Swept Away by the Venetian Millionaire

“What would that be? Please enlighten me, dear cousin.”

“Maya doesn’t have to be thousands of miles away in a few days. You can simply ask her not to leave.”

Leo didn’t give him a chance to respond before turning to join the women in the car, leaving Vito to watch his retreating back.

Had his cousin always been so invested in Vito’s personal life? What was possessing him to behave so intrusively lately?

His gaze was drawn to where Maya sat in the car. He would have to find a way to explain to her what Leo had done and the resulting chaos that might ensue as a result. Heaven help him find the words to do so. Now she was playing some kind of peek-a-boo game with his older nephew, who was buckled into his seat. The child was squealing with laughter at her antics.

It appeared Maya Talbot had some kind of effect on all manner of Rameri males.

* * *

Vito was exceptionally quiet during the ride from the airport. Maya slid another glance in his direction where he sat next to her in the third row of the passenger van. The children had finally calmed enough to settle down and one of them looked on the verge of falling asleep.

By contrast, Vito looked about as far from relaxed as one about to attend a grand party should be.

Was he having second thoughts about having her here? She ought to have thought this through. His invitation had ultimately seemed sincere enough but she couldn’t pretend he hadn’t been pushed into it by his cousin’s wife. He’d probably considered it overnight and regretted asking her. This was to be a family affair, after all. She certainly wasn’t family. She was barely more than an acquaintance.

But his reaction to her last night had said otherwise. Her mind drifted to the kiss they’d shared during their cruise. It seemed a lifetime ago. But she hadn’t forgotten the way the touch of his lips against hers had made her insides quiver like gelatin.

As much as she hated to admit it, given what it might say about her decision-making abilities, she couldn’t recall Matt’s kisses having as dramatic an effect on her. And she’d been ready to marry him.

Was she making a different version of the same mistake? Because something clearly wasn’t right, judging by Vito’s scowl.

Either one of her cousins would be skeptical if she tried to tell them that she was falling for a man she’d met days ago. They’d tell her she was rebounding, that she couldn’t see clearly from the hurt. Her aunt and uncle would agree. Perhaps she’d moved too fast. Maybe the kiss on the ship meant nothing to Vito. She might have read too much into it. It obviously wouldn’t be the first time she’d misread a man or his intentions.

The questions rambled around in her brain. Questions she could only guess the answers to. She’d never been in a situation like this before. Then again, she’d never met a man like Vito before.

He was charming and enigmatic, without doubt. But his sadness practically resonated in the air around him.

She shouldn’t be foolish enough to think she could possibly be the one who might be able to take that sadness away, not even temporarily.

* * *

Vito spent most of the ride from Verona airport to the villa trying to decide how he might explain to Maya what Leo had done. They were less than a mile from the mansion and he still hadn’t quite figured it out.

Well, he had to think of something. He couldn’t let her be ambushed without a clue when she first met Nonna. He could guess pretty well what Nonna’s reaction would be when they were introduced. She’d probably hug the younger woman within an inch of her life. Then she’d start referring to Maya as her future granddaughter to anyone within earshot. Maya had to be prepared for all of it.

In any case, right now she looked like she was ready to be out of the car. The road was full of curves and bends, the driver not exactly the smoothest operator he’d been driven by. Judging by the greenish hue of her complexion at the moment and the way she kept clasping her hand right below her breastbone, he figured she might have had enough of the car ride.

He turned to her. “Would you mind if we walked the rest of the way? I’d love to show you the vineyards.”

Maya seemed to be taken by surprise but she soon nodded and began to gather her sweater around her. In Italian, Vito instructed the driver to stop so that the two of them could get out.