Secrets and Seduction Las Vegas (Sexy Italian Imports Book 1)

by Laura Breck

  He smiled at her. “Our song.”

  She stopped halfway down the aisle. “I love you.” She popped up on tiptoes and pressed a quick kiss on his lips.

  He grabbed her and dipped her back dramatically, kissing her deeply, fully, with passion and love.

  When he stood her up again, she felt dizzy with desire. “Wow. Now I feel officially married.”

  They walked through the casino, and when he stopped at a door marked “private,” she asked, “Where are we going?”

  “I set up a dinner for us in a private salon.”

  “What a nice surprise.”

  They entered, and she ran her fingers over the wallpaper. It was beige silk, the curtains were made of the same fabric, and the carpet was so plush she gave in to temptation and took off her shoes. “Do you mind?”

  He smiled, one eyebrow raised. “Anything you like.”

  The table was small, intimate, and set for a formal meal for two. She padded to the French doors, which opened to a balcony overlooking the lake, then looked back at Antonio. “Spectacular. Have you ever seen anything so beautiful?”

  “Just you. The loveliest thing in the city. That dress is incredible.”

  She spun a quick circle. “I feel like royalty. So much elegance.” She went to him and put her left hand over his heart. “And this ring. Where did you find the perfect ring in such a short time?”

  He took her hand in his and cleared his throat. He seemed uncomfortable. “When I gave you the earrings, I mentioned I looked at rings?”

  “Yes.”

  “I bought it that day.” His brows furrowed.

  “You did? But you said you just looked at rings.”

  “I knew I wanted you forever.”

  A flood of emotion sweetened the moment.

  He let out a slow breath. “But I had to tell you about…the dancing before I asked you to commit to me.”

  “And if I hadn’t been ill that evening?”

  “I would have told you. Especially after you opened up to me about your fear of commitment.”

  She chucked. “I can imagine how you felt—ready to confess to me, and I hurled up dinner.”

  He grimaced. “It was a night to remember, all right. But definitely not a pleasant memory.”

  “Our relationship has been one sitcom moment after another.”

  “Very true. Hopefully we’ll be able to look back and laugh.”

  She screwed up her courage and prepared to reveal her news about the baby. It would be another one of those outrageous moments in their lives.

  Chapter Thirty Five

  A knock on the door brought their meal. Antonio held Valerie’s chair while waiters poured champagne and set out their salads and steaks.

  When the servers left, she teased, “Steak and potatoes?”

  “Yes, and steak sauce. Get used to it, Mrs. Daniato.”

  She picked at her food while he did justice to his and half of hers, as well.

  “You haven’t touched your champagne.”

  She couldn’t get around this one. She picked up her glass.

  He held up his glass. “To us, my love. The two of us forever.”

  Now would be the time to tell him there were actually three of them.

  They touched glasses, and he drank while she held her glass and took a fortifying breath…just as the music began for the water show.

  He gestured to the lake. “Would you like to watch from outside?”

  She nodded, and they took their champagne onto the balcony. The amazing view of the water leaping hundreds of feet into the air kept his attention, and she dumped most of her champagne into a potted plant. She felt so sneaky, she giggled and looked at him with a silly grin on her face.

  He put his arm around her and smiled. “Enough champagne, I’m guessing?”

  “Yes, dear.”

  Back upstairs at their suite, he opened the door, and the smell of roses drifted out. The flowers from the chapel filled the room.

  “Antonio, so romantic.”

  “I love you, Valerie. There are not enough roses in the world to convey how much you mean to me.” He picked her up, carried her across the threshold, and set her down, holding her close.

  She put her hands on his face. “I know how you feel, caro. My love for you is all I can think of.”

  His brows furrowed. “I need you to believe I will never lie to you or keep anything from you again.”

  His eyes held such intensity, she felt her own become moist. “Antonio…” She took a breath and bit her lip. “I have to—” Her voice caught in her throat. Trying to find the words to tell him about the baby proved emotionally overwhelming.

