by Angelo, Judy
That made her give a shaky chuckle. “Can you tell?”
His smile deepened. “It’s more than obvious,” he said, his tone soft and totally nonjudgmental, “but that’s okay. You’re going to a new country to meet your family-to-be. Who wouldn’t be nervous? Heck, if I were in your place I’d be shaking in my shoes.”
She couldn’t help rolling her eyes over that one. “Yeah, right. You? Scared?”
“Hey, that’s a sexist remark. What? Men can’t get scared?” He gave her a look that said he was deeply offended, so offended that she had to laugh.
“You’d better fix that pout or I’ll have to kiss you till you’re blue,” she threatened.
That got rid of the pout, all right, because his face immediately broke into a wide grin. “Bring it on, babe. You can punish me any time.”
It must have been the fact that they were thirty thousand feet up in the air or maybe it was her taut nerves snapping. Arie didn’t know what came over her. Before the words were even out of Rome’s mouth she’d unsnapped her seatbelt and was leaning over to clasp his face in her hands. Then, like she’d been starving for this all day, she captured his lips with hers and kissed him like she would never get enough.
And he answered in kind. Rome unsnapped his seatbelt, too, and he lifted the armrest between them then he was pulling her over and onto his lap where he turned the tables on her, taking full control of the kiss so she was soon gasping and clinging to him.
It was exactly what Arie needed to take her mind off her impending troubles. As Rome’s lips molded to hers she melted into him, letting his tongue slide into her softness, drawing strength from his embrace.
“Would you like some w...Oops! Sorry, sir. Ma’am.”
Arie jumped and drew back just in time to see the navy-blue drapes closing. “Wha…who was that?”
When she glanced back at Rome he was smiling. “Well, we gave the kid an eyeful, that’s for sure.”
“The flight attendant…” She gave Rome a guilty grin. “I forgot you’ve got an attendant on this flight. Somehow I keep thinking – private jet, nobody but us and the pilots.” Then she shrugged. “If I’d remembered I probably wouldn’t have attacked you like that. Sorry.”
“I’m not. In fact, I don’t mind if you attack me again, right about…now.” On the last word he dipped his head to nibble on her ear, sending sparks shooting right down to that now tingling tip between her legs.
“Oh, no, you don’t.” Before he could turn her on even more Arie slid off his lap and plopped back into her seat then folded her hands in her lap like a good little girl. “We’re going to behave like mature adults. No more hanky-panky on the plane.”
He heaved an exaggerated sigh of disappointment. “You certainly know how to kill a man’s flow.” Then he cocked his head to one side. “Seriously, we’ve got three more hours to go before we get there. Are you telling me that I’m going to have to sit over here and keep my hands to myself? Where’s the fun in that?”
Arie shrugged. “We passed the first part of the flight watching movies. Now we can talk.”
“Boring,” he teased but he shut up when she reached over and punched him on the arm. “All right, all right. I’ll talk. God, the abuse I have to put up with.”
“I want to know more about you,” she said. “Fill me in on everything before we get to Italy. I don’t want your family giving me the third degree and not be able to handle it.”
Rome looked at her like she was making a mountain out of a molehill. “What else is there to know? The real question is, what’s there about me that you don’t know.”
“A lot,” she said without hesitation. “I mean, I know a lot about you as an adult. Who you are now, your business and all that stuff. But what about when you were a kid? You haven’t told me much about that.”
“You want to know about my childhood?” Rome shook his head then put a hand over his mouth and gave an exaggerated yawn. “Double boring.”
“I doubt it,” Arie said drily. “You, the son of a mega-wealthy Italian family? Boring, your childhood was not. I’ll bet money on that.”
“Don’t be so quick to bet on it, kid. I’ve got witnesses.”
“Oh, come on, Rome. Talk to me. Give me all the juicy tidbits about what made you tick.”
“All right,” he conceded with a hint of frustration, “but when you start snoring I’m going to kiss you awake, flight attendant or no flight attendant.”
