by Miranda Lee
‘Oh? What?’
‘This…’ And he brought out another box, this one ring-sized.
Paige could only stare.
‘Aren’t you going to open it?’
She just couldn’t, so he did, flicking open the box with a flourish and holding it out towards her, the huge diamond sparkling under the candlelight.
‘For the future Mrs Scarlatti,’ he murmured softly, ‘so that every man knows she’s properly spoken for.’
Paige couldn’t help it. Tears flooded her eyes.
Fortunately, she managed to sniffle pretty quietly, but Antonio still looked embarrassed. Or was he annoyed?
‘Sorry,’ she muttered, using her serviette as a handkerchief. ‘Couldn’t help it. This is just so…romantic.’
Antonio’s sigh sounded relieved. ‘Ah…I see. Shall we see if it fits?’
The fit was a little snug going over the knuckle, but she didn’t complain. Once Antonio’s ring was firmly on her finger, she wasn’t about to take it off in a hurry.
‘Shall we have another glass of champagne to celebrate our engagement?’ he suggested. ‘What about another bottle? This one’s almost done.’
‘Oh, yes, let’s,’ she agreed happily. ‘It’s not as though we have to drive the boat anywhere tonight. Or even row back.’ They had safely dropped anchor a little way out from shore earlier that afternoon, and a man from the restaurant had collected them in a small power boat. He was also going to return them afterwards. A part of the service, he’d told them, to prevent any suitably sozzled patrons from drowning in the river after dinner.
‘I’m going to get very tipsy!’ Paige pronounced.
‘I haven’t been tipsy in years,’ Antonio told her. ‘Can’t afford not to have a clear head when I’m doing business. And I’m always doing business,’ he finished drily as he refilled Paige’s glass, then ordered another bottle of champagne.
She picked up her glass and sipped while considering what Antonio had just said. ‘You know, I don’t know why you keep on working for my father. He’s a tyrant. With your expertise and connections you could start up a production company of your own.’
‘That’s easy to say,’ he said sharply, ‘but starting up a new company in competition with those already established is fraught with more hazards than you could ever imagine. Besides, I’ve worked much too hard to get where I am to throw it all away now.’
‘Sorry,’ she said, feeling a bit chastened. ‘Didn’t mean to make waves. I know how hard you’ve worked. So where will we be living after we’re married? Do you see yourself working in Europe for a long time?’
‘Actually, no. I’ll have to go back next week for a while, but when I come back at Christmas I’ll be staying. I hope I’m not premature in mentioning this, but your father plans on retiring at the end of the year.’
‘You’re joking! Retiring? Father? I don’t believe it!’
‘I think you should. That’s why I told you not to worry over our getting married. Your father needs me, Paige, to be the company’s new CEO.’
‘He’s offered you the job?’
‘We were working out the terms of the contract just last week.’
‘But that’s marvellous! Oh, congratulations, Antonio. You must be so pleased.’
‘I am.’
‘We should drink to it, don’t you think?’
‘I do indeed.’ And they both raised their glasses.
‘And now,’ Antonio said after their toast, ‘I think we should work out the plans for our wedding. I thought we could have it as soon as I get back, just before Christmas. Is that too soon for you? It won’t give you very long to organise, only about six or seven weeks.’
Paige didn’t care. All she wanted was to be Mrs Antonio Scarlatti.
‘Of course,’ Antonio added, ‘it will have to be a church wedding. I don’t believe in that other kind. I don’t believe in divorce either, Paige.’ And he eyed her with a wonderfully stern look.
Neither do I,’ she reaffirmed happily. ‘Shall we drink to a no-divorce clause in our marriage contract?’
Antonio looked startled. ‘You want a marriage contract?’
‘No, silly. I was just joking. But you do realise that if you marry me you’ll one day be a very rich man. That’s if Father doesn’t cut me out of his will for marrying his right-hand man.’
Paige was gratified to see Antonio seemed truly taken aback by this. ‘To be honest,’ he said slowly, a dark frown gathering on his handsome face, ‘I hadn’t thought about that.’
