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‘So let them watch. I’m just saying good morning to my wife.’
His voice was warm, and she felt an answering warmth across her skin.
Her eyes met his. ‘You did that already.’
The corner of his mouth tugged upward. ‘I’m thinking that was more of a ciao than a buongiorno.’ His dark gaze drifted slowly over her face. ‘How do you feel about going back to the villa and brushing up on our greetings?’
‘It wouldn’t hurt,’ she said softly. ‘I mean, just because we’re married it doesn’t mean we should take each other for granted...’
* * *
Watching the flush of colour suffuse her cheeks, Vicè felt his body harden. That she should want him at all still felt like a miracle, but that she loved him...
There were no words that could adequately capture how that made him feel. All he knew was that he was the luckiest man in the world.
The doubts and regrets of the past were forgotten now. Imma loved him, and he knew that her love and the efforts he’d made to deserve it would have earned his father’s respect.
Life had never been sweeter.
Uncurling his arm from around her waist, he took her hand and led her back across the field.
‘I like this dress.’ His eyes ran over the curve of her breast. ‘Although I think it will look even better once you’ve taken it off.’
She smiled, hesitated, then said, ‘Claudia called.’
Cavolo. He swore silently.
‘Yeah, Ciro called me too.’ He’d been so caught up in this morning’s meeting he’d actually momentarily forgotten about his brother’s call. ‘He sounded pretty happy. Is that how Claudia sounded?’
She nodded. ‘It’s all she’s ever wanted, but—’
‘But what?’ Turning towards her, he caught her chin. ‘What is it, cara?’
Her green eyes were so open, so unguarded, and he felt a sudden urge to tell her how much he loved her, how necessary she was for his own happiness. But he didn’t need to say anything. She already knew, and that made him love her even more.
‘You can tell me.’
She bit her lip. ‘It is real, isn’t it? This time? He does love her? I mean, he’s not just saying it because your mamma—’
He hated seeing her so worried—hated that he had something to do with her doubts.
Pulling her closer, he shook his head. ‘Mamma didn’t speak to him until after he and Claudia had sorted it out between them. You don’t need to worry, cara. Honestly, I’ve never heard my brother sound like that before. He’s crazy about her.’
Ciro had been so emotional. For once, he had actually felt like the big brother.
His fingers tightened around hers. ‘I promise it’s real, cara. As real as you and I. All of what happened—it’s in the past for Ciro, for me.’
It was a past that didn’t feel so much like another country to him as a different planet.
‘I feel the same way,’ she said.
He stroked her cheek. ‘Have they told anyone else?’
‘Claudia told Papà.’ Her eyes met his. ‘But she agreed that the same rules I insisted on will apply.’
Vicè nodded. Imma had gone to see Cesare the day after they had got back together. Glancing down at her beautiful face, he felt a rush of pride in his wife f
or facing up to the man who had once dominated her whole life.
