"You won’t. I'm sure you’re right that he has a real chance of being fine." He led her down the hill again. Her heart raced. "Can I ask a question? I thought you had twobrothers?"
He tilted his head and slowed his pace. "Lucio is out of town at themoment."
"Where is he?" Her gaze narrowed and it wasn't because the sun was in her eyes, not completely. Something sounded off when it came to his brother’s whereabouts—but perhaps with the marriage decree, Lucio was out finding hisownwife.
Without giving her a chance to really feel her surroundings, Antonio led her down a narrow cobblestone path. She slowed and took it all in anyway, because the ancient buildings from the village reminded her of a movie from the medieval time period, but people walked around in modern clothes as they talked to each other and on theirphones.
Antonio’s voice caught her attention as he said, "Lucio’s birthday is nine months after mine and he doesn't want to wait until the last month and then worry he won't find anyone tomarry."
Now that this was the topic, she’d ask more about why he chose her. Her pulse spiked, but she pushed forward. "Why did you wait until the lastminute?"
"I didn’t know about the law until two months ago, when we came back to power. I certainly never met anyone I wanted to spend my life with." He settled his hands on her hips. The path to the village was dark, covered with trees that blocked the sun, though she knew people must be around. He continued to speak as it he didn't care the paparazzi might snap a picture. "My birthday is fast approaching and the law says I must marry to produceheirs."
Her lips tingled, and her heartbeat grew as she swung their hands in the air. "Which is why you advertised for a secretary—to see if there was anyone out there that might be agoodfit."
He tugged her closer. "Kristin,aboutthat..."
"It's okay," she interrupted but stayed near his massive wall of muscles. She couldn't meet his gaze as she said, "If I'd have known the position was to be your wife, I'd have probably filled it out as some sortofjoke."
"So would most." It sounded like ice laced his words. He'd not kiss her here, not in this mood. Instead he led her inside thevillage.
They passed a bakery that made the street smell sweet as sugar cookies and people talked to their families or carried packages, likeanytown.
She then stopped and stared at a huge church she recognized from online, but the pictures hadn't done the place justice. In Avce, the church was supposedly built on the spot where the Virgin Mary made it snow in the middle of summer as a miraculous sign. Now stood a medieval steeple, but the walls were older and columns gave away the roman architectural style of the base. She touched the cold marble wall. "This cathedral isbeautiful."
He brushed his hand on the stone next to hers. "This is the place where Mary blessed my family and told us to build a cathedral by making it snow only on this holyground."
She had read that online, but she wanted him to tell her more. Kristin had read that the church was called Our Lady of the Snow. The article claimed that in the middle of summer the Roman couple who wanted a baby asked Mary for help and she made it snow to show where to build a cathedral. Antonio's use of the word “us” made her wonder…but nobody could trace their ancestry thatfarback!
"I read about the history online when I applied for your job, since working for you meant I’d be spending time here. I’ve always wanted to travel and see the world. Are you related to the Romancouple?"
“Yes. They are direct ancestors.” He slid his hands over the silky fabric of her dress, settling his firm grip on her hips and brought her close, almost nose-to-nose. Her heart was steady and sure. "You can see all of that and more, asmywife."
"I am tempted." She closed her eyes and let the feel of being in his armsswayher.
He then whispered, "Good, because I haven't started mypersuasionyet."
His lips met hers and she melted. He was everything she dared dream of as perfect. Once he ended the kiss, she stayed in his arms. "Isn't marrying a commonerforbidden?"
“No, but if it was,” he kissed her cheek, "So what? I like forbiddenfruit."
“But wouldn’t you have to marry a royalfirst?”
“My ancestors made no rules about that. In fact, a few of the supposed nobles got the girl pregnant first and if she had a son then they’dmarryher.”
On the street behind them she heard people whisper and one of them called her acapitalist. At home, if someone insulted her, she generally avoided the person, but here she felt the conversation meant something else. She lowered her head. "I don't want to interfere with your localpolitics."
Antonio’s face was red,but he stepped away and led her into a market street where people were buying from shops on a cobblestone street. "I think you being an American will increase my standing in our local politics—but don't worry about it. What would you like to do orseenext?"
If she was with Renee, they'd dash into the quaint shops to see what treasures were to be discovered. With Antonio, she wished they were locked in a room together. She wanted to intimately know all of him. But suddenly, she was unsure what to say so she patted her stomach. "Okay, I'd rather worry about lunch. I'mfamished."
"This way then." He led her into a small restaurant. “This is Jaka’s. Don’t be shocked but we put dandelion in oursaladshere.”
That didn’t sound very extreme, but comfortinglyfamiliar.
He opened the door for her. “And perhaps you’ll want to try something withchestnutstoo.”
Fruits and berries would be staples of the past. Somehow she had to turn the conversation to their marriage in the here and now. It was time she took a chance—starting with something new forlunch.
