She bit back a smile. “Thanks, Simon. We’re probably better off as friends, but I appreciate you.”
He withdrew his hand and nodded at her. “This guy. Does he know what kind of awesome woman you are?”
She folded her arms. “We aren’t together right now,” she said, opting to leave out the details. She doubted Simon needed them anyway.
“Then he’s a loser.”
She chuckled at the irony. Wasn’t it the same thing Nico had said about Simon in the beginning?
…
Nico knocked on the door of the hotel suite again. And again.
Adrenaline bubbled in his bloodstream. Shit, his rational side warned him he should wait until later to talk about this with Zaine, but his father—still sounded funny to think about Desmorais that way—lit a fire under his ass, and he couldn’t extinguish it. Not until he’d asked for Emma’s hand in marriage. But first he needed to talk things out with her brother and hope Zaine didn’t throw him out the window.
“Hey, man,” Zaine said, opening the door. “Everything okay?”
Nico rubbed the area between his eyebrows, searching for the right words not to piss off his buddy on his wedding day. “I’ll tell you something you may not agree with right away, but you’re my best friend. You’re like a brother to me, and it doesn’t feel right to be your best man while I’m keeping something from you.”
Zaine adjusted his cufflinks, then turned to Nico. “What is it?”
Nico sucked in a breath. “I’m in love with Emma.”
Zaine perched his hands on his waist, his crisp white shirt still not tucked into his pants. “Emma who?” he asked casually.
Tension hung in the air like cheap perfume. Shit. Did his friend think he met some wannabe actress or top model and wanted to bring her to the wedding? His jaw clenched.
Physically, he and Zaine were in phenomenal shape. He could take on his friend, but did he want to? Guilt filled his chest. He’d had an affair with Zaine’s little sister. He’d screwed her in all kinds of dirty ways then discarded her. He deserved every freaking punch coming his way.
Zaine stopped fumbling with his tie and stretched to his full height. “You mean my sister?”
“Yes, I know you’re probably pissed at me, but—”
Anger flickered in Zaine’s eyes. “No wonder Emma has been miserable. I thought it was because she broke up with Simon, but now everything makes sense. You seduced her, and she broke up with her fiancé.”
“That’s not how it happened. I love her. I love Emma.”
Zaine tilted his head to the side, like he hadn’t heard him correctly. “What? You never said you loved any woman. What makes you think I’ll believe you?”
“Because I’m here, asking you for your blessing. You may not give it to me today, but one day. I love her and want to marry her.”
Zaine prowled the room, rubbing his temples, probably trying to make sense of Nico’s words. “You? And my sister?”
“I know I’m not perfect husband material, but I want to be with her.”
“Does she want to be with you?”
“I hope so. I didn’t want to propose before talking to you first. I understand you may hate me, but I wanted to start this new chapter by doing the right thing.”
“So you jeopardize our long friendship when you could just ignore the whole affair? And you want my approval?”
“I’ll be with her even if you don’t approve. But asking you shows my intentions are good.”
The contours of Zaine’s face softened, and hope expanded in Nico’s chest. “That’s something I never heard from you. Good intentions, Nico.”
Nico bit back a smile. “What can I say? Emma brings it out in me.”
“All right. What do you have in mind? You know Emma’s big on weddings, so—”
“Oh, I have something planned. Are you ready?”
Chapter Seventeen
Emma held the stem of the champagne flute so tightly she could swear she heard a crack. Someone gave Nico a sleek microphone, and besides a couple of giggles from the bridesmaids, the room quieted for his best man’s toast.
She pursed her lips. Until now, she’d tried hard to avoid looking at him. She gulped the rest of her champagne at once and placed the flute on the beautifully set table. God, she’d missed him. He stood, his power and charisma capturing glances from most of the women. The suit fit him perfectly, and if she closed her eyes, she’d remember every part of him she’d licked, kissed, or touched.
