Page 41
He frowned.
“So that all these women know that you’re taken. By me.”
He laughed then, and finally, it was one of the genuine things that he gave her. The sound burrowed into her, making a cozy nest in her chest. Something more than the ever-present thrum of desire uncoiled in her belly. A sweet sense of anticipation for more. An intense longing for something deeper than just desire.
“Shall we mingle and greet everyone?” she said, struggling to keep it out of her face. Her desire was something Adriano always wanted, but this…this neediness was different. “They’ve all been waiting for a while.”
“You look different,” he said, completely ignoring her request with that signature arrogance that she found both annoying and arresting. “I had hoped operation Nyra was done.”
Her nerves jangled. “Bad different or good different?”
“Different,” he repeated, some of that arrogance seeping into the way he scratched his brow and studied her. “The dress, the hair, even the makeup, it’s all different. It’s much more skin than I’ve ever seen you show in public.”
“Is that a problem?” she said, something of the survivor in her creeping into her words.
His chin tilted up, in equal challenge. As if he wanted that creature to come out. “Do you think so?”
She colored. Adriano was possessive but he’d never judged her for her choice of profession or her clothes or her lack of sophistication, ever.
So what was it about this exchange that was putting her on the back foot? She was exhausted from the week of planning this with his mother. “Nigella says everything I wear and say and do reflects on you and your reputation.”
His frown deepened. “And what statement is it that you want to make?”
“That I’m equal to anything they expect of your wife. Of the mother of future Cavalieri heirs.”
“You sound like her,bella. As taken with the legacy and legitimacy of things as this society is.” He didn’t quite mock her, but his contempt shone through each word.
“Is it wrong if I want to cultivate the good opinion and friendship of these people, some of whose children will grow up alongside ours?”
“You don’t need it. And our children certainly don’t.”
“But as your wife—”
“As my wife,” he said, pulling her impossibly closer. Their chests brushed and a breath shuddered out of her at the quick graze of his erection against her belly, “You could rule them all,cara. I would not have you pretzel yourself, courting their approval.”
“I don’t want to rule anyone, Adriano. I want to make friends in this world of yours. I want to wipe the stain I bring to this marriage, to our children’s lives. I want to use this power you talk about to do some good eventually. When I mentioned that charity, I wasn’t blowing hot air to look better.”
“I have nothing against that,” he murmured, his tight hold of her sending vibrations that pooled at her core. “And I knew that you meant it.”
With one sentence, he made everything between them a thousand times deeper and more real. She had to clear her throat to make words, to clear the wanting gripping her. “Fabi said you’re not a fan of parties. But you’re…not just bored or displeased. You’re almost angry. May I ask why?”
“I’m not angry.”
“And now you’re lying to me,” she said, exhaustion hitting her like a sledgehammer. She swayed and he caught her.
“You’re exhausted,bella.”
“Yes, arranging a party of this size takes energy. Especially in the way that pleases your family. Even if it means just sending minions on a hundred errands. The decision fatigue is real.”
“Forgive me for being a cranky bastard,cara. You clearly—”
Whatever he’d been about to say was cut off as Adriano’s parents joined them with another couple in tow.
From there, small talk ensued and the Adriano that accompanied her for the rest of the evening wasn’t the one she wanted.
* * *
“I’m glad to say there’s hope for her,” Mama said, coming to stand by him on the upper deck. “Her willingness to correct her past, and your own mistake, goes a long way.”
“So that all these women know that you’re taken. By me.”
He laughed then, and finally, it was one of the genuine things that he gave her. The sound burrowed into her, making a cozy nest in her chest. Something more than the ever-present thrum of desire uncoiled in her belly. A sweet sense of anticipation for more. An intense longing for something deeper than just desire.
“Shall we mingle and greet everyone?” she said, struggling to keep it out of her face. Her desire was something Adriano always wanted, but this…this neediness was different. “They’ve all been waiting for a while.”
“You look different,” he said, completely ignoring her request with that signature arrogance that she found both annoying and arresting. “I had hoped operation Nyra was done.”
Her nerves jangled. “Bad different or good different?”
“Different,” he repeated, some of that arrogance seeping into the way he scratched his brow and studied her. “The dress, the hair, even the makeup, it’s all different. It’s much more skin than I’ve ever seen you show in public.”
“Is that a problem?” she said, something of the survivor in her creeping into her words.
His chin tilted up, in equal challenge. As if he wanted that creature to come out. “Do you think so?”
She colored. Adriano was possessive but he’d never judged her for her choice of profession or her clothes or her lack of sophistication, ever.
So what was it about this exchange that was putting her on the back foot? She was exhausted from the week of planning this with his mother. “Nigella says everything I wear and say and do reflects on you and your reputation.”
His frown deepened. “And what statement is it that you want to make?”
“That I’m equal to anything they expect of your wife. Of the mother of future Cavalieri heirs.”
“You sound like her,bella. As taken with the legacy and legitimacy of things as this society is.” He didn’t quite mock her, but his contempt shone through each word.
“Is it wrong if I want to cultivate the good opinion and friendship of these people, some of whose children will grow up alongside ours?”
“You don’t need it. And our children certainly don’t.”
