‘In that case would you like to eat with me?’
She treated him to a smile but he could tell how nervous she was and it helped him get a grip. Maybe he had wanted her that night but it was all in the past and it was what happened from here on that mattered more. Maybe they were going to make love; however, it wouldn’t be the result of their desire for one another but because of their need to help their daughter. The thought steadied him.
‘That is very kind of you. I would be delighted to eat with you so long as it isn’t any trouble.’
‘It isn’t,’ she assured him, standing up. She smoothed down the lightweight sweater she was wearing with a pair of well-worn jeans, immediately drawing his attention to the swell of her breasts and the curve of her hips.
Vincenzo sucked in his breath when he felt his body respond in time-honoured fashion. He couldn’t afford to start noticing things like that, he told himself sternly as she left the room. He had to remain detached, disinterested even when they set about creating this baby.
He groaned. How on earth could he remain detached when he was going to make love to her, when every curve, every dip and every hollow would be his to explore and caress?
He closed his eyes, trying to block out the pictures that filled his head but it merely brought them into even sharper focus. He could recall every centimetre of her body in exquisite detail, from the lush curves of her breasts to the erotic delicacy of her ankles. Her hair had been longer then, falling past her shoulders in a curtain of pale brown and gold. His hands clenched as he recalled its softness as he had threaded it through his fingers and pulled back her head so that he could skim kisses down her throat...
His eyes shot open and he made himself breathe deeply. In and out, half a dozen times, and then half a dozen more. He had to stop thinking about that night. It had been a one-off and it wouldn’t be like that again. The first time they had made love he had just finalised his divorce and although he hadn’t loved Carla, the ending of their marriage had affected him. It had seemed to highlight the emptiness of his life and he had felt very low afterwards.
As for Lowri, well, she had been through an equally traumatic experience. She had told him about her ex and Vincenzo had understood how hurt she must have felt. Was that why there had been that instant rapport between them? A feeling that they had found the one person who would understand?
He tried to convince himself that it was the key to what had happened, that it explained why making love with her had been so different, so intense. However, deep down, he sensed there had been more to it than that, a lot more.
He took another breath, held it until his vision blurred, until he couldn’t see anything and especially not those intimate and disturbing pictures. Deep inside he knew that if he allowed that thought to take hold, he would regret it. He and Lowri had met at a time in their lives when they had both needed support and solace and that was all it had amounted to. To imagine it had been more than that would be a mistake. For both of them.
* * *
Lowri placed the plates on the table then checked that she had set out everything they needed. She’d grilled some salmon steaks and served them with new potatoes and a green salad. There was fresh fruit for pudding and coffee after that...
She bit her lip, realising that she was employing delaying tactics to put off the moment when she would call Vincenzo through to the kitchen. She wasn’t sure what had happened before but there had been something going on, a sort of buzz that had made her feel very on edge.
She’d been thinking about that night in Milan but she had to forget about that and concentrate on what needed to be done. Maybe it had been wonderful and maybe Vincenzo had exceeded all her expectations as a lover but it didn’t mean she was going to feel the same way when they made love again.
She huffed out her breath as she went to tell him that dinner was ready. Quite frankly, the sooner she got pregnant, the better. Then she and Vincenzo could get back to normal. Poking her head round the sitting-room door, she smiled politely at him. ‘Dinner’s on the table. I hope you like fish.’
‘I do, very much, in fact.’
He stood up, smiling calmly as he walked to the door. He had shed his jacket and rolled up the sleeves of his shirt and she felt her heart lurch when she saw how dark his skin looked against the white cotton fabric. His whole body had been deeply tanned, she recalled as she led the way. Apart from a narrow strip around his hips...
‘More wine?’ She picked up the bottle, determined to drive the images from her mind. They would serve no purpose, only make it even more stressful when they did make love. Last time they had needed each other but it would be very different the next time it happened. They would be making love for Megan’s sake, not for theirs.
‘Sì. Grazie.’
Lowri shuddered when he replied in Italian. Although Vincenzo’s English was excellent, several times that night he had slipped back into his mother tongue and the sound of his deep voice was yet another reminder she didn’t need. She filled his glass then sat down, determined to channel her thoughts along the direction they needed to take.
She mustn’t make the mistake of thinking that what she had felt that night was what she would feel again. She had been in a bad place at the time and Vincenzo had helped her through it. That was why their lovemaking had seemed so intense.
They ate in silence. Lowri couldn’t think of anything to say and it appeared that Vincenzo felt the same. He placed his cutlery neatly on his plate after he had finished and smiled at her.
‘That was delicious, Lowri. Thank you.’
‘You’re very welcome.’ She gathered together their plates and stood up. ‘I’m afraid there’s only fruit for pudding.’
‘Not for me, thank you. I’ve had more than enough.’ He looked up and she felt her breath catch. It was obvious that he was going to say something and all of a sudden she didn’t want to hear it. Picking up the plates, she took them to the sink and turned on the taps.
‘How about coffee, then?’ she asked, her nerves humming with tension when she glanced round and discovered that he was standing up.
‘No coffee for me, either,’ he replied quietly, as he came to stand behind her.