  His face showed concern. “Sit down, love.” He led her to the sofa. “Let me get you some water.” She sat, and he came back in a minute but with two glasses of champagne. “My friend left us a bottle of Dom as a wedding gift.”

  She took the flute in a shaking had. “I have to tell you something, Antonio.”

  “This sounds serious. Is this the part where I should be practicing my deep breathing?”

  She smiled. “I hope not.”

  “Then let’s toast to us first. To a life of happiness.” He touched his glass to hers and drank.

  She set hers down. “I can’t.”

  He looked startled. “You can’t drink to our happiness?”

  “No. I can’t drink.” She took a deep breath to continue, but he interrupted.

  “You’re sick, aren’t you? Something’s wrong. What did the doctor tell you?”

  “No. No, I’m not sick.” She smiled. “I’m pregnant.”

  He didn’t move a muscle—didn’t even blink for about ten seconds. “Scusi?”

  Was it shock that made him switch to Italian? She said, “Il nostro bambino” and touched her belly.

  He looked at her hand. Then looked at her eyes. “Incredible! Dio mio! Il bambino?”

  “Si, Antonio.”

  “Valerie, I…” His face drained of color and he wasn’t breathing.

  She felt a slight panic. “Just please tell me you’re happy.”

  He set his champagne glass down and knelt at her feet. He took her hands in his and looked into her eyes. “Valerie, my life was a wasteland until I met you. Now, tonight, I’m given everything. How could I not be happy? I am the luckiest man on earth.” He kissed her fingers.

  She smiled, her eyes filled with tears, and she let them flow down her cheeks. “I’m so glad. I’ve been dreading telling you.”

  He shook his head. “You know me, Valerie. You know how much I love you and want a family with you.” He touched her belly. “You couldn’t have thought I’d be angry.”

  “No. It’s just the circumstances.”

  His eyebrows bunched. “You were on the pill, weren’t you?”

  “Yes. But I wasn’t careful about taking it at the same time every day. And maybe the dosage was too low.”

  He smiled. “Or maybe I am so macho even birth control pills couldn’t keep me from planting my seed.”

  “Oh, seriously.” She laughed. “Get over yourself.”

  He flexed his muscles for her. “Too much man for any birth control to contain.”

  She smiled. He was so much the proud papa-to-be.

  He took her hands and helped her up. “Nothing in the world would have made me happier tonight. A wife and a baby. I’m in heaven.”

  “It’s a life change.”

  “And just in time.” He put his hand on her neck and traced her jaw with his thumb. “I reached the point where I was ready for a real life.”

  “It doesn’t get much more real than a baby.” She held her hand up, looking at her wedding ring. “Or more complicated than an instant family.”

  “Not complicated. Perfect. Simple and honest. You’re my wife.” He took her hand and pressed it to his heart. “We’re going to be parents.” His eyes filled with an emotion she could only think of as wonder. “I never thought things would work out this well for me.”
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  “You have no idea how good it is to hear you say that.” She put her head on his chest and wrapped her arms around him. “It’s been stressful since I found out about the baby.”

  He softly stroked her back. “I can imagine. Then to see me dancing. You must have…” He stopped and stiffened.

  She looked up at him. What was wrong?

  “That night at the club? When you were there with your friends.”

  “Yes?”

  “You didn’t have any reaction?”

  “You mean a panic attack?” She smiled. “No. I thought of that afterward, too. Your dancing surprised me, but I stayed in control.”

  He put his hands on each side of her face. “I’m sorry I put you through that.”

  “I’m fine.” She rubbed her belly against his. “We’re fine. Baby and I forgive you.”

  “A baby.” He blinked and stared off into the distance. “It’s going to take a while for me to really believe it.”

  “I understand completely. It’s mind boggling, thinking about everything we have to buy and what we need to learn. I don’t know what to do first.”

  He put his arm around her shoulders. “First, Mrs. Daniato, we make love as husband and wife.” He smiled down at her and led her into the bedroom. “We’ll work on our parenting skills later.”

