Page 39 of Lorenzo & Lily

She pressed back against the couch. “For you?”

“At the castle. Besides the MARC – you know what the MARC is, right? – there’s an extensive conference and event center. I usually let my admin handle that piece, but it’s getting overwhelming for him. I’m also planning to launch some initiatives to expand the programs at the MARC, and if he’s interested I’d like him to help with that. If you took over the conference center, you’d still be close to Liliana and you could set your own hours. Well, as much as you can with event planning.”

“Are you serious?”

“Completely. I was going to talk to Rio – Michael Rio, that’s my admin – about it. If he’s game, would you consider it? You could take your time, get yours and Liliana’s rooms set at the castle before you started.”

She gave him a wary look. “That’s a question I had. Where exactly do you expect me to stay in the castle?”

He was confused until the meaning of her words dawned on him. “Jesus, Lily.”

“I just wanted–”

He ran an agitated hand through his hair. “Look, let’s get one thing straight. You’d have your own room, and Liliana would have hers. I’d like them to be near mine, because I want Liliana to know I’m close if she ever needs me for anything. If you want more distance, you can settle in a different part of my wing of the castle, but that’s as far as I’m willing to let you go.”

She swallowed. “No. No, that’s more than fine. Thank you.”

Irritation burned with the anger. He couldn’t let her leave him again. “And here’s another thing to get straight.” He leaned towards her, and she leaned back, her head stretching over the arm of the couch. He crowded her against the soft, cushy fabric. “I want you.”

Her eyes widened on a gasp. “What?”

“I want you. Do you think that even after five years apart I wouldn’t desire you? Crave you?”

“Lorenzo.”

“I can tell you’re still attracted to me. The way your cheeks are tinged pink and way you’re shivering; you want me, too.”

“Lorenzo, I can’t–”

“You won’t, you mean.” He leaned back, giving them both some space. Was there something about him that wasn’t enough for her?

He wrenched the words from his lips. “Are you seeing anyone else? Is there another man in the picture?”

She shook her head. “There’s been no one since you.”

He nearly gasped. “Not in five years?”

“No. Once I found out I was pregnant, I just didn’t have time between work and Lily. Plus, I also still cared for you. It didn’t feel right to move on until you knew about Lily.”

Cared. Past tense again. Yet, she hadn’t moved on. Even he – the ‘Playboy Prince’ – had never moved on from her. He’d been physical, but never emotional, with other women. Seeing Lily with their daughter, seeing her now in the loving home she’d built…he wanted her and he wanted her love, too.

It was time for them to move forward together. He still wasn’t sure how he’d convince her to give him another chance, but he’d have to try. “I know about Liliana now, but the time for others is over. We need to move beyond the past. We need to start spending time together, and build a future together. Unless there’s another reason you don’t want that?”

“Lorenzo–”

“You said this mysterious person who kept us apart is now pushing us back together. Is that right?”

Lily nodded. “Sort of. They wanted you to know about Lily, though I don’t know what they’d think about us becoming a couple again.”

“Are you still worried they’d pull us apart if we got together?”

Her voice was barely a whisper. “Yes.”

“Is that the only thing worrying you?”

“No.”

Why wouldn’t she just say it? Why couldn’t she just admit why she was scared? “Then what is it? What are you scared of?”

---