‘It doesn’t matter. Let him come and sit here next to me.’ Tito was clearly captivated by his grandson. ‘Do you know who I am?’ he asked the little boy. ‘I am your nonno.’
‘Nonno,’ Nico repeated, and grinned at his grandfather.
Tito looked over at the pretty dark-haired little girl sitting beside Salvatore. ‘It is good to hear a child talk. You should do more to help Rosa, Salvatore. She may be unable to hear, but she should learn to speak.’
‘I am looking for a speech therapist to work on her language skills,’ Salvatore replied curtly. His dark eyes showed no expression when he glanced at his daughter and Kristen felt a tug of compassion for the little girl who was growing up without her mother and clearly needed more support from her father.
For the rest of the lunch she concentrated on reminding Nico of his table manners, and when he had had enough to eat she took him to play in the garden and offered to take Rosa too. Nico seemed completely unconcerned that Rosa did not speak, and within a short time the two children had worked out a way of communicating with each other.
Kristen did not have an opportunity to talk to Sergio privately until they were in the car driving back to Casa Camelia. ‘Why didn’t you explain to your father that we are not in a relationship?’ she demanded. ‘He seems to have the crazy idea that we are going to get married. Why on earth didn’t you deny it?’
Sergio parked outside the villa and immediately jumped out and went to help Nico out of the car. ‘We’ll discuss it later,’ he said coolly. ‘I’m going to take Nico swimming this afternoon.’
‘That’s not a good idea so soon after he was ill,’ Kristen said immediately. ‘I think he should take things easy for the rest of today.’
‘I’d like to see you persuade him to slow down,’ he murmured drily as they both watched Nico running up and down the driveway, pretending to be an aeroplane. Sergio gave her an intent look. ‘You’re going to have to get used to sharing him with me because I’m not going to walk out of his life, however much you might wish me to,’ he added perceptively.
‘Can you give me your word on that, Sergio? I’m scared you’ll let him down.’ Kristen admitted her greatest fear. ‘Fatherhood is a big commitment, and you need to decide whether you want to be part of Nico’s life for the long haul, or not at all.’ She could not bear for Nico to grow close to Sergio and then be rejected by him, like she had been rejected by her stepfather.
He had hurt Kristen badly four years ago, Sergio recognised. He had not found it easy to share his feelings, let alone examine what those feelings were. But the situation was different now. They had a child together and, for Nico’s sake, Sergio realised that he had to face the demons in his past so that he could build a future with his son and perhaps with Kristen too.
‘You don’t need to doubt my commitment to him,’ he said quietly. ‘I will be a devoted father to Nico.’ He hesitated. ‘I promise I will do nothing to make you regret that we met again, Kristen.’
Sergio’s serious tone touched a chord inside Kristen and she blinked to dispel the tears that filled her eyes. ‘I hope you’re right,’ she said gruffly. But as she followed him into the villa she wondered how they were going to resolve the issue of sharing custody of Nico when they lived in different countries—and different worlds—she thought with a rueful glance around the luxurious villa. Sergio had said that Casa Camelia was Nico’s home, but it wasn’t hers. She would only ever be a visitor here, her presence tolerated by Sergio because she was the mother of his son. The prospect seemed unbearable and she avoided his gaze, desperate to hide the fact that she was falling apart.
‘Are you going to come swimming with us?’ Sergio asked Kristen as he swung Nico into his arms and the little boy laughed delightedly. ‘I’ll take him to get changed and meet you by the pool in five minutes.’
‘Actually, I won’t come. I’ve got a headache and sitting out in the sun probably won’t help it.’ The excuse was not completely untrue. Kristen had a slight headache, but what hurt more was Nico’s utter fascination with Sergio and the fact that he didn’t seem to need her any more.
Sergio gave her a searching look. ‘Well, if you change your mind you know where to find us. I’m sure Nico will want you to watch his first swimming lesson. I appreciate that you are finding it hard to share him with me,’ he said heavily. ‘But you have memories of him from the moment he was born, while I was deprived of being part of his life and I have to build my relationship with him starting from now. I don’t want us to fight over him. For his sake we must find a way to put the past behind us and move forward.’
He was right, of course, and his words left Kristen feeling ashamed. She reminded herself that she had only kept Nico a secret because she had believed that Sergio was married, but the real truth was she had been devastated that he had not chased after her when she had left him four years ago.
Had she kept his son from him to hurt him as he had hurt her? The thought made her feel uncomfortable but she forced herself to be honest. Had she denied him his child because he hadn’t loved her? He had every right to be angry, she acknowledged. But in fact Sergio had shown remarkable restraint and, rather than playing the blame game, he was more concerned with working out how they could both be parents to Nico.
She could not blame Sergio if he thought she was behaving like a spoilt child, Kristen decided fifteen minutes later as she walked across the patio on her way to the pool. Nico’s high-pitched voice and Sergio’s deeper tones drifted over the screen of tall shrubs that gave the pool area privacy from the rest of the garden. The sweet scent of jasmine and honeysuckle hung thick in the air and the sun warmed Kristen’s skin so that the prospect of a swim was inviting.
