The Twelve Tables Ch. 08

Peri didn't like the bumpy gait of the horse, but Josh explained that the farm was still some distance away, so she clung to the mane as he wrapped an arm around her and nudged the horse to a faster pace.

He brought the horse to a standstill beside a small running creek and helped her off. She clung to him grateful to have her feet back on solid ground.

"The house is still a long way away isn't it?" she asked dreading the answer.

"Yes, but I may be able to organise some more agreeable transport for you if you can show me that you missed me as much as I missed you," he pulled her into his arms and kissed her deeply.

"I think I can do that," she grinned and looked around not seeing another living soul for miles.

He took her hand and led her down to the creek, then sat on a rock and watching her for a moment as she dipped her foot into the edge of the water.

"It's cold!" she said looking up at him.

"You won't feel it once you're in there, now strip for me I need to see every inch of you," he grinned and pulled off his own shirt. She looked around knowing that no one else was there to see her but feeling like she should check. She hummed to herself as she slowly stripped for him in what she hoped was a very sexy way. Josh wasted no time once she was sliding her panties down her thighs and he stood pushing his jeans off and stalking toward her with a determined face. He grabbed her then and waded into the water dumping her into the large swimming hole he had known since he was a child. Diving in after her he helped her to her feet in the chest deep water and held her until the shock of the cold water subsided.

He smiled moving away slightly as she began to warm up watching her big beautiful breasts bounce on the surface of the water, their hard nipples pointing toward him. He reached and took the hard nubs in his fingers pulling her toward him with a smile and kissing her again. Wrapping her legs around his hips as she clung to him she mewled in pleasure as he entered her, his hand still playing with her breasts.

It was a gentler movement than he wanted and needed but he reminded himself that this was only the beginning of their holiday bliss and that he would take every opportunity to show her around the property that was his childhood home. He had dreamt of being with her here in his favourite place in the world, and though his need was great, he slowed himself down enjoying the feel of her and the gentle waves that surrounded them.

Realising after some time that she seemed just as unsatisfied by the gentler pace of their lovemaking he walked with her to the ledge he had stood on before diving in to be with her. He perched her on the edge and widened his stance in the shallower water to enter her with more force than he had been able to holding her in the water. She smiled and mewled as he continued to thrust hard and he grabbed at her breasts as she arched back squeezing them and sliding his hand back to pinch and twist her nipples.

He groaned as she cried out into the trees around them and two birds took flight startling her and changing their natural rhythm. He felt her muscles tense, and he growled leaning forward to bite her shoulder blade regaining her focus and rhythm to match his own. The water splashed around them as they built to their climax's and came in loudly disturbing the idyllic countryside.

Josh pulled her from the ledge into the water and floated on his back breathing raggedly as she floated beside him. Content in each other's company they swam and kissed talking about how Josh would often escape here to this swimming hole in the creek rather than doing his chores. A faint hum sounded in the distance slowly growing louder, and Peri frowned at Josh wondering what it was.

"That's the cavalry arriving to rescue you from riding back to the house," Josh chuckled. "My brothers always knew where to find me on a hot summers day."

"Your brothers are coming here?" Peri self-consciously crossed her hands over her breasts. "Josh you can't let them see me like this, which brothers?"

"I dunno depends on who was around when D. arrived I guess," he chuckled. "I will get your clothes for you don't panic," he laughed easily. "It's not like they haven't seen a girl before we have four sisters remember."

"They're not my brothers!" Peri was mortified that her first introduction to the brothers she hadn't yet met would be like this.

"They are still a few minutes away. We can barely hear them," Josh laughed getting out of the creek and grabbing his boxers before pulling a towel the size of a sheet from his saddle. "Come on then they will be here soon enough," he held out the towel urging to her move. Despite his words, he had no wish to have his brothers ogle his future wife either. He watched her climb out after him and wrapped the towel around her leading her to where she had discarded her clothes and leaving her to dress as he pulled on his jeans and shirt.

"I told you. You have to ride the horse back," Dante chuckled as he and another man pulled up on quads just as Peri slipped her dress over head and pulled it into place. "The quads are too noisy to catch anyone doing anything by surprise." Peri blushed deeply picking up her shoes and moving closer to Josh.