Her heart pulsed at the base of her throat.
“I can’t begin to explain how happy I am Zaine has found someone to love. I’ve known him for a long time, and he’s an amazing dude. Smart, caring, fun to be around. And somehow he landed himself a hot French wife, so I know he’s got the total package.” A few people whistled, and Monique kissed Zaine’s cheek. Zaine whispered something in her ear that made her blush. Holding the microphone, Nico continued. “I used to make fun of him for being a committed guy—committed to his family, his now wife, and a noble cause. Now…I envy him.”
He walked around the crowd, each step he took in her direction adding a thump to her heart. “I never knew what it was like to love someone till I found someone. A hell of a woman. Sexy, intelligent, and so giving.”
She tried to swallow, but her tongue got stuck on the roof of her mouth. “She gave me a chance, and I—”
His gaze collided with hers, and it almost knocked her out of her seat. He stopped in front of her. The guy working the lights followed him, and soon the guests glanced at the both of them. What the hell was he doing? Was he drunk?
Even though she still sat, not trusting her legs to support her if she stood, she felt the attention on her as if she danced on the table. Her family. Everyone. Warmth flooded her cheeks and neck.
“I blew it. I was scared, but now…I can’t see my life without her.”
He kneeled before her, and a lot of the guests whispered an ooohh. “Emma, I’m so sorry. I wanted to wait until after the toast to tell you this, but I have this burning in my chest that won’t quit. I blew it, and I want to make it up to you.”
He tossed the microphone onto the table and held her trembling hand. Looking into her eyes, he kissed each one of her knuckles. “I love you. Ti amo.”
Her head bobbed forward, and she blinked one, two, three times. A light-headedness caused her to almost faint. She took a couple of quick, shallow breaths. He didn’t waver or move an inch. She stared deep into his eyes. For so long, she wondered what emotion hid in those depths. Now she finally discovered—love. No hesitation, no fear.
“I love you too, Nico.”
He kissed her, and the crowd applauded in ecstasy. “I’ve missed you,” he whispered in her ear.
“Me too. How did—”
“Desmorais showed up for a visit and convinced me to talk to you. I couldn’t wait any longer to tell you how much I love you. I talked to your brother, because I know how tacky this is to do at someone else’s wedding. But he and Monique were all for it. I wanted to wait until the ceremony was over, because I didn’t want to make it about myself.”
“Really?” Emma squealed.
“Yeah. I knew I’d get too emotional talking about him without thinking about my own recent discovery. At the end, he said I should still do the toast. And we’re making this also about you. One more thing. Don’t go anywhere,” he said, and gave her a kiss before striding out of sight.
“Nico. I can’t believe he went all out,” Megan said, appearing from behind her. “Gotta say, though, well done. He’s gorgeous.”
She flushed, her cheeks overheating. “Yeah, he’s pretty awesome.”
Megan nudged her elbow. “You look happy, sis. Really happy.”
Emma chewed on her lower lip. “Thanks. I—”
She scanned the room and found Nico walking up to her, carrying a chocolate Lab puppy in each hand. Her heart skipped a beat, and if she took a picture of her handsome man with those puppies, she w
as sure she could make a freaking calendar out of it. Her shoulders sagged, her insides melting.
“Is it a sin to covet your sister’s man?” Megan asked. “Or does it only count after a potential future marriage?”
Emma exhaled. “After the marriage, I believe.”
Nico erased the distance between them, with those two adorable puppies in his hands and a shameless grin on his face. “I got these today. I remembered what you said about old and new dreams. I want to make every single dream of yours come true, Emma. Old and new.”
A lump lodged in her throat. Tears pricked her eyes, but she blinked them back, adamant on not letting her makeup turn into a nightmare. She leaned down and petted the furry cuties. They licked her hand, excited, squirming out of his hold. A need to be with Nico, to make love to him, bolted through her. “I want to be with you, Nico.”
