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“If that’s what it takes. I’m determined to get it right.”
“And that wasn’t it?”
“Getting closer. But nowhere near good enough.”
She allowed silence to carry them for several minutes before speaking again. “Brand?”
“Hmm?”
“Would you mind if I asked a personal question?”
“Depends on the question.”
She shouldn’t ask. She already knew the answer. Whatever he told her was guaranteed to hurt. And yet she couldn’t help herself. She needed to hear his side of things. “How did you meet Carina?”
His chest lifted in a deep sigh. “That’s an interesting story.”
Was it really? “Tell me.”
“I hosted a Halloween masquerade party and met a woman there. One kiss and I was a goner.”
Wait. That didn’t make sense. Her cousin and Brand metafterthe party, notatthe party. He’d met Mia at the party. “You fell for Carina at this party?” she asked hesitantly, thoroughly confused.
“Yes. We enjoyed a brief affair before having a falling out and, unbeknownst to me, Toni was conceived at some point in there. After our daughter’s birth, Carina found me again and we ended up marrying.”
She fought to control her breathing, stunned by the revelation. Carina had told her Brand knew the truth about who he’d met at the Halloween party and had chosen her cousin over Mia. “I—Idon’t understand.” Did her voice sound shaky? She struggled to even it out. Unable to help herself, she sat up and distanced herself from Brand. Awisp of chilly air filled the space between them. “You fell in love after just one kiss?”
“Thought I did, probably because I was a young, imperceptive idiot who couldn’t tell his ass from his elbow.”
“And … and you married because you were still in love?”
Brand’s expression turned grim. “We married for Toni’s sake. Carina wouldn’t return to the US without a ring on her finger and I refused to lose Toni.” He reached for her, snagging her around the waist and yanking her back into his arms. “Enough talk.”
“More practice?”
“Definitely more practice.” He came up on one elbow and took her mouth in a hard, passionate kiss. He pulled away, adark hunger gleaming in his eyes. “And just so you know, Ihave no interest in talking about another woman—especially my late wife—when I have you in my bed.”
“No more talking?”
“No more talking. Just practicing.”
He made love to her again, this time with a ferocity that took her to the edge over and over before sending them catapulting up and over and into bliss. Afterward, he held her in a tender embrace, but she couldn’t help wondering if he’d made love to her out of desire or to distract her from her questions.
“Tell me about yourself,” he surprised her by asking hours later. “Are your parents in the States or still in Italy.”
“They died in a house fire when I was little. Aneighbor rescued me, but my parents didn’t make it out.”
His head jerked around. “Good God, Mia. That’s horrible.”
She gave an awkward shrug. “I don’t really remember it.”
“What happened to you afterward? Did you have relatives to take you in?”
“My aunt and uncle. They had a little girl two years older. We absolutely adored each other.” Until Carina reached puberty. Then their relationship changed. “I’m sure I missed my parents, but myziaandziotook wonderful care of me.”
“They’re still in Italy?”
“Yes.”
