LITMIR.BIZ

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continuing to kiss her, but the ringing persisted until she tore her lips from his. “Of course everyone knows we’re back, Antonio,” she said out of breath. “You at least have to say hello.”

      “That’s all I’ll say.” He sat up and reached for the bedside phone first, impatient because of the interruption of civilization. Being away from technology for a few days had been the best thing that could have happened to them. “Pronto—”

      “Come sta, figlio mio?”

      He looked at his wife, whose silvery eyes fastened on him still had the glaze of desire burning in their depths. His fingers ran over her lips. “Christina and I have been to heaven thanks to your generosity, Papa. But we were called back to earth too soon.”

      “I’m thrilled you’ve had a wonderful time, but now we must talk.”

      “Not now, Papa. My wife and I need the rest of this day together.”

      “But there’s a crisis.”

      His muscles clenched. “So I’ve been informed, but nothing’s more important than my time with her. I promise I’ll take care of things starting tomorrow. Give my love to Mama. Ciao.”

      Christina chuckled. “You’ll have to answer your cell phone or it will never stop.” Letting out another sound of frustration, he reached in his pants pocket and pulled it out. When he saw the caller ID, he didn’t mind answering.

      “Zach!”

      “I’m glad you answered. Where are you?” His friend sounded more than anxious.

      He smiled down at Christina. “We’ve just entered our humble home after being flown to paradise and back.” She kissed his fingers.

      “I’ve never thought of Paris as paradise.”

      “No. Bora Bora. A surprise wedding gift from my parents. You should take Lindsay there. You’d never want to come back.”

      “Antonio? Is this really you? You sound strange, like you’re on something.”

      He grinned. “I’ve been drugged all right.” A laugh came out of his wife. “Listen, I’ll call you tomorrow.”

      “But you’ve got problems, buddy. Big problems.”

      “My other half is going to help me solve them.”

      “But she’s part of the problem, if you get my meaning,” Zach said, lowering his voice.

      “You’ve got that wrong. She’s the solution, but I appreciate your concern. You’re the best friend a man ever had next to his wife. Ciao.”

      No sooner had he hung up to indulge himself with his beautiful bride than Christina’s cell phone rang. She had to get off the bed for the purse she’d accidentally dropped on the inlaid wooden flooring while her husband was carrying her.

      She didn’t need to look at the caller ID to know who it was. Might as well get this over now. “Pronto?”

      “Christina?” Her mother sounded mournful rather than angry. “Is it true that you had an affair while you were engaged to Antonio?”

      She held her breath. “If I tell you that was a lie, would you believe me?”

      “Yes.”

      “Would Father?”

      “I—I can’t speak for him. What are you going to do?”

      Her mother sounded as though she really cared. “It’s up to Antonio.”

      “Just remember I’m here for you if you need me.”

      For her mother to say that was astounding to Christina. “Thank you, Mama. We’ll talk later.”

      Antonio’s arms were locked around her from behind. But for once she didn’t feel like crawling into a dark hole never to come out again. She turned to Antonio. “Mother just gave me her support.”

      “It’s about time, but don’t forget you’ve got me now.”

      “I know.” She lifted her mouth to kiss him, but there was a knocking on the outer doors, loud enough to reach their ears in the bedroom. “Tonio? It’s me,” Elena cried. “Can I come in? It’s an emergency!”

      “Tell her to come,” Christina urged him. “She’s been waiting for us.”

      He gave her another hug before they both hurried through the apartment to greet his sister.

      When he opened the door, they barely recognized Elena, who’d been crying for so long her blue eyes were puffy and her face had gone splotchy. “I’m so glad you’re home.” She threw herself into Antonio’s arms and sobbed.

      Christina closed the door and the three of them went into the living room. When he let her go, she turned to Christina. As they hugged, his sister had another explosion of tears.

      “Elena—it’s going to be all right. Come and sit down on the couch.” She drew her by the hand. Antonio sat in the love seat near them.

      She brushed the tears from her cheeks. “I have something to tell both of you. Marusha and I have had a long talk. Her husband found out through another doctor that before Roger left Africa, he got drunk and told things to the doctor that were supposed to be kept quiet. But the other doctor was unscrupulous and leaked it to the news.”

      Christina shook her head. “I should never have gone out with him.”

      Antonio stood up. “If we all keep blaming ourselves for everything, nothing will be accomplished. What’s done is done.”

      “There’s more,” Elena admitted.

      He took a deep breath. “Go on.”

      “I broke down and told our parents why you and Christina got engaged. I also told them Christina had never slept with that doctor. It was pure fabrication.”

      “It’s all right, Elena. The truth will free all of us.”

      His wife was so right!

      He’d already known that Christina hadn’t given herself to the doctor. Antonio had been stunned at the time and overjoyed.

      “They think you’re both so noble,” Elena kept on. “Our parents are prepared to do anything to help you. But as you know, they’ve lost Guido’s respect and he has powerful friends in the council who are ready to abolish the monarchy altogether. Some of the others wanting to keep the monarchy alive have prevailed on the archbishop to grant an annulment so you can remarry. There’s a list of titled women they’re vetting now with Princess Gemma at the top.”

      Filled with joy that Christina was his wife, Antonio stopped pacing. “No. That isn’t going to happen. I’ve got plans, ideas to build the economy. Christina and I plan to enlarge the African charity to make it far-reaching. I have a new jobs initiative to help us become a leader in technology. Scandal has rocked this nation for years, but we’ll weather it. We have to.”

      Elena stared at him as if she’d never seen him before.

      His wife got up from the couch and stood in front of him, wearing the same white suit she’d worn on the plane to Tahiti. “We will.”

      Two beautiful words from the mouth of the woman he couldn’t imagine living without. He kissed her in front of his sister before walking over to Elena and pulling her to her feet. “I’m glad the truth is out, all of it.” He gave her a hug. “Everything is going to work out.”

      “It’s got to, because I love you two so much.”

      Antonio looked at his clever, adorable wife. She was so remarkable he couldn’t believe he was lucky enough to be married to her.

      He brushed his sister’s cheek with his finger. “So, what is the latest between you and Enzio?”

      “We’re good.”

      “Just

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