Swept Away by the Venetian Millionaire

by Nina Singh

  “He never spoke to us about any of it. He would never have betrayed her privacy that way.” Lynetta stopped her rocking. “But we witnessed enough of the arguments firsthand. And the way she lashed out after each one.”

  “She...lashed out?”

  “Oh, yes. In phenomenally dramatic fashion. Sometimes in public. Several times in front of Vito’s family and friends.”

  Maya didn’t want to think about what that would have done to a man like Vito. He seemed so private, so proud. Having witnesses to the failings of his marriage must have been a terribly difficult burden. No one should be subjected to such a public display of their relationship troubles.

  Maya shuddered at the prospect. She dreaded the moment when she had to finally confide to her family about her breakup with Matt. Bad enough that she would have to tell them about it. She didn’t want to think about how it would feel to have had them witness it firsthand.

  “Nothing Vito did was enough,” Lynetta went on. “Marina wanted his complete attention. When she didn’t get it...”

  Lynetta didn’t finish her sentence. Suddenly, she performed the sign of the cross and closed her eyes tightly. Maya could hear the quick prayer she uttered in Italian.

  “Forgive me for speaking ill of the deceased,” Lynetta said, opening her eyes again. “I just felt you should know the basic facts about Vito’s past. It’s only fair to you, given how close you and Vito have become in such a short time.”

  The questions rambled through Maya’s brain. What had led to Marina’s fatal accident? Why exactly did Vito think he was directly to blame for it?

  Would he ever trust her enough to confide in her about any of it?

  Lynetta stood then, lifted the tray of half-eaten food and walked to the front door. “I should go check on the boys. Excuse me.”

  But Maya had so many other questions; Lynetta couldn’t just leave after all she’d revealed. “Lynetta, wait. Please, I’d just like to know—”

  But the other woman didn’t let her finish. “I’m sorry. I really am. But I’ve said more than enough. The rest he will have to tell you himself.”

  * * *

  “There you are.”

  Maya wasn’t sure how long she’d sat there after Lynetta left. When Vito found her, she was still deep in thought and dusk had settled across the horizon.

  “I was just admiring the view.”

  “If you think that view is special, wait until you see what’s in store next.” He held out a hand to her. “Come on. Let’s go.”

  “Where are we going?”

  He’d already taken her wrist and pulled her up. They walked to the side of the house and down the porch steps. Parked around the corner were three golf carts.

  “You still haven’t told me where we’re going,” she reminded Vito as he led her to one of the carts and had her climb in. Leo and Lynetta noisily burst through the side door and commandeered the cart behind them. They were followed by two other couples she’d been introduced to upon arrival though she couldn’t quite recall any names. Soon they were driving past the house and into the fields.

  “Am I the only one who doesn’t know what’s going on?”

  “You’ll see, cara. I think you’ll like it.”

  Maya studied his profile as he drove. His hair ruffled in the wind as he picked up speed. A deep smile creased his lips. He had his shirtsleeves rolled up and the top buttons of his shirt undone. The man could carry off any look, like a male magazine cover model. He was just as strikingly handsome dressed in a casual shirt and khakis as he had been in a tailored tuxedo.

  She recalled Lynetta’s words. In all fairness to Marina, she could see how a man like him would elicit strong and passionate emotions from the woman he loved. But what Lynetta had described sounded toxic.

  Maya didn’t get a chance to further explore that thought. When they cleared a large hill, she got a glimpse of what all the activity was about. In front of them sat three large hot air balloons.

  Maya couldn’t hold back her shriek of delight. “Oh, my!”

  “Surprised?”

  “Thrilled!”

  A bolt of excitement shot down her spine. Vito came to a stop about a yard away from the balloons. Seconds later, Leo parked next to them.

  Maya jumped out of the cart and took in the sight of the towering, colorful balloons. She’d never been in one before. To have her first ride happen in Italy was almost too good to be true. To think, in a few short moments, she’d be gliding through the air over some of Europe’s most majestic sights.

  And Vito would be by her side.

  She couldn’t help it. The excitement was too much. She turned and threw her arms around his neck. His reaction was immediate. His hands gripped her waist and he pulled her closer. Then he dropped a small kiss on her lips.

  “I like knowing I’ve pleased you,” he whispered against her ear, his breath hot against her cheek.

  Good thing he was holding on to her. Her knees almost buckled.

  “Let’s go, you two.” Leo’s voice sounded from behind them. “You can do all your embracing after we ride.” Lynetta was hard on her husband’s heels. She seemed at least as excited as Maya.

  “Shall we go, then?” Vito asked but made no move to release her.

  Maya reluctantly pulled herself out of Vito’s arms. He kept his hand at the small of her back as he led her to the balloon in the middle. The pilot greeted them with a wide smile and helped her in.

  Within moments, they’d lifted off. The breath left her lungs as they rose higher and higher. The thrill of it was exhilarating. She realized she was laughing out loud with delight.

  Once they reached altitude, Vito came to stand behind her. He wrapped his arms around her middle, her back snug up against his chest.