His reaction worried her a little. ‘It’s not a bad thought, is it?’
He looked up at her, his beautiful black eyes troubled. ‘No, no I guess not. But I would hate you to think I was marrying you for your money, because I’m not.’
‘Oh, Antonio,’ she said, smiling. ‘Why would I think that? If you’d wanted to marry me for my money you’d have made a line for me years ago. No, my darling husband-to-be, I would never think that. Come on, let’s drink to our never divorcing.’
Antonio raised his glass, but he didn’t drink much then, or for the rest of the evening. He no longer felt like it. Oh, he tried to remain bright and happy for the rest of the meal, for Paige’s sake, but a cloud had come over his earlier elation.
The truth was he felt like a heel again, a money-grubbing, cold-blooded heel, who had allowed himself to be blackmailed and manipulated for the sake of ambition and vengeance. Vengeance against life, and Lauren.
The trouble was he no longer gave a fig for Lauren. Paige was worth ten of her. As for life…blaming his ruthless behaviour on the circumstances of his childhood was, quite frankly, childish. Such thinking was beneath him. He was a grown man, successful because of his own hard work and basic honesty.
But where had that honesty gone to these past ten days? What would happen in the future if he allowed Conrad to think he could be bought?
Over coffee, Antonio came to a decision, and his inner mood lightened. Yes, he thought. Yes, that was what he had to do!
But he wouldn’t say anything to Paige just yet. Best leave any such announcements till after the wedding. Best leave Conrad till after the wedding too, he decided. His boss could be vindictive when crossed. Hopefully, Conrad would not want to ruin his daughter’s happiness by that stage. But he would have to be careful. Very damned careful.
‘Didn’t work,’ Paige said as her empty coffee cup clattered into its saucer. ‘I’m still quite drunk. You didn’t drink your share of champagne, Antonio,’ she said accusingly, her lovely face flushed, her eyes over-bright.
He thought he’d never seen her looking more desirable, with that naughty little gold dress barely covering her luscious body, and diamonds at her throat. ‘Maybe that was my plan, to have my wicked way with you,’ he drawled.
She giggled. ‘Surely you’ve gathered you don’t have to get me drunk to do that.’
Antonio laughed as he inspected the account which a waitress had discreetly placed by his elbow. Expensive, he saw. But worth every cent. He included a sizeable tip in the payment, and stood up.
‘Come on, Princess Paige, let’s get you back to the boat, and into bed.’
‘With or without this gold dress,’ she said, swaying as she rose.
He raced round to take her arm and lead her out of the restaurant, guiding her carefully down the steep stone steps, only then realising how smashed she was.
‘My hero,’ she murmured, and leant against him during the short ride out to the houseboat.
‘I have to warn you,’ she whispered to him once they were alone on the back deck. ‘There’s a hook and eye under the bow, and it’s very tricky. Designed to fool men who want to have their wicked way with its wearer.’
‘Thank you for telling me,’ he returned, knowing full well that when and if he got her out of the damned dress it would only be to put her to bed. He didn’t want her waking up the next morning with a hangover and no memory of his making love to her. ‘But I won’t be having my wicked way wit
h you just yet,’ he replied. ‘I think you need a little sleep first.’
‘No, no, I don’t want to sleep. I’m too happy to sleep. I’ll be okay soon. I’ll just stay out here for a while and enjoy the fresh air and the full moon,’ she insisted, disengaging herself from him to turn and grip the railing.
‘But it’s cold,’ he argued when he saw the goosebumps spring up on her arms. ‘I’ll get you a jacket, okay?’
‘Okay.’ She smiled one of those sweetly adoring smiles at him, and he melted in a way he’d never melted with a woman before.
Shaking his head, he hurried inside to get her jacket.
‘I can see everything so clearly, Antonio,’ she called after him. ‘There’s this man out in a small boat in the middle of the river. He’s probably fishing. Oh, and he’s got a dog. A lovely little dog. It’s standing up on the bow. And— Oh, my God! Oh, how could he? Antonio! Antonio, he just threw the dog in the river!’
