by Lillie Love
“Fine. I’ll see you later at your flat. I’ll try to be there by five o’clock if that works.”
“It works. Thanks, Nico. See you later.”
“Ciao.” He ended the call and Amber sat back on the sofa, taking a deep breath. She was sad at his efficient tone, but consoled herself that she couldn’t warrant any warmth from him after their last goodbye.
The day dragged by slowly. She made an effort with her appearance, washed her hair and put on some light make-up. She wasn’t sure why she was doing it, but if he was going to tell her that he wasn’t interested any longer, she at least wanted to feel good about herself.
At five o’clock sharp, the buzzer went. Butterflies set off in her stomach and she felt a lurch of excitement and dread within her. She buzzed him entry and stood waiting at the door. After a few moments, he came into view. He looked even more handsome than the last time she saw him. His hair was as messy as usual, but she guessed by now that he probably styled it that way. Her eyes flicked over his strong tanned body, which was concealed under a tailored navy suit with a sharp white shirt. Looking up, his green eyes sought hers, riveting her to the spot. She froze as her senses leapt to life.
“Amber.” He stood there with a small smile, waiting for an invitation into the flat. She tingled as he said her name, his nearness kindling feelings of fire within her. She felt heat spread through her body and face. Coughing, she tried to regain some composure.
“Nico. Thank you for coming. Please, do come in.” She stood aside as he took a few strides past her and into her flat. Inhaling his scent, which she had grown to love, she gently closed the door behind him and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear.
“Amber, you said you needed to tell me something.” Nico was cool and professional as he sat on her sofa. She took a big breath, realising that he wasn’t going to make it easy for her. She sat down opposite him.
“Can I get you a drink?”
“Some water would be great, thanks.”
She felt his eyes burning into her back as he followed her movements around the kitchen. Unfortunately, just then a bout of nausea hit her hard, and she had to steady herself and take deep breaths to let it pass. Please, please, don’t let me throw up, she prayed.
Within a moment, Nico was by her side. He reached tentatively for her arm. “Amber, are you alright? You don’t look so good.” His concerned eyes betrayed his cool demeaner.
She smiled as the nausea thankfully subsided. “So I keep hearing.”
He looked confused. She took a sip of water. “Nico, I have to tell you something, but I need you to sit down, please?”
He went back to the sofa, and she slowly resumed her seat too.
“I figure this will never happen to me again in my life, so right now, I don’t care and I’m just going to put it out there, okay?”
He nodded slightly, frowning at the same time.
Her voice trembled. She took a deep breath and finally spoke. “Nico, I don’t know how to tell you this,” she paused, looking away, “but I’m in love with you. I know it’s too late for us as I realise I’ve totally messed things up. But I just wanted you to know that it was never you. It’s just me and my screwed up childhood that’s caused me to never trust or fall for anyone.”
“Amber—”
She held up her hand, pulling on her internal strength to get out what she needed to say. “Please Nico, let me finish or I’ll never get this out. I don’t trust easily, I thought I was happy, that I didn’t need anyone. But I have fallen for you, even though I’ve tried so damn hard to resist.” She held up her hand again, silencing him as she could see him begin to protest. “The thing is, and I completely understand that you no longer want anything to do with me, but I’m afraid we’ll always be connected.”
“I’m not sure I understand. What are you saying?”
“Nico, I’m pregnant. It happened after our first time together.” She paused, waiting for the news to sink in. “I guess your swimmers are extra strong or something.” She tried to make a light joke as she saw the shock register across his face. He sat back on the sofa and she could almost see the thoughts running through his mind.
Surprising her with his agility, he was up within a flash and sitting next to her, reaching for her hand. She could see his beautiful green eyes glistening.
“Amber, wow, this is a shock—”
She pulled her hand away. “Nico, please, you don’t have to feel obligated to me. I just wanted to let you know. We’ll be fine on our own. Please go back to your bachelor life. I’m not tying to down.” Her voice cracked as tears filled her eyes.
