by Nina Singh
“I think you should, dear. Of course you remember where the pond is.”
“I do,” Brianna replied, and started making her way to it.
The air felt crisp around her. Each light breeze brought with it the delicate scent of the ripe wine grapes. Marco’s lands were lush and beautiful. And very vast. The vineyard hadn’t even been part of the Dirici estate when Marco had inherited it. He’d expanded his lands just as he’d expanded the business. Under Marco’s management, Dirici Foods had gone from a small Italy-based company to a major global supplier to fine restaurants everywhere.
He was a complex, multidimensional man. One she admired and respected. But was he one she could live with? It was obvious they cared for each other and of course there was the fierce attraction.
And given what Nonna had just told her, Brianna didn’t think she’d have too many opportunities to figure it all out. If things didn’t work out between them this time, Marco would close the door behind her and their previous life together without looking back. She’d already figured that, Nonna had just further clarified.
The fact was, a part of her had wished Marco had asked her not to leave six months ago—a truth she was finally allowing herself to acknowledge. But her leaving seemed to have triggered something. It was almost as if they were meeting for the first time, without the pressures of an unexpected whirlwind marriage hindering them as they got to know each other.
Brianna finally approached the small hill overlooking the large pond. As she moved closer, Enzo’s bubbly chatter punctuated the air. When she made it to the top, she realized with surprise that both Enzo and his father were actually in the water. She noticed the pile of their clothes on the bank. Enzo was laughing now as he kicked water at his father’s heels, Marco wore a huge smile on his face and pretended to be upset at being splashed. Brianna’s heart warmed. Enzo was clearly enjoying himself. He was completely naked. And Marco wore nothing but shorts.
And sweet heaven, it took her breath away. Even from a distance, his toned muscular body made her heart pound. He was the golden tan color of beach sand. A shade earned from hard work and equally hard play outdoors.
Unlike the men back in New York who worked for their physiques in the gym, Marco achieved his by helping tend to his lands and by sailing competitively. The results were havoc-wreaking.
He’s just a man, like any other man, Brianna told herself. A small voice in her head laughed. Marco would never be like any other man she’d ever known.
Marco pretended to fall in the water and Enzo let out another loud squeal of laughter. She was only a few feet away when they finally noticed her.
“What is the meaning of this?” she demanded with mock outrage.
Marco halted. His gaze traveled from her face down the length of her body. Her pulse quickened.
“Mama!” Enzo cried and ran out of the pond to hug her legs, soaking her in the process.
“Good morning, sweet one. What happened to your clothes, huh?”
Enzo just laughed and jumped back in the pond, landing on his feet with an agility that surprised her. She looked back to Marco.
“An early-morning dip,” he said by way of explanation. Water streamed down his chest, highlighting the hard contours. Brianna had to fight not to lick her dry lips. Marco smiled salaciously as if he could read her mind.
“Isn’t the water cold? After the storm and everything?”
Marco shook his head, still knee-deep in the pond. “The storm is what’s made the water so refreshing. It’s much deeper now. I thought Enzo would enjoy it.”
“He most definitely seems to be.”
“You should try it out for yourself.” Marco made a move toward her. Brianna stepped back quickly.
“Oh, no. I am not going in there.”
Enzo clapped. “Mama een. Mama een.”
Brianna laughed. “No, Mama’s not going in.”
“We’ll see about that,” Marco said and moved toward her again.
This time Brianna jumped back. “Don’t you come near me,” she said, shaking her finger with warning.
Marco stood where he was and lifted an eyebrow. “Enzo, it appears your mother is the typical prissy city girl who’s afraid of water.”
He said it with such seriousness, Brianna was almost offended. “Hey,” she replied. “Not fair. I’ll have you know, I was one of the strongest swimmers in summer camp every year.”
“In a nice, clean, chlorinated pool I’m sure,” Marco said with a shudder.
Brianna crossed her arms in front of her chest. “No, in a large forest pond that would put this puny one to shame.”
Marco shook his head as if to clear his ears. “You mock my pond?”
“I would call it a puddle.”
He looked up at the sky with a hilariously wounded expression on his face. “You know you’re going to have to pay for that insult.”
“Awfully sensitive about the size of your water, aren’t you?”
This time he smiled at her double entendre. “Brianna, Brianna, Brianna,” he said. “We’re going to have to teach you a lesson.” She wasn’t sure what he intended and she moved back another step just in case. But then he picked up Enzo and Brianna breathed a sigh of relief. Until he set him down on the bank. Enzo sat down right on the pile of clothes then wrapped himself in his father’s once crisp clean shirt.
“Watch this, son.”
Before she could make out what he was up to, Marco bolted toward her. Brianna turned and ran, laughter bubbling up in her chest. She wasn’t fast enough. Marco’s arms snaked around her waist when she hadn’t even gone five feet. She felt herself being lifted off the ground.
Marco turned and carried her back toward the bank. Brianna struggled to get out of his arms, but his grip was so tight and by now she was laughing too hard to protest with any conviction.