Paige’s screeching, plus the sound of an outboard motor, sent Antonio dropping the jacket and racing out onto the deck. Paige immediately grabbed his arm and shook it violently.
‘He just threw him in!’ she was screaming. ‘And he left him there. Went roaring off, laughing. The poor little thing’s trying to swim after him. But the man’s just getting further and further away. You have to do something, Antonio!’
‘But Paige, if it’s a dog, it won’t drown.’
‘It might. It’s such a long way to shore from where it is. Look at it out there. It’s so small. It’s…oh, my God, I can’t see it any more. Do something, Antonio!’
He hesitated, then shrugged resignedly. ‘All right,’ he said. ‘Calm down. All right.’ And he hurried to climb down into the dinghy. But it took time to untie the rope, then to put the oars into their slots.
‘I can see it again, Antonio. Oh, it looks so small, and its poor little legs are thrashing away. It’s going to get tired soon, I know. And then it’ll sink and it’ll drown. Oh, you’re taking too long, Antonio! I’d be quicker swimming to him!’
‘No!’ he screamed, watching, horrified, as she kicked off her shoes, climbed up onto the railing and dived into the inky waters.
There was no hesitation this time. No taking off any shoes, either. Antonio simply stood up and dived in after her.
She had a good head start, and a cloud suddenly drifted over the moon, plunging the river into darkness. He called out her name as he swam, but she didn’t answer. He thought he heard her just ahead, but it might have been the sound of his own swimming.
As much as he tried not to panic, it began to consume him. His head whirled with horrible thoughts. She was drunk. She would drown if he didn’t reach her.
He swam harder and faster. Suddenly the moon came again and he spotted her, slightly off to the right, treading water and turning in circles, searching the river, looking for that stupid bloody dog. Antonio felt sick with relief. And angry. Angry that she’d risked her life so foolishly. Didn’t she know that he couldn’t stand life without her now?
A few more strokes and he was pulling her into his arms, feeling renewed fury when he saw how exhausted she was.
‘You are a silly, silly woman!’ he panted, holding her to him. ‘You could have drowned.’
‘Hey, there! You folks all right? You know, you shouldn’t go swimming in the river at this time of night.’
Antonio spun in the water to see a small motor boat approaching them. Standing on the bow was a small wet dog, happily shaking himself.
‘It…it’s him!’ Paige exclaimed breathlessly, pointing at the man, not the dog. ‘You…you tried to drown your dog! I saw you!’
The man laughed, which didn’t exactly endear him to Antonio. The boat slid to a halt beside them and the man bent to take Paige’s hand first, pulling her easily out of the water. He was a huge man, with a grizzly grey beard and a weathered face.
‘Couldn’t drown Mitzy here if I tried,’ he said. ‘She could swim across the English Channel and back. As you can see, she’s fine. Here, I think you’d better get out of there too, young fella. Swimming in the river at midnight is not such a good idea. Especially in your clothes,’ he added drily.
Antonio let the old man help him into his boat as well, thinking he wished someone would throw him in the river at midnight. It was bloody freezing!
‘But you threw your dog in the river!’ Paige accused, teeth chattering.
The man produced a blanket and wrapped it round both of them. ‘Yeah, well, the wife can’t stand me bringing the dog in the house smelling of fish, so on the way home I always make sure Mitzy has a nice little dip. At night, she’s not so keen to get in, so I have to give her a little hand.’
‘My fiancée almost drowned trying to save your dog,’ Antonio muttered through clenched teeth.
The man looked taken aback. ‘Really? Geez, I’m sorry, mate. Thought you were just having a midnight dip.’ He looked Paige up and down, then grinned at Antonio. ‘I guess I was wrong. Not too many people go swimming in a party dress and diamonds! Still, she’s all right now, ain’t she? And you’re one lucky man, marrying a brave little lady like that.’
‘Yes,’ Antonio said, clasping a sodden Paige to his side under the blanket. ‘Yes, I surely am.’
