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While feeding Aimee, Elene watched Mattia put the finishing touches to the sauce for their pasta which, if the pleased expression on his face when he sampled it was anything to go by, he’d cooked to al dente. He was at home in the kitchen, didn’t have any qualms about cooking dinner or cleaning up as he went. A self-contained man.
‘You look after this place yourself?’
‘No, I cheat. You’ll meet Anna tomorrow. She cleans up after me and makes some meals. Be warned, she adores bambini and will want to spoil Aimee. There’s a small apartment on the ground floor where she lives.’
He declined to look after his home? Like he didn’t put in long hours at the hospital?
‘We can handle that. Aimee loves nothing better. My mum and dad care for her some days when I’m at work, and she can’t get enough of them. To counter that she goes to a crèche three days a week, which I admit to feeling guilty about.’
‘What else can you do? You’re the equivalent of a working mum.’ Mattia was plating up dinner and her stomach was sitting up to attention. Aeroplane food had not been much fun.
‘That smells wonderful.’ She wiped Aimee’s chin before placing her back on the floor by the blocks. The equivalent of a working mum? That stung, but it was true. She was the closest thing to a mother Aimee had right now and, while she’d always have that role, it was yet to be decided if it would be full-time or the days when Mattia was too busy to be with his daughter. Eat, stop worrying over what you haven’t discussed yet. Food would shut up both her stomach and her head for a while.
The fragrance wafting up from her plate had nothing on the flavour exploding across her tongue. ‘You’ll have a battle on your hands if you think you can get me to leave your house before I head back home.’ She’d found it in her to tease this man? The pasta must be even better than she thought.
‘The day I put boiled potatoes and cheese sauce in front of you will be the message to pack.’
‘The day you do that I’ll bake lamb roast with all the trimmings.’ If Mattia hadn’t been smiling she might’ve worried he wasn’t pulling her leg. He needn’t worry. She’d start looking for a hotel tomorrow.
‘The battle lines have been drawn.’ He smiled to take the sting out of his words.
Elene struggled not to stare at those lips, winding up her imagination in ways she’d denied for a long time. Lips that might trail over her skin, leaving her wired and ready. Her libido shot into life, wanting more from Mattia. Ah, hello? You’re waking up after a long drought because of Mattia? This was one diversion she did not need, or want. But his kiss would be like no other.
Her mouthful of wine went down the wrong way and she choked, then had to put up with the embarrassment of having her back slapped with one enormous—and warm—hand. It would be too easy to lean back into that unexpected gentleness and close her eyes. She sat forward, took another, more careful sip from her glass. ‘Thank you.’
‘Eat, relax. I won’t hassle you with any more questions tonight.’ To prove it, Mattia became intent on enjoying his pasta.
While worrying about that, Elene was struggling to keep her eyes open, despite the tasty food. The wine wasn’t helping keep her awake, but she’d earned it. It was good to sit back and take a load off her feet, and her mind. But she couldn’t get too comfortable. She had to stay awake long enough to put Aimee to bed when she was ready, and that looked like being a while away yet.
Mattia stood and cleared their plates, brought a bowl of enormous strawberries to the table.
Then Aimee looked up and threw a block across the floor, followed by a cry that had to be heard back in town. Another block followed the first and more cries filled the room.
‘Here we go. Meltdown time.’ At least it hadn’t happened mid-flight. That would’ve been awkward.
Mattia was staring at Aimee as though he couldn’t believe what was going on.
‘Your niece and nephew don’t have good old crying matches?’ Elene reached down to lift Aimee into her arms, only to get belted on the nose with a flying fist. ‘Ouch.’ Her eyes filled at the pain. ‘Careful, missy.’
The noise intensified. Aimee’s little mouth was wide open, her eyes ferocious slits above her red cheeks.
‘Shh, sweetheart.’ Elene bounced her on her hip.
Aimee wasn’t having anything to do with it. Her fists were flying and the crying changed to deep sobbing, tugging at Elene’s heart with each gasp.
‘Want me to heat some milk?’ Mattia asked.
‘You can try, but I suspect it’s going to take some time to get her to quieten down. I can’t complain since she never cried the whole trip.’
