After paying for their delicious meal, he said goodbye to the owner and walked her to his car, clinging to her hand. The small intimacy filled her with longing to get closer to him. Soon they would reach the palace and this glorious evening together would be over. She couldn’t bear it.
If she invited him in to her apartment so they could talk further, would he turn her down flat because he couldn’t allow himself to cross that line? She’d told him there was no other man in her life.
As they entered the estate, she guessed she’d find out because she didn’t want to say good-night. Already he’d become of vital importance to her in every way. He followed the road around the palace to the side entrance. Another minute and he pulled to a stop. “Home safe and sound.”
Fausta prayed he would want to stay in the car to talk with her for a little while, but no such luck. He got right out and walked around to her side to open the door. Their arms brushed as she alighted, sending darts of awareness through her body.
“Would you like to come inside, Nico?” Her heart was pounding so hard it had made her voice throb. Please say yes.
“Thank you, but I’m afraid I still have to return several calls after I get home.”
Don’t react, Fausta.
“I forgot about that. Thank you so much for the ride and a dinner I’ll never forget.”
“Neither will I, believe me. Before you go in, I wondered if you would like to go to a film with me Tuesday evening after work? We’ll grab a bite on the way.”
His question caught her off guard so completely, she almost fainted with happiness. “I can’t wait and haven’t been to a movie in ages.”
“Neither have I. We’ll leave after your shift. In case an emergency crops up, let’s exchange cell phone numbers.”
When that was accomplished, he said, “Buona notte, Fausta.”
She smiled. “Alla prossima, Nico.”
Fausta headed for the entrance where a palace guard opened the door for her. Without looking behind her, she went inside and dashed up the staircase to her apartment.
Her gambit to prolong their time together tonight had failed, but he wanted to see her again on Tuesday evening. When he’d first turned her down, she’d feared he’d decided she wasn’t that interesting after all. But his next question had sent her spirits soaring. He did want to be with her, hopefully as much as she craved to spend time with him.
She found herself dancing around as she got ready for bed. When she came out of the bathroom, her cell phone was ringing. She reached for it and checked the caller ID. It could be any one of her friends who worked on fund-raisers with her. Seeing who it was, she clicked on. “Mia!”
“Wow! Do you ever sound happy.”
“I am. Nico and I went to dinner tonight, and Tuesday night we’re going to see a film.”
“Wait. Tell me all that again. Go slowly.”
She clutched the phone tighter. For the next few minutes she explained how things had happened at the hospital, their meal in the cafeteria and Babbo’s, plus their subsequent dinner at Prospero’s. Remembering that Nico had said he hadn’t told anyone else about his past in years, she kept that information to herself.
“The dinner was over too soon, and he drove me home. I asked him if he’d like to come in, but he said he still had work. I was afraid I’d ruined things by pushing too hard, but then he asked me to go to a movie with him.”
Mia chuckled. “What did I tell you? The guy’s smitten.”
So was Fausta. So smitten she knew she’d never get to sleep. “Tonight he found out how much I wanted to be with him, like I was a desperate woman.”
“If anything he probably couldn’t believe that you, Princess Fausta, would actually ask a nonroyal man to spend private time with you inside the palace. In most people’s minds, it just isn’t done because it’s such a great privilege.”
“I don’t want to hear that. He’s such an incredible man, Mia.” Her voice shook.
With the background he’d come from, he was even more remarkable than anyone knew. “Being with him tonight has let me know I’ve lived a very sheltered, uninteresting life as a royal.”
“Don’t be ridiculous.”
“I’m being honest. The woman who wins his heart will be the luckiest woman alive.”
“Fausta—”
“Sorry, Mia. It’s late. I’ll see you on Monday. If you can make it, let’s meet in the cafeteria on your lunch hour before we both go on duty and we’ll talk.”