Read Online Back In The Italian's Bed by Annie West - Free Book Online
Authors: Annie West
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in Rome. ‘My dream has always been to work somewhere small enough to provide a special, memorable experience for guests.’
She didn’t confide that the true catalyst for her resignation was a broken heart. Exciting as the job was that Luca De Laurentis had offered, Jenna had known she had to escape, find somewhere far away from the cosmopolitan cities frequented by Fabrizio. This ramshackle old villa set in the Tuscan hills had been a godsend, even if it had used up every cent she possessed and put her in a lifetime of debt.
She had her dream, she reminded herself fiercely. That was all that mattered.
‘That explains how long it took to find you.’
‘Find me?’ she parroted, frowning.
Of course he looked for you. It’s no coincidence he’s here.
Yet the idea of Fabrizio searching her out again seemed ridiculously improbable. He’d watched her walk out his door and hadn’t lifted a finger to stop her. He hadn’t uttered a word.
‘Why are you here, Fabrizio?’ She stood tall, one hand planted on the back of a massive wing chair. She told herself he couldn’t know she needed the support for her wobbly legs.
For long seconds he held her gaze from across the room. He shoved his hands deep in his trouser pockets, looking far too sexy and appealing for her peace of mind.
‘I came to tell you I was wrong.’
Wrong?
Fabrizio was the ultimate macho Italian male, confident and certain of his own infallibility. She didn’t think such a word was in his vocabulary.
While she was trying to absorb that, he closed the space between them and suddenly his hands were there, threading his fingers through hers. She shivered as her body locked down, shocked by the depth of her response.
‘I was wrong not to take you with me to that family celebration.’
Jenna bit her lip. ‘It wasn’t just about missing out on the party.’
‘I know. It was because I dismissed you.’ He breathed deep. ‘I hurt you, deeply, and for that I apologise,
tesoro
. You deserved better from me.’
Jenna’s eyes widened as she took in his intent expression. ‘You’re right. I did.’ For a moment she hovered on the brink of hope, then made herself face reality. Overdue as it was, it wasn’t his apology she needed. ‘But I’ve moved on.’ She tried to withdraw her hands but his hold was unbreakable.
She frowned. ‘Fabrizio?’
‘It was a first for me, you see, and I didn’t deal with it well.’ He laughed, the short jab of sound harsh and unsettling in the breathless room. ‘Didn’t deal with it well, now that’s an understatement! It threw me for a loop. It was all so completely new.’
‘Fabrizio? What are you talking about?’ Jenna had never seen him look or sound like this.
His eyes gleamed in a way that snatched her breath.
‘The way you make me feel,
tesoro
. The way you’ve made me feel from the first, even in Venice when I missed my meeting. I saw you sitting alone at that café and I couldn’t walk past. I had to spend the day with you.’
And the night. And every night after while the magic had lasted.
But Jenna knew it had been an illusion. He’d reduced what they shared to just sex.
‘I won’t be your mistress again, Fabrizio.’ Her low voice was unsteady. She couldn’t take much more.
‘It’s not a mistress I want.’
‘Then what do you want? Forgiveness?’ Finally Jenna managed to jerk her hands free and backed away, putting space between them. ‘I accept your apology. All right? Now I want you to leave.’
‘I can’t.’ His voice was low and urgent. ‘I tried keeping my distance and it was the biggest mistake of my life.’ He stopped and hauled in a breath that lifted his whole chest. ‘I love you, Jenna, and I can’t hide from it anymore.’
‘Love?’ Her eyes stretched wide. Her heart thundered in her chest. ‘You don’t love me, Fabrizio. You don’t know the meaning of the word.’
Sharply he nodded. ‘
Sì
. That was the problem.’ A wide hand gesture emphasised
She didn’t confide that the true catalyst for her resignation was a broken heart. Exciting as the job was that Luca De Laurentis had offered, Jenna had known she had to escape, find somewhere far away from the cosmopolitan cities frequented by Fabrizio. This ramshackle old villa set in the Tuscan hills had been a godsend, even if it had used up every cent she possessed and put her in a lifetime of debt.
She had her dream, she reminded herself fiercely. That was all that mattered.
‘That explains how long it took to find you.’
‘Find me?’ she parroted, frowning.
Of course he looked for you. It’s no coincidence he’s here.
Yet the idea of Fabrizio searching her out again seemed ridiculously improbable. He’d watched her walk out his door and hadn’t lifted a finger to stop her. He hadn’t uttered a word.
‘Why are you here, Fabrizio?’ She stood tall, one hand planted on the back of a massive wing chair. She told herself he couldn’t know she needed the support for her wobbly legs.
For long seconds he held her gaze from across the room. He shoved his hands deep in his trouser pockets, looking far too sexy and appealing for her peace of mind.
‘I came to tell you I was wrong.’
Wrong?
Fabrizio was the ultimate macho Italian male, confident and certain of his own infallibility. She didn’t think such a word was in his vocabulary.
While she was trying to absorb that, he closed the space between them and suddenly his hands were there, threading his fingers through hers. She shivered as her body locked down, shocked by the depth of her response.
‘I was wrong not to take you with me to that family celebration.’
Jenna bit her lip. ‘It wasn’t just about missing out on the party.’
‘I know. It was because I dismissed you.’ He breathed deep. ‘I hurt you, deeply, and for that I apologise,
tesoro
. You deserved better from me.’
Jenna’s eyes widened as she took in his intent expression. ‘You’re right. I did.’ For a moment she hovered on the brink of hope, then made herself face reality. Overdue as it was, it wasn’t his apology she needed. ‘But I’ve moved on.’ She tried to withdraw her hands but his hold was unbreakable.
She frowned. ‘Fabrizio?’
‘It was a first for me, you see, and I didn’t deal with it well.’ He laughed, the short jab of sound harsh and unsettling in the breathless room. ‘Didn’t deal with it well, now that’s an understatement! It threw me for a loop. It was all so completely new.’
‘Fabrizio? What are you talking about?’ Jenna had never seen him look or sound like this.
His eyes gleamed in a way that snatched her breath.
‘The way you make me feel,
tesoro
. The way you’ve made me feel from the first, even in Venice when I missed my meeting. I saw you sitting alone at that café and I couldn’t walk past. I had to spend the day with you.’
And the night. And every night after while the magic had lasted.
But Jenna knew it had been an illusion. He’d reduced what they shared to just sex.
‘I won’t be your mistress again, Fabrizio.’ Her low voice was unsteady. She couldn’t take much more.
‘It’s not a mistress I want.’
‘Then what do you want? Forgiveness?’ Finally Jenna managed to jerk her hands free and backed away, putting space between them. ‘I accept your apology. All right? Now I want you to leave.’
‘I can’t.’ His voice was low and urgent. ‘I tried keeping my distance and it was the biggest mistake of my life.’ He stopped and hauled in a breath that lifted his whole chest. ‘I love you, Jenna, and I can’t hide from it anymore.’
‘Love?’ Her eyes stretched wide. Her heart thundered in her chest. ‘You don’t love me, Fabrizio. You don’t know the meaning of the word.’
Sharply he nodded. ‘
Sì
. That was the problem.’ A wide hand gesture emphasised
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