He stared at her, fire brewing in his golden flecks. “Emma, do you accept to be with me, with all my flaws and imperfections, to raise little Nicky and these two together, and maybe crank out a couple bambinos?” he whispered in her ear.
“Yes,” she said without hesitation. Her heart sang, and the noise around them fell into the background. She gazed at him, the raw emotion in his eyes melting her bones. She opened her mouth to speak, but words failed her. How could she even describe the happiest moment of her life?
“These are so cute. Can I watch them while you two talk?” Megan said.
“Yes,” Emma said a tad too quickly. “We’ll be right back.”
He brushed his lips on her cheek, the simple touch shooting a current of awareness down her body. “Yes.” He glanced around them. “I want to be alone with you. Where can we go?”
“I’ll show you,” she said, stretching her hand to him.
Pretty soon the wedding planner would pull all of them aside for even more pictures, so they had to be fast. She glanced around, and while someone else made a toast, she managed to escape from her seat, and he did the same, following her out as the room darkened.
She squealed and remembered the janitor’s room where they’d stored some party supplies. She walked briskly, smiling at the attendant who crossed her path. She looked both ways to make sure no one paid attention to them, and when the hallway cleared, she opened the door, and he followed her.
She locked it, and he slammed her against the wall, lowering his lips to her neck, lifting her off the ground. Literally sweeping her off her feet, she moaned, a ball of joy bursting in her heart.
“Emma…these last days were death to me.”
“I know.”
He sat her on a crowded desk and touched her chin, then traced the outline of her lips with the tip of his index finger. “You’re it, Emma. You’re my lifelong lesson.”
Tears pricked in her eyes, and a warm, strong sensation floated up her throat. She blinked them back, unwilling to ruin this perfect moment together. “I can’t cry right now.”
He caressed her jaw, and she sank into his hand. “You were the one who taught me to own up to my emotions.”
Tears rolled down her cheeks.
He tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, then ran his fingers through her locks. “Wasn’t a bullshit lesson, right? You’re still with me?” he asked in an amused tone.
Always. A type of joy she’d never experienced before radiated from her chest, fast-tracking all her cells. Excitement rushed through her veins, along with a newfound power. Invincible. His love, their love, made her, made them, invincible. “Yes. We’re in for a lot more lessons, Nico.” She snickered, pulling him closer.
“Yes. Best of all, piccola, we’ll learn them together,” he said, lowering his mouth to hers.
Epilogue
Five years later…
“Daddy, are they here yet?” little Lucy asked. Four years ago, he’d reversed his vasectomy, the best decision he’d ever made.
Nico picked up his three-year-old daughter in his arms, swirling her around in the backyard of their vacation home in Mauritius. Or rather, his father’s home, which they used as home base whenever they visited.
He’d made other investments in Mauritius, but Desmorais always insisted he stay at his house, even if he’d remodeled half of it to make it more accessible for his walker. Except for a hip replacement surgery, Desmorais’s health was good. He kept plenty busy spoiling Lucy every chance he got.
Desmorais also loved taking Lucy to visit the animal sanctuary he’d ended up building in another location, not too far from his home. He’d named it The Luciana Rossi Sanctuary, to honor Nico’s mom. A big plaque with her name in cursive letters stood at the entrance and never failed to make Nico smile.
“Not yet, sweetie, but Uncle Marco should arrive soon. Their jet already landed.”
“What? It already landed?” Emma shouted from the kitchen. She’d taken the summer off work to enjoy the lazy days in their home away from home, and she’d been hustling over making the house even more beautiful for the arrival of Zaine and Monique, with their two kids, and Marco and Lily, with the twin boys.
He kissed the top of Lucy’s head and put her on the floor. “Yes. Soon Marco’s destruction experts will be over. Make sure you hide all the valuables.” They always teased Marco about his three-and-a-half-year-old twin boys. Arturo and Benito mastered running after each other, climbing dangerous furniture, fighting, and making up again. Much like Nico and Marco had as kids.
