Page 40 of Saved by the CEO

Dating—? The newspaper photographs. Just when she thought she’d actually put them behind her. The only saving grace, if there could be one, was that at least these women didn’t consider her some kind of financial predator. Like Marianna the other day, they saw it as a potential romance. “Nico and I aren’t dating,” she told them.

“Are you sure?” Isabella asked. “Those pictures—”

“Were pictures, that’s all,” she said, cutting her off. “The two of us are just friends.”

“Sure, just like Zach and I are friends,” Lindsay replied. She and Isabella exchanged smirks.

“Something tells me the lady protests too much,” the teacher replied.

Louisa stared at the grape-covered plastic in front of her and reminded herself the women were only teasing. Nevertheless, that didn’t stop her skin from feeling as if it was on fire. Not because she was embarrassed or ashamed, at least not in the way she expected to be. She was embarrassed because they were right.

She was protesting too much.

* * *

“I didn’t realize you found the gluing of grapes so fascinating, my friend.”

Nico did his best to look annoyed at his best friend, but the heat in his cheeks killed the effort. “Checking to see how much progress they are making, that is all.”

“Not as much as there would be if you waited longer than thirty seconds between looks,” Rafe replied.

He inclined his head to where the women were laughing and topping up their wineglasses. “It’s all right, you know. She’s a beautiful woman.”

“Who? Your wife?”

“Of course, my wife. But I’m talking about Louisa. I saw the photograph of the two of you in the newspaper. Very romantic.”

“We were at a wedding. Everything about weddings looks romantic.”

“This was different. You were looking at her like...”

“Like what?”

“I don’t know,” his friend replied honestly. “I’ve never seen you look at a woman that way.”

Perhaps because he’d never met a woman like Louisa before. “She’s different,” he said.

“Because she’s an American. They have a different kind of energy about them. It’s very...captivating.”

Captivating was a good word. He felt as though he was under a spell at times, what with the uncharacteristic moods he’d been experiencing. He could feel his friend’s eyes on him. “It’s not what you think,” he said.

“You aren’t attracted to her?”

“Of course I am attracted. Have you looked at her?”

“Then it is exactly what I think. And, if that picture is to believed, the feeling is mutual. And yet the two of you...” His friend set down the foam block he was holding to give Nico a serious look. “You are not together. Since when do you not pursue an interested woman?”

“I told you, Louisa is different.” Other women hadn’t been traumatized by an emotionally abusive Prince Charming. “She’s not the kind of woman you toy with.”

“So don’t toy.”

Rafe made it sound so easy. Problem was Nico wasn’t sure he could do anything else. “Not everyone is made for commitment like you are, my friend.”

A warm hand clapped his shoulder. “What happened with Floriana was a long time ago. People change.”

“Sometimes. Sometimes they don’t.” More often than not, they were like his parents, repeating the same mistakes over and over. With everything she’d been through, Louisa deserved better. “I’ve already broken the heart of one good woman,” he said.

“And haven’t you punished yourself enough for it?” His friend squeezed his shoulder. “You can’t be afraid to try again.”

Nico wasn’t afraid, he was trying to be kind. Rafe meant well, but he didn’t know everything. There were secrets Nico couldn’t share with anyone.

Almost anyone, he amended, eyes looking at Louisa. He’d certainly shared about his parents.

It was a moot point anyway. “You are assuming the decision is 100 percent mine to make,” he said. “Louisa is the one who is not interested. It was Louisa’s choice to keep our relationship platonic.” If she went through with selling the palazzo, they wouldn’t even have that.

“That’s too bad.”

“Yes, it is.” Why lie about his disappointment? He watched as Louisa laughed with her friends. She had her hair pulled back, and there was purple staining her fingers. Beautiful. Seeing her relaxed made him happy.

“But,” Nico said, “you can’t force emotions.” If anyone knew that, it was him.

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