  ****

  After, he was quiet, his breathing slow. She rested her head on his chest. What was he thinking?

  He groaned. “How should we tell our families?”

  She gave a sad laugh. “I can’t imagine how they’ll react.”

  “My mama will be overjoyed but angry that we didn’t have a church wedding.”

  “I can’t wait to meet her. And your whole family.”

  “It’s your family I’m worried about. How are we going to handle this?”

  She lifted her head, put her hand on his chest, and set her chin on it. She smiled. “Let’s have a honeymoon first.”

  His eyebrows bunched together then he smiled. “Hawaii?”

  “The trip from my award. We could use a week of it.” Then she remembered her patients. “I should check my schedule first.”

  “Wait here.” He slid out of bed and came back in a minute with her purse and his phone. “I don’t have anything pressing for the next week. I can move a couple things around.”

  She checked her calendar. “I only have two appointments this week. I think I can reschedule them.”

  She looked at him, he looked back at her. They both smiled and were officially on their honeymoon.

  Epilogue

  “Forse non sai quanto sei bella.”

  Valerie stood at the kitchen counter, one hand on her lower back as she stretched backward, the other on the countertop to steady herself. “What?” She looked at Antonio.

  He repeated, “I guess you don’t know how beautiful you are.”

  She smiled. “Thank you, Antonio. I think I needed to hear that today.” She was a week overdue with the baby, and her stomach looked and felt the size of a very large watermelon. She’d gained over forty pounds, and her ankles were swollen.

  He took her in his arms in the sideways hug he’d started using when she grew as large as a house.

  “Does your back hurt?” He rubbed the muscles on each side of her spine.

  “It’s not too bad.” She looked at the plates they’d carried in from the dining room. “But I’ll pay you a thousand dollars if you do the dishes for me.”

  “I’ll ask Mama to do them.”

  She swatted him on the arm. “Lazy.”

  “Mm hm. I am.” His parents were visiting for three weeks around the baby’s due date, and Dante was here for a few days to see the family. They sat in the dining room with Jules, who came for Sunday brunch—a weekly tradition Valerie and Antonio started to get to know each other’s friends and families.

  The last eight months had flown by. Antonio finished another book, and Valerie temporarily handed her patients off to Jarrodd last week. Between setting up a nursery and taking classes in labor, delivery, and parenting, neither Valerie nor Antonio spent much time worrying about all the craziness that used to be their lives. Things were perfect—incontrovertibly and absolutely happily ever after.

  They walked back to the dining room and rejoined their guests. Antonio helped Valerie sit, refilled coffee and Mimosas for their guests, and brought more dishes into the kitchen.

  His mother, Maria Daniato, looked almost cross-eyed at Valerie. “You’re going to have the baby, aren’t you?” Maria was a beautiful woman with soft, salt and pepper hair cut in a fashionable bob. And she couldn’t be kinder or more helpful, full of wonderful advice about parenting.

  Everyone looked at Maria then smiled at Valerie.

  Valerie readjusted herself on the chair. “Maria, I hope so. And soon. I’m a blimp.”

  Jules sighed. “You’ve never looked better, Val. Pregnancy agrees with you. You’ve got a certain glooooowwwww.” She waved her hands, magician-like.

  Valerie laughed and heard a snort from Antonio’s father, Vito. This was what Antonio would look like in thirty years. Very handsome, very distinguished with gray at the temples of his black hair. He seemed to be quite amused at Jules’ crazy behavior.

  “Vito,” Valerie asked, “is there anything else I can get you?”

  “No, Valerie, dear. You sit there. You’re going to have a very busy day. Mama’s never wrong when she predicts the labor.”

  Valerie suddenly understood and her gaze shot to her mother-in-law. “You mean, you think I’ll have the baby today?”

  Maria smiled at her. “I think you should start to the hospital right now. That pain in your back?”

  Valerie was unconsciously massaging her lower back.

  Maria nodded. “That’s the baby.”

  Valerie was skeptical but smiled. “I hope you’re right.”