“Amber, would you stop rattling on and on and please give me a chance to speak, woman?” He pushed her hair back and took her face between his hands, holding it still as he looked her in the eye.
“Amber, from the moment I met you, you captured my attention and then my heart. You’re right, I do have a reputation, but half of what you read is made up. I’ve not dated one single woman since I met you two months ago. All my life, I have been driven to work, and I never wanted to settle down. That’s until I met you. You’re the most stubborn, frustrating and possibly the feistiest girl I’ve ever met.”
She narrowed her eyes at him as he offered her a wide smile in return. “But you are also the most beautiful, sexy and kind hearted girl I’ve ever had the pleasure to meet. My family and friends have completely fallen in love with you.” A few tears fell onto her lap as she lowered her lashes. She felt his fingers lifting her chin to look at him. “I’m in love with you too, Amber. I have been for the past two months, ever since we first met. I admit, I’m not perfect, and yes, I’ll probably screw up a good few times, but I’ll never cause to you to doubt your trust in me. Ti amo. I love you, Amber. I don’t think I knew how to live before you came into my life.”
Tears poured down her face, and she grinned widely, not quite believing what she was hearing. He placed his hand on her tummy. “We’re really having a baby?” His eyes glistened with tears and she nodded, her eyes filled with love. “I promise you, I’ll love and cherish you both forever. This is all new to me too, but I can’t wait to start our new journey together, carino. We’ll figure everything out. Just the three of us, okay?”
Amber flew into his arms, holding on tight as she completely broke down and cried. All the tension, worry, stress and disbelief from the last month seemed to finally lift off her burdened shoulders. She had never felt so loved and cherished in all her life as she did in that moment in Nico’s arms.
“Okay, Nico.” She sniffed, wiping her eyes. “You’ve got yourself a family.” She laughed as she pulled back to stare into his molten eyes. And then they kissed, his lips capturing hers with a searing kiss as the connection swelled between them, strengthening and bonding their love. Eventually, he pulled back as they caught their breath.
“You’re both mine, carino. Nothing or no one will ever tear us apart.”
She replied with a fierce kiss of her own, and Amber relished in the knowledge that whatever happened, it would be all right. Because, being here, in Nico’s arms, was so right and all that she would ever need. They would cherish each other forever.
This Time for Real
Prologue
Two Years ago…
Mia walked along the pavement of the wide tree-lined road in Holland Park. She loved living in this part of London, with all the hustle and bustle of the area and the eclectic mix of people.
It was getting quite late. As usual, she’d lost track of time at the studio, engrossed in redesigning an evening dress for an important client. As a design assistant, she wanted it to be perfect.
Lost in thought, she was glad for the Indian summer that London was currently experiencing in September and could still detect a hint of light in the night sky, even though it was almost nine o’clock.
Nearing her flat, which was on the second floor of a private terraced house, she began to rummage through her bag to locate her keys. Finally feeling them
amongst her many fabric samples, she was momentarily distracted, and didn’t pay attention to the stairs leading up to her front door. Looking up, she jumped back in surprise at the lone figure sitting down with his head in his hands.
“Gino! What are you doing here?” She froze as she spotted him looking somewhat wild and disheveled in the glow of the streetlight. He ran his hands over his buzz cut as he raised his face, a slow smile lifting the corners of his mouth. She flicked her eyes over his handsome features and kept going, taking in his appearance from his sharp suit down to the polished leather loafers. The top few buttons of his shirt were open and his tie was pulled loosely apart, giving her a small glimpse of the top of his smooth tanned chest.
“Camilla.” He spoke in a soft voice whilst blatantly letting his eyes drift from her face down to her toes. Standing up slowly, he started to lose his balance. “Whoa there!”
Mia quickly closed the distance to help steady him. “Gino! My God, you’re drunk.”
