The Marriage Arrangement Read online

  They were quiet as they studied the various frescoes, then took a seat in one of the pews. Rip had never been in a church other than the occasional sightseeing. He watched Caterina kneel, bowing her head with clasped hands, and pray. Her glorious hair masked her face in over a dozen shades of blond, catching the light trickling in. He sat and watched her, breathing in the damp air scented faintly of incense. Time passed. He reveled in the quiet and the presence of a woman he was beginning to care for.

  Finally, she slid back onto the seat and smiled at him.

  "What do you pray for?" he asked curiously.

  "My father. Myself. The world. I pray I won't waste time on things that don't matter. I ask for forgiveness for craving expensive shoes when they don't even fit in my closet anymore."

  He grinned. "Italian shoes can never be termed a sin."

  "Finally." She gave a sigh. "A man who understands." She looked up at him with a beautiful smile. "Are you ready to go?"

  He liked that she didn't push him for his religious beliefs or try to make judgment. She seemed to emanate acceptance with people, and Rip found it soothed his soul. "Yes, let's get something to eat." They walked out through the Piazza San Marco, enjoying the street market. They bought bowls of fish soup, and a hunk of crusty bread, and ate them on a bench, soaking in the atmosphere of the spring afternoon. Rip decided it was a good time to dive deeper. "Can I ask you a question?"

  She glanced over. "Anything."

  "The man you left behind in New York. The one who broke your heart. Do you still love him?"

  She met his gaze head on. "No. For a long time, I didn't know how to function without him. We'd dated for so many years, it became more of a routine than a real love. He and my father were close, and it became easy to listen to them both. When I left, I realized I hadn't given myself any time or space to find who I really was. I'd become what they wanted. Does that make sense?"

  It did. But another question swirled in his head, waiting for an answer. "Yes. But if you saw him, would you want to try again?"

  She shook her head. "I never loved him the way a woman is supposed to love a man she's about to marry. He was a friend and a mentor. It was almost as if his role as a lover was secondary, and that's what I realized was missing."

  Relief cut through him. He'd run into her ex-fiance at a few social functions, but they kept their distance. From the stories Edward told him, Devon had not only been a cheater but a liar, too. Rip had discovered signs of embezzlement once he audited the books, but Edward refused to pursue retribution, choosing to move on and limit any future interactions. Rip was glad the asshole had shown his true colors to Caterina. The idea of them being married shuddered through him in pure distaste.

  But he couldn't say any of it, so he settled on keeping it light. "They say sometimes the biggest fuckups make the most fortunate events."

  She laughed. "You said that so much better than a poet. I agree." She finished the last of her bread and put down her bowl. "What about you? I know nothing about your past. Do you have a big family?"

  Ice chilled his veins. He tried to act normal, even as the familiar distance leaked into his voice. "No. Just me."

  She tilted her head and pushed. "Were you close to your parents?"

  "You think you're better than us, boy? You're not. You're trash--and going to a fancy school with your fancy clothes and degree ain't gonna change who you really are."

  The words of his father shook through his memory but he kept the wall firmly up. "No. I left for school and never saw them again."

  A frown creased her brow. "I'm sorry. That's young to be on your own."

  "I worked hard, did what I had to make it work. Got a full ride and graduated with a business degree. I was placed right away into an internship program and made my way to management."

  "Ah, so that's where you got into property development, huh?" Her eyes twinkled and suddenly, Rip couldn't stand her believing a lie. He'd been wrong to lead her on with his mysterious statements about his job.

  "I'm not in property development," he said. The words fired off his tongue before he had time to think it through. "I'm here for something else."

  "What?"

  "I'd rather not tell you right now. But I will." He nailed her with his stare. "Soon."

  A flicker of wariness crossed her features. "It's not illegal, is it?" she finally asked.

  His lip twitched. "No."

  "You're not secretly married or seeing someone else, are you?"

  He leaned over, placing his hand over her cheek. Her quickly indrawn breath told him how much his touch affected her. "There's only you."