‘Mummy...’ Nico was sitting on the steps at the shallow end of the pool and when he saw Kristen he jumped up and hurtled towards her, a wide smile on his face. ‘I want you to come swimming with me and Papà, Mummy.’
Kristen caught his wriggling, damp body close and laughed a little unsteadily as she felt a familiar ache of love for her little boy. ‘Okay, I will. Have you been having fun with Papà?’ When Nico nodded fervently, she smiled and looked over at Sergio. ‘Good,’ she said softly, ‘I’m glad.’
His answering smile lifted her heart. She felt her pulse race at the sight of him wearing a pair of black swim shorts. Droplets of water glistened on his broad, tanned shoulders and as she watched he ducked beneath the surface of the pool and came up again, pushing his wet hair back from his brow.
‘Is the water cold?’
‘Not cold enough, unfortunately,’ he drawled. His dark eyes glinted. ‘Not when you look so gorgeous and incredibly tempting in that bikini.’
Kristen blushed and glanced down at the bikini which she had found with the other clothes he had bought for her. It consisted of two tiny pieces of jade-green Lycra and was far more daring than anything she would have chosen.
‘You chose it,’ she reminded him.
‘And now I’m going to have to swim at least forty lengths to try and get rid of my frustration,’ he said ruefully. ‘Why don’t you stay with Nico and let him show you how well he can swim with armbands?’
It was all about compromise, Kristen mused as she played in the shallow end with Nico while Sergio thrashed up and down the pool. She appreciated that he had given her time to be alone with Nico to prove that he didn’t want to monopolize the little boy’s attention. For the first time since she had arrived in Sicily, determined to snatch back her son, a sense of calm settled over her and she was even able to fool herself that everything would be all right.
* * *
The fragile feeling of hope lasted for the rest of the afternoon. Nico clearly loved having the attention of both his parents and Kristen discovered that sharing responsibility with another adult gave her a chance to relax and enjoy herself. Eventually Sergio carried their tired son back to the hou
se and, after he’d had his tea and a bath, Nico was ready for bed.
Luisa, Rosa’s nanny, arrived just as Kristen had finished reading him a story. ‘Salvatore offered to put Rosa to bed tonight, and suggested that I should come and see if you need any help with Nico,’ she explained, speaking in fluent English. ‘It is good that he is feeling better today and was able to meet his grandfather.’
‘Yes, Tito seemed much taken with him,’ Kristen said, remembering how Sergio’s father had not taken his eyes off Nico during lunch.
‘Of course! Signor Castellano is delighted. For many years he has hoped that Sergio would provide an heir who will one day inherit the company with Salvatore’s daughter.’ Luisa shrugged. ‘My cousin works as Tito’s cook, and she heard rumours among the household staff that Tito had delayed giving Sergio the permanent role of joint CEO of the Castellano Group with his twin brother, and chose instead to name only Salvatore as his successor. But that is to change now that Sergio has a son. Tito has instructed the company’s lawyers to upgrade Sergio’s status to CEO, the same as Salvatore, and I understand that Tito is impatient for the two of you to marry so that Nico becomes a legitimate heir.’
Luisa smiled, unaware that Kristen’s lack of response was because she was too shocked to speak. Her mind was reeling, but everything Luisa had told her made horrible sense. ‘I was going to offer to sit with Nico,’ the nanny said, ‘but he has already fallen asleep.’
‘It’s not necessary for you to stay, thank you.’ Somehow Kristen managed to keep a lid on her anger until the nanny had gone, but as she marched next door into Sergio’s room her temper reached boiling point.
‘Did Nico settle okay?’ He strolled over to meet her, looking unfairly sexy in tailored black trousers and a white silk shirt that contrasted with his bronzed complexion. With his silky hair falling forward onto his brow and his mouth curved into a sensual smile, he looked every inch a billionaire playboy, and jealousy stabbed Kristen through her heart as she wondered how many women must have shared his bed.
‘I thought we would have dinner on the terrace...like we used to do,’ he said softly. ‘But I’m feeling a little over-dressed.’
His eyes glinted with amusement and something else that made Kristen catch her breath as his gaze roamed over her bikini-clad body. Despite the fact that she had slipped on a chiffon shirt which matched the bikini, she felt at a disadvantage when he was fully dressed, especially when a quick glance downwards revealed that her nipples were clearly visible, jutting beneath the clingy Lycra bra top.
She pulled the edges of the gauzy shirt together in an attempt to hide her treacherous body from him. ‘Why have you not told your father the truth about us? He is still under the illusion that we intend to marry. But I suppose it suits you not to clarify the misunderstanding,’ she ploughed on without giving him the opportunity to speak, ‘just as it suited you to bring Nico here. I understand now why you were so determined to bring him to Sicily.’
‘Do you?’ Sergio’s face was enigmatic but his voice was cool as he drawled, ‘Why don’t you enlighten me?’
