“Rini? I should never have gotten so upset. The horror of believing I had lost you still lives inside me.”
He shook his head. “I can’t relate to your pain. What I do know is that if I lost you now, I wouldn’t want to live.”
The throb of Rini’s deep voice resonated through Luna’s body. She sucked in her breath. “You haven’t lost me, and you never will.” She flew into his arms.
“Adorata.” Rini buried his face in her hair, then picked her up and carried her over to the bed. His eyes burned with desire as he lowered her to the mattress. “Ti amo. Do you hear me?”
Yes, she heard his avowal of love, but he didn’t give her a chance to answer because his mouth had covered hers. This was the Rini she’d married over seven months ago, devouring her with the kind of hunger that aroused her deepest passion. He was alive and whole. She couldn’t get enough of this beloved man who was her husband and had been returned to her.
With the robe and nightgown discarded, they lay there entangled while they tried over and over again throughout the night to assuage their need for each other. No man could be a better lover than Rini. She never wanted this rapture to end.
Toward morning she got her wish when he rolled her on top of him and made love to her all over again. Several hours later she cried, “I love you.” She kissed every masculine feature of his handsome face. “I love you so much you can’t possibly imagine. You’ve been so brave and courageous through all of this. I want to take away your every fear.”
“You already do that by loving me.”
“I want to do more. How can I help you?”
He propped some pillows and turned her in his arms. “I did a lot of thinking while we were at the mine. Obviously, it has been one of the mainstays of the family for three hundred years. Though I don’t remember it, I believe it’s still my responsibility.
“Since I have to do something with my life, I could choose anything. But it will mean I have to learn whatever it is from the bottom up and keep working on my Italian. So why not get involved in the administration aspect of the mine?”
She sat straight up. “That’s a brilliant idea, darling.”
“I could take a business class at the college along with a beginning Italian class. I’ll discuss it with Doctor Tullia.”
“Good. I have another idea.”
“Of course, because you’re my amazing wife.” He gave her another kiss that swept her away.
“You could intern at the Baldasseri Gold Mining office several afternoons a week to get on top of the accounting. I could help you there, too. In no time you’ll be in charge of the whole business you ran so beautifully for the country. I have no doubt of it.”
The moment she said the words, Rini covered her mouth with his and once again he swept her away with unbridled passion. Her husband might have lost his memory, but he knew how to make her feel immortal.
Two hours later he lay on his side, drinking in her beauty. Because he didn’t know she was pregnant and didn’t remember what she’d looked like before, he didn’t realize her body had changed. But in another month, he’d figure it out.
* * *
Right now she didn’t want to worry about it and would have stayed here with him all day if her cell phone hadn’t kept ringing until they couldn’t ignore it.
Rini handed it to her from the bedside table. She answered, but because she was lying against him, she was in no state for a conversation with anyone. Dr. Tullia’s secretary was calling to remind Rini of his appointment at eleven.
“He’ll be there,” she promised and hung up before kissing Rini. “You’re due at the hospital at eleven for a session with Doctor Tullia. You’re going to have to hurry to make it on time. Why don’t you shower first while I ask Viola to get our breakfast
ready?”
A sigh escaped his throat before he reluctantly moved away from her and reached for his robe. “Being in your arms has made me forget everything, cara.”
He wasn’t the only one with that problem. While he hurried to get ready, she called downstairs before phoning Antonia. “I know you’re dying to see Rini again. I promise he’ll talk to you before the day is out. I love you.”
She passed Rini on her way to take a shower. He looped his arm around her shoulders to give her another kiss before releasing her.
Within a half hour they’d eaten and had hurried out to the car. Rini drove them to the hospital. Being independent made him more like the husband he’d been before the quake. She encouraged him to do as much as he could by himself.
After he turned off the engine, she put a hand on his arm. “I’m sure Chispar will be there, so I’ll wait for you here.”
“One day soon I won’t need a translator. After I’m through, let’s go to lunch and then stop by the office. You can orient me.” Another quick kiss and he got out of the car. He’d worn a tan summer suit and white shirt with no tie. No man on earth looked as handsome as he did. Already she could tell he was putting on weight even though it hadn’t been that long since his rescue.
She phoned Fabio and told him she was bringing Rini into the office later so he could familiarize himself with the accounts. Luna didn’t have to get permission. Rini was in charge of everything and always had been. But she didn’t want to surprise Fabio.