“Huh, I thought it was a girl, but I guess Zio scaring the dickheadedness out of him makes sense too.” She crossed the few feet that separated us and took my bottle of water from my hand. Tipping it to her lips, she took a small sip before giving it back and then doing a slow full turn. “Well? What do you think?”

I had to peel my tongue off the roof of my mouth. “You are, without a doubt, the most beautiful woman who has ever walked this earth, my heart.”

Her eyes filled with pleasure while her cheeks pinkened as she skimmed her gaze over me from head to toe, taking in my black tux. “You look pretty good yourself.”

“If we want to make it on time, we should leave now,” I told her, tearing my gaze away before I picked her up and carried her back to bed. “You don’t want to disappoint your boss.”

Nova’s tongue peeked out, slowly licking over her lush bottom lip. “I want a kiss at midnight.”

“You can have a kiss anytime you want one,” I growled, grabbing her by the waist and pulling her into me. Pressing my forehead against hers, I inhaled deeply. “Except for right now. If I kiss you right this second, you will definitely be late.”

Her soft giggle touched that spot deep inside my chest that only she could ever brush against. “Fine,” she complained mockingly. “I’ll wait until midnight, then.”

I touched my lips to her forehead. “I vow to make the wait worthwhile, my heart.”

“I’m holding you to that, Mr. Vitucci,” she murmured, looking up at me through her thick lashes.

Times Square was blocked off, but several separate stages were set up inside it. All three of the rockers Nova had been translating for were performing, and each one of them was at a different stage throughout the night. The crowd was so thick, it took forever to walk from one stage to another for her to translate for the host who interviewed each rocker before they performed their most recent single.

Pietro and Nardo stood with me as we watched over her all night, but I was so utterly transfixed by her that I was little help at being vigilant in protecting her. Nothing short of a bomb going off could have pulled my gaze from her—and even then, it was questionable. Her confidence and the sheer kindness of her huge heart only added to her physical beauty, and everyone who set eyes on her couldn’t tear their gazes from her.

A mixture of jealousy and pride warred within me. I wanted to show the world the woman who owned my heart, but at the same time, I wanted every part of her for my eyes only. Every smile, every bat of those long lashes, every sway of her hips and flick of her fingers. They were all mine, along with those precious giggles that eased the darkness that tried to tear my soul apart every moment she wasn’t near.