‘Oh, right. Well, I think I’ll have a cup.’ Lowri reached for the kettle but he placed his hand on her arm.
‘Can it wait? It seems to me that we have something far more pressing to think about than coffee.’
His deep voice grated and Lowri felt the tiny hairs all over her skin spring to attention. When he turned her round to face him, she didn’t protest, couldn’t even attempt to do so when she found it impossible to speak. Bending, he looked into her eyes, his own eyes as deep and as fathomless as the night.
‘You explained how urgent it is that Megan have this transplant so maybe we should be concentrating on making that happen?’
CHAPTER SEVEN
‘I...I DON’T think we should rush things. Why don’t we make arrangements to meet another night?’
Vincenzo heard the panic in Lowri’s voice and sighed inwardly. Maybe he should have given her more warning rather than spring it on her like that, although it shouldn’t be that much of a surprise to her. After all, she had stressed the urgency of the situation when she had sought his help, hadn’t she? No, if she was employing delaying tactics, it was because the idea of making love with him wasn’t a particularly pleasant one.
It was hard to hide his chagrin but he knew that it wouldn’t achieve anything to make an issue of it. He summoned a smile, wanting to make the occasion as stress-free as possible for both of them. ‘If that’s what you would prefer then that’s what we shall do.’
‘Thank you.’ She smiled thinly as she stepped away from him. ‘I expect we shall both feel better if we know exactly when and where it’s going to happen.’
‘I expect you’re right,’ he agreed, struggling to keep the irony out of his voice. He shrugged. ‘I wonder how many other couples have found themselves in this position?
’
‘I’ve no idea but there are bound to be some,’ she said, her voice quavering. She looked up and he could see the uncertainty in her hazel eyes. ‘It is the right thing to do, isn’t it, Vincenzo?’
‘From what you have told me, and what I have read for myself, it’s the only thing we can do if we want to help Megan.’
‘But what if we have another child and it isn’t a suitable match? We’ll have gone through all this for nothing!’
‘That is something only you can decide.’ He caught hold of her hands. ‘Are you willing to take that risk, Lowri?’
‘I think so,’ she murmured, staring up at him.
‘Bene.’
He pulled her to him, feeling the shudder that passed through her when their bodies came into contact. He bit back a sigh, aware that it wasn’t passion that had caused her to react that way. The thought of what they needed to do scared her and in that second he realised that his feelings didn’t matter. He wanted to make this as easy as possible for her.
He cupped her face between his hands, overwhelmed by the thought. He had never experienced this need to protect someone else before. The lack of compassion he had been shown as a child meant that he rarely considered other people’s feelings, but this was different. This was Lowri. And how she felt mattered to him.
His mind reeled as he tried to absorb that thought but it was just too big. Too complex. Too scary. He thrust it away as he covered her mouth with his. He wasn’t sure why he felt such an overpowering desire to make physical contact with her but he needed to feel her mouth under his, needed this connection!
There was a moment when he sensed her start to pull away and he steeled himself for the impending rejection, but then the next second she was kissing him back. Vincenzo groaned when he felt her lips mould themselves to his because it wasn’t what he had expected. He had thought after her initial reaction that he would have to woo her, seduce her even, but it appeared that she didn’t need seducing after all.
The thought filled him with such intense pleasure that he gasped. He felt her tense and ran his hands down her back to soothe her. When he drew her closer, she didn’t resist and his heart swelled with a mix of emotions he had never experienced before. It struck him then that when they did make love it was going to change his life. He wouldn’t be the same person he had been after he had made love to Lowri again.
* * *
Lowri could feel her heart racing. She had never expected to feel this way but it appeared she was as powerless to resist Vincenzo’s kisses now as she had been five years ago. Heat scorched along her veins when she felt his hands run down her spine. Everywhere his fingers touched she could feel ripples of sensation erupt. It was as though her skin was on fire, flames licking and dancing across its surface.
All thoughts about waiting seemed to have disappeared from her mind. When his hand came to rest on her bottom, she held her breath, waiting for the moment when he would urge her closer.
‘Mummy!’
The cry from upstairs broke the spell. Lowri wriggled out of Vincenzo’s arms and ran to the door. Megan was standing on the landing when she reached the bottom of the stairs and it was immediately obvious that she had been sick. Lowri ran upstairs and scooped her up into her arms.
‘It’s all right, darling. Mummy’s here.’
‘I’ve been sick,’ Megan wailed, pressing her face into the crook of Lowri’s neck.
‘Shh, it doesn’t matter.’ Lowri felt fear envelop her when she discovered how hot Megan felt. She carried her back into the bedroom and sat her down on the bed then went to fetch the thermometer from the bathroom cabinet. Vincenzo was kneeling beside the bed when she went back and she frowned.
‘You don’t need to stay. We’ll be fine.’
‘I want to stay.’ He looked up and she realised that it was pointless arguing when she saw the grim determination in his eyes.
She shrugged as she placed the thermometer under Megan’s tongue.
‘As you wish.’
