Page 16 of Forbidden Lord
“When we get to Avce, can you teach me?” Another memory of boarding school hit her. She’d been slightly jealous of how he’d cruised through the foot traffic on his board and never once got in trouble.
If she’d eventriedthat, she would have gotten expelled. He sat just a breath away from her as the car turned toward the airport exit. “You want to learn?”
“I want to be carefree, at least a little.” Butterflies grew in her stomach from his light touch.
He massaged her knee briefly, unaware of what he was doing to her senses. “We’ll have a lesson this afternoon.”
“Perfect.” She hoped that the energy that built inside her would find an outlet.
Matteo kissed her. Something inside her craved more and she already knew that skateboarding wasn’t going to quite satisfy her hunger for him.
Chapter 6
Matteo had never considered himself brilliant. He was fairly bright, but so were many others. He liked being around people, so he was a decent study of human nature.
He was sure of one thing as he exited the private jet with the Golchin label on it. The woman beside him on the jet way into the terminal was more than just an ordinary woman. Sheena was a lady in every gesture, every turn of her head, and every expression on her face.
They didn’t say much to each other when the car picked them up, but her eyes widened when they passed through his gates.
Clearly she hadn’t been expecting Villa Sogno, the largest private residency of the nobility in Avce. As they pulled into the driveway that had been designed for a Roman caravan of soldiers, his staff lined up outside the door.
No doubt to meet the new Mrs. Korbel.
Sheena adjusted the skirt that she’d changed into on the plane because she’d wanted to make a good first impression. He hadn’t thought that far ahead.
As they entered the house, she introduced herself to the staff.She spent a few minutes with the chef, the head butler, and the maid—all effortlessly.
Even though she hadn’t been born into her role, she’d been right about one thing. Sheena was trained to be a lady. Her manners were impeccable.
With embarrassment he acknowledged to himself that she was the better choice for a lady of Villa Sogno than he’d almost made in Patrice.
Patrice would have been no better than his father’s many mistresses. Was that why he’d been willing to settle? Perhaps now that his staff had met Sheena, they would treat him slightly better too, since he’d made a good choice for them.
Once the staff left, she linked her arm with his and smiled like the sun was out and she was excited for life. “This is your home?”
“Our home,” he corrected and walked her into the main living area near the front door. His house was a maze and confusing to most people. He’d explain to her the real maze inside, later.
Sheena kept pace with him and sighed. “Ours… that feels hard to say.”
It would be a life sentence if they didn’t figure out how to get along. Hopefully he’d find a way to speak to her. Right now his stomach was in knots as he wondered what he might offer a lady. The truth was he’d almost married Patrice because she’d simply want cash. Her needs were easy to understand, but Sheena… she was different. “We’ve both signed that nonnegotiable contract. We’re stuck forever, unless the king approves of a divorce, which won’t happen.”
She pressed her lips together without a word but continued walking beside him as she studied the wooden banister of the main stairwell. He wrapped his arm around her waist to get her attention. “Here, let me give you the quick tour so you don’t get lost.”
She glanced down at his arm but didn’t remove it. He guided her toward the main ballroom that he thought she might use in an art show.
Her eyes almost popped as she saw the cream walls with specks of real gold embedded in the paint and multiple crystal chandeliers. Her breath caught in her throat as she stepped out of his arms and twirled. “You never told me it was so grand. You said big, but this is lovely, and not at all bachelor party-boy taste.”
“This isn’t my taste to be honest. I never cared what the place looked like.” This house and the money in the bank was why he’d needed a wife. Her not knowing this made Sheena more interesting.
It wasn’t about the money to her as he spouted off some facts about the estate. “As I mentioned before, there are well over three-hundred rooms, and more than enough space to show off whatever art you wish to the public, and still have private quarters. There is a maze I’ll show you how to navigate inside the house tomorrow so you can plan whatever event you’re thinking about.”
She looped her arm in his and gazed up at him like she’d just experienced Christmas morning. Her excitement sent a spark through him as she said, “I’m not thinking about events or hosting or anything like that right now. I just need to know where to get my coffee in the morning and where my… our bedroom is.”
The spark gave him hope. Perhaps there was a way that chemistry and friendship would work out better than basically employing someone as his wife. His heart lifted but he needed to know Sheena wasn’t always proper—he brought her to a door in the main ballroom.
“This leads to the kitchen stairs. Staff will find you wherever you are.” He opened one of the side doors—they could all open in the event of a large party. “This is the dining hall where we’ll eat with guests, but there is a smaller nook for just family closer to our quarters.” He closed the doors behind them as he said, “I’d prefer to set a schedule where we eat together.”
She gazed out at the large, freshly-cut green lawn with olive trees lined up on both sides of the emerald center for as long as the eye could see. She looked at him with surprise. “That sounds lovely.”
