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No, he wouldn’t consider traveling to North America. Not even at the bidding of the desirable woman he held in his arms. For it would be a waste of her time. He had nothing to offer her. No more of himself to give. Vito wouldn’t lie to her. He couldn’t pretend he was fit to be any kind of man that a woman like Maya deserved.
So he decided on the truth. “I have no plans to travel to America in the future, cara. I’m content to stay here where I am.”
Maya sat up and shifted to her knees, facing him directly. “Are you, though, Vito? Are you actually content, like you say?”
He felt himself bristle in surprise. Where was this coming from?
“Please, tell me honestly,” she continued, her voice pleading. “Lynetta and I were speaking earlier and—”
But he’d heard enough. He stood without giving her a chance to continue. Judging by the direction of her questions, he could guess what she and his cousin-in-law had been speaking of. His failed marriage. And the tragedy that had ensued after it had come crashing down around him.
Neither of them had the right.
“You and Lynetta were talking about me? About my marriage?”
She blinked up at him. “Clearly that bothers you. Why?”
Why? She needed to ask? Wasn’t it obvious? He wasn’t some torrid subject to be hashed over by one of his relatives and a woman he’d just met and would most likely never see again once the week ended.
He ignored the question. If she didn’t know the answer, he didn’t have it in him to explain.
He’d been a fool. He’d let himself get careless when it came to Maya. He should have heeded the warning cries that had tried to stop him from walking her to the piazza that day. He should never have accompanied her on the tour. And he certainly shouldn’t have had dinner with her that night on the cruise.
He’d let himself indulge in a fantasy because he knew it was all so temporary. He’d allowed himself to forget that he had no business caring about the loneliness of a jilted American as she pursued her newfound goal of being more adventurous. He shouldn’t have cared whether she felt awkward and alone at dinner by herself on an intimate cruise meant for two. None of that should have moved him in any way. He’d let his guard down and it had only opened up old wounds he’d fought much too hard and waited way too long to heal. He should have known better.
“I hear the truck approaching. Our ride will be here any minute,” he said, without meeting her gaze. He lowered his hand to help her up. She stood without taking it.
* * *
What had she said?
Maya sat staring at the moving scenery outside the window of the SUV that was driving them back to Vito’s villa. Vito sat unmoving in the seat next to her. Neither of them had spoken a word to the other after being picked up.
She couldn’t decide if she was hurt or angry. Both. Now that she thought about it, she could say she felt both. Vito had been beyond offended that Lynetta had spoken to her about him. Clearly, he didn’t feel Maya warranted any knowledge of his past.
Not even after the days they’d spent together. Not even after the way he’d held her and caressed her during the balloon ride.
And not even after the way he’d kissed her the night of the dinner cruise.
Her breath hitched in her throat when she recalled the indignation and anger in his eyes while they’d been waiting. He might as well have come out and told her that Vito Rameri was none of her business. That he was no concern of hers.
He was right, of course. She’d been foolish to ever think otherwise and should have known better. Unbelievably, this felt worse than Matt’s betrayal, which made no sense whatsoever. She’d been ready to marry him, for heaven’s sake.
Despite the magic of the past few hours, she suddenly wished she hadn’t come to Verona with him. Because now she had to mingle with all these people, all these strangers she didn’t know, and she had to pretend everything was right with her. That she was a woman in love.
Laughable, really. Considering how she now realized that the man seated next to her was little more than a stranger.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
HER RACING PULSE hadn’t slowed any by the time their car pulled up beside the wide wraparound porch she’d left only a couple of hours ago.