"Yeah alright," the man shook his head and got off the quad. "An introduction might be nice before I hand over my bike to a city chick," he said to Josh approaching them both.

"Peri this is Carlo, older brother extraordinaire, taught me all the cool stuff about life on the farm," Josh chuckled. "He was the bad one that paved the way for us younger siblings."

"What can I say I am a trailblazer," he explained stepping forward to wrap a large hand around each of her shoulders and pull her into a long, noisy kiss. "Nice to meet you, not a bad kisser for a city chick," he grinned waiting for Peri's reaction.

"Gee, I dunno, it's was pretty ordinary if you ask me," Peri considered the man, "I would hate to give you a low rating based on just one kiss, that wouldn't be fair at all," she said trying to keep a straight face. "Perhaps you should try again and not make it so sloppy." Dante roared with laughter as both Carlo and Josh stared at Peri unbelievingly. "I guess if you taught Josh everything he knows you can't be that bad all the time."

"This is gonna be a fun Christmas," Carlo chuckled to no one in particular. "You'll keep city chick." He turned to Josh. "I like her already, so you can take the quad, and I'll give old Dobby a workout. Mama wants to see Peri, like an hour ago, so move it." He untethered the horse and mounted him taking off at a gallop.

"You know it's a race right?" Dante said to Josh, who made no move toward the quad.

"Yeah but he can win this one, I'll follow in a few minutes," Josh wrapped an arm around Peri and led her over to the quad. "We haven't even got our shoes on yet."

"Come on then, we don't have all day," Dante grumbled and stepped onto his quad starting the ignition.

They quickly put on their shoes and followed the speeding Dante across the dry brown grassland. Peri clung to Josh as he seemed to hit every bump in their path possible. She wasn't so much frightened as she was terrified at the speed they were going. The grass turned into green fields, and the track got smoother allowing Peri to finally open her eyes if not release her death grip around Josh's waist. She barely saw any of the scenery that raced by her and before she could take in the immensity of what Josh called the farm house they had pulled up in front of it leaving the quads in the forecourt.

Peri looked up at the stucco-covered building in awe. She had assumed it would be a big house, but this was more in the style of a resort with a series of intersecting building clustered around the large forecourt in a horseshoe shape. She had been trying to remember how well she had gotten along with Antonia when they had met in the city and quash any nervousness she felt but standing here at the entrance to their home the butterflies roared to life in her belly.

"Let's find Mama," Josh said taking her hand and leading her inside the house. After walking through the foyer and several large rooms that boggled Peri's mind with their splendour, they found Antonia in a huge room full of tables covered with baskets overflowing with Christmas goodies.

"Here she is," Josh said with a smile pulling Peri into the room.

"Hello again," Peri whispered and cleared her throat, speaking louder, "It's lovely to be here, thank you for letting Josh invite me for the holidays."

"I hope you still think it's lovely to be here after we put you to work," Antonia laughed coming from behind a table to embrace her and kiss both of her cheeks.

"I'm happy to help out just tell me what you need me to do," she replied overenthusiastically.

"I am not that mean that I won't let you unpack and look around the house first," Antonia laughed lightly. "We have done what we can, for now, you go and freshen up and I will organise lunch for us. We were waiting for you to arrive."

"Oh gosh, I am so sorry. Josh met us along the way, and we took our time coming back," Peri blushed.

"I understand completely it's been a while since you have seen each other," she grinned at Josh who startled by the conversation said nothing. "Show Peri up to her room and no dawdling up there, or I will come and find you myself."

"Yes, Mama," Josh laughed and took Peri's hand again leading her back through the house and upstairs.

Peri was surprised at the difference between the room she was shown to and the rest of the house. Even the corridor she had walked along with is stark walls and polished wood floors decorated with gilded urns that reached her waist, and large paintings were in complete contrast to the modern feel of the room she entered.

"This is amazing," she whispered not wanting to disturb the pristine feel of the perfectly furnished room. "I feel like I have walked into a resort rather than the farm house I was expecting."

