‘We name her?’ Luca smiled. ‘Do you want to call her after your mother?’
She had thought about it long and hard and she thought about it again.
‘No,’ Emma admitted, because sometimes it still hurt. ‘Do you want to name her after yours?’
‘No,’ Luca said. He had forgiven Mia, and he was happy to see her with Leo, but, well, it was all too new and too much just yet. He didn’t even know what to do with his own surname, let alone pass on his mother’s first name too!
‘Aurora,’ Emma said.
‘Aurora?’ Luca played with the word in his mind and liked it. ‘It means dawn…’
‘And new beginnings,’ Emma said, gazing from her infant to her husband. They would follow their own course now. This precious clean slate they had been given deserved the very best they could give her, and that’s what she would get.
A new beginning.
The Salvatore
Marriage Deal
Natalie
Rivers
About the Author
NATALIE RIVERS grew up in the Sussex countryside. As a child, she always loved to lose herself in a good book, or in games that gave free rein to her imagination. She went to Sheffield University, where she met her husband in the first week of term. It was love at first sight and they have been together ever since, moving to London after graduating, getting married and having two wonderful children.
After university Natalie worked in a lab at a medical research charity and later retrained to be a primary school teacher. Now she is lucky enough to be able to combine her two favourite occupations—being a full-time mum and writing passionate romances.
For my editor, Sally Williamson
CHAPTER ONE
LILY shivered in the back of the water taxi as it travelled carefully along the foggy Venetian canal. The cold and damp seeped through her suede jacket, chilling her to the bone, but she was grateful for the fresh air. It was warmer inside the polished wooden cabin of the taxi, but it was stuffy, and the movement of the boat made her feel queasy. These days everything made her feel queasy, but at least now she knew why.
She was pregnant.
She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Pregnant.
How was she going to tell Vito?
She’d been living with him for five months, and during that time he’d been the most amazing, attentive lover she could have imagined. But she’d always known that as far as he was concerned it was only a temporary arrangement.
From the start Vito had promised her complete exclusivity— and, in return for his fidelity, he’d demanded the same from her. But he’d always made it plain that there was no future for the relationship. There would be no long-term commitment, and categorically no children.
But now she was eight weeks pregnant. The stomach bug that she’d thought was taking a long time to clear up was actually morning sickness. And presumably the same stomach bug was responsible for the failure of the Pill.
She shivered again and looked at her watch. Vito would be waiting at the palazzo for her, wanting to know what the doctor had said. She glanced up as the taxi passed under a familiar arched bridge. In only a few minutes she’d be home.
Suddenly, despite her apprehension about telling Vito her news, she couldn’t wait to be with him. A baby might not have been his plan right now, but she hadn’t got pregnant deliberately. Vito would understand. He was a rich and powerful man, used to things going exactly the way he wanted, but he wasn’t unreasonable. He might be surprised, shocked even, but after he had time to absorb her news she was sure that everything would be all right.
She’d always wanted a family, and now that she thought about it she couldn’t think of anyone she’d rather have as the father of her children. He was a successful— and influential businessman, but she’d also seen the loving, tender side of him. He wouldn’t reject his own baby just because it was unplanned.
It was eerily quiet as the taxi stopped at the watergate— entrance of the palazzo. The fog muffled the sounds of the city, and all Lily could hear was the lap of the water against the marble steps. She paid the driver and gratefully accepted his hand as she climbed unsteadily out of the boat. Then she made her way upstairs, where Vito was coming out of his study to greet her.
Her breath caught in her throat, and she hesitated on the top stair, just staring at him—soaking up the absolute masculine perfection of Vito Salvatore, her lover.
Over six-feet tall and broad shouldered, he carried himself with the physical grace and power of an athlete. His black hair was slightly wavy, and it was brushed back from his strong forehead to reveal his breathtakingly— handsome face.