  “I don’t have the words to describe what I’m feeling right now,” she said over the noise of the burner that heated the air inside the balloon. To think, she’d almost spent the day back at her hotel, wallowing alone and missing Vito with all her being.

  A small voice nagged at the back of her mind that Leo had been the one to initiate her presence here. Not Vito. She pushed the thought aside. All that mattered was that she was here. With Vito holding her as she enjoyed the experience of a lifetime.

  In the distance, they could see the river Adige meandering through the city and out into the countryside.

  “Turns out it’s the perfect evening for it, sì?”

  “Sì, Vito. Everything about this day is perfect.”

  He responded with another soft kiss, this one to the side of her cheek. Maya reveled in the sensation of having him so close to her, the way his lips touched her skin. The thrill of being up this high combined with the effect Vito had on her was wreaking havoc on her senses.

  “I’m not sure what we would have done if you’d been afraid of heights, cara.”

  She laughed in his arms. “Are you kidding? Do you know the number of times I visit the top of the Prudential building in any given year? My uncle does a lot of work in high-rise buildings.”

  “That’s good, I wouldn’t have been able to bear leaving you behind.”

  “You’d have gone without me?” she asked, teasing him.

  “Never.”

  Again, Maya made herself ignore the fact that his original intention had been to be here without her. To experience this ride by himself while she sat alone in a lonely hotel room in Venice. She swatted away the useless, wayward thought like an annoying pest. Right now, all she wanted to do was enjoy herself and take all this in.

  The buildings and bridges throughout the city made for quite the view below them in the distance. Grand churches and stone buildings lined the river. The weather was cooperating beautifully. Not a cloud could be seen in the early evening sky.

  Maya knew the image before her would be seared into her memory for all time. �
��I know I’ve said this often on this trip, but I really do feel as if I’m living inside a large painting at this moment. Like I’ve somehow stepped into a magnificent work of art that has just happened to miraculously come to life.”

  She tilted her head slightly to look up at him. “Why don’t you paint it?”

  He rested his chin atop her shoulder. “I’m a sculptor, cara. That sketch I drew of you is the closest I’ve come to creating a painting. Painting is not my craft.”

  She shrugged. “So, don’t do it for your craft.” She snuggled tighter against his length and continued to enjoy the view. As well as the feel of Vito’s heat against her back. “Do it for fun. Because doing so calls to you.”

  Vito didn’t respond to her suggestion. He just pulled her tighter against him.

  * * *

  Vito tried to imagine how much different this day would have been without Maya by his side. Rather than thoroughly enjoying it, as he had, he’d have been counting down the minutes until it was over. He might have even skipped out on the hot air balloon ride altogether.

  So what did that mean about the reality of his days after she left?

  He wasn’t sure if he was ready for the answer. He watched her now as she exited the balloon in front of him. Her skin was flushed, the fabric of her summer dress clinging to all her glorious curves.

  Pure temptation.

  They’d landed moments ago and were waiting for their ride back to the villa. Vito wasn’t sure where they’d landed exactly; he didn’t recognize the spot.

  The pilot spoke into his phone and informed them that their transportation would arrive shortly. Then the man went to work on his balloon.

  It appeared Vito and Maya would have some time to themselves. The other balloons had drifted in different directions throughout the flight.

  “Come. Let’s sit while we wait.” He led her to a tall, lush tree and helped her sit at its base. Then he joined her. Without a word or any kind of preamble, he gathered her into his arms and partly on his lap, with his back up against the tree trunk. She didn’t argue or resist.

  When had this happened? This ease and familiar level of comfort he felt with her. She belonged here, in his arms. They both seemed to know it.

  “I can’t wait to tell Zelda and Lexie about my hot air balloon adventure.”

  He nuzzled his face into the soft texture of her hair; she smelled of roses and fresh fruit. And outdoor Italian air.

  “What else will you tell them about, cara?” he asked.

  She shifted closer into him. Vito cursed internally. His body was reacting to her closeness in ways that weren’t exactly convenient at the moment.

  “Well, I would tell them I met a hot, charming Italian who swept me off my feet, but I doubt they’d believe me.”

  “Why not?”

  “Because it’s too much like a fairy tale I might have dreamed up. Almost as if you’re too good to be true. They would no doubt think I’ve made up an imaginary man in order to make them jealous.”

  “They’ll just have to travel to Italy. To see for themselves.”

  “Or you could travel to the States.”

  Vito trailed his knuckles down the soft, smooth skin of her arm.

  “Would you consider that, Vito? Traveling to the States?”

  Given that the question was a hypothetical one, he wasn’t quite sure how to answer. He could lie and tell her that he’d consider it.

  No, he wouldn’t consider traveling to North America. Not even at the bidding of the desirable woman he held in his arms. For it would be a waste of her time. He had nothing to offer her. No more of himself to give. Vito wouldn’t lie to her. He couldn’t pretend he was fit to be any kind of man that a woman like Maya deserved.