She stopped laughing when he stepped in the water. “Marco, don’t you dare,” she said. “I’m warning you. You will regret it.”
Enzo continued to sit on the pile of clothes, intermittently giggling and sucking his thumb.
“What have you got to say about my pond now, hmm?”
Brianna couldn’t resist. “You are referring to your puddle, right?”
“My dear, you are in no position to fling further insults.” He lowered her an inch or so. She flung her arms around his neck to brace herself. His reaction was immediate. Brianna suddenly forgot about the threat of being immersed, she forgot about the playful banter. There was a sudden warmth in Marco’s eyes, something else entirely mixed in with the amusement.
It hit her full force, how much she cared for this man. She’d fallen in love with him that first week in New York City and she’d never gone back.
He was perfect. He was flawed. He would do anything for his son. Brianna had never come across a father who cared so much. And he made her feel emotions she wouldn’t have thought she was capable of. Her expression must have changed because Marco’s playful mood suddenly disappeared. His eyes grew even darker.
“Brianna?” he whispered.
Glancing at Enzo to ensure he still sat safely on the grass, she reached up to touch his face, traced his lips with her fingers. She desperately wanted those lips on hers again. She’d never stopped wanting him. But now she wasn’t sure at all that she could fight it. Or that she wanted to.
Marco closed his eyes on a sigh and gently kissed her fingertips. Brianna swallowed a moan. She didn’t want to lose him again. Maybe there was a way they could work on their differences. Maybe there was a way they could fight for what they had. She pulled her fingers away, inching her head closer to his. Would he respond?
A squeal of delight from her son had her pulling back on a gasp.
“Mama een!”
Marco’s eyes snapped open. He looked over at his child and laughed. Just like that, the moment was gone
.
“Sir, I demand that you put me down this instant,” Brianna said. Her attempt to sound totally authoritative must not have worked.
“If you insist.”
Before Brianna could protest that he’d deliberately misread her words, she hit the water with a resounding splash. Landing on her bottom, it took all her arm strength to keep her head above the water line. It was surprisingly clear and much warmer than she’d been expecting.
She was nevertheless stung.
Enzo squealed in delight. Brianna wiped off her face with the palm of her hand.
“You will pay for that.”
Marco’s grin only widened. “What are you going to do? Splash me? Get me wet?”
Enzo’s giggles reverberated in air from where he sat. Brianna dug her hand into the muddy bottom. She lifted her other hand to Marco. “At least help me up.”
Marco hesitated, enjoying her predicament. Then he bent down and took her outstretched hand.
She waited until just the right time. One, two...
The mud caught him square on the chin. Marco appeared shocked, even staggered back a bit. Brianna’s laugh tore from the depths of her belly. Marco dove in the water, practically on top of her.
“You fight dirty, don’t you, dear wife?”
The literal and figurative slant of his words made her laugh even harder. She no longer cared how wet she was.
“Here, let me wipe that off.” She brought her hand up to his face, making sure to grab another handful of mud. She slapped it on his cheek.
Marco had been expecting it. He didn’t look the least bit surprised. Enzo was laughing so hard, Brianna turned to make sure he wasn’t going to fall over and do a face plant on the grass.
It was a mistake. Marco took the opportunity to strike. In one smooth movement, he shifted onto his bottom and sat, pulling her onto his lap. Gripping her by the shoulders, he gently but firmly ducked her further into the water. Brianna sputtered about. She could no longer tell whether she or Enzo was laughing harder. She glanced over her shoulder at Marco. The thick mud still clinging to his face made her laugh even more.
His hand reached in the water and she just knew what he was going for.
She went completely still and made herself stop laughing. “Wait, wait. Hang on.” She rubbed her knee. “I think I hurt my leg.”
Marco let go of her so fast and he looked so concerned, she felt somewhat guilty. But she didn’t hesitate. She sprinted up and made a dash toward dry land.
Again, she wasn’t fast enough. Marco pulled her back down and this time moved on top of her to pin her down. And now her shoulders were completely immersed. She couldn’t possibly get any wetter.
“Okay, okay,” she muttered. “I give.”
“You do, huh?”
“Yes.”
“Then tell me this is the most magnificent body of water you have ever laid eyes on. That it parallels the mighty oceans—”
Oh, he was too much. Brianna purposely stuck her head in and came back out spitting a stream of water in Marco’s face.
This time when Enzo laughed, he did manage to lose his balance and topple himself off the pile of clothing. Brianna and Marco both bolted to his side. Marco lifted him upright. He appeared unharmed and continued to laugh. But definitely dirty. Beyond dirty.
“Perhaps we should head back and get this little one cleaned up,” Marco suggested.
“I think you and I could use a hot shower, too.”
Heat danced in his eyes. She hadn’t meant it that way. But she couldn’t help but picture it. Marco feeling her skin as hot water poured over the two of them.
The lightheartedness they’d been enjoying suddenly turned to something else. Brianna stole a glance at Marco. He looked fierce. And determined. The remaining smears of mud on his face made him look like a rugged warrior wearing tribal battle paint. A shudder bolted through her.