Vincenzo didn’t say anything else as he knelt beside the bed, holding Megan’s hand. It seemed to take for ever before the thermometer beeped. Lowri’s heart sank when she checked the display. Megan’s temperature was far higher than it should have been, which could only mean that she had contracted some sort of an infection.
Vincenzo took the thermometer from her and frowned. ‘It’s very high. Did the consultant give you instructions on what to do if this happened?’
‘Yes. He said I was to phone the hospital and make arrangements for Megan to be seen immediately,’ Lowri explained. She lowered her voice. ‘She’s going to be so upset if they keep her in again.’
‘Let’s face that if and when it’s necessary,’ Vincenzo said firmly. He turned and smiled at the little girl. ‘So, tesoro, it seems that you need to go to the hospital. Why don’t you tell me which of your toys you want to take with you while Mummy phones the doctor? Would Teddy like to go? Or how about this rabbit? Maybe he’d like to go and meet all the nurses.’
‘She’s a girl rabbit,’ Megan told him importantly. ‘She’s called Rosie.’
‘Ah. Mi scusi! I should have realised she was a girl rabbit because she has a lovely pink ribbon around her neck.’
He pulled a wry face, which made Megan laugh. Lowri’s heart lightened a little as she went to make the call because it seemed like a positive sign. She spoke to the ward sister and, as expected, she was told to take Megan in straight away. Vincenzo stayed while she washed and changed Megan then packed her a bag, and she was glad of his help. Not only was he remarkably good at distracting Megan, but it helped her to have him there.
She sighed as she slipped a clean nightdress into the case. She mustn’t get too used to having him around, though. Vincenzo had made it clear that he didn’t intend to play an active role in Megan’s life and it would be foolish to come to rely on him. She must never forget that when he returned home, there’d be just her and Megan, plus possibly another baby in a few months’ time.
Lowri bit her lip as the full enormity of her situation hit her. She would be the mother of two small children, one of whom was seriously ill. It was going to be a lot to cope with on her own.
* * *
‘We’ll start her on broad-spec antibiotics if her temperature doesn’t drop soon, although it could turn out to be something and nothing. These spikes in temperature do occur occasionally following chemotherapy.’
Vincenzo listened attentively as the consultant, Alistair Simpson, outlined Megan’s treatment plan. It was after midnight and Megan was fast asleep in a side room leading off the main ward. Although her temperature had fallen slightly, it was still higher than it should have been and he agreed with the other man’s decision to keep her in.
‘How long do you plan to keep her here?’
Vincenzo glanced round when Lowri spoke, sighing when he saw how exhausted she looked. That this new setback had caused her a great deal of stress was obvious. Reaching out, he covered her hand with his, wanting to offer her whatever comfort he could.
‘I’m afraid I can’t tell you that.’ Alistair Simpson grimaced. ‘If it does turn out that Megan has contracted an infection then we need to make sure it’s cleared up before she can return home. In her weakened state even the most innocuous childhood illness can have a devastating effect.’
‘Of course.’
Lowri dredged up a smile but Vincenzo could tell how upset she was. The fact that Megan had needed to be readmitted to hospital so soon after she had been allowed home must be extremely worrying for her. He frowned as an idea suddenly occurred to him.
‘There would be less chance of Megan contracting an infection again if she didn’t come into contact with any other children,’ he suggested.
‘Of course,’ Alistair agreed. ‘The more contact she has with other children, the greater the risk of her catching something. Normally, her immune system would help her fight off most illnesses but the drugs she’s received have weakened her body�
��s defences. That’s why we advise parents to keep their children away from anyone who’s got a cough or a cold or something similar.’
‘She will improve, though,’ Vincenzo clarified, more for Lowri’s benefit than his own. He understood the situation perfectly and agreed wholeheartedly with Alistair’s decision to keep Megan in hospital. He would have done the same thing himself, in fact, but he simply couldn’t bear to see Lowri looking so despondent.
‘Oh, yes. Her immune system will improve but it’ll take some time,’ Alistair warned. ‘That’s why it’s essential that you take all possible precautions in the meantime.’
‘Of course.’ Vincenzo realised they had come to the end of the consultation. He stood up and held out his hand. ‘Thank you, Dr Simpson. I appreciate the fact that you came in after hours to see Megan.’
‘All part of the job,’ Alistair said lightly as they shook hands. He escorted them out of the office then left, no doubt eager to return home to his bed.
Vincenzo sighed as he watched him striding along the corridor. Lowri desperately needed to get some sleep as well but he knew it was pointless suggesting that she go home. All he could do was to try to help any way he could, starting with a plan to avoid anything like this happening again. Megan needed to be in a germ-free environment and that was something he could arrange.
He followed Lowri into the side room where Megan was sleeping, wondering how to convince her that the best place for Megan right now was the villa. There would be far less chance of the child contracting another infection there. Leaving her with her sister while Lowri went to work was merely risking her health unnecessarily, in his view, and he was determined that he was going to make Lowri see sense. Megan’s weakened immune system would have a chance to recover at the villa and she would be in a much stronger position when the stem-cell transplant took place.
His heart lurched. Before they could even start to make plans for the transplant, they would have to create this baby.
Saving His Little Miracle (Mills & Boon Medical) Page 7