  So he decided on the truth. “I have no plans to travel to America in the future, cara. I’m content to stay here where I am.”

  Maya sat up and shifted to her knees, facing him directly. “Are you, though, Vito? Are you actually content, like you say?”

  He felt himself bristle in surprise. Where was this coming from?

  “Please, tell me honestly,” she continued, her voice pleading. “Lynetta and I were speaking earlier and—”

  But he’d heard enough. He stood without giving her a chance to continue. Judging by the direction of her questions, he could guess what she and his cousin-in-law had been speaking of. His failed marriage. And the tragedy that had ensued after it had come crashing down around him.

  Neither of them had the right.

  “You and Lynetta were talking about me? About my marriage?”

  She blinked up at him. “Clearly that bothers you. Why?”

  Why? She needed to ask? Wasn’t it obvious? He wasn’t some torrid subject to be hashed over by one of his relatives and a woman he’d just met and would most likely never see again once the week ended.

  He ignored the question. If she didn’t know the answer, he didn’t have it in him to explain.

  He’d been a fool. He’d let himself get careless when it came to Maya. He should have heeded the warning cries that had tried to stop him from walking her to the piazza that day. He should never have accompanied her on the tour. And he certainly shouldn’t have had dinner with her that night on the cruise.

  He’d let himself indulge in a fantasy because he knew it was all so temporary. He’d allowed himself to forget that he had no business caring about the loneliness of a jilted American as she pursued her newfound goal of being more adventurous. He shouldn’t have cared whether she felt awkward and alone at dinner by herself on an intimate cruise meant for two. None of that should have moved him in any way. He’d let his guard down and it had only opened up old wounds he’d fought much too hard and waited way too long to heal. He should have known better.

  “I hear the truck approaching. Our ride will be here any minute,” he said, without meeting her gaze. He lowered his hand to help her up. She stood without taking it.

  * * *

  What had she said?

  Maya sat staring at the moving scenery outside the window of the SUV that was driving them back to Vito’s villa. Vito sat unmoving in the seat next to her. Neither of them had spoken a word to the other after being picked up.

  She couldn’t decide if she was hurt or angry. Both. Now that she thought about it, she could say she felt both. Vito had been beyond offended that Lynetta had spoken to her about him. Clearly, he didn’t feel Maya warranted any knowledge of his past.

  Not even after the days they’d spent together. Not even after the way he’d held her and caressed her during the balloon ride.

  And not even after the way he’d kissed her the night of the dinner cruise.

  Her breath hitched in her throat when she recalled the indignation and anger in his eyes while they’d been waiting. He might as well have come out and told her that Vito Rameri was none of her business. That he was no concern of hers.

  He was right, of course. She’d been foolish to ever think otherwise and should have known better. Unbelievably, this felt worse than Matt’s betrayal, which made no sense whatsoever. She’d been ready to marry him, for heaven’s sake.

  Despite the magic of the past few hours, she suddenly wished she hadn’t come to Verona with him. Because now she had to mingle with all these people, all these strangers she didn’t know, and she had to pretend everything was right with her. That she was a woman in love.

  Laughable, really. Considering how she now realized that the man seated next to her was little more than a stranger.

  CHAPTER ELEVEN

  HER RACING PULSE hadn’t slowed any by the time their car pulled up beside the wide wraparound porch she’d left only a couple of hours ago.

  Vito’s grandmother stepped out the front door to wave them in. “You’re finally back,” she declared in a thick Italian accent that served to make her even more endearing. �
�Come. Dinner is served. Eat.”

  The elderly lady seemed so happy to see them. As upset as she was, Maya didn’t want her sour mood to mar the day whatsoever for anyone else. Particularly not the matriarch that they’d all gathered here to celebrate. Maya resolved to make sure no one enjoyed this day any less due to her presence.

  That included Vito.

  She waited until his grandmother went back in and laid her hand on his forearm. “Wait.”

  The look he gave her was loaded with impatience. “What is it?”

  Maya took a steadying breath. He wasn’t making this apology any easier. Nevertheless, she started giving him one. “I’m sorry if I’ve overstepped. Lynetta and I were chatting and the subject shifted, not surprisingly, to you. You’re the reason I’m here, after all.”

  “I don’t like being the subject of speculation.”

  “I understand that. I’ll be sure to MYOB from now on.”

  “MYOB?”

  “It’s an acronym we Americans use. It stands for Mind Your Own Business.”

  He was about to respond when his nonna stepped back onto the porch. “What are you people still doing out here? Your lasagna is getting cold.” She added something in Italian with a wave of her hand in Vito’s direction.

  He took Maya by the elbow. “Come on. We better go in. We can discuss this later. You don’t want to keep an Italian grandmother waiting when food has been served.”

  She followed him silently back into the house though she wanted to ask what was left to discuss. He’d gotten angry and she’d apologized. Episode over.

  Everything was now over.

  Lynetta had told her that for Maya to find out anything more about him, Vito would have to tell her himself. Clearly, that wouldn’t be happening. If she was disappointed or hurt by that fact, she had only herself to blame.