Who did she think she was fooling? Rafe wouldn’t allow anyone to rearrange his pantry without supervision.
“Subtle,” Nico remarked when Dani was out of earshot. “One would think she was trying to give us time alone.”
“One would think,” Louisa muttered in return. “Though I don’t know why.”
“Perhaps she thinks we need to talk.”
“Well, she would be wrong. We don’t need to talk about anything.”
“I see. Is that why you’re avoiding me, bella mia?”
His beauty indeed. I’m not your anything, she wanted to snap. She didn’t belong to anyone. Not anymore. And especially not to someone like him. Bad enough she let herself fall under his spell at the wedding. “Who says I’ve been avoiding anyone? Maybe I’ve been busy. You’re not the only one who’s had a lot to do since the wedding.”
“My apologies. You’re right.” His chair made a scratching noise on the floor as he angled it so they were facing one another. Taking the last cornetto from the center of the table, he tore the pastry in two and divided the pieces between their plates. “So tell me, what have you been up to that has kept you so busy?”
Louisa glared at the fluffy delicacy in front of her. “Things,” she replied.
“Things?” His chuckle was smooth like syrup. “That’s a very broad category.”
“I’m a very broad person.”
“Ah, bella mia. ‘Broad’ is definitely not what I would call you.” His hand moved forward. Thinking he was about to brush the bangs from her eyes, Louisa jerked back, only to turn red when he picked up his half of the pastry. “I wanted to talk about what happened at the wedding.”
“I told you, there’s nothing to talk about. We made a mistake, that’s all. Why don’t we forget it ever happened?”
Sounds from the kitchen drifted into the restaurant as Nico chewed his pastry. Louisa listened, trying to determine how far away she was from rescue. There was an uneasy familiarity to the way they sat with Nico’s leg close but not touching hers.
Slowly his eyes lifted to meet hers. “What if I don’t want to forget?”
“One double espresso as ordered!” Rafe announced. The chef returned to the dining room carrying a gold-rimmed demitasse. Behind him trailed Dani, who shot Nico a look. From their mutually taut expressions, Louisa wondered if there hadn’t been a disagreement over interrupting the conversation. She offered a silent thank-you to whichever one of them had won.
First thing Dani did when she sat down was to try to catch Louisa’s eye, but Louisa continued to stare at the tablecloth and prayed that the floor might swallow her up. She hated scrutiny. Hated the feel of people’s eyes upon her. Trying to look inside her. Thinking they could read her thoughts. Her fingers crept to her neckline to tug the suddenly too-tight collar.
“Will there be anything else, your highness?” Thank God for Rafe. Again. He set the cup on the table with a flourish, forcing Nico’s attention back to the business at hand.
The vintner’s bronze fingers wrapped around the handle. “This will do for now,” he replied.
“You do know that when I said ‘your highness,’ I meant it sarcastically, right?”
“Yes, but you wait on me all the same.” Nevertheless, Nico saluted his friend with the cup before taking a sip. “So,” he said after he swallowed, “you said something about a committee?”
“You were listening,” Rafe replied. “Yes, I want to create a committee for developing tourism.”
“Monte Calanetti already has a person in charge of tourism.” Nico explained. “Vincenzo Alberti.”
“Tell me you’re joking. Everyone knows Vincenzo did nothing and that the only reason we hosted the wedding was because your brother was in town to write the proposal. It could have just as easily gone to some place in Umbria.”
“True. Vincenzo is rather useless.”
“What I’m talking about is something independent and more grassroots. I’m certain if the local businesspeople put their heads together, we can come up with a host of ideas to increase tourism. Not to mention run them better.”
“I certainly won’t complain about increased business, especially during the dormant months,” Nico said. Leaning back, he hooked an arm over the back of his chair. “Who else do you have in mind besides the four of us? I assume it is the four of us, since we’re all sitting here.”