“Si. That I am, little Mia…that I am.” He smirked as he looked down at her, wrapping his arm around her for support. Mia held onto him, indulging in the moment. She felt her breath catch in her throat as his strong arms compressed her slight frame against him. Looking up into his eyes she found him staring at her intently, his eyes holding a spark of some indefinable emotion.
Mia felt her pulse quicken under his gaze, felt her face catching fire with his close proximity. She lowered her lashes, and inhaled his cologne, enjoying being wrapped around him.
After a few moments, she reluctantly let him go once making sure he was steady. “Please, Gino, come in. I’ll make you some coffee.”
Without a word, he simply nodded and followed her up to the second floor, holding onto the bannisters for support along the way. She led him into her flat and cringed at the state in which she had left it that morning. Her eyes darted around at the spacious open-plan living space, assessing where she could do the fastest damage-control.
Groaning inwardly, she noted the many fabric samples and storyboards haphazardly spread across both the dining and coffee table. Turning to him with an apologetic look, she quickly began to gather her work together.
“Sorry for the mess…the project I’m working on at the moment is taking up a lot of my time.” She watched him take a seat on the sofa, which, thankfully, was clear of any work. He peeled off his jacket and ran his hands over his hair again, something he did when he was nervous.
“No need to apologise, Mia.” He flashed her a smile as she continued to tidy up, making some space on the coffee table. “Stop. Come and sit with me.”
Even though he was clearly drunk, his low voice never sounded sexier to her. A brief vision of him raking his naked body over hers, moaning in her ear with passion flashed through her mind. Stop it, she scolded herself, as she plastered a smile on her face and hesitantly sat next to him.
“Can I—“
“No. Nothing. I just want you here.”
She felt the air still around them as she watched Gino reach for her hand. Her eyes widened in surprise as she saw his large tanned hand entwine with her fingers. Slowly lifting her gaze to meet his clear grey eyes, she was shocked at the intensity radiating off them. She tried to smile as a rise of heat filtered through her. Both were silent momentarily, but then he picked up one of her storyboards on the table.
“This is what you’re working on? Evening wear?”
“Yes,” she said, nodding, her voice barely a whisper.
“Bellissima.” His thumb absently drew circles on the back of her hand as he studied her drawings and Mia felt her entire body coming to life from that small movement. “And so are you.” He gently returned the storyboard back to the table. “Look at you, sweet, Mia.” He shook his head. “When did you grow up so fast?”
Mia sucked in a quick breath. For as long as she could remember, she had harboured a huge crush on Gino, her feelings intensifying as she grew older. They blossomed into more each year.
Over the years, she tried to tag along with Nico, her elder brother, to social events and parties in the hope of catching a glimpse of Gino. If he happened to be present, a bevy of beauties would be competing for his attention, once again leaving her on the periphery.
She cleared her throat. “Thank you, Gino. But you don’t have to practice your pick up lines on me.” She smiled, trying to lighten the situation. “I’ve seen you and Nico together in action — you’re certainly not short of girls or offers.” She tried to laugh it off, but somehow the sound got stuck in her throat.
He sighed and leaned back into the sofa, staring straight ahead. “They’re just girls, Mia, they don’t mean anything.”
“Gino, I wasn’t suggesting…”
“I just need you to know, Mia.”
“Know what?” She felt the adrenaline pick up as her heart started to pound.
“Like I said, those girls? They don’t mean anything.” He squeezed his eyes shut as if trying to erase them from his memory. “Mia,” he whispered her name with an unspoken agony. “It’s always been you.”
“What? I don’t understand?” Her voice sounded breathy even to herself.
Gino released her hand and cradled her cheeks in the palm of his hands, drawing her to him, slowly and measured. “I can’t deny it any longer, Mia.” He inhaled sharply. “I love you.” A pained look crossed his features. “But I can never be with you. You deserve so much better.”
Mia’s heartbeat crashed against her rib cage at his confession, feeling like a bomb about to detonate in her chest.
