Nico’s jaw dropped a little, but he responded with a cool smile, “Thanks for making this easy, Rossini.”
“Same to you.” Dropping the car key onto the gravel driveway, Benny stomped into the large, imposing villa, surrounded by gardens and overlooking the blue sea from a rocky cliff.
“Follow him,” Nico drawled to his employees. “I imagine he’s packing his things, but make sure he doesn’t run off with the silver.”
His security chief and assistant nodded, then hurried into the looming white villa with its elegant columns and statuary.
Nico’s pretense of impassivity dropped as he went to Honora.
“What happened on the drive?” he demanded, looking down at her. “What did he say? Did he hurt you?”
“No, he just...he said he loved me. And he’s angry because he thinks I led him on, but I didn’t!”
“Of course not,” he said soothingly. He gave a crooked grin. “You can’t help it if you’re desirable.”
Honora choked out a laugh, but it sounded like a sob. “He’ll be happier now. He’s off for some new job, working for some woman in Hollywood.” She tilted her head. “Do you think he’s talking about Lana Lee?” Now that was a woman every man desired!
“Probably. I don’t give a damn.” His hands tightened at his sides. He turned grimly toward his villa. “I can’t believe he tried to seduce you while I was in the same car. I’m going to go in there and—”
“No.” Frightened by the look on Nico’s face, she put her hand over his. “He didn’t try to seduce me, not like you mean. And maybe he had a point.”
“What do you mean?”
“All these years, I pretended not to notice how he was always flirting with me, asking me out to dinner.”
“You should have just punched him in the face,” Nico said darkly. She laughed, then saw he was serious. She shook her head.
“That probably would have hurt him less. I should have been brave enough to tell him the truth.” Trying to change the subject and take away the scowl on her husband’s face, Honora looked up at the enormous villa. “Wow. It’s a palace.”
Nico looked up at it. “It’s not a palace. But it will do.” His lips curved at the edges. “Until I get the one I really want.”
“There’s a villa nicer than this?”
“No. It’s a ruin. And I’m going to knock it down and build something beautiful and new.”
Shaking her head, she smiled. “You’re never satisfied, are you?”
“No,” he said huskily, drawing closer. “Especially not where you are concerned. I’ll never get enough of you.”
Her heart lifted, helping to dispel the dark clouds caused by Benny’s words. Sooner or later he’s going to hurt you. Glancing past his ear, she gave him a tentative smile. “Is that a garden?”
“Yes. I think you’ll like it.”
“Will I?” Holding his hand, Honora tugged him around the edge of the villa. She stopped, her mouth agape when she saw the formal garden with roses and palm trees surrounding marble fountains, and past that, groves of lemon trees with the biggest lemons she’d ever seen. Beyond the grand villa, she could see the turquoise sea crashing against the rocky cliffs. The soft Italian wind, redolent of oranges and spice, blew against her skin.
Nico looked down at her with a frown. “Are you crying?”
“I’ve never seen anything so beautiful,” she whispered. She looked up at him. “I can’t believe all this is yours.”
He looked at her and his harsh expression changed, became almost tender, as a light entered his dark eyes. “Ours.”
“Ours?” she breathed. “Even the garden?”
“No.” He smiled. “The garden is just yours.”
She danced on the spot. “I love you!”
Nico gave a surprised, joyful laugh as she threw her arms around him. He hugged her back.