  "And you still don't want to give me your last name?"

  He winced. "I promise I'm not a criminal."

  "Witness protection?"

  He groaned, trying to find a way to get her to trust him for a while longer. "This sounds ridiculous, but for a little while, I just want to get to know you without any of the other trappings or judgments. Does that make any sense?"

  "Yeah, it does." She leaned in, happiness glowing from her. "Then I'll wait."

  When she discovered the truth, she'd try and throw up barriers. Pretend they never had a connection. Convince herself to hate him. He'd take on the battle but right now, today, he wanted to savor the moment, wanted to soak himself in the purity of her presence, like the shadows chase the elusive flicker of the light. Wanted to believe he was the man who could make her happy.

  "Let's go."

  He stood up from the bench, threw away the garbage, and took her hand.

  "Where are we going?" she asked.

  He smiled. "Everywhere."

  And they did. They wound in and out of the shops crowding the plaza and beyond, stopping at the Duomo, the Galleria, and the Museum of Art. They drank dry, sparkling Prosecco and ate honey biscotti and found a place to hide during the brief rainstorm that hit mid-afternoon. They stumbled on a tiny cafe with a few tables in the back garden, and ate dinner late at night, with the twinkling white lights strung on the trees surrounding them like an angel's halo. They drank red wine and talked of the things that made them happy, of great literature and movies that changed their world, and of the dreams that still lingered after they closed their eyes.

  When he walked her to the apartment, he saw in her eyes she was ready.

  But instead, he only kissed her goodnight, not trusting himself to hide the core of who he was from Caterina any longer, afraid she'd turn away if she knew the true darkness in his soul. He turned to go but she stopped him.

  "Up for an adventure tomorrow?"

  He absolutely refused to believe in the word giddiness. "Sure."

  "Meet me here after your morning shift."

  "I'll be here at one."

  He left her with a smile on his face and a pit in his stomach.

  "I don't think I'm ready for this yet, Caterina."

  "Don't be silly, we've fooled around enough. It's time to just do it."

  "Maybe we're moving too fast." A worried tone seeped into his voice. "I think I need more practice."

  "Nonsense. Keep your focus and let your body lead. You know the popular term, it's like riding a bike. Where do you think it came from?"

  "I feel like an idiot," he muttered.

  "Would you just do it? Slide your butt back a little more and adjust your leg to the left. Yes, perfect. Now, push!"

  He took a deep breath and pushed.

  With a whoop, Caterina watched him take off down the street on the bike, his hands wrapped around the handle bars in a death grip. "You got it!" she shouted, jumping on her own bike to follow. "Let's do this!"

  "Are they going to stay out of my lane?" he boomed in demand. "Because I won't be able to stop."

  The busy traffic of Milan wasn't the best place to teach a person to ride a bike, but she'd advised him to stay in his lane and keep his focus in front of him. Cat had been horrified to hear he'd never been on a bike. Had never learned to ride, even as a kid. Something inside her chest hur
t when she thought of it. Even though he hadn't opened up, she felt as if there was a world of hurt within him that needed to be shared. Thankfully, she had taken advantage of the bike sharing program in Italy and knew the roads well. She'd just have to keep a sharp eye on him.

  "Just focus on the road ahead and follow me. I'll lead us out of here."

  Cars beeped, traffic jammed, and mopeds zipped in and out with an obnoxious roar. She clamped down on her giggle as she eased past Lee and noticed his usual calm, cool demeanor had been replaced with a touch of panic.

  "You're doing great," she said as she rode beside him. "You're a natural. Just don't get in your head."

  "There's a turn coming up so I don't have time to chat now."

  "Lean into it like I taught you."

  He did, barely swiping another rider who turned to give him a dirty look. "This is stupid," he muttered. "People should stick to cars, or trains. Hell, even a motorcycle makes sense. Why are we still using transportation that's powered by our own energy?"

  "Bikes are the best way to get around in cities. Besides, don't you get a real sense of freedom and accomplishment? The wind in your hair, the sun on your face, the thrill of exhilaration?"

