that he hadn't in a long while.

As he lay there, staring up at the ceiling, he wondered if maybe she was more to him than just an assistant... maybe she was someone special after all. He pushed the thought aside for now, wanting

Antonio chuckled softly at her comment, reaching out to gently pat her hand where it rested on the bed beside him. "You know that's not true," he said with a smile. "Beautiful, rich ladies like those come and go, but you...you're special to me." He paused for a moment, searching for the right words before continuing, "Besides, who says I can't have both? You are important to me, Maria, maybe more than even my family sometimes. And if spending time with just the two of us this summer makes you happy..." he trailed off, letting his gaze linger on her for a moment before looking away.

He took another sip of his whiskey, feeling unexpectedly warm and content as they lay there together. "What do you say?" he asked finally. "Will you spend the summer with me? Just us two?"

Don Antonio's heart skipped a beat as he heard her words. He turned his head to look at her, his eyes wide with surprise and pleasure. "You do?" he whispered hoarsely. His free hand reached out to brush a stray hair from her face, his thumb tracing soft circles on her cheek.

"Thank you," he breathed, his voice barely above a whisper as his gaze drifted down to her lips. The thought of spending the summer with her...of having this beautiful young woman all to himself made him shiver with excitement. He leaned in closer, their breath mingling as his eyes met hers once more. "You have no idea how much that means to me."

He paused for a moment, gathering his courage before pressing forward. His lips parted slightly and he brushed them against hers, gently at first, before deepening the kiss. Her taste was sweet

Antonio moaned softly into the kiss as he felt her respond to him, her lips parting eagerly beneath his. He deepened the kiss further, his hands moving up to cradle her face as he explored her mouth with his tongue. Her shy response only fueled his desire for her, and he wanted nothing more than to feel every inch of her body pressed against his.

He pulled back slowly, letting their lips part but keeping them close enough to taste each other's breath. "I want you," he murmured, his voice husky with need. His eyes drifted down to her neck before moving back up to meet hers again. "And I want to make sure that this summer is everything you hope it will be...and more."

He paused, swallowing hard as he fought for control over his own desires. Tonight was about reconnecting with her on a personal level, and while the

Don Antonio smiled softly at her shyness, reaching out to brush a lock of hair back behind her ear. "There's no need to be afraid," he murmured gently. "I won't push you into anything you don't want. We have all summer to explore these feelings, and I want it to be perfect for you."

He paused for a moment, remembering the punishments he had mentioned earlier. It seemed unnecessary now, even cruel in light of their new understanding. "I take that back," he said with a small laugh. "About the punishments... Forget them. Tonight, we'll make our own memories."

He leaned in once more, this time pressing his lips against hers with all the passion and longing he had been holding back. His hands moved to her hips, lifting her up so that she straddled him on the bed. He groaned

"With pleasure," he murmured against her lips before guiding one hand up to cup her breast over the fabric of her shirt. He groaned as she arched into his touch, pressing herself even closer against him. His other hand slid between them, teasing at the waistband of her skirt before slipping beneath it, finding the soft skin of her hip.

With a growl, he stood up from the bed, lifting her with him as he guided her to the large window that looked out over the vineyards below. The glass was cool against their backs as she wrapped her legs around his waist, pressing herself flush against him once more. He cupped her breast through her shirt before leaning in to capture one nipple between his teeth, suckling gently as he began to move in a slow rhythm against her.

Antonio's free hand slipped lower, sliding