The two men began tossing names back and forth, some of whom Louisa recognized, some she didn’t. She wasn’t surprised when, as the conversation progressed, the dynamic between the friends shifted with Nico slowly taking the reins. That was something else Nico Amatucci did. No matter how commanding others might be—and Rafe certainly qualified as commanding—Nico was always the one in charge.
Her ex-husband had been the exact same way. Minus the rugged sensuality that is. Steven had been painstakingly glossy, his looks created from the pages of fashion magazines whereas Nico was more earthy. The kind of man who got his hands dirty from actually working with them, not from helping himself.
She remembered the roughness of Nico’s calloused hands as his thumbs had fanned her cheeks...
And how effortlessly he’d managed to dance her into a secluded corner without her realizing. In charge till the end, just like Steven.
“We need to make it clear to everyone involved that we don’t want to be too commercial,” she heard him say. “It’s one thing to increase tourism, it’s another to lose the very thing that makes Monte Calanetti special.”
Rafe agreed. “Absolutely. Ideally, we want events or attractions that highlight our traditions and Old World charm. That’s what the tourists want. Maybe there’s something we can do around the Madonna and Child painting in the chapel. Something historical.”
“I read the other day that Santo Majorca is building a spa around its underground springs. Too bad we can’t unearth a spring here.”
“Wouldn’t that be nice?”
“Ow!” Louisa jumped as pain shot up from her shin. Damn it, but Dani wore pointy shoes. That kick would leave a bruise.
The two men turned to look at her. “Everything all right?” Nico asked.
“Fine,” she said, rubbing her leg. Beneath her index finger she could feel a small divot. There was definitely going to be a bruise.
Across the table, her friend didn’t even have the decency to look apologetic. She was too busy gesturing with her eyebrows for Louisa to say something. Louisa replied with a shake of her head.
Why not? Dani mouthed.
Because of a zillion reasons. The concept was still too vague and unformed, for one. She wasn’t ready for people to start poking holes in her idea. Or take it over, she thought, sliding a look in Nico’s direction. She wasn’t sure she was ready period.
“Did I miss something?” Nico asked.
Of course he would say something. Those sharp brown eyes didn’t miss a thing, not that either she or Dani were being very subtle.
“Louisa’s been working on a terrific idea,” Dani said.
“Really?” He turned to face her. “What is it? If it’s something that will help, by all means tell us.”
“It’s still at the very beginning stages. I haven’t worked out all the details yet.”
“But the general idea is brilliant. She wants to turn the palazzo into a hotel.”
Some of Nico’s enthusiasm faded in favor of concern. “What kind of hotel? You’re not planning to alter the property, are you?”
“Nothing drastic, I assure you,” she said as she shot a narrow-eyed look in Dani’s direction. Why couldn’t she have found an unenthusiastic best friend? “I was thinking of something more like a high-end boutique hotel.”
“Isn’t that a great idea?” Dani piped in, clearly unfazed by Louisa’s glare. “People love to stay in historic buildings. Remember that couple last month who told us they were staying at Palazzo St. Rosa? They couldn’t stop raving about the place.”
“She’s right, they couldn’t,” Rafe said. “
No matter how hard I tried to make them.”
“They showed us the photos, and the place can’t hold a candle to Louisa’s.”
“That’s because Palazzo di Comparino is special.” Intended as both a compliment and a warning, Nico’s comment made Louisa bristle. It’d been nine months since she’d moved in and he still acted as though the palazzo was his responsibility. And Dani wondered why she didn’t want to talk about her plans.
“Special, yes,” she replied, “but it’s also very large and expensive for one person to keep up.” Especially if said person had no other source of income. “Opening it to the public is one way to cover some of the expenses.” As well as help her stay independent. Being in charge, having total control of her life again, seemed almost too good to be true.
Maybe she could finally put the past behind her.
No sooner did the thought form than her old friend insecurity came rushing in to take its place. “Of course, the building needs a lot more upgrading before I can do much of anything, and I still have to secure financing. Who knows how long it’ll take before anything happens.”