Arie laughed. “Deal. Now start talking.”
And that was how she found out what a troublemaker the man she loved used to be. Thank goodness she’d met him after he’d passed through that phase. As a boy he’d been the devil incarnate, teasing his sisters nearly to death and bossing his brothers till they had to gang up on him. His father tried to curb him but he’d rebelled and that was when they’d shipped him off to finish high school in the United States. While the other children had remained behind in Italy with their mother he’d gone with his father to their new offices in America.
“But didn’t you miss your family?” Arie couldn’t help asking.
“Sure I did and I went home to Italy every chance I got. But I was a rambunctious teenager and I needed curbing. Having my father focus all his attention on me straightened me out real fast, I can tell you that.” He was shaking his head as he spoke then he gave a soft chuckle. “At first I did everything I could to frustrate the old man, make him send me home, but it was no use. He was determined to bring me in line and he’s a tough old goat.” He gave a snort. “You don’t want to get on the wrong side of that one.”
The words made Rome laugh but instead of amusement what Arie felt was a frisson of fear. Was this premonition? A warning of what was to come? If she’d been scared of Rome’s family before, now she was one step closer to terrified.
“Uhm, is he still like that?” she dared to ask. It made sense for her to be prepared.
“Worse.” Rome leaned over to give her a soft peck on the cheek. “But don’t worry. He’s going to fall in love with you just like I did.”
“I wish,” was Arie’s answer, and it was laced with all the doubt she was feeling just then. But it was only a whisper and she knew he didn't hear her..
Which was a good thing because she had no idea how she would explain the nagging dread that his family would not like her, not one bit.
CHAPTER SIX
“Do we have to go now?” Arie took another sip of her orange juice then began to toy with her spoon.
She and Rome had arrived way past bedtime Italian time so instead of heading straight to his family home he’d booked a suite at Regina Hotel Baglioni so Arie could get some rest. She’d been more than relieved at that plan but now it was time to face the music.
Rome had already finished breakfast. He reached over and took the fork from her. “Yes, we have to go now. We didn’t fly all the way to Italy to spend our days in a hotel.”
“Well, it’s a pretty nice hotel,” she said as she reluctantly took his hand and got up to go.
“Agreed,” he said with a chuckle, “and we’ll come back and enjoy it some other time. Right now, though, we have places to go and people to see.”
Arie knew if she dragged her feet any more it would begin to look bad so she straightened her back and put on her game face. No way was she going to let anyone be able to call her a wimp, even if she felt like she was being led to the gallows.
The Alfa Romeo ate up the road too fast for her liking and long before she felt ready they were pulling onto the grounds of an elegant estate in the middle of which sat a majestic home that had her mouth falling open. She’d expected a home worthy of the Milano name but what she saw far exceeded her expectations. It wasn’t a home. It was a freakin' castle.
“Wow,” she breathed. “You grew up here?” Arie couldn’t even begin to imagine what it must have been like, growing up in the midst of all that wealth. The house – if you could call it a house – looked big enough to accommodate ten families. You cou
ld easily live in one wing and not run into the rest of your family for a week.
“Yeah,” Rome said with a shrug. “Boring.” Then he hopped out of the car and went to open her door. “Come on, let’s go in.”
“What about our bags?” Arie asked, fishing around for an excuse to delay their entry.
“Don’t worry about it. One of the staff will bring those in. Now, come on.”
At that point there was nothing to be done but leave the refuge of the car and head on in. “All right,” she said on a sigh. “I’m right behind you.”
When Rome gave her his hand she clung to it like it was a lifeline. As they walked toward the main entrance she was holding on so tight that he looked down at her. “You okay?”
Arie nodded and gave him a pseudo-brave smile, wondering why he had to look so darned eager. But then she dismissed the thought. This was his family he was going to see. Of course he’d be looking forward to it.
