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There was nothing that could change things between them. Leo was royalty. She was not. And the DNA tests were delayed so it’d be another few days until they received the results.
Still, her body longed to fall into his strong arms—to rest her cheek against his muscular chest—to hear the steady pounding of his heart. It might have been a little more than twenty-four hours since she saw him last but she’d missed him dearly. How was she going to exist without seeing him again, except for on the front of a glossy magazine?
“We should talk now,” she said as the car headed toward Florence.
“Not yet.”
“Leo, nothing you say is going to change our circumstances.”
“Just wait. We’re almost there. And I’d like to be able to look at you when we talk instead of concentrating on the road.”
The red sports car he’d rented slowed as they made their way into the city.
“There it is.” Leo pulled into a parking spot.
Before she could get out, he’d rushed around the car and opened the door for her. As they started up the sidewalk, she noticed a group of photographers. They started snapping pictures as flashes repeatedly lit up the sky.
Bianca stopped walking. “Leo, we can’t go in there.”
“Sure we can.”
“But the paparazzi—”
“It’ll be okay.”
“But how did they know you would be here?” She stared at him. Something was up, but what? “I didn’t even know you’d be here.”
“I told them,” he said matter-of-factly.
“You did?” Her words got lost in the frenzy of questions volleyed at them from the reporters.
Leo took her hand and led her through the crowd. At last they were inside the restaurant. They were immediately seated—next to the window.
“Excuse me,” Bianca said to the maître d’. “Can we have another table? Away from the window?”
“It’s okay,” Leo said. “I requested this table.”
“You did?” She didn’t understand. What was going on?
Leo took her hands in his as they stood next to the table. On the other side of the window flashes went off. But in that moment, as Leo stared into her eyes, he was all she could see. His voice was all she could hear.
“Bianca, I’m sorry about what happened back at the after-party. I didn’t react the way I should have. When you started throwing out all those excuses of why we shouldn’t be together, I got nervous. But now I want the entire world to know how I feel about you.”
“Th-those weren’t excuses. They are the truth. I’m not a part of your world. I don’t even know what world I belong in. The DNA results—”
“I know where you belong. With me.”
Tears stung the backs of her eyes. He was saying all the right things. “But what happens when the DNA results say I’m not a Bartolini? Those reporters out there will have a field day. It could threaten your position as king.”
“It doesn’t matter. Don’t you know how much I love you?”
Her heart pounded in her chest. “But what about when you become king—?”
“I would step down from the throne if that’s what it took for us to be together.”
“You would?”
He nodded. “I would.”
