Page 19 of His UnBearable Touch

Natale’s sigh was telling. “You have time unless you forgot to pack her things and bring them over last night.

“But I’m betting that you were in such a hurry to get her here that you didn’t think to bring her a change of clothes.”

She felt Valerio’s body tense and if someone offered even money on a bet, she would guess that he was blaming himself.

“We didn’t bring anything,” Allegra answered it herself, “which was my fault, really. He had his hands full.” The admission made her grimace at the sound of her words, but not Valerio. He cuddled her closer and she could feel his body’s grateful reaction, it had the same effect on hers. “If we leave in a few minutes I can get a cab and-”

Natale’s laughter interrupted her first and then turned into a motherly ‘shhh’ to Valerio. The growl, that Allegra was quickly becoming used to, filled her ears. “If you’ll both just calm down for a minute, I have a perfect solution.”

Valerio calmed down first, giving in to his sister-in-law in what Allegra could only believe was a survival thing. After all, who was going to argue with Natale Orsino?

Natale’s hand closed over hers. “Let’s have you come with me, Allegra.”

As soon as Valerio eased his arms from her middle, she scooted to the edge of the bed and slipped off the edge and onto the floor.

“Allegra.”

She stopped and felt Natale’s reassuring squeeze as she turned her ear toward the sound. “Yes, Valerio?”

“Let me know when you’re ready.”

She nodded but it took a moment for her voice to form her answer. She heard what he’d said, but maybe it was just her imagination, but she wondered if she’d ever be ready for a life like this. A life with someone like Valerio.

She only hoped that she might have a chance to find out.

* * *

They made it all the way to Natale’s closet before Allegra started to explain. “We weren’t, you know… doing anything in his bed.”

“Oh?” Natale’s voice was muffled by the clothing she was searching through. “Then you weren’t sleeping?”

“Oh yeah! Yes. I mean, yes, we were sleeping together-”

“Oh?”

“No!” Allegra reached up a hand and gathered a handful of her sleep-tousled hair. “I mean, yes. We were sleeping and in his bed, but not ‘sleeping together.’” She cleared her throat. “You know?”

There were a few scrapes of metal on metal, likely hangers. “Sure, I know.”

Allegra’s shoulders sagged in relief. “Good. Thanks.”

Natale laughed and the sound made Allegra smile. “That must really suck. Beside Salvatore, you won’t find a man with more inches of sexy muscle up and down his body than Val. And just like his brother,” she sighed, “he’d be entirely devoted to the woman he loved. You.”

“Me?” Allegra shook her head. “That’s not who I am to him. I know what he said, but that’s just… I just can’t believe it.”

“Give it time, Allegra. Being with an Orsino brother… well, it takes a lot of getting used to.”

Natale took Allegra’s hand and set it on a hanger. “Given what you’re going to be doing today I have a few choices of outfits. We’re nearly the same size, but you’re a little taller than I am, so none of my slacks would fit you, even though they’d likely be the easiest for you to wear and play.

“So, the dresses I have here are all jersey. Comfortable and easy to wear. You’ll need a coat outside, but it’s fall so you’d need one anyway. I’ll match the color when you pick a dress.”

Allegra trailed her fingers over the dress, feeling the fine stitches along the neckline and then the armscye. She gave a little wince. “Do you have one with sleeves?”

Natale’s laughter was shared. “I know what you mean. I wear this one with a light jacket, but I can see how that wouldn’t work for playing an instrument.”

A soft clatter of sound said that the dress was set down.

“This one has three quarter sleeves and wraps around.”

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