  Maria leaned forward, wrinkling her brow. “We’ll stay and watch the house while you’re gone. I’ll make some meals and freeze them so you’ll have plenty when you get home.”

  Maria, Vito, and Dante had been staying at the penthouse since they arrived in Las Vegas. Antonio had chosen to keep it for out-of-town visitors. He was still a very private person and preferred to have the house for just the two of them.

  Dante stood. “I’m going back to the penthouse. There’s a woman who lies out by the pool every day at noon, and it’s time I met her.”

  Valerie gave him the eye. Since he’d moved to Los Angeles five months ago, he’d made a name for himself. In the art community and in the tabloids, dating every beautiful star and model he could get his hands on.

  “Aren’t you seeing someone, Dante?” Valerie gave him a subtle reminder.

  He made a face at her. “A couple of someones, but they’re a four-hour drive away.”

  She shook her head. He was incorrigible. Whenever they got together, they enjoyed sniping at each other. She opened her mouth to tease him but felt a sharp pain across her stomach and let out a surprised, “Ouch!”

  Everyone turned to look at her, and she smiled. “Just a…ouch!” she squeaked louder as the pain shot across her stomach and stayed a little longer.

  Jules jumped up. “I’m going home before I faint!” She did look a little pale. She hugged Valerie from behind and told her she’d be praying for her, then she left, fanning her face with her hand.

  Dante walked to Valerie’s side and kissed her cheek. “I love you, little sister. Be safe, have a beautiful baby.”

  Her eyes filled with tears. It was the nicest thing he’d ever said to her.

  He squeezed her shoulder and smiled. “I’ll go tell Antonio he’s about to become a papa.”

  “Thank you, Dante.” She grasped his hand for a second. “I love you, too.”

  Dante left the room, and in less than a heartbeat, Antonio was at her side, kneeling on the floor. “Baby?”

  Valerie nodded. “Baby.” Then she felt a sensation unlike anything her body had ever underwent, and she l
et out a squeal as her water broke, drenching the chair and puddling on the floor.

  Antonio stood. “Let’s go upstairs, and you can change. Then we’ll head to the hospital.” He looked at his mama.

  Maria smiled from ear to ear. “I’ll clean up. You two go, have our grandbaby.”

  Antonio picked Valerie up in his arms. “You’ve gotten a little heavier.”

  She softly punched his chest. “Your fault, macho man. No birth control can stop you from planting your seed.” She teased him to hide the nervousness that made her heart thud.

  He laughed as he carried her upstairs and set her down in the bathroom.

  “I’m going to rinse off quickly.” She pulled off her dress. “Would you please call the doctor? Oh, and my parents?”

  “Doctor, yes,” he said, dialing. “I’ll call the parents after we’re at the hospital. I’d rather not deal with them until absolutely necessary.”

  She laughed, and within five minutes was freshened up and ready to leave. Her pains came closer together. Too close. “We should probably hurry. Your mama was right, I’m closer to being a mama myself than I thought.

  His face paled, he grabbed her suitcase, and helped her down the stairs. They hugged and kissed his parents and went into the garage.

  Lifting her up into the passenger seat of the SUV, he buckled her seatbelt for her, went around the hood, and jumped in.

  He seemed nervous. “We’re just five minutes away.”

  She smiled. “Antonio, can you believe it? In a few hours, we’ll have a baby.” She felt a strong contraction and started her breathing. “Maybe sooner than that.”

  “Dio.” Heading down the driveway, he cleared his throat. “I never thought I’d be this edgy.”

  “You’re usually calm. My solid rock.” She ran her fingers through his long hair. He still kept it shoulder length. She liked it that way. And he kept his perfect body all this time too, despite all the frosting they ate during her pregnancy. They’d turned one of the extra bedrooms into a fitness room and office for him, so while he wrote he could work out and plan the next chapter of his book.

  They arrived at the hospital, and he pulled into the emergency entrance, ran around the front of the truck, and picked her up, carrying her in through the doors.