“Well, I agree with Dani—I like the idea. A high-end hotel is exactly what Monte Calanetti needs,” Rafe said as he warmed both her and Dani’s coffee. “If you need anything, let us know. Nico and I will be glad to help. Isn’t that right, Nico?”
“Absolutely.” The vineyard owner slid his empty cup across the table for a refill, which Rafe immediately provided, remembering Nico preferred espresso. There was a roguish gleam in his eyes as he smiled. “As the two of us have proven, we make a good team, do we not?”
A good team. In a flash, Louisa’s mind traveled back in time...
The Royal Wedding
“Ask and you shall receive. Your cake, signorina.” Nico’s exaggerated bow as he handed her a slice of cake made Louisa laugh. The wedding had brought out the lightheartedness in everyone, even her. It felt good, laughing. She’d faked happiness for so long that she was afraid she’d forgotten how to truly enjoy herself.
“Grazie,” she replied with her best regal nod before noticing he’d returned with only one plate. “No slice for you? Don’t tell me there isn’t enough.” She saw the cake; it was large enough to feed all of Italy.
“Ah, but it’s more fun to share, don’t you think?” From his breast pocket, he produced two forks. “To commemorate our successful partnership. We make a good team, do we not?”
“Surprisingly, yes.” If anyone had told her that one day she and the vineyard owner would be civil to one another, let alone work together, she would have told them they were crazy. But the two of them had organized the massive village cleanup in preparation for today’s wedding. As a result, the palazzo and the plaza had never looked lovelier—a pretty big achievement considering the village had started out picture-perfect.
And now, here they were enjoying each other’s company at the wedding reception, as well. Things between them had definitely thawed since Louisa’s first day in town when he’d demanded to see her ownership papers. Or maybe she was the one who was starting to thaw?
It certainly felt as though something inside her was shifting.
She focused her attention to the cake Nico was sliding toward her.
“If we’re toasting, shouldn’t we be raising a glass?” she asked, taking one of the forks.
“We’ve been raising our glasses all day. I thought we could use a change of pace.” He moved his chair so that they were sitting side by side, close enough that his elbow nudged hers. Cutting off a bite of cake, he raised it in the air like a glass. “To teamwork.”
“To teamwork.”
Louisa moved to cut her own piece of cake, intending to salute him back, only to have him press the cake to her lips before she could. “The lady should always have the first bite,” he said, his low voice.
A warm tightness moved through her as the fork slid between her teeth. Chocolate and raspberry melted on her tongue.
“Good?” he asked.
“Amazing.” She ran a tongue over her lower lip, chasing the hint of frosting that had been left behind. “Try some.”
With what could only be called a wicked smile, he did, and when the fork disappeared into his mouth, the tightness in her stomach intensified. A hint of chocolate remained on her lips. Though tempted to lick the taste away, she reached for her napkin instead. After that display, running her tongue over her lips seemed too much like answering in kind and the summer air already felt thick and stifling.
While she’d never let him know it, Nico was quite possibly the most handsome man here, even more handsome than the crown prince. Months of working outdoors had left him with a permanent tan that gave everything else about him—his smile, his eyes, his crisp white shirt—a kind of brilliance the other men couldn’t match.
Why on earth was he sitting here eating cake with her? Giving voice to her thoughts, she said, “I have to admit, I was surprised when you suggested we attend together.” Handsome, rich...she assumed he had a black book of supermodels at the ready for occasions like this.
“Made sense, did it not? We’re both here because our businesses are involved in the celebration.
“Why?” he asked with another grin. “Is there someone you would rather be sitting with?”
“Well, the best man is sort of attractive.”
“The best man is only interested in the wedding planner. Face it, bella mia,” he said, stretching an arm across the back of her chair. “I am the best offer you have.”
Another laugh bubbled its way from her chest. She must have had too much wine because his arrogance was sounding damn sexy at the moment.