Surprisingly, Mattia’s mouth twitched. ‘Saving it for me, were you, little one?’ He ran a hand over Aimee’s head.
‘I’ll take her to the bedroom and leave you in peace.’
‘Give her to me. I’ll walk around the back yard for a while, see if that distracts her enough to quieten down.’ Mattia stood with his arms out.
Elene gaped. The man was offering to take a crying toddler and try to soothe her? Seemed she knew nothing about him. ‘If you’re sure?’ Already she was handing Aimee over to those large, safe hands, the relief enormous. She didn’t know if she had it in her to walk and talk with Aimee now, for what could be hours. ‘I’ll take over when you’ve had enough. This might go on for a long time.’ He’d soon be sick of the crying and kicking and want shot of Aimee.
‘I’ll manage.’ His arms were cradling his daughter, rocking her slowly back and forth as he began striding across the kitchen. ‘You heat the milk, eat some strawberries and make yourself some tea if you like. I’ll be outside.’
The neighbours were going to love that. ‘If you’re certain.’ But she was talking to herself, alone in Mattia’s kitchen, the crying muffled behind the closed door. She should be glad to have someone to help with Aimee, but she felt as though she were stranded on top of a rock with the tide racing in. Could they make joint custody work?
Nearly an hour later the world became quiet. Elene went outside to take Aimee off Mattia to put her to bed, but she was wide awake, smiles having replaced the crying. ‘You’re supposed to fall asleep now.’
‘Why don’t you go to bed? If you give me a jumpsuit or whatever it is you call night attire for toddlers, I can put Aimee down when she’s ready. She’s going to outlast you by quite some time,’ Mattia said.
It was tempting. So, so tempting. But she was meant to be caring for Aimee, not Mattia. Not yet.
‘Let it go, Elene. You’re exhausted, and staying up any longer isn’t going to help anyone.’
‘You’re right,’ she capitulated.
It wasn’t until she was digging through the case for Aimee’s clothes that it dawned on her that Mattia would be bringing Aimee in here while she was in bed. So what? She’d be out of it. It wasn’t as if the man would have his wicked way with her. And that was not disappointment lapping at her periphery. Besides, the loose-fitting cotton PJs she’d shortly pull on would turn any red-blooded man off in a flash. Yeah, she could stop worrying on that score.
CHAPTER THREE
MATTIA STOOD BY the cot in the dim glow thrown by the nightlight, gent
ling Aimee into slumber, and sporadically glancing across to the spread-eagled form that was Elene in sleep mode. Sprawled wide, stretching to all points of the king-sized bed, with the pillow jammed around her shoulders. All the frustrations of earlier were gone, leaving a peaceful expression, occasionally tightened when a cute little snore escaped. Si, very appealing.
He straightened his back. Elene might be cute when she was out for the count, but the moment those eyes opened and that brain started analysing him and the mess they were in, there’d be nothing adorable about her. This was Elene Lowe. Be warned. She’ll fight to the death to get what she wants, which in this current predicament he presumed meant what was right for Aimee. What she believed to be right, and after hearing about the father she adored he understood where she was headed. He had to admire her for that. He was prepared to do the same. The difficulty being their requirements would differ enormously.
He already knew he wanted custody of Aimee. No argument. But Elene hadn’t come to hand her over. Not at all. Beyond doubt, she loved his daughter.
A soft gasp came from the cot. Finally Aimee was asleep, her arms spread wide, her flushed face turned into the pillow. Gorgeous. Beautiful. His daughter. His heart tapped against his ribs. How could he fall for her so quickly? He knew nothing about her, hadn’t known she existed until that afternoon, and yet she already had his heart. Gut instinct, a name from Elene and his deeply buried need for a family told him this little girl was his. Thank goodness no woman had ever had quite that impact on him. None other than Sandy, that was, and she’d made it easy for him never to want to fall in love again.
His gaze shifted back to Elene, and an alien warmth stole through him. Because she was looking out for his daughter, not because he wanted her. Having and raising his own child meant, in his book, having a wife. Except now he had a daughter without a wife, which didn’t sit well. Children needed and deserved the safety and comfort and love that having two parents together brought. Would Elene marry him to be there for Aimee? Without love?
