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Authors: Rebecca Winters
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Abby’s best friend.”
A small cry escaped her throat. “I shouldn’t have come, but Abby kept insisting.” She shivered. “This is all my fault, Val.”
“There you go again, taking on blame for something that’s no one’s fault. If we were to follow that line of thinking, shall I blame myself for inviting Vincenzo to come on this trip? Shall we blame him for bringing his wife and her best friend?”
His logic made Carolena feel like a fool. “Of course not.”
“At least you admit that much. In my whole life I’ve never wanted a woman more than I’ve wanted you, since the moment we met at the swimming pool. But it’s more than that now. Much more.”
“I know. I feel it, too.” But she remained dry eyed and smiled at him. “The gods are jealous of you. They’re waiting for you to make a mistake. Didn’t you know that?”
He squeezed her hands gently. “When I dared you to stay with me tonight, I crossed a line I swore I would never do.”
“I believe you. But the fact is, it takes two, Val. I didn’t know your wedding date had been set, of course. Yet even knowing you were betrothed, I crossed it, too, because I’ve never known desire like this before, either. I’ve never had an affair before.”
“Carolena...”
He said her name with such longing, she couldn’t stand it. “Let’s not make this situation any more impossible. Go back to the palace tonight knowing you’ve passed your test.”
“And leave you like this?” he cried urgently, pulling her closer to him. “You don’t really mean that!”
“Yes. I do. You have Vincenzo to think about, and a mother who’s waiting for your return. Your wedding’s going to take place soon. You need to concentrate on Alexandra now.”
But she knew he wasn’t listening. He got to his feet, cupping her face in his hands. “I don’t want to leave you.” He sounded as if he was in agony. “Say the word and I won’t.”
Abby could hear her grandmother’s voice. You go where angels fear to tread without worrying about anyone else but yourself.
Not this time, nonnina.
“Thank you for your honesty. It’s one of your most sterling qualities. You truly are the honorable man your sister idolized. But I have enough sins on my conscience without helping you add one to yours.”
His brows formed a bar above his eyes. “You told me you caused the death of the man you loved, but you also said it wasn’t intentional.”
She averted her eyes. “It wasn’t.”
“Then no sin has been committed.”
“Not if we part now. I don’t want you going through life despising yourself for breaking the rule you’ve set. Believe it or not, I want you to go, Val,” she told him. “After the promise you made to your parents when your uncle died, I couldn’t handle it otherwise.”
“Handle what? You’re still holding back on me. Tell me what it is.”
“It’s no longer of any importance.”
“Carolena—”
He was willing to break his vow for her because he wanted her that much. Just knowing that helped her to stay strong. But he didn’t realize all this had to do with her self-preservation.
“Val, if it’s all right with you, I’d like to remain on board until tomorrow morning and then fly back to the palace. But please know that when I leave Gemelli, I’ll take home the memory of a man who for a moment out of time made me feel immortal. I’ll treasure the memory of you all my life.”
She pulled away from him and walked over to the door to open it. “ Addio, sweet prince.”
CHAPTER FOUR
T HE MOMENT V ALENTINO walked into the palace at eleven that night, he texted Vincenzo, who was still up. They met in Valentino’s suite.
“How did your day go?” his brother-in-law asked after he’d walked into the sitting room.
Valentino was still on fire for the woman who’d looked like a vision when he’d walked into her cabin.
“After we left Etna, I thought Carolena would like dinner on the yacht where there’s a wonderful
A small cry escaped her throat. “I shouldn’t have come, but Abby kept insisting.” She shivered. “This is all my fault, Val.”
“There you go again, taking on blame for something that’s no one’s fault. If we were to follow that line of thinking, shall I blame myself for inviting Vincenzo to come on this trip? Shall we blame him for bringing his wife and her best friend?”
His logic made Carolena feel like a fool. “Of course not.”
“At least you admit that much. In my whole life I’ve never wanted a woman more than I’ve wanted you, since the moment we met at the swimming pool. But it’s more than that now. Much more.”
“I know. I feel it, too.” But she remained dry eyed and smiled at him. “The gods are jealous of you. They’re waiting for you to make a mistake. Didn’t you know that?”
He squeezed her hands gently. “When I dared you to stay with me tonight, I crossed a line I swore I would never do.”
“I believe you. But the fact is, it takes two, Val. I didn’t know your wedding date had been set, of course. Yet even knowing you were betrothed, I crossed it, too, because I’ve never known desire like this before, either. I’ve never had an affair before.”
“Carolena...”
He said her name with such longing, she couldn’t stand it. “Let’s not make this situation any more impossible. Go back to the palace tonight knowing you’ve passed your test.”
“And leave you like this?” he cried urgently, pulling her closer to him. “You don’t really mean that!”
“Yes. I do. You have Vincenzo to think about, and a mother who’s waiting for your return. Your wedding’s going to take place soon. You need to concentrate on Alexandra now.”
But she knew he wasn’t listening. He got to his feet, cupping her face in his hands. “I don’t want to leave you.” He sounded as if he was in agony. “Say the word and I won’t.”
Abby could hear her grandmother’s voice. You go where angels fear to tread without worrying about anyone else but yourself.
Not this time, nonnina.
“Thank you for your honesty. It’s one of your most sterling qualities. You truly are the honorable man your sister idolized. But I have enough sins on my conscience without helping you add one to yours.”
His brows formed a bar above his eyes. “You told me you caused the death of the man you loved, but you also said it wasn’t intentional.”
She averted her eyes. “It wasn’t.”
“Then no sin has been committed.”
“Not if we part now. I don’t want you going through life despising yourself for breaking the rule you’ve set. Believe it or not, I want you to go, Val,” she told him. “After the promise you made to your parents when your uncle died, I couldn’t handle it otherwise.”
“Handle what? You’re still holding back on me. Tell me what it is.”
“It’s no longer of any importance.”
“Carolena—”
He was willing to break his vow for her because he wanted her that much. Just knowing that helped her to stay strong. But he didn’t realize all this had to do with her self-preservation.
“Val, if it’s all right with you, I’d like to remain on board until tomorrow morning and then fly back to the palace. But please know that when I leave Gemelli, I’ll take home the memory of a man who for a moment out of time made me feel immortal. I’ll treasure the memory of you all my life.”
She pulled away from him and walked over to the door to open it. “ Addio, sweet prince.”
CHAPTER FOUR
T HE MOMENT V ALENTINO walked into the palace at eleven that night, he texted Vincenzo, who was still up. They met in Valentino’s suite.
“How did your day go?” his brother-in-law asked after he’d walked into the sitting room.
Valentino was still on fire for the woman who’d looked like a vision when he’d walked into her cabin.
“After we left Etna, I thought Carolena would like dinner on the yacht where there’s a wonderful
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