"I've never stayed in a guest room before," he seemed to consider her words. "I guess it's a bit like a hotel room. I never thought about it much because this is just home to me."

"Is your room nearby?" She asked with a smile.

"Not really but I am planning on staying in here with you anyway," he grinned seeing the disappointment on her face offered, "Would you like to see my room?" Her face brightened considerably. "Well, not exactly my room but the room I share with Carlo."

"You share a room?" She seemed stunned by the idea but took his hand as he led her back out into the hall.

"There are twelve of us, even in a house this big that's a lot of rooms to maintain. It was pretty well planned in reality. By the time I came along Carlo was starting boarding school and by the time he came back home I was leaving so, we only ever spent the good times together, holidays, and weddings. We never spent enough time together to get on each other's nerves despite sharing a room. We had a better deal than the twins or Ang and Ben."

"You didn't share with Nik?" Peri asked curiously.

"When we were babies I think we did but then Maryanne came along, and Nik had another girl to share with," he shrugged. "She spent most of the time in my room anyway when Carlo wasn't there."

"This place is huge, I just know I am going to get lost," she whispered holding tightly to his hand as they walked through the upper corridors of the house.

"Someone is always around to point the way, that's the thing with big families, no privacy or solitude," he chuckled and led her into a large comfortable room with two double beds. It was neat and tidy but had that haphazard look of the collection of stuff over time. The bookshelves were crammed with a variety of books on wide-ranging topics and the desks though tidy were overcrowded. It was a fairly typical guy's room, she thought and considering how austere Josh's apartment was with a place for everything and everything in its place she was surprised by the lived-in feel of his bedroom.

"So this is your bed?" she asked walking to the bed that seemed to have less haphazard clutter surrounding it and sitting on the edge.

"That would be mine," Carlo said coming into the room with a smile, "You're welcome to join me in it, though." He waggled his eyebrows.

Peri jumped up quickly and Josh chuckled, rolling his eyes at his brother.

"Come down for lunch, you two can play explorers later," he said easily and turned and led the way.

As they followed Carlo back down to the first floor, it occurred to Peri how little Josh had told her about his home and family. All she knew was from the research she had done on the family book. The reality of being here and meeting Joseph Donati made her feel anxious all of a sudden. Her inner voice that made her question whether what others said about her reared up out of the recesses of her mind, and she wondered if Nik had been right. Maybe she would never fit in here with these people. Josh seemed unconcerned as he held her hand but doubt had crept into her mind, and she wished she knew more about his family and life here on the farm rather than the history of the family.

The noise of a large group of people talking reached them well before they entered the dining room. Children sat at one long table while a group of adults, Josh's family all sat at another. The chatter was full of laughter, and Peri was pleased to see that Emily was there with Ben and Pete and she smiled at them with genuine warmth before Josh led her to the head of the table.

"Papa, this is Peri," Josh introduced her. Joseph Donati looked up and surveyed her with startlingly blue eyes.

"Welcome to my table, sit and eat. We will talk after," he said with a smile and waved them to vacant chairs. Peri sat opposite Emily between Josh and Dante listening to the conversations going on around her. Collared men and women brought out platters of salads and cold meats as well as a range of freshly baked bread.

"You look great, Emily," Peri said into a lull in the conversation around her.

"I feel great," she said happily. "I love Christmas here. I can't wait until the festival tomorrow."

"There's a festival?" Peri looked from Emily to Josh.

"Sure it happens every year, I told you that Christmas Eve we had a party when you asked me what to pack" Josh shrugged and hid a small smile.

"A festival is a little different to a party, Josh," she shook her head. "You've hardly told me anything about your home and how you celebrate Christmas."

"Every family has their traditions," he laughed hearing her anxiety and trying to alleviate it.

"I guess," she lowered her eyes and thought of Andie at home alone this Christmas, watching old movies without her and opening the gift she left next to the miniature tree on the sideboard. She would call her after lunch and see what plans she had made with Charles. "I think you should tell me more about yours before I say or do anything else wrong."