‘I’m sorry, Antonio,’ Paige whispered as Antonio tucked her tight into bed. ‘I spoiled our night, didn’t I?’
He’d been so quiet since the fisherman had delivered them back to the houseboat. No doubt he thought her a fool. And she was, jumping in the river like that. She’d never have done such a silly thing if she’d been sober.
Antonio sat down on the side of the bed and stroked a stray strand of hair away from her face. His expression looked so serious that Paige’s stomach tightened nervously.
‘I have never felt so frightened in all my life,’ he told her. ‘I was so worried I might lose you…’
Paige’s heart turned over with relief. He wasn’t angry with her. He’d been worried. Taking his hand, which was now lying on the bed, she squeezed it tightly. ‘You’re never going to lose me, Antonio.’
Their eyes met, and she simply had to speak her heart. ‘I love you, Antonio.’
His eyes widened, and she hesitated. Maybe admitting everything would lose him. But she had to take the risk. She could not keep silent any longer.
‘I’ve always loved you,’ she added, tears filling her eyes. ‘Don’t you know that? It’s always been you, never anyone else. Brad was really just my friend, not my love. And Jed…Jed was an aberration of the moment, the result of my despair after seeing you with that woman at last year’s Christmas party. I could not go on, I thought, wanting you, loving you, longing for you. So I tried to make a life for myself without you…’
He had her two hands in his by this point, and his eyes were stunned and sad at the same time. ‘Oh, Paige…dearest Paige…I had no idea…’
‘How could you? I never told you, except that one time by the pool.’
‘When I broke your heart…’
‘It’s mended now. And it’s yours, if you want it.’
‘If I want it…’ He lifted her hands to his mouth and kissed their fingertips. ‘I can hardly express how much I want it. How much I want you, darling Paige. Because I love you too.’
She sat bolt upright, the blanket falling from her bare shoulders. ‘You do?’
‘I do indeed. I can’t claim I always did, because I didn’t. To be honest I didn’t realise the depths of my feelings for you till just now, when I thought I might lose you. I’d practised being hard-hearted about women for so long that I just didn’t recognise what I felt for you as love. True love this time, my darling. Not that immature, egotistical obsession I had for Lauren. What I feel for you is so much more, because you’re so much more. Why, you’re the most wonderful woman I’ve ever known, and I can’t wait to marry you and have children by you.’
His dizzying words brought a level of joy to Paige which she’d never imagined she would ever feel.
&
nbsp; ‘Well, you won’t have to wait long,’ she told him softly.
‘What do you mean?’
‘I’m going to stop taking the pill after my next period so that I’ll be ready to have babies as soon as we’re married. Oh, Antonio, wouldn’t it be romantic if we conceived a baby on our wedding night?’
‘You want to start a child straight away?’
‘Yes, I do.’
‘What about work?’
‘The only job I want for a while, Antonio, is to be your wife, and the mother of your children.’
Antonio looked down at this incredible girl he loved and thanked God for women like her. Any last, lingering bitterness over Lauren was lost in Paige’s arms that night, and finally Antonio was to experience the delight of making love to someone he truly loved, and who truly loved him in return.
She cried afterwards, this time, and Antonio finally realised the truth behind her tears at other times. She’d being crying for this…his love. The thought humbled him, and made him vow that he would make it up to her for everything she’d suffered because of him.
Nothing, Antonio reaffirmed the following morning, could ever be allowed to spoil things between himself and Paige. She was everything to him.
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
PAIGE woke on her wedding day to total happiness and the most delicious feeling of excitement and anticipation. Even the weather was kind, being warm and sunny.
But it was the personal warmth which had surrounded Paige during the last couple of months which continued to surprise and delight her. She could hardly believe how nice Evelyn had been since the announcement of her engagement to Antonio. And how helpful she’d been with the wedding arrangements.
As for her father…he was just over the moon, insisting that nothing was too much trouble, or too much expense. She was to have everything her little heart desired.
The truth was, however, that the only thing her little heart desired was Antonio. How she’d missed him these past few weeks! Phone calls were all very well, but nothing could compare with the real thing.