10
Donna’s heart skipped a beat as she glanced at Blackwell studying the choices in the ice cream parlor. He was sculpted like a body builder, his hands were slightly rough and she knew he took care of himself, but he was way more handsome than any other man she’d ever seen. His dark hair, dark eyes and muscular build was somehow at odds with his being aduke.
He turned toward her in question. She held up her peppermint ice cream cone and smiled. “Blackwell, this one is delicious. You should try it.” She pried her gaze from his full lips, imagining them onher.
He spoke to the ice cream scooper in Italian before he said, “I want lemoninstead.”
He had no idea how carnal her thoughts were. She’d never expected to find a man half as sexy in her bed, and, somehow, she had him. She licked her ice cream while he paid for their cones. “You’re missing out on thisdeliciousness.”
He held his ice cream cone and walked beside her, away from Royal Gardens as they continued along the canal. The green trees with the water of the Grand Canal in the background made a picturesque atmosphere as they finished their ice creams. Once they were done, he leaned closer. “I’ve never had a bad ice cream in Venice.” He stepped back and his lips thinned. “Oh look, your Harry is heretoo.”
Outside another church, they once again almost walked right into Harry. She held back and hoped she’d not be seen, but Harry said, “Blackwell, Donna. I am surprised to see you both stilltogether.”
Drat. This wasn’t what she’d planned. Today was supposed to be only Blackwell and her, getting to know one another. Blackwell said, “It’s only been an hour since you saw uslast.”
Goodness, she should have said that. She needed to grow her backbone. The entire trip was about finding herself and taking charge of herlife.
Harry stared right at her like she was an alien he’d never seen before. “How did you two evenmeet?”
“I was having a beer.” She lifted her chin. For years people met in bars, and there was nothing wrong with being in one, especially while on hervacation.
Harry blinked and his body jolted back in shock. “You hatebeer.”
Blackwell went to say something, but she placed her hand on his arm and shrugged her shoulders toward Harry. “That was the old me. I’m trying new things and Blackwell has been kind enough to guide me in some European dreamexperiences.”
Blackwell pressed on her elbow and she turned toward him. “Come,” he rumbled. “Let’s get to our nextappointment.”
Harry asked as they turned to leave, “Donna, can I call you when we get back toMiami?”
Her ears rang. Seriously? Had Harry just asked that? She whipped around and stared at him as her heart skipped a beat. Was he jealous of Blackwell? “I don’t know when that will be—Blackwell and I have a few plans.” She lifted her chin as she refused to ever be the other woman. “Besides, you and Tiffany were ring shopping already and I don’t want to interfere with truelove.”
Harry put his hands in his pockets and looked down. “Tiffany and I broke up before my trip. She knew I wasn’t over you. I’m sorry for whathappened.”
The words replayed in her mind. It was what she’d wanted to hear, but nothing stirred in her heart. She wasn’t happy or angry. She felt nothing for Harry. But when she stepped close to Blackwell? Her skin warmed and her heart felt softer. She brushed her hand next to his and held Harry’s gaze. “That was the past. Bye,Harry.”
Blackwell took her hand and they walked further down the boardwalk next to the water. Once they were away Blackwell squeezed her fingers and quietly said, “If you want to go with Harry now, I won’t stand in yourway.”
Her body went cold at the thought. No. If Harry could dump her like that she couldn’t ever go back to him. It must not have been love if she could get over what happened so fast. She turned toward him and liked sharing Blackwell’s warm breath in the fall air. “I didn’t expect an apology from him, but honestly, I can’t imagine being with Harry—it’s over. Let’s go to the Gallerie dell'Accademia and then get lunch before we drive to Florence. We shouldn’t run into him there so we can forgetthis.”
Her mind instantly swirled the truth that it wasn’t Florence she wanted to visit anymore. There was a hint of something else but she couldn’t put her finger onit.
Blackwell stopped walking and stepped in front of her. “I can forget him easily, Donna. Canyou?”
Her gaze narrowed as he took both of her hands and stared at her while the gentle waves of the Grand Canal echoed behind her. “What are youasking?”
He pressed his forehead on hers and she could feel that his heart was beating fast. “Are you ready for a new relationship if we decide to become moreserious?”
Her adrenalin raced as she held his sexy, brown eyes. “Are you ready to be serious with me Blackwell?Truly?”
He tugged her closer and put her hand on his chest. “I’d marry you now if I thought you’daccept.”
Marry? She wasn’t made to be a duchess. She was way too simple and she’d be a complete disaster in a palace or great hall. “You can’t be serious. This has to be moreflirting.”
He let go of one hand and reached into his pocket. She watched him with apprehension as he pulled out a ring box, opening it to reveal a diamond, and tears formed in her eyes. This was too much. She hadn’t done anything to find her backbone. She couldn’t even tell Harry to get lost just a few minutes ago. This was way toosoon.
He was everything she wanted and everything she didn’t all rolled into one. He was so handsome and her cheeks were wet while he went down on one knee. “I’ve been carrying this ring in my back pocket waiting for the right time to askyou.”
People stopped and watched them. She wiped her face but accepted the ring to take a closer look as she pulled him to his feet. “I can’t get married. You’re tempting me… You make me believe in true love and anything being possible, but we don’t have anything in common. Blackwell, you must see we don’t fit for eternity. I said yes to a few days of justus.”