  "No. I prefer air conditioning and a kick ass sports car."

  She smothered a laugh.

  "Too much technical development causes us to get lazy," she cheerfully replied, adjusting the small bag she'd packed with food and water.

  He tossed her a quick glare, then re-focused on his crowded lane. "Did you just ride with no hands?"

  "Yes, but I've had practice."

  "Show off."

  She laughed, giving him a tour as they made their way through the crowded city and headed toward one of her favorite spots--Parco Sempione. She kept a tight eye on him, hanging back to make sure he felt confident, and eased him out of the congested, city roads toward the famous Castle Sforzesco and the sweeping Arch of Peace. The historic brick castle stole her breath every time--the imposing tower holding central court, and boasting powerful defensive walls designed by da Vinci himself. Elaborate water fountains graced the front entrance, but it was the back of the castle Caterina sought--the true treasure being hidden.

  "Let's park the bikes here and walk the rest of the way."

  "Yes. Walking is good. Very good."

  The road turned into cobblestones, bumping their bikes around, and she lifted her hand to point toward the castle. "If you look over there, you'll see the Castillo Sforzesco. We should get you a tour before you leave, but we're heading into the park for now and--uh, oh."

  She realized her mistake immediately.

  As a new rider, his gaze had been focused completely on the path ahead, and he'd refused to look left or right. But he'd automatically swung his gaze to follow her pointed finger. She held her breath as he coasted, but then the normal mental processes overtook him.

  He panicked.

  His hand jerked on the handlebars, the tires wobbled, and he crashed onto the sidewalk.

  Cat stopped pedaling, hopped off her bike, and ran over to him. She pressed her fingers to her lips and focused all her efforts on keeping a straight face. "Oh, my God, Lee, are you okay?"

  Slowly, he stretched out jean-clad legs from underneath the spinning wheel and looked up. The sun glinted in his coal-black hair. He pushed himself up and lay his palms on the rough cobblestones. The snug fabric of his T-shirt clung lovingly to every carved muscle. Those full lips tightened into a thin line. A faint chorus of Italian titters drifted in the air, and a few people stopped to grin at the crazy American sprawled out under his bike. "Don't even think about it."

  Cat covered her mouth with her hand and tried to focus on something else. Unfortunately, the sound bubbled up at the back of her throat, demanding exit.

  "One giggle. One tiny giggle and it's all over."

  She flirted with the idea of jumping back on her bike to escape, but she had a feeling Lee would come after her.

  A small boy stopped in front of them, peering over at Lee, then asked a question in Italian to his father. The parent shook his head and led him away.

  "What did he say, Caterina?"

  The giggle grew. "You don't want to know."

  "Tell me."

  "He said, 'Papa, did the big man fall down?'"

  And then it happened.

  She laughed.

  In a flash, Lee jumped from the ground and tossed her over his shoulder in one easy motion. She shrieked wildly, laughing harder as he strolled leisurely toward the gurgling fountains, while the crowds pointed and smiled at them. With the backdrop of the brick tower, the two-tier fountain bubbled merrily and was a popular place for tourist pictures and tour groups to stop. Lee didn't seem to care about the audience as he stopped near the edge, near enough for a mist to hit her face in warning.

  Holy crap, the water was cold.

  "Umm, Lee? Can you put me down now?"

  He ignored her, his hand solidly on the curve of her buttocks. "Hmm, I have no coins with me. If I throw you into the fountain instead, do you think my wish will come true?"

  She froze. He wouldn't. Would he? "No! Your wish will most definitely not come true."

  "But how can you be sure?" He pretended to toss her.

  "No! Oh, please, please, I'm sorry I laughed!" She clung to him fiercely.

  His deep laugh raked across her ears. "Yeah? How are you going to make it up to me?" He shifted her weight and shivers bumped over her skin. The intimacy of their position hit her full force. The weight of his arm splayed across her thighs, and that heavy palm pressed into the small of her back. Her breasts dragged against his solid back, teasing her nipples. Her face grew hot and her body grew needy.

