Page 27 of Fiancée for the Cameras

Admission of jealousy would have sent him running if it had been anyone else. But with her... Andrea wanted to understand it. “So instead of confronting me about it, or demanding thatI pay attention, you hid behind Romeo? Did you think for a second how it would look that my fiancée ran away from me?”

“Demand your attention?” she said, eyes wide, as if it was such an alien concept that most of Andrea’s anger melted away.

“Is that so shocking?”

“When you would barely look at me, yes.”

Andrea cursed. “I know I’m closed off enough to make a lover feel ignored. And I take full responsibility for our crossed signals tonight. But you know me, Monica. You know I’m not so fickle as to change my mind about you or to lose myself in Chiara all of a sudden. So explain to me why it is so hard for you to demand attention when it is your right.”

“You want to know? Really?”

Some hard shell that had formed around his heart broke open at her shocked tone. Did she expect so little from him, for herself? He ran a hand over her cheek, feeling that intense protective urge again. “Yes,bella.”

“I’m not used to...attention,” she said, her mouth pinched. “All my life, I’ve done my best to deflect it, to keep away wandering eyes and hands. When we walked into the ballroom, all those eyes on me...it was like my worst nightmare come true. I desperately didn’t want to disappoint you and then I went and did exactly that because I was so anxious with all the attention.”

“Why didn’t you tell me that?”

“It took me four years and a near-lethal rash and a botched wedding to admit that I... I’m attracted to you. But before we left your house, you...didn’t like that I encroached on your personal life.”

Andrea rubbed a hand over his jaw, knowing she was right. Guilt settled like a hard weight on his chest. “I’m not used to sharing personal stuff.”

“I know that. But you barely even paid me a compliment, although I know now it’s because I dressed like—”

“I didn’t compliment you because you rendered me speechless. I avoided looking at you because I wanted nothing more than to take you to the floor, as you put it, and have my wicked way with you, right there for the entire world to see. As for standing out, you would have stood out if you had gone there wearing what you are in now,bella. There was not a person there that doubted why the ruthless mogul, Andrea Valentini, was suddenly, secretly engaged to a woman out of nowhere. No one who saw you this evening could doubt how much I want you.”

“Oh...” she said, pink tingeing her cheeks. “You really liked me in that dress? It wasn’t too much?”

“However you dress, whatever you say, you are never too much,bella.”

“This event, going out as your...fiancée...felt like a safe way to put myself out there, to try something new. But it was hard. And then when I learned that the gala is to support a foundation that was very dear to your father... I wondered why even Flora didn’t tell me to change.”

“Because, like me, Mama found nothing wrong with how you dressed. Chiara might have turned her snotty nose up at you but that’s because she knows she can’t carry that color.”

A frown marred her brow and Andrea knew there was more. A thread of tenderness wrapped tight around his chest at how little she expected of the world while still meeting it with all the generosity she could muster. “Mrs. Rossi... You genuinely seemed to enjoy her company. I won’t stand in the way of something real and good and—”

“My overwhelming reaction when you walked in this evening looking like you do and my jealousy about how close you are to Romeo... It made me angry with myself.” He thrust a hand through his hair, knowing she deserved more. Vulnerability, hecould not do, but honesty, he could. “I’m not used to being out of control and I don’t share what’s in my head easily.”

“But you and—”

He clasped her cheek then, forcing her to look at him, hating that he had caused her so many doubts. “Chiara knew me well enough to see I was having a tantrum and teased me about it.”

“Teased you? About what?”

“That, uncharacteristically, I was denying myself something I really wanted, that I suddenly possessed an overdeveloped sense of honor.”

Her yellow eyes met his, her breath a sudden rasp in the quiet. “Honor... Ah, yes. Because you pity me. You think I’m not strong enough to handle you. Or she’s wrong and you just don’t want this at all.” She stood close enough that he could smell the faint scent of vanilla and sweat, could see the drops of perspiration on that bow-shaped upper lip. “All I asked Romeo was to—”

Andrea tugged her to him suddenly enough that her chest slammed into his. His own breath punched out of him at the delicious press of her soft curves. “You should have told me you wanted to leave. Not him.”

Her gaze searched his, some new understanding dawning there. “You don’t like it when I ask you for things.”

It was close enough to the uncomfortable truth and yet he couldn’t back down. “That’s not—”

“Maybe because you think I’ll ask for too much or because—” she tilted her chin up, her openly wanting gaze hitting him square in the gut “—you’re afraid you can’t truly give me what I need. Maybe this is not about me at all.”

“The little mouse is turning into a cat with claws?”

She shrugged and the shirt fell off, revealing one smooth brown shoulder. “Or I’m realizing that I should stop pursuing men who think I’m not good enough for—”

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