She, on the other hand, had no experience with family gatherings. How could she when all she’d known was the life of a lowly card in a deck, shuffled from foster home to foster home till she’d been shoved out on her own the day she turned eighteen.
She was used to being on her own. In fact, she’d grown to like it – except, of course, when the holidays came around. That was the only time she found herself wishing she had a family. And soon she would have one, the perfect one, when she had Maya in her arms and Rome by her side as her husband. That was all the family she would ever need.
But when she married Rome she’d be marrying his family, too. They would be hers, like it or not. Assuming they even accepted her…
But those were the thoughts of a defeatist and Arie was no loser. She would face this family head on and they’d better love her or else. “Hurry up, slow poke,” she said as she tugged on Rome’s arm. His smile told her he was surprised and pleased at her change in demeanor. “Let’s go show your family what a gem of a woman you’ve found.”
“Now you’re talking my language. I can’t wait to show you off.”
His words giving her a shot of confidence, Arie was smiling as they approached the main entrance. The door was opened by a diminutive woman in glasses that looked too big for her face.
“Signora Luca.” Rome gave the woman a hug then turned to pull Arie forward. “Please meet my fiancée. This is her first visit to Italy.”
“Benvenuto, signorina.” Signora Luca gave Arie a deferent bow but her smile was warm and her dark eyes twinkled in her softly wrinkled face. “I hope you will enjoy Italy.”
Arie smiled back, glad for the pleasant welcome. “I’m sure I will.”
The signora nodded then turned her attention back to Rome. “Your mother and sisters are in the green room. They are anxious to see you.”
“We’re on our way,” Rome said and took Arie’s hand then he was leading her down a hallway that could only be described as palatial.
“The green room?” she asked, curiosity getting the better of her.
“My mother absolutely loves gardening. The room was designed to remind her of the gardens she used to have back in Sicily when she was a young girl. As you can imagine, the room's got lots of green.” He gave her a sly grin. “Be warned.”
It was a good thing he put her on notice. When they entered the room Arie was so surprised she almost came to a halt. It was like she’d stepped into the Garden of Eden. When she’d heard of the green room she’d expected to see the walls in that hue but there was no such thing. Instead, the walls were a softly elegant shade of ivory accentuated by wainscoting of deep mahogany. The striking thing was the abundance of plants that filled the space. There were palms, tall and elegant in the corners and soft ferns in charming pots hanging from the ceiling. Vases of fresh-cut flowers adorned the side tables, adding brilliant bursts of color to the scene. But it was the centerpiece that drew Arie’s attention. In the middle of the room was a low glass table on which sat the biggest bouquet she’d ever seen, an explosion of red, pink, white, blue and orange, a floral celebration of color that could compete with the most brilliant of fireworks.
She was so entranced by the scene that it was a moment before she noticed the woman, tall and regal, standing by the piano and regarding her with cool, dark eyes. In fact, there were two more of them, a brown-haired beauty sitting on a sofa by the window with a younger-looking woman who now hopped up to greet her.
“Hello,” she said as she approached. “I’ve heard so much about you, Arie. I’m Sophia, Rome’s sister.”
Arie almost sighed her relief out loud. A friendly greeting. It seemed that she was off to a good start. Gratefully, she took the girl’s outstretched hand. “Pleased to meet you, Sophia.”
But her relief was short-lived because now it was time for her to meet the matriarch and Mrs. Milano did not look happy at all. It wasn’t that Rome’s mother looked unpleasant. On the contrary, there wasn’t even a hint of a frown on her face. But she wasn’t smiling, either, and that said a lot. As she approached she seemed cautious. Aloof, even. Arie could tell that this woman wasn’t going to accept her as quickly as her daughter had. It was obvious that she wasn’t getting close until she’d had a chance to feel Arie out.
