LITMIR.BIZ

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pulled open the bedroom door and headed downstairs. “Mother, I—”

      The words died in her throat. There, making chitchat with her mother, was Luca. Her heart lurched into her throat. How could this be? Luca never visited Mirraccino. And yet here he was, smiling and laughing with her mother.

      He looked incredibly handsome with his dark hair cropped short on the sides and back while the top was a bit longer. He wore a charcoal suit that amplified his already broad shoulders—shoulders where not so long ago she’d rested her head. She squelched the thought as fast as it came to her.

      Sans a tie, the top two buttons of his white dress shirt were unbuttoned, revealing a glimpse of his tanned chest and the gold chain that held his St. Christopher medal. He’d been wearing that necklace—a gift from his mother—almost as long as Elena had known him. She knew it meant a great deal to him.

      He looked like he was ready to step onto a runway in Paris or Milan. He was certainly photogenic enough. He had it all—the looks, a title and money. He wanted for nothing. Even though he’d settled down with a job in the financial sector, she knew he traveled routinely. With his home base in Milan, he often traveled throughout Europe to the States and then to Australia before he started the expedition once again. And he certainly never lacked for companionship.

      She should have known that Luca would be her mother’s idea of an appropriate date. Her mother would like nothing better than to have her marry into the royal family. But Elena had made it clear that would never happen. She’d had enough of men. They only wanted one thing. Once they got it, it was game over and they were on to their next conquest.

      Not so long ago, Luca had been the love ’em and leave ’em type. And the aftermath of their night together hadn’t convinced her that this particular leopard had changed his spots. It was best that she trod carefully where he was concerned.

      “Hello, Elena.” Luca placed a practiced smile on his face, but there was a flicker of something dark in his eyes. In a blink it was gone, leaving her to wonder if she’d imagined it.

      “Hi. I... I didn’t know you were back on the island.”

      “I was told by my sister that if I didn’t make an appearance for her engagement celebration, she would track me down and it wouldn’t be pretty when she found me.”

      “I can imagine your sister following through on that threat.”

      “Me, too. So here I am.”

      “And since your appearance was last minute,” her mother interjected, “Luca kindly agreed to be your escort. Isn’t that right, Luca?”

      His Adam’s apple bobbed. “Yes, that’s right. It looks like we’re both without dates this evening.”

      “But that doesn’t mean my mother should have imposed on you.” Elena sent her mother a pointed look.

      “I didn’t.” Her mother feigned innocence.

      Elena’s gaze narrowed on her mother, not believing her. “And I suppose Luca is now psychic and knew I’d be here this evening without a date?”

      Elena could feel Luca’s gaze on her, but she refused to face him. She was already embarrassed enough. How could her mother do this to her?

      “I was just trying to help,” her mother said. “Luca came round the other day to check on me. He’d heard about my accident, and he wanted to make sure I was okay.”

      It sounded innocent enough, but how that translated into a date was another story. “And that’s when you hatched this scheme to impose on his kindness.”

      “Young lady—” her mother’s voice took on a sharp edge of indignation “—I don’t now, nor have I ever, hatched a scheme. I merely mentioned that you were flying in to town.”

      “And I suggested that we go to the dinner this evening—together.” Luca was no longer smiling.

      He was mad at her? She was only trying to undo her mother’s meddling. She was certain her mother had more to do with this arrangement than she was letting on. Wait. Had he just said he was the one who’d wanted to go to the dinner with her?

      Elena’s gaze shifted to Luca. But it was like he had built a wall between them, and she wasn’t able to read his thoughts. Drat! She felt as though she was standing on shifting sand and she just couldn’t get her footing. The best thing to do was let him off the hook, gently.

      “I appreciate your thoughtfulness, but you don’t have to bother,” she said, watching his eyes grow darker. “I don’t mind going to the palace by myself.”

      “What about the palace?” Her father stepped through the doorway in his standard black suit, collared white shirt and black tie.

      “Luca came to escort Elena to the dinner at the palace.” Her mother beamed. “Isn’t that wonderful?”

      Her father’s face was pale and drawn. Dark circles had formed under his eyes from being on call for the king at any hour of the day or night. Elena wished her father would set some boundaries in his life, but he insisted that his duty was to the king, and he could not be deterred.

      Everyone stood quietly waiting for her father to speak. It wasn’t like him to be so quiet. Usually he would tell her to have a good evening and be on his way.

      “Are you all right?” Elena asked her father.

      “I’m fine. Just a little tired.” Her father moved to stand in front of Elena. He leaned forward and pressed a feathery kiss to her cheek. “But I’m feeling better now. How could I not with my wonderful family around me?”

      Elena’s mother nodded toward Luca. “Aren’t you going to say anything to our guest?”

      Her father grunted as though he’d forgotten. He turned to Luca. “Don’t do anything to hurt my girl. Or else...”

      Her father didn’t finish the threat, but Luca’s rigid stance and the firm line of his lips said that he’d gotten the message.

      “I’ll go clean up for dinner,” her father said and moved toward the stairs.

      “Shall we go?” Luca asked.

      Elena had to try one last time to call off this awkward date. “As I was saying before, I really don’t mind arriving alone.”

      Luca sighed. “Ah, but see, I do mind. I hate showing up at these family events alone. There will be questions about who I’m dating, if it’s serious and if I ever plan to settle down and get married. I’d rather avoid all that.”

      So she would be doing him a favor? By what? Being his decoy? A shield?

      No. No. No.

      She wasn’t comfortable with any of those titles. Elena had enough of her own secrets. She didn’t need to be drawn into anyone else’s drama.

      The past few months in Paris had consisted of making one bad decision after the other. It had gotten to the point where she had no faith in her own judgment. And now that she was pregnant, she had to make the right decisions. There was an innocent baby counting on her. She had mixed emotions about her unexpected condition. How could she tell Luca she was pregnant when she didn’t even know how she felt about it?

      That was why her mother’s request for her to return home couldn’t have come at a better time. She had hoped some downtime would clear her head. At the time, she’d had absolutely no idea that Annabelle was having a big celebration or that she would include Elena in the festivities.

      Her gaze landed on Luca. He looked uncomfortable and anxious to be anywhere but here. Things had definitely changed between them. Where there had once been an easiness, there was now this crackling tension. If she needed any confirmation that they could never go back to how they used to be, this was it.

      Tonight, she would be nervous enough being a guest at the palace. She really didn’t need the added awkwardness she felt

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