“But as your wife—”
“As my wife,” he said, pulling her impossibly closer. Their chests brushed and a breath shuddered out of her at the quick graze of his erection against her belly, “You could rule them all,cara. I would not have you pretzel yourself, courting their approval.”
“I don’t want to rule anyone, Adriano. I want to make friends in this world of yours. I want to wipe the stain I bring to this marriage, to our children’s lives. I want to use this power you talk about to do some good eventually. When I mentioned that charity, I wasn’t blowing hot air to look better.”
“I have nothing against that,” he murmured, his tight hold of her sending vibrations that pooled at her core. “And I knew that you meant it.”
With one sentence, he made everything between them a thousand times deeper and more real. She had to clear her throat to make words, to clear the wanting gripping her. “Fabi said you’re not a fan of parties. But you’re…not just bored or displeased. You’re almost angry. May I ask why?”
“I’m not angry.”
“And now you’re lying to me,” she said, exhaustion hitting her like a sledgehammer. She swayed and he caught her.
“You’re exhausted,bella.”
“Yes, arranging a party of this size takes energy. Especially in the way that pleases your family. Even if it means just sending minions on a hundred errands. The decision fatigue is real.”
“Forgive me for being a cranky bastard,cara. You clearly—”
Whatever he’d been about to say was cut off as Adriano’s parents joined them with another couple in tow.
From there, small talk ensued and the Adriano that accompanied her for the rest of the evening wasn’t the one she wanted.
* * *
“I’m glad to say there’s hope for her,” Mama said, coming to stand by him on the upper deck. “Her willingness to correct her past, and your own mistake, goes a long way.”
Table of Contents
- Page 1
- Page 2
- Page 3
- Page 4
- Page 5
- Page 6
- Page 7
- Page 8
- Page 9
- Page 10
- Page 11
- Page 12
- Page 13
- Page 14
- Page 15
- Page 16
- Page 17
- Page 18
- Page 19
- Page 20
- Page 21
- Page 22
- Page 23
- Page 24
- Page 25
- Page 26
- Page 27
- Page 28
- Page 29
- Page 30
- Page 31
- Page 32
- Page 33
- Page 34
- Page 35
- Page 36
- Page 37
- Page 38
- Page 39
- Page 40
- Page 41
- Page 42
- Page 43
- Page 44
- Page 45
- Page 46
- Page 47
- Page 48
- Page 49
- Page 50
- Page 51
- Page 52
- Page 53
- Page 54
- Page 55
- Page 56
- Page 57
- Page 58
- Page 59
- Page 60
- Page 61
- Page 62
- Page 63
- Page 64
- Page 65
- Page 66
- Page 67
- Page 68
- Page 69
- Page 70
- Page 71
- Page 72
- Page 73
- Page 74
- Page 75
- Page 76
- Page 77
- Page 78
- Page 79
- Page 80
- Page 81
- Page 82
- Page 83
- Page 84
- Page 85
- Page 86
- Page 87
- Page 88
- Page 89
- Page 90
- Page 91
- Page 92
- Page 93
- Page 94
- Page 95
- Page 96
- Page 97
- Page 98
- Page 99
- Page 100
- Page 101
- Page 102
- Page 103
- Page 104
- Page 105
- Page 106
- Page 107
- Page 108
- Page 109
- Page 110
- Page 111
- Page 112
- Page 113
- Page 114
- Page 115
- Page 116
- Page 117
- Page 118
- Page 119
- Page 120
- Page 121
- Page 122
- Page 123
- Page 124
- Page 125
- Page 126
- Page 127
- Page 128
- Page 129
- Page 130
- Page 131
- Page 132
- Page 133
- Page 134
- Page 135
- Page 136
- Page 137
- Page 138
- Page 139
- Page 140
- Page 141
- Page 142
- Page 143
- Page 144
- Page 145
- Page 146
- Page 147
- Page 148
- Page 149
- Page 150
- Page 151
- Page 152
- Page 153
- Page 154
- Page 155
- Page 156
- Page 157
- Page 158
- Page 159
- Page 160
- Page 161
- Page 162
- Page 163
- Page 164
- Page 165
- Page 166
- Page 167
- Page 168
- Page 169
- Page 170
- Page 171
- Page 172
- Page 173
- Page 174
- Page 175
- Page 176
- Page 177
- Page 178
- Page 179
- Page 180
- Page 181
- Page 182
- Page 183
- Page 184
- Page 185
- Page 186
- Page 187
- Page 188
- Page 189
- Page 190
- Page 191
- Page 192
- Page 193
- Page 194
- Page 195
- Page 196
- Page 197
- Page 198
- Page 199
- Page 200
- Page 201
- Page 202
- Page 203
- Page 204
- Page 205
- Page 206
- Page 207
- Page 208
- Page 209
- Page 210
- Page 211
- Page 212
- Page 213
- Page 214
- Page 215
- Page 216
- Page 217
- Page 218
- Page 219
- Page 220
- Page 221
- Page 222
- Page 223
- Page 224
- Page 225
- Page 226
- Page 227
- Page 228
- Page 229
- Page 230
- Page 231
- Page 232
- Page 233
- Page 234
- Page 235
- Page 236
- Page 237
- Page 238
- Page 239
- Page 240
- Page 241
- Page 242
- Page 243
- Page 244
- Page 245