She had no doubt his lips would be on hers if the two of them were alone.
She picked up Enzo. “Come on, little guy.”
Marco retrieved their clothes and wrapped his shirt tighter around their son. Together, the three of them slowly made their way back to the house. For all the excitement, Enzo appeared spent. And utterly oblivious to the electricity crackling between his parents.
If only she could be equally unaware.
* * *
Marco watched Brianna as she cradled Enzo in her arms. She was cuddling him close. Enzo’s eyelids started to droop and he looked more than content snuggled up to his mother.
“Looks a little worn out, doesn’t he?” he asked.
Brianna smiled and rubbed her cheek against the top of her son’s head. She tightened her hold on him. “He doesn’t seem to be cold.”
Unlike Brianna herself. Marco noticed the goose bumps along her arms. Without thinking, he put his arm around her shoulders.
Brianna looked up at him in surprise but she didn’t say anything. A moment later, he could have sworn she nestled in closer to him. Probably just to keep warm, he told himself. But he felt oddly elated.
It was such a simple thing really. He was walking back to the house with his wife and son. But he’d never felt more content. Despite all his material possessions, he’d never felt wealthier than he did right now. All this time, he’d been busting his butt at the office in order to ensure that he was a good father. Look how that had worked out. Perhaps he should have been doing more of this instead, spending more time just enjoying the family he had.
But at this moment the picture of family harmony was little more than a façade, a fact he had to accept and acknowledge.
He’d had this for real but had somehow blown it. Good fortune was often fleeting.
Neither said anything as they walked slowly back to the house. Enzo’s eyelids drooped lower and lower. Finally, the mansion appeared before them.
Nonna opened the door before they’d reached it. “What in the world happened to you three?” she asked and reached for Enzo who had completely fallen asleep.
“We slipped,” Marco replied and gave Brianna a conspiratorial wink. He closed the door behind them. Enzo was so deep in slumber he didn’t even awaken when passed over to his grandmother.
“I’ll have Violetta brew some espresso,” Nonna said. Carlo appeared with three large towels. He handed one to Nonna for Enzo then gave Marco the other. Marco took the third towel from him, perhaps a little abruptly, and wrapped it around Brianna’s shoulders.
“You’re shaking.” Did he dare hope it was due to more than just the cold?
Nonna headed toward the stairs with Enzo in her arms. “I’ll try to get him dried off and changed, I hope he doesn’t wake up.”
“Oh, he won’t,” Brianna said with a smile at her son. She turned to Marco. “Your boy can sleep through anything.”
“Our boy,” he corrected her. For some reason he felt the need to reiterate the fact, to remind her of the connection that they would always have, no matter what happened between them in the end. “You should probably go take a shower. Before you start to smell as bad as the pond.”
Brianna gave him a surprised, questioning look. Then a smile pulled at her mouth. She turned toward the bathroom and he couldn’t resist giving her a playful pat on the bottom as he followed her upstairs to get cleaned up himself.
Marco made his way up to the suite and made himself wait until his pulse slowed. As much as he wanted to, he wouldn’t allow himself to remember those early days when she would have invited him into the shower with her. And he would have wholeheartedly followed. He fisted his hands by his side.
“Marco?”
He leaned closer to her adorably muddy face and gave her the gentlest, merest brush of a kiss.
“Enjoy your shower, cara.”
CHAPTER NINE
SHE’D BEEN AWAKE for hours before the k
nock sounded on her door. It was Marco; even the way he knocked had a distinctive quality. Memories of the day before had been rushing through her mind all morning. The way he’d held her. The gentle kiss on her cheek as he’d bade her goodbye.
“Come in.”
Marco entered, clasping on his watch as he walked in. He gave her a smile—a lazy, closed smile that didn’t quite reach his whole face. A smile that appeared too strained.
His expression told her everything she needed to know. He had withdrawn.
It was all wrong. Things were being left unsaid. Again.
He moved over to her and leaning in, gave her a small peck on the cheek. A kiss which held nowhere near the affection of the one yesterday.
“Wanted to check on you. I have a few phone calls to make. Then Leo and I have a meeting.”
She nodded silently.
“Is something wrong?” he asked.
Yes, everything. “No, not at all.”
Reaching for the robe that lay across the bed, Brianna slipped it on and secured the belt. She made her way over to the vanity and sat down in front of the mirror. With absentminded motions, she ran a brush through her hair. What they’d shared yesterday had been something out of a sweet, romantic movie. But this morning, they were back to acting like strangers.
This was a pattern. Based on past history, such moments of closeness and intimacy were usually followed by days and days of long hours at the office or traveling for work. Other than Marco stopping by during a lunch hour to spend some time with his son, Brianna would barely see him.
A clear withdrawal every time they seemed to get close. He was doing it again. How could she have not seen it coming? Simply because she’d left him six months ago?
“Are you certain there’s nothing the matter?” he asked.
She looked up at him in the mirror. Well, she certainly wasn’t going to sit around moping.