Page 44 of Italian Baby Shock

She remained silent a moment more, then said, ‘I don’t want you to sleep with anyone else while Maya is still a child. You’ll be faithful to me and I’ll be faithful to you.’

He hadn’t even thought about another woman since being with Lark and couldn’t imagine being with one either. So he answered without hesitation. ‘I don’t want another woman, Lark. I want you.’

‘Promise me, Cesare.’

He couldn’t ignore his instinct any longer. Reaching out, he pulled her back into his arms, settling her where she belonged, against him. ‘I am not going to get tired of you,’ he said. ‘In fact, I can’t see myself wanting anyone else for a long, long time. So yes, while Maya is growing up, the only woman in my bed will be you. I promise.’

Lark’s gaze was searching as she looked up into his face, so he let her see the truth, the force of his conviction to his promise.

Is this really just for the sake of your legacy now? Or is this for her?

But he didn’t understand that thought, because the two were the same, so he ignored it.

‘You mean that?’ Lark asked, the tension slowly bleeding out of her.

He raised a brow. ‘Do you want me to write out another agreement?’

‘God no.’ She flushed. ‘I think I’ve had my fill of legal documents from you.’

He laughed, pulling her closer as satisfaction stretched out inside him. ‘Does that mean you trust me, little bird? Trust me to keep my promise?’

‘Yes,’ she said on a long breath. ‘I do.’

‘Good. Now let’s seal the deal.’

And he bent his head and covered her mouth with his own.

CHAPTER TEN

LARKSTOODINthe doorway to the terrace, watching her husband as he sat at the big stone outside table with Maya in his lap. She’d just turned two and Cesare had wanted to do something special to mark the occasion, so they’d had a small afternoon party with a few of her friends from the little play group she attended with Emily.

All their guests had gone now except one: Aristophanes Katsaros, who owned one of the biggest finance companies on the planet and was apparently Cesare’s closest friend.

Lark had been slightly startled that Cesare even had a close friend, let alone that he’d invited him to Maya’s birthday. Especially since Aristophanes had seemed absolutely mystified by the little girl.

He and Cesare were talking now in fast and fluid Italian, and as Lark watched, Maya slid off her father’s lap and toddled over to where Aristophanes was sitting. She tugged on his trouser leg and lifted her arms to him, apparently unafraid of this stern stranger. Cesare laughed as his friend, with obvious reluctance, lifted the child up and gazed at her in apparent bewilderment.

Amusement stole through Lark. Aristophanes was an inch or so taller than Cesare, which put him at nearly six-five, with black hair and the kind of steel grey eyes that looked like storm clouds. He was definitely a...presence. He tended towards unsmiling silence, his grey gaze watchful, but there was something very compelling about him.

Clearly Maya thought so too, because she babbled happily at him, while he stared back in stunned silence.

The afternoon had been a wonderful one, with the little ones running around on the lawn with lots of games and sweet treats. Maya had loved it. She’d especially loved being carried around by her father all day as he showed her off to all the guests like the little princess she was. Lark had felt her heart clench tight in her chest every time.

These past nine months had been so wonderful. Since the night he’d promised her that he wouldn’t be with anyone else, easing her doubts, she’d felt so much more secure. Safe, almost, and she hadn’t been able to say that for a very long time.

Cesare had been a caring, attentive husband, not only keeping her happy at night, but also helping her enrol in university, and supporting her as she worked her way towards an art history degree. She wasn’t sure what she was going to do with it yet, but after her training with Mr Ravenswood, she’d become interested in antiquities and the preservation of them. She was now thinking she might like to do some museum studies, but she wasn’t quite sure yet.

There was no pressure, though. She was creating a life for herself and a home here in Italy with Cesare and she loved it.

She leaned her head against the doorframe, watching him as he finally took pity on Aristophanes and took Maya from him, tossing her into the air a couple of times and making her squeal with excitement. The look on his face was so full of joy it made her chest hurt.

It had been hurting like that for the last few months, whenever she saw him with their daughter. He’d had such a terrible upbringing, with parents who hadn’t cared about him, with one even trying to kill him, yet he hadn’t let that stop him from being the best father to his child. He was so wonderful with her, never letting his own terrible history touch her.

She didn’t understand why he’d ever thought of himself as selfish. She didn’t understand anything when it came to him.

You do. You understand too much.

Her mouth dried, her eyes prickling. Perhaps she did understand. Perhaps she’d been lying to herself all this time, telling herself that she didn’t know what the feeling that gripped her whenever she looked at him with their daughter, whenever he took her in his arms, was.

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