Page 41 of Raising His Baby (The Sartoris 2)

She didn’t know how to take that, and tears sprung to her eyes when he walked down the hall to his own room. There was nothing else she could do. She would renew her efforts to convince him in the morning.

“I’d like to say I believe her but…” Romy ran a hand over the back of his neck. Everything inside him actually strained to get to her, to hold her in his arms. He didn’t realize it until the other night when she threw herself into his arms what she meant to him. All of a sudden, he knew if she left the mansion, he would go after her and convince her to stay.

When she told him about being in love and he had foolishly thought she meant with Cason, he’d almost convinced himself he could accept it. As long as she was around. The more he thought about it, the more his anger boiled. It became crystal clear that he’d done it again. He’d f

allen in love with a woman.

No, not just any woman, and this is different.

Romy didn’t understand how he could both crave her and distrust her—he refused to accept that it was love even in his own mind.

“But what?” Cason said. “Fratello, I’m not sure how long you two are going to last with you being so screwed up in the head.”

Romy ground his teeth. “Thanks for the compliment.”

Cason grinned. “Prego.”

Romy glared at him.

“For what it’s worth, I approve.”

“How long are you going to keep me wondering?” Romy demanded. “Did she turn you down or not?”

Cason stood and smacked him on the back as he started to walk away. “You’re going to have to figure that one out for yourself.”

“Why do you have to be so flipping difficult,” Romy cried after him, but Cason just kept walking. Romy stood in his home office with his hands in his pockets thinking about his conversation with Cason. His younger brother was never straightforward with anything. He always took a roundabout way of getting the truth across.

Then the truth hit Romy. If Cason said he approved of the relationship, didn’t that mean he wasn’t able to seduce Sonya? Hope rose in his chest, but did he dare throw caution out and make her his? Could he risk a repeat of his bad judgment when it came to women? Once again Cason’s approval came to mind, and he recalled no one’s judgment was as good as Cason’s when it came to the opposite sex.

Romy left the office and searched the mansion. He strode to a phone on the hall table and picked it up. Goro answered on the second ring. “Si, signore?”

Romy spoke in rapid Italian. “Goro, where is Ms. Sonya?”

“Signorina Sonya è int egli giardino, signore.”

“Grazie.”

Romy hung up the phone and hurried out to the garden. Sure enough as Goro said there was Sonya, sitting on a blanket under a tree. His son laid asleep on his belly with a thumb in his little mouth. Sonya patted his back while a litter of toys were scattered around her, abandoned by the exhausted baby. Romy paused for a moment to take in his family, and his heart stirred. Whether they lasted or not, she was indeed his family, and he would do all he could to look after her.

“Sonya.”

Big brown eyes met his gaze, and his chest constricted. Her beauty, her size, everything about her, brought on a desperate need to protect her. Would she be his and for how long? He would be lying if he said letting Sonya in his heart didn’t scare him, but he was a man and he wouldn’t allow fear to make him back down. Not when he felt this strongly about her.

Romy dropped down on the blanket beside her. He took a look around and spotted Jody not far off. When Romy met his bodyguard’s gaze, the man looked away and faded into the trees. Good. Romy was used to having eyes on him at all times, but right now he wanted to feel like he and Sonya and Arron were the only ones in the world. He held out his hand palm up, and she didn’t hesitate to place her small hand in his. He closed his fingers over hers and drew her hand to his lips to kiss.

A tremor shook her, and he pulled her onto his lap, wrapping his arms around her. She succumbed to his kiss and then relaxed in his embrace. He rested against the tree trunk feeling content. Birds tweeted overhead, and the shade protected them from the bright sunlight. Not a single cloud marred the perfect blue in the sky.

He nuzzled the top of her head with his cheek. “I’m not asking for marriage.”

“Of course not.” She sounded a little worried. “We can—”

“I love you, Sonya.”

She gasped. “Y-you’re sure?”

He turned her to face him and caught her cheeks between his hands. “I’m positive. I love you. I don’t claim to be perfect, and I know it will be a challenge to move beyond my past.” He hesitated, and she waited quietly. The look of trust in her eyes was almost overwhelming. She didn’t have the hang-ups he did. It made him want her more. He didn’t know what tomorrow held, but a sense of excitement passed over him thinking about it.

“I love you too,” she said softly and sweetly. She was killing him.

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