"There's nothing much to tell, it's just Christmas," he wrapped and arm around her shoulder and pulled her close to his side. "Besides, you couldn't possibly do anything wrong unless you're planning on taking up Carlo on his offer of sharing his bed." Ben and Pete chuckled overhearing the conversation making Peri frown at Josh.

"Angelo isn't here?" she asked looking around the table for another unfamiliar man.

"He'll be here tomorrow," Ben said easily, "He has a separate place on the west side of the property."

The chatter continued during lunch, and as the plates were cleared away, BJ came to sit on Josh's lap with a serious expression.

"Did she write it?" He whispered. Josh grinned and nodded at the boy.

"Santa's already got it and given it his approval as long as you are on your best behaviour from now on," Josh whispered back loudly so that Peri would realise that BJ asked about the letter he had said she would write to Santa.

"Thanks," he said moving from Josh's lap to hers to hug her tightly.

"You're very welcome," Peri laughed cradling the little boy in her arms and smiling.

"Oh God," Ben groaned. "Not you too." He flicked an olive at Josh, who batted it away deftly. "Stop trying to kidnap my son."

"The boy has taste, I'd sit in her lap all day if she's let me," Josh chortled.

"Better find Nanny and see if she is taking you to Zio Ang's house this afternoon," Ben said lightly to BJ, who whooped and slid from Peri's lap and ran back towards his sisters.

Emily smiled indulgently. "You know when you have a son Josh this will all come back to haunt you," she laughed.

"Lost a bet with Carlo a few years ago so he has dibs on my first born, you'll have to fight him for the boy," he grinned.

"You bet your first born child?" Peri blinked. "The mother doesn't have any say in it?"

"I hadn't met you yet. I was so sure I could beat him it was a moot point. Until he cheated and won," he shrugged and the people around them just laughed harder. "Ben still hasn't told Emily he lost BJ to me in a bet."

"It didn't count. He cheated," Ben said reasonably to Emily as if that absolved him from betting his first born son.

"A bet's a bet," Josh winked at Emily, who had begun to frown at them. "Look at Pete, Papa won him in a bet from Charles, and he's just like a brother now. BJ will love it with us. I'll have to rename him JJ though. He can't be Ben Junior once he's mine."

Pete spluttered his coffee and shook his head unable to respond through his laughter.

"Now I know it's not true," Emily laughed with them again. "You are such an arse sometimes Joshua!"

"Joshua," Joseph's voice sounded from the end of the table. "You and Peri will join me in the Athenaeum" He stood and walked from the table.

"Oh gosh the books, I left my books upstairs, and I need them," Peri said in a panic to Josh.

"What books?" he stood and helped her to her feet.

"I finished a version of what I was working on, and I wanted to show you and your father, I really want to make a good impression. I'll run up and get them I will only be a minute, I promise," Peri talked fast in her panic.

"Get 'em for her Josh, it'll be worth it, trust me," Dante interrupted after hearing the panic in her voice. "I'll walk her to the Athenaeum you can meet us there."

"They're in the front pocket of my suitcase," relief flooded into Peri's voice and Josh took off at a trot to retrieve the books.

"So what do you think of the farm so far," Dante asked steering her in the direction his father had walked.

"It's huge and not at all like any farm I have ever seen or read about," she admitted. "Not that I have seen very much."

They went out of the house and along a covered walkway entering a totally separate part of the house. The bottom floor that they walked into looked like the server and switch room at the company she had worked for. The big glass doored cabinets held twinkling lights which were reflected back from the doors of the metal cabinets that sat around them and the desks that seemed unused there. It had that musty smell of electricity and metal, and she wrinkled her nose briefly before starting up the stairs to the second floor.

The second floor was like a cross between an immense library and a museum. It reminded Peri of the auction house and its large warehouse storage of family relics but in a much nicer setting. It had an old world charm about it and she smiled looking at the book-lined walls and understood where Josh got his love of books and publishing from.

A long table with fourteen chairs stood in the centre of the polished wood floor. Around the edges of the warehouse-sized room were smaller bays with comfortable couches and low tables surrounded by shelves crammed with books and artefacts. Some she realised must have been replicas.