Page 13 of Pregnant in the Italian's Palazzo

Nysio felt frozen in place. ‘She’s still here?’

Gianluca nodded. ‘At least, she was when I checked earlier today. But her return flight is tomorrow.’

Nysio fought the urge to roar with frustration. She had been here for a whole day already without him knowing. He had been within walking distance of the object of his frustrations... But what did it mean? Surely if she had come to accept his proposition, she’d have travelled here to thepalazzo. She would have come to him. He felt his chest tighten even more, some uncontrollable vibration of energy that seemed to rise from his stomach upwards, but he somehow kept his body completely still.

‘Thank you for telling me, Gianluca.’

The other man’s eyes widened. ‘That’s it?’

‘Was there anything else you needed to discuss? I have work to do.’ Nysio sat down behind his desk with barely constrained energy humming through his veins, the computer screen blurring in front of his eyes as his mind turned this new information over and over. On impulse, he pulled a small object from his pocket, turning the small golden letter A over and over in its miniature circle. The pendant had been broken from being crushed under someone’s foot before he’d found it under the bed on his flight home from London.

He’d repaired it, but decided to send her a new one once he’d seen the news of her company’s harsh lay-offs. He hadn’t banked on the fact that every time he held it, he remembered seeing it dangling from Aria’s neck as she straddled him, leaning over so he could suckle on her...

Gianluca’s voice intruded on his thoughts. ‘All I’m saying is, perhaps the lady wished for you to know that she was here. If she didn’t, she wouldn’t have left this note.’

Nysio’s gaze snapped back up. ‘What note?’

Gianluca smiled knowingly. ‘It must be at least five years since I’ve seen you showing any kind of interest in a woman.’

Nysio narrowed his eyes, his look clearly conveying his inability to take a joke on the subject because the other man quickly pulled up a screen on his tablet computer and laid it on the desk. ‘It was only given to me today.’

Nysio only half listened, his attention fully taken up by the few lines of communication thanking him for the ticket. She had not contacted him immediately after he had sent the necklace, the flowers and plane ticket. So he had accepted that she was serious about not continuing their entanglement any further. He had never been the type of guy to force his attentions on anyone, most especially on someone who had been clear that they were not interested in more. At least, she hadseemedsure she was not interested in more...but the fact that her note was clearly headed with the name of the hotel she was staying in said quite a different story. He smiled broadly, inhaling a deep breath, and felt something loosen within his chest.

‘Clear my meetings for tomorrow, Gianluca. Actually, clear them for the whole weekend.’

‘Where are you going?’

‘To be spontaneous,’ he called back over his shoulder, striding out of his office and in search of the nearest car as fast as his legs would take him.

Aria was thoroughly enchanted by Florence.

For two glorious days, she had ambled along narrow cobbled streets flanked by elegant Renaissance palaces, marble basilicas and world-class art museums brimming with iconic paintings and sculptures. It was quite a culture shock, travelling from her traffic-clogged London suburb to this small city with its extraordinary art and architectural masterpieces at every turn. It was quite possibly the most beautiful city she had ever visited.

But all the while she had found herself looking over her shoulder, hyperaware of her surroundings and wondering if she would turn to find a familiar pair of sensual dark blue eyes watching her.

There had been no need for her to leave the note at Nysio’s foundation along with her donation, and yet she had not been able to stop herself. She’d told herself that she just needed to let Nysio know that she had used his ticket, and only because the flight had been the best option available at the last minute.

Perhaps she had also come here with a small hope that he might seek her out. But the idea of outright contacting him and accepting his arrogant offer to fly over to him, like a paid and packaged gift for his entertainment...she just couldn’t bring herself to do it.

Still, she now knew by the disappointment churning in her gut that she had very obviously hoped to see him again. It was her last night in the city and her small suitcase was packed and ready to leave for the airport back to London tomorrow. She was excited to get started on her plans. Her parents had been less than happy with her news when she’d shared her plans to start up her own line of plus-size lingerie. They’d sermonised on job security and the risks of start-ups. Her mother had made the predictable comment that she wasthirty-one, as though that was a reason in itself to avoid following her dreams.

All of these thoughts seemed to compound into one giant splitting headache as her eyes fell upon the single cocktail dress she’d left hanging in the wardrobe. The midnight-blue mini was a custom piece from an exciting plus-size designer that she’d acquired for the store more than a year ago but never found the occasion to wear. With its full-length sleeves and deep plunging neckline, it was the kind of outfit that one wore out on a hot date, not down for dinner at her table for one before taking an early night alone...but then again, Aria had never been the type of girl to follow the rules, had she?

Feeling a spurt of energy, she showered and took some time to dry her hair in soft waves around her face, adding red lipstick and some smoky eye make-up. Simple black lingerie and stockings ensured she felt smoothed and supported and as she gazed upon the final result in the bathroom mirror, she smiled. The fabric of the dress sparkled like a night sky, the material clinging to her curves like a dream.

It might be overkill for a night dining alone, but if there was one thing that could be said about Aria Dane it was that she bounced back, every time. This weekend had been exactly what she needed to clear her head before she had a meeting with her bank next week to discuss her business plans. Her redundancy money was enough to get started, but not enough if things took off as she really expected them to. She wanted to be prepared.

By the time she was seated in the hotel’s extravagant fine dining restaurant, she was feeling quite elated. The waiter had just delivered her drink order and she was perusing the menu when she felt the hairs on the back of her neck tingle.

With her wine glass halfway to her lips, she looked up to find the grey-haired maître d’ hovering by her side with an unusually flustered air. ‘Is everything okay?’ she asked the man, noticing the slight sheen of sweat on his brow.

‘Signora Dane, I have been asked to extend an invitation to you from a most important patron of the hotel...to a private dinner in the penthouse.’

‘An invitation from whom?’ she asked, thinking he must have approached the wrong guest, but then she looked behind her and felt her breath catch.

The important patron in question leaned against the archway of the restaurant entrance, his brooding gaze and broad silhouette unmistakeable in the golden light. Nysio was here...he had come to seek her out. Blood pounded in her ears and she could have sworn that every nerve ending on her body jumped to attention.

But his invitation to aprivatedinner made her pause. She might have come here with the intention of seeing him again but she had not been lying when she’d made it clear that she was not in the market for any further secret rendezvous. She had made a promise to herself that she would not be another wealthy man’s secret lover, ever again. Even if said lover had given her the most pleasure she had ever known in her life.

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