The room grew quiet. “Signore e signori, his Royal Highness Prince Antonio and his bride invite you to join them in this, their final dance of the evening.”
“Wow,” she said, “last dance already? Time goes by fast.”
“Looks like my company was good after all.”
Louisa cut another bite off the cake. “Don’t get too carried away.”
“Come on, admit it.” He nudged her shoulder. “You had a good time.”
“Yeah, I did.” And for the first time in years, she meant it. This had been her first black-tie event since the divorce, and she’d feared the memories of her old life would prove too much to deal with, but Nico had proved a wonderfully entertaining companion. She was actually sorry to see the evening end.
“We need to dance,” Nico said, setting down his fork in a way that made it sound more like a command. “One doesn’t refuse an invitation from a future king.”
Apparently not. All around the room, couples were making their way to the dance floor to join Antonio and his bride, Christina. A few feet away Dani and Rafe were already wrapped in each other’s arms, as were Nico’s brother, Angelo, and his fiancée. Even Nico’s extremely pregnant sister, Marianna, was swaying to the music.
She looked back at the hand Nico was holding out. Such strong capable hands, she thought, the tightness giving way to an internal shiver. “I haven’t danced in a long time,” she warned. “Your feet might want to be prepared.”
“Consider them forewarned.”
She needn’t have worried. As soon as Nico’s arm entwined her waist, she forgot all about being rusty. Their bodies moved together like two synchronized pieces of a whole.
Nico’s eyes swept the length of her. “I’ve been meaning to tell you how beautiful you look. You outshine the princess.”
“Careful, talking like that could be considered treason in Halencia.” She tried to brush off the compliment with a smile. Flattery had lost its meaning to her a long time ago. Looking good had been part of the requirements when she was married. Looking good, behaving properly, doing what she was told...all part of the job.
“I’ll take the risk,” he said as he pulled her close. Louisa’s eyes locked with his as they moved across the floor. They were darker than she’d ever seen them, the pupils giant pools of black. While Steven always expected her to look
beautiful, he never looked at her with such blatant appreciation. The glint in Nico’s eyes made her feel like a bite of wedding cake, waiting to be sampled. The thought should have frightened her. Instead, hot shivers danced along her spine.
God, but it’d been a long time since she’d felt like a woman instead of a possession.
The orchestra faded away, drowned out by the sound of their breathing and the rasp of his jacket as it brushed her sequined bodice with every rise and fall of his chest.
She wasn’t sure who leaned in first. Once his mouth closed over hers, who had made the first move didn’t matter, not when his lips were moving against hers as if he were trying to kiss his way inside. She kissed him back just as hungrily, too many passionless years making her desperate. They kissed hard and deep, only stopping when the need to breathe became too much.
Blinking, Louisa slowly remembered where they were. “I—”
“Shh...” He pressed a kiss to the corner of her mouth. “It’s okay, bella mia.”
Bella mia. My lovely. Mine. Louisa stiffened.
“Don’t worry,” he said, misreading the reaction for embarrassment. “No one can see us.”
Turning, she saw that they were in a secluded corner, just outside the ballroom door. While she’d been lost in his spell, Nico had steered them safely away from prying eyes.
How thoughtful and practiced of him. But then, men like Nico didn’t do anything spontaneously, did they? They were always in control. Like hunters stalking prey, only instead of bullets they used smiles and seduction. Their victims were trapped in their gilded cages before they ever knew what was happening.
Except Louisa did know. And she was never ever going to be trapped again.
Pushing just enough so as to not make a scene, she stepped out of his embrace. “The bride and groom will be leaving shortly. I better make sure everything is set for their departure.” She left him standing in the corner without turning back...
* * *
“Louisa?”
Yanked from the memory by the sound of Dani’s voice, she saw the three of them staring at her. “You okay?” her friend asked.
Harlequin Romance February 2016 Box Set Page 2