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But then, she reminded herself, Nico never had.
For if that were the case then Aurora would be his wife.
Aurora Eloise Caruso.
As a teenager she had practised writing that name in her journals and saying it out loud. Now her cheeks flushed, just a little, as she tried to keep the note of anger from her voice. ‘You know very well that my family would never let me visit you without gifts.’
‘This iswork—not a visit,’ Nico snapped. ‘You are here for five days to train for the opening of a new hotel; it is not a social occasion. Now, get these things off my desk.’
Nico knew he was being harsh, but hehadto set the tone—and not just with Aurora.
The Silibri contingent had been in Rome for just eighteen hours and already he was fed up with the lot of them.
Francesca, who was to be Regional Manager, had brought, of all things, a salami, and left it for him at the reception desk. Did she assume that Nico could not get salami in Rome?
And Pino, who would be chief concierge at the new hotel, had somehow found his private number. Nico guessed he had got it from Aurora. He had given it to her once.
Once…
Nico refused to think of that time now.
The fact was, on their arrival yesterday evening Pino had called and asked Nico where they should go for dinner and what time he would be joining them!
Nico had rather sternly declined to do so.
The village of Silibri had come to Rome, and it seemed determined to bring him several slices of home.
Except Nico had been trying to run from home since he was sixteen.
Was it guilt or duty that always pulled him back?
He truly did not know.
‘Get these off my desk, Aurora,’ he repeated. It was a warning.
‘But I don’t want them.’ She shook her head. ‘I have shoes to buy, and I need the space in my suitcase.’ She fixed him with narrowed eyes. ‘Assuming I’m allowed to shop during non-work hours?’
He almost smiled at her sarcastic tone, but did not.
A smile.
A kiss.
When combined with Aurora, Nico knew full well the trouble they made…
So he met her glare with one of his own and hoped she’d hear the message in his veiled words. ‘When you’re not working, Aurora, I don’t care what you do.’
‘Good.’
‘For now…’ Nico flicked his hand at the desk. ‘…can we get rid of these and start work? We’re already running behind.’
‘I’ll take them.’
Marianna was rarely flustered as she was now. Aurora had that effect on people.
‘And I’ll get the swatches for the meeting…’
‘Swatches?’ Nico checked.