“Gino,” she whispered his name, shocked and unable to believe the words she so longed to hear for years.
He gently brought her face close to him and, before she could say anything further, he landed his mouth hard over hers, crushing her lips to him. A groan ripped from his gut as if it had waited all his life to come out.
Mia wound her hands into his thick, dark hair as a burst of passion like she had never known released from within her. She had waited years for this — almost an entire lifetime and had never experienced a kiss that mattered so much, that she had craved so badly. She knew he felt it too. She moaned into his mouth and pressed herself against him as they indulged in the pull and push of ecstasy.
With a moan, Gino abruptly pulled away, his features mixed with a look of horror and torment.
“Gino…“ Her voice broke at the connection that was now fading. Her eyes filled with confusion. “Have I done something wrong?” She watched as Gino pulled away and scooped up his suit jacket, appearing somewhat sobered. He almost raced to the door in his bid to get away from her. “Please, Gino. Stop!” She could hear the desperation and outright pleading in her voice, but didn’t care.
“No, Mia.” He turned and looked at her, his voice strained with emotion. “I’m sorry. Please forget what I said. I shouldn’t have come.”
A sob escaped her throat and Mia’s hand flew to her mouth to stop the wail that threatened to follow. She stood up, arm outstretched in an attempt to stop him from walking away.
It made no difference. Without a backwards glance, he slammed the door behind him. Mia sunk to her knees, burying her face in her hands and cried uncontrollably.
*
The following week, she tried without luck to contact him, for his phone was permanently switched off. Along with the numerous messages she left, she had even turned up on his doorstep in the hope of seeing him, but to no avail. Out of desperation, she had casually asked Nico. Her brother solemnly informed her that Gino had impulsively taken a leave of absence from his job and had returned to his second home, in Milan.
Chapter 1
Mia applied her pink lip-gloss, puckered her lips together and stepped back to eye herself critically in the mirror. Not bad, she thought, flicking some lint off her grey fitted dress. She adjusted the slim silver belt and stepped into her high-heeled red pumps. Checking her oversized wristwatch, Mia realised she would be running late if she didn’t leave in the next five min
utes.
Thankfully, her brother’s place in Notting Hill was less than a ten-minute cab journey away. Grabbing her coat and clutch, she shut the door to her flat and made her way downstairs and outside into the cold November evening. The blustery wind immediately enveloped her, sending a shiver down her spine and she hurriedly fastened up her coat.
Keeping her head down, she quickly walked in the direction of the main road with the hope of flagging down a passing taxi. The streets were busy with people laughing, deep in conversation. Some were laden with shopping bags making their way home, whilst others, like her, were on their way for a night out on the town. Thankfully, she lived in a busy part of London and within moments, she had signalled a taxi and given the driver instructions to her brother’s place.
Less than ten minutes later, she had arrived at the pretty tree-lined street and pulled up outside the building to his penthouse. She glanced up and smiled to herself, thinking of the events that had happened over the last few months which had brought her brother, Nico, together with Amber.
It had all started here, with Amber being hired as the interior designer of his place, and what a fantastic job she had done with it. As much as he was trying to persuade Amber to move in with him, she was still resisting.
Lost in thought, Mia walked to the side of the grade-two listed building to the private entrance and used the pad of her finger to authenticate herself at the biometric security gate. Nico had given her access a few months ago when he had first bought it. Stepping through the gate, she entered into the small courtyard, and walked across to the private lift, which would take her straight up into the penthouse.
A few minutes later, the carpeted lift pinged open into the foyer of the apartment. She could hear the sound of laughter and voices coming from the sitting room, so, hanging up her coat and straightening her dress, Mia followed the sound.
Stopping at the entrance to the sitting room, she smiled as she took a second to observe the guests. Amber was sitting on the sofa, nursing a soft drink and laughing at something her best friend, Beth, was saying. Both girls were animated in their discussion and Mia’s smile widened at their laughter.