“Welcome to Italy, Miss Angelis,” she said as she reached out to take Arie’s hand. “I’m glad we’re finally getting a chance to meet.” Emphasis on the word finally. Obviously, she’d had many a conversation with Rome about his intended. Arie could just imagine the questions that had flown. Who was she? What kind of woman was she? What was her background? Was she of good stock? Mrs. Milano looked like the type for whom those things would be of the utmost importance.
But Arie refused to be intimidated. The woman wanted cool? Well, she could be that and more. “Thank you, Mrs. Milano. I’m happy to meet you, too.” Now that was a lie if there ever was one but she could play nice just as well as anyone. And, for the sake of her beloved, she would play nice. Only for Rome.
“And I’m Lucia.” Miss Brown Hair had come to join her mother and, just like the older woman, she was regarding Arie with a look that could only be described as wary.
“Pleased to meet you.” Arie took the proffered hand and gave it a shake that said she was here and she wasn’t going anywhere soon. She didn’t know where she’d gotten this newfound bravado but, no matter how she was quaking inside, she would never give them the pleasure of seeing her sweat.
She got a reprieve when Rome stepped forward to gather his mother and then his sisters in big bear hugs. “Where’s Papa?” he asked as soon as he’d released them. “I want him to meet Arie right away. He’s going to love her.”
Yeah, like your mom and sisters love me? It was a good thing Rome couldn’t read minds or else her thoughts would deflate him for sure. When he’d said he couldn’t wait to show her off he hadn’t been joking. She could see it in his goofy grin and the way he kept looking at her like she was some kind of trophy he’d brought home to show his family.
She should be flattered, she knew, and she was touched by his pride in her. She really was. She just wished he would take off his rose-colored spectacles and see that he was the only one going crazy over her. Maybe then he would wrap up the visit real fast so they could beat a hasty retreat back to New Orleans.
“Your father is waiting for you,” his mother said. “He’s in the library.”
“Great. Let’s go, honey.” He took Arie’s hand and they were off again, barely giving her enough time to take proper leave of his mother and sisters.
“Slow down, will you?” she whispered fiercely as she tried to pull her hands from Rome’s grasp. “What’s your hurry?”
“Oh, sorry. I forgot how tiny you are. Your little legs can’t keep up, can they?”
“Hey, you. Take that back. My legs are long enough, thank you very much.”
“Then what’s the problem?”
“You’re just moving too fast. We’ll get to see your father soon enough. Just slow down a bit. Let me see the house.”
Glad for the slower pace, she began to breath just a little bit easier. “I love old houses,” she said with a shrug. “Sue me.”
That got her an equally smart response from Rome. “You keep it up, Missy. You’ll get your spanking soon enough.”
Perverse creature that she was, Arie could hardly wait for ‘soon enough’. Except that the ‘soon enough’ that came first was their arrival at the library.
“Come in.” The voice that answered Rome’s knock was big and booming, not at all the voice of a man who’d recently had a stroke. The man sounded as sturdy as a bull.
When Rome opened the French doors he stepped aside so Arie could precede him, which was the polite thing to do. Pity it made her feel like he was sending her on to be the sacrifice.
“So this is Aristotle Angelis.” Vittorio Milano was an imposing figure, stout and tall, with a shock of jet-black hair streaked with gray. He came forward to meet her and, like his wife, his words were pleasant enough but somehow the greeting didn’t quite meet his eyes. “Rome told me you were named after the wise Greek himself. Interesting. It's part of why I've been waiting so eagerly to meet you. What took you so long to pay us a visit?”
“The time was…not right until now.” What kind of a question was that, anyway? She couldn’t just drop in like an old friend. She’d had to wait until Rome was ready. Not that she’d been in any hurry.
“Well, I’m glad to finally lay eyes on you. Rome has been talking about you nonstop.” Vittorio took Arie’s hand in a grip that almost made her snatch it away. Didn’t the man know his own strength?
“You’re looking good, Pa.” As soon as his father had released Arie Rome stepped forward to embrace him in a hearty hug. "All is good?”
“All’s good and things are even better now that this little lady is here.”