"It was on the news right after Prince Marco rescued all thosechildren."
Safe, thank goodness. But that meant that the Aussa family couldn't have been the source either. "What did the news sayexactly?"
Suzie scoffed. "That my best friend is marrying royalty. I'm invited to this wedding,right?"
"Naturally." Suzie was a better sister than her own though they weren't technically related. She leaned back and lifted her feet up to massage them again. "I'll want you to be my maid ofhonor."
The two doors of the wing opened and Lucio walked beside Nino who pushed a rolling cart full of fruits and two chilled bottles of wine. Lucio called out, "Who's your maid of honor,Amy?"
She stood fast and looked at the offering. Had she ever been so spoiled? "My best friend I mentioned in London,Suzie."
Nino filled two wine glasses and set them on thetray.
Lucio waited and took them from him while he said, "I'll send the jet for her tomorrow if she wants and she can meet us at my parents’castle."
Suzie yelled in the phone. "Tell him yes! I'll bethere."
Amy covered the speaker as she took the glass Lucio offered her. "She said thank you and she appreciatesit."
"I want to make you happy." He clinked his glass with hers. Nino left and closed the two front doors, leaving them almostalone.
Suzie said, "Sounds like a keeper. I'll let you go tohim."
"Goodbye, Suzie. See you tomorrow." Amy turned off her phone. No more distractions for tonight on herend.
She held the stem of her wine glass. Lucio still wore black pants and his leather shoes—he’d relaxed and taken off his suit coat. Taking a small sip of wine, she said, "We're going to your parents’tomorrow?"
"Yes, my mother insists we all stand united for the presstomorrow."
Education flaws had been her first item on the list of suggested improvements. Using the country's resources and proximity to Italy to bring in more tourists was her second item. She hoped her report wasn't responsible for anything. "It's a good idea to double back on your brother's heroics. What type of wine is this? It'ssweet."
"It's a local Sauvignon." He shrugged and sat on the couch. She followed, wanting to be near him. "You said you liked a glass before bed so I have wine, strawberries and other smallsnacks."
How kind. Tonight was theirs. Tomorrow there was pressure. She put her glass down on the table in front of them and then took his from him and placed it next to hers. She turned toward him, uncertain on how to take the lead. "Lucio, kissme."
A laugh escaped his throat. Hedidlaugh, but rarely, and she reveled in the sound. Lucio wrapped his arms around her and kissed her. For once her fantasies weren't wrong, and his kiss was even better than she imagined. His hard lips on hers made her weak, and she craved him, all the way to her soulitself.
9
The moon was higherin the sky when Amy came out of the bathroom in cotton pink pajamas that weren’t meant for seduction—but were all she had. The bedroom was empty and so was the wing. She searched all the rooms. Once she was in the living area again, she asked the empty room, "Lucio, where areyou?"
"I'm on the balcony." Lucio's voice echoed through the open window. She went to the balcony doors and threw them open. Lucio stood near the railing and the mountains peaked behind him. The darkness somehow made him seem so much morealive.
She curled her arms around her waist as there was a chill in the air. "It's late. We should go to bed." The words fell betweenthem.
He turned toward her and as she approached, she saw warm ember sparks in his mahogany eyes. Her lips tingled for more kisses from earlier, but her body shivered from coming outside after a warmshower.
Lucio turned to stare at the mountains. "Get yourself settled but leave me a blanket and pillow from the bed. I'll sleep on thefloor."
She reached for his wrist, her small hand pale in the night. "Let me take the floor. I feelguilty."
"Don't." He turned toward her again. His huge frame blocked the light wind and she instantly warmed. "That’s the deal wemade."
She kept hold of his arm and stared at him. There was no way she could let tonight end on anything other than a high note. In fact, right now, she didn't want to let him go of him, ever. "Today has been wonderful and it's thanks to you. If you want to share the bed, I trustyou."
He met her gaze and his pupils dilated. "No. I'll take thefloor."
"But why?" She heard her imploring tone but didn’t care. Him next to her mattered. He didn't pull away but rather traced her shoulder with a rough thumb before releasing a deep sigh. "You're far tootempting."