She’d often wondered if she’d ever get over how amazing he was. It didn’t matter whether he’d been away on business for a few days or whether they’d just been in different rooms for a few minutes—whenever she laid eyes on him after they’d been apart, her heart fluttered and excitement coiled through her. After knowing him for ten months and living with him for the past five months, she was still overwhelmed by the pure thrill of being with him.
‘You have returned at last.’ Vito caught her with his blue eyes as he closed the distance between them and swept her into his embrace.
‘Hmm.’ Lily snuggled against his strong chest, pressing her face against his velvety-soft black cashmere sweater. She breathed deeply, drawing his scent into her lungs. Safe in his arms, she felt so much better. The nausea she’d suffered in the water taxi was already a distant memory.
‘I tried to call you,’ Vito said, lifting her face gently for a lingering kiss. ‘But then I found your phone in the bedroom.’
‘Sorry.’ Lily looked up into his gorgeous face. As always his kiss had the power to make all thoughts fly out of her mind. ‘I forgot to charge it.’
‘Are you all right?’ Vito asked, catching her hands in his. ‘You’re so pale and cold. Come and sit down. Would you like a warm drink?’
‘I’m fine,’ Lily replied, letting Vito lead her into his study. ‘A glass of cold water would be lovely.’ She smoothed her fingers over her hair, suddenly apprehensive— again. Now she knew why she’d gone off tea and coffee—and in a minute she’d have to tell Vito.
‘I thought Carlo was taking you to your appointment,’ — Vito said, looking over his shoulder at her as he dropped ice cubes into a glass and poured mineral water from a frosted bottle. ‘I don’t like you taking public taxis, especially when you aren’t feeling well.’
‘I was all right,’ Lily reassured him. ‘I thought I might want to walk a while—the fresh air makes me feel better.’
‘Still, if I’d known you were going to dismiss Carlo I would have accompanied you myself,’ Vito said, slipping his arm around her waist and guiding her over to a sofa by the window. ‘I don’t know how you persuaded— me not to cancel my meeting.’
Lily ran her hand over her long blonde hair again as she sat down. The humidity of the fog had made it frizz. It was absurd to worry about what she looked like at a time like this, but somehow the enormity of the situation— suddenly made it easier to focus on smaller things.
‘What did the doctor say?’ Vito asked, looking at Lily with concern. Her heart-shaped face really was incredibly pale, and there were dark smudges of fatigue under her expressive hazel eyes. ‘Do you need antibiotics?’
‘No,’ Lily said.
She was smoothing her hands over her hair. Vito recognised— the nervous gesture. Since they’d been together he’d grown used to her body language, but he couldn’t imagine why she was anxious now.
‘Then what is it?’
Fear that there might be something seriously wrong suddenly sliced through him like the blade of a knife. He dropped to his knee beside her, and took her chilly hands in his. The thought of Lily ill was unbearable. ‘What did the doctor say?’ he pressed. ‘Do you have to go back for tests?’
‘No.’ Lily hesitated, looking at his expression. His black brows were drawn down with concern, creating two vertical creases between his eyes. She was close enough to wonder at their amazing colour—the incredible vibrancy of sky-blue that made her feel like summer had come, rather than the cold and damp of early spring that still felt like winter.
But she’d worried him—something she’d never meant to do. She should tell him the truth at once.
‘I’m pregnant.’
Lily could not have prepared for what happened next. She’d anticipated surprise, maybe even displeasure. But she’d never expected the sudden dramatic change in his expression—as if cold steel-shutters had dropped down over his features. Nor the brutal finality of his words.
‘Pack your things.’ He jerked abruptly to his feet, letting her hand fall from his fingers as if he could no longer bear to touch her. ‘And get out of my house.’
CHAPTER TWO
LILY opened her eyes and looked groggily at the clock. Damn! She was late.
‘Aren’t you up yet?’ Anna said, already smartly dressed for work, walking across the open-plan lounge to the kitchen area of her flat. ‘I thought you had that presentation this morning. You know—the big make-or-break— one.’