Lucy giggled. “Yay. Cuzzies.”
Desmorais waved from the other side of the large backyard, where he’d been gardening. “Come help Grandpa,” he called, and Lucy dashed his way.
“I’ll come get you soon, Lucy. Listen to Grandpa.” He waved, then raced to the steps and dashed into the kitchen.
Emma fumbled with a flower arrangement inside an overpriced crystal vase. A patterned purple-ish sundress clung to her delicious curves, which had become only hotter after pregnancy. He embraced her from behind, and caught a whiff of the feminine, sweet notes of her fragrance. He deposited a kiss on the curve of her neck and felt her shudder, a sexy moan leaving her lips. “How much time do we have?” she asked, with a trace of urgency in her voice.
“Five minutes. Ten tops,” he said, twirling her around.
“I’ll take it.” She grabbed his hand, and they strode to their bedroom.
When he closed the door behind him, she pulled him to her, her hands hovered over his jeans. Desire pounded in his cock, and he smashed his lips on hers. He pulled her dress over her head and, stumbling among the furniture, they kissed each other until finally they fell on the bed.
She chuckled, slipping her hand into his jeans. He covered her with his body, rubbing himself against her. She squirmed, a flicker of mischief in her eyes carrying a promise. A message.
She squeezed his cock, and he groaned. If she wanted to make it fast, damn her, she’d get it. He parted her thighs and slid two fingers into her pussy, so wet and so tight. “Screw me, Nico.” She bucked her hips into his hand, and he teased her clit while she unzipped him and pulled down his pants.
Aroused, he thrust into her, and she moaned, sweat glistening her forehead.
She. Emma Cavanaugh-Giordano. The woman he’d chosen. The woman who’d been fool enough to take a chance on him.
“More,” she asked, wrapping her legs around his torso. If anything, time had attuned her only more to her sexual needs, and they enjoyed each other’s bodies whenever Lucy wasn’t around.
He retreated then plunged deeper. Faster. Stronger.
She groaned, shaking under him, and soon he, too, lost himself in her sweetness. When they both caught their breath, she said, “I’m pregnant.”
He rolled to the side, an incredible sensation zapping through him. Pregnant. They’d talked about having more kids, but he had no idea it’d happen so soon. “I can’t wait.” He caressed her bare belly, planting a kiss on her shoulder. Parenthood had taught them both a lot of new lessons…and he wouldn’t have it any other way.
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Acknowledgments
Thanks to Entangled Publishing for all you do. I’m lucky you appreciate my voice and have given my book babies a lovely home.
The marketing team (Jessica Turner, Riki Cleveland) deserves some serious kudos. Even when I don’t have a release, I can count on you, and you never disappoint. Merci! Grazie! Obrigada! :)
To my editor and friend, Alethea Spiridon, my eternal gratitude. Your support, professionalism, and enthusiasm have inspired me to keep hustling and writing.
Thanks to Christine Glover for always being there for me—as a critique partner, business partner, friend, and counselor.
I salute my incredible husband and kids. You’re a crazy but fun support system I never take for granted. :)
Huge thanks to all the readers and reviewers who take the time to read this book. I do what I do for you, and your support is soooo appreciated.
About the Author
Carmen Falcone writes sexy, edgy, addictive romance. She loves to create deliciously hot, Alpha book boyfriends and the quirky, smart, and sassy heroines readers relate to.
Brazilian by birth and traveler by nature, she moved to Central Texas after college and met her broody Swiss husband—living proof that opposites attract. She found in writing the best excuse to avoid the healthy lifestyle everyone keeps bragging about. When she’s not lost in the world of romance, she enjoys spending time with her two kids, being walked by her crazy pugs, reading, catching up with friends, and chatting with random people in the checkout line. For more info, please visit her at carmenfalcone.com.
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