Page 18 of Winter Wedding for the Prince
“You’re right,” she replied, rubbing the goose bumps from her arms. “I don’t know what I was thinking. This morning’s newspaper article speculating on your marriage must have skewed my reasoning.”
He was flipping a towel around his neck when she asked. Gripping both ends, he cocked his head. “What does that mean?”
“It means, I know it was to be an important public appearance for the two of you.” The first step in establishing the seriousness of their relationship.”
An odd look crossed his features. “Right. I forgot about the gossip column. It would have been nice to have Mona make an appearance, but seeing as how the marriage is all but a fait accompli, it’s not completely necessary.
“Besides,” he added as he reached for his robe, “it’s not as if the people aren’t used to seeing me attend events alone.
“You’re still attending, right?” he asked, shrugging into the robe.
“Of course. It’s my sister’s memorial concert. I wouldn’t miss it for the world.” Not even Mona’s presence would have stopped her. “I can’t believe you asked.”
“What are you talking about? You asked me the same question two minutes ago. And, considering I haven’t seen you all week, I didn’t want to assume.”
There was a bite to his comment that took her aback. She thought they had addressed this. “I told you, I have had a lot to take care of this week.”
“Coordinating. So you said.” He tugged on his terry-cloth belt before looking her in the eye. Rosa tried not to squirm, but the intensity of his stare was too unnerving. He was trying to see inside her again. “Look, I know why you have been avoiding me,” he said.
“You do?” Heaven help her, could they go back to talking about Mona? Please? Not only was her embarrassing reaction to their mistletoe kiss the last thing she wanted to talk about, this was the last place where she wanted to not talk about it—in a steamy pool house with him wearing nothing but a bathrobe.
“I owe you an apology.”
“You do?” she repeated. For what?
“It was...rude...of me to confront you the way I did. Regarding Fredo. I put you on the spot, and I shouldn’t have.”
“I see.” She had forgotten their argument about Fredo, her mind focused on their kiss. Apparently, circumstances were the other way around for Armando. He wasn’t thinking about the kiss at all. Which was a good thing, right? Meant she didn’t have to avoid him anymore.
There was no reason for her insides to feel deflated. “Th-thank you,” she replied. “I appreciate that.”
On the other side of the pool, Arianna and Max lay side by side in one of the lounge chairs. Max had slipped on his bathrobe, and the two of them looked to be in deep conversation. Whatever problem Arianna had with the budget seemed to have taken a backseat to her fiancé. They looked so happy and engrossed with each other. Maybe it was talking about Fredo, but looking at them left Rosa aching with envy. What she wouldn’t give for a man who listened to what she had to say with interest instead of patronizing her or putting her down. Someone who respected her and didn’t continually remind her of her many, many flaws. You’re fat. You sound like an idiot.
A girl could dream, couldn’t she? Even if the odds of a woman like her finding someone like Max Brown were slim to none. Heck, the only person she knew who fit her bill was... Max.
She turned back in time to discover Armando was studying her again. Only this time, instead of feeling like he was looking inside her, she broke out in a tingling, achy sensation that cut through her stomach to deep below her waist.
“Get dressed,” she said abruptly. “I mean, you need to get dressed and I...I should get back to the office. I’ll see you when you return.”
Spinning on her toe of her shoe, she turned and headed toward the pool house door. Arianna was right about her acting skills. At least this time, her excuse sounded better than having to double-check gelato quantities.
“Rosa, wait.”
* * *
Armando chuckled when Rosa turned around. She looked like an animal trapped in the headlights of an automobile. Wide-eyed and hesitant. And damn if he didn’t find it appealing.
“Are you bringing a guest to the concert?” he asked.
He could tell she didn’t know what to make of his question. “You mean, do I have a date?”
“Exactly. I was curious if, after our conversation the other day, you weren’t inspired to...improve...your social life.”
Was that a blush creeping into her cheeks or simply a flush from the warm air? “You’re curious about a lot of things lately.”