  "What do you want?"

  He laughed again, but this time it was a sexy growl. "Oh, that opens up a whole boatload of possibilities. But why don't I just settle for a kiss?"

  "Done. Can you put me down now?"

  With slow, deliberate movements, he slid her down the front of his body. When her toes touched the ground, she was breathless and off kilter. It was his dark gaze locked on hers that centered her.

  "You're mean," she said.

  Suddenly, he snagged her around the waist and dragged her in. His fingers tangled in her hair and he tipped her head back. "You're pretty."

  Her tongue came out to wet her lips. "Are you going to take your kiss?"

  Triumph flickered across his features, along with an aching tenderness that stirred the nest of emotions buried deep. "No. I'm going to give you my kiss."

  His mouth lowered, achingly slow, and he brushed his lips over hers. Once. Twice. Soft as a whisper, sweet as a song. Caught up in the moment, she leaned in and asked for more.

  He growled her name and gave it to her. They kissed by the fountain, amidst the crowds, with the ancient tower keeping watch, and fell into each other. It was a kiss she'd never experienced before, full of possibilities, and when he finally broke away, she swayed drunkenly on her feet. They stared at one another for a few moments, a bit wary, as if they'd both realized something bigger had happened within that simple kiss and they couldn't go back.

  It was the flare of panic in his eyes that made her blurt out the words. "That was a really good kiss."

  A laugh burst from his chest, and he shook his head, grabbing her hand and pulling her away from the fountain. "Yes, it was," he said seriously. "But now I'm really hungry and I'm hoping you have something good in that bag of yours."

  "I do. Let's get the bikes parked and walk to the Parco Sempione."

  They retrieved the bag, parked the bikes, and headed behind the castle. The pop of spring had brought out the crowds to enjoy the huge expanse of green lawn, leafy trees, and the glassy spill of the lake. A curved bridge led them over the water, and various paths wound through the trees to hidden sections of gardens with benches. The park was a treasure caught between the glorious Arch of Peace and the castle, a quiet, meditative place to think and appreciate the simplicity of nature.

/>   She found a grassy space, laid out a picnic blanket, and opened the bag.

  "This is beautiful," he said, studying the gentle slopes of green against the water and blue sky. "I guess when I think of Milan I don't think of parks."

  "Think of the city. Central Park is quite beautiful, and they have their own zoo."

  "You're right. Another reminder not to judge a city by its noise and population. We need to look deeper."

  She shook her head and grinned. "I had no idea you could be a bit silly. I like that."

  He looked shocked. "I'm not silly. I'm deep and broody, remember?"

  "That's what I thought when I first saw you."

  He propped up his arms behind him and cocked his head. "Okay, now I need to know. What exactly did you think when you first saw me? Please include the word hot in there somewhere."

  She took out a small bottle of wine, two plastic glasses, and half a loaf of bread. "You reminded me of a dark angel. Sitting in the back alone in the shadows, focused on your drink. There was this silence that vibrated from your aura. I got the sense you could be surrounded by people but they wouldn't touch you. There was too much distance."

  His chin jerked as if he'd taken a hit. She hesitated, not wanting to hurt him, but her gut urged her to continue. "When I looked into your eyes, I saw pain. It made me sad."

  His voice flicked out like a whip. "Is that why you came over to me? Because you thought I was in pain and you felt sorry for me?"

  She shook her head. "No. I came over because I felt something. A connection. It was like you drew me to you--into you--and that pain was just a part of who you were. That's why I love that you can be silly. That you almost threw me into the fountain, and agreed to ride a bike when you didn't really want to, and took your payment in a kiss. I'm starting to fall for you, Lee, and we just met. Does that scare you as much as it does me?"

  He sucked in his breath, and she tried not to panic. Oh, God, she'd really put herself out there. And yes, she was a little embarrassed, but not enough to take it back. This man made her want things she'd never imagined before. She craved to delve into and explore every layer of him and open herself up again. She knew almost nothing about this man, yet her heart whispered she knew all the important things.