‘Luisa told me that your father refused to name you as his successor jointly with Salvatore until you produced an heir. How convenient for you that you discovered your son, especially when Tito’s health is failing. Luisa said she has heard that Tito is now preparing to upgrade you to CEO of the Castellano Group, the same as your brother.’ She gave a bitter laugh. ‘And to think you convinced me that you wanted to be a proper father to Nico. I should have remembered that you usually avoid commitment like the plague. Thank goodness he hasn’t had time to form a close bond with you. I’m going to take him back to England before you have a chance to hurt him.’
She swung away from Sergio but, before she could take a step, he gripped her shoulder and spun her back round to face him. ‘What nonsense is this?’ he grated. ‘I would never harm a hair on Nico’s head.’
‘No, but you could break his heart. He has really taken to you and doesn’t stop talking about his daddy. He won’t understand that he comes second in your life, and that the company is the only thing you care about. You brought Nico to Sicily because your father wouldn’t name you as his successor until you produced an heir.’
‘And you know this because Luisa told you? You believe the word of a member of staff who does not even work at my father’s house, and who is well known for her habit of spreading gossip, which in this case is completely unfounded.’
Sergio had not raised his voice, but somehow his quiet tone was infinitely more dangerous. His jaw was rigid with tension and Kristen realised he was furious.
She bit her lip as it belatedly occurred to her that she might have been too ready to jump to conclusions. ‘Do you deny it?’
‘Of course I damn well deny it. My father stipulated years ago that when he dies, or when bad health prevents him from carrying out his role as head of the company, Salvatore and I will take over from him and we will have equal responsibility. It is true that Tito made some minor alterations to his will recently, and perhaps that is where the rumours have arisen from. But it is not true that my position within the company is dependent on me having an heir.’
His dark eyes glimmered with anger as he stared at Kristen’s startled face. ‘I brought Nico to Sicily because I want the chance to get to know my son. I know what it’s like to grow up without a father. It might suit you to deny it, but Nico will benefit from having a male role model. He needs his father, and I...’ he swallowed convulsively ‘...I love him already,’ he said roughly. ‘I will never let him down the way you seem to think I will.’
Shaken by the fervency of Sergio’s words, Kristen found that she believed him and felt guilty for accusing him without first checking the facts. ‘I’m sorry,’ she said huskily. ‘I just wanted to protect Nico. I was stunned when your father mentioned a wedding. But I suppose it’s understandable that he assumes we are going to get married.’
‘He didn’t make an assumption. I told him that I intend to marry you.’
Shock caused her heart to jolt painfully against her ribs. ‘What...why? Why on earth did you do that?’
Sergio’s brows lifted in an arrogant expression that made Kristen itch to slap him.
‘Do you have a better idea for how we can both be parents to our son and spare him the uncertainty of a custody battle?’
‘I can think of a dozen ideas that do not involve marriage between two people who don’t...’
‘Don’t what, mia bella?’ Sergio tightened his grip on her shoulder and pulled her towards him, crushing her slender frame against his hard body. ‘Don’t desire one another? Don’t hunger for one another night and day? Because if that were the case, I agree the marriage would be doomed to failure. But I dare you to deny the passion that ignites between us with one look, one touch...one kiss.’
His dark head swooped and he captured her mouth, forcing her lips apart with the bold thrust of his tongue and kissing her with fiery passion that lit a flame inside Kristen. Her body responded to its master, but some tiny part of her sanity still lingered, and when he pushed her shirt over her shoulders she tore her mouth from his.
‘What you are talking about is just sex. It’s not the basis of a marriage...Sergio...put me down!’ She beat her hands on his chest as he lifted her as easily as though she were a rag doll and dropped her onto the bed.
‘It’s a start,’ he said, and the quiet intensity of his voice sent a tremor through her. ‘Desire seems a very good reason why I should make you my wife.’
CHAPTER TEN
SERGIO’S PROPOSAL WAS four years too late, Kristen thought bitterly. Not that he had actually proposed. He had told his father he intended to marry her, and as a secondary thought he had casually let her know what he planned. Her anger brimmed over. Four years ago she would have leapt at the chance to be his wife, but his arrogant assumption that she
was still the silly, love-struck girl she had been then fuelled her resentment and hurt. Because the real reason, the only reason, he had decided to marry her was for Nico’s sake. And, much as Kristen adored her son, she would not endure a loveless marriage that would be all the worse because in her heart she acknowledged that she had never stopped loving Sergio.
What kind of a fool did that make her? She hated herself for loving him. Hated the way her body was so utterly enslaved by him that one kiss was all it took to make her melt in his arms. She realised with a flash of insight that he was always in control because she allowed him to be. Four years ago she had been too young and awed by him to make her own demands and fight for what she wanted in their relationship. But no more. She was a strong and independent woman now; she’d had to be as a single mother trying to hold down a career and bring up a child. She had no intention of marrying Sergio simply because he would find it convenient. But at the same time she could not deny her desire for him. Her breasts felt heavy and she could feel the warm flood of her arousal between her legs. She wanted to make love with him, but on her terms, not his.
He knelt over her, his dark eyes raging with a primitive hunger to possess his woman.
‘I desired you from the first time I watched you dancing on the sand. You felt the attraction between us that day too, and it has never faded. You want me as much as I want you,’ he said harshly, and with one swift movement he unfastened her bikini top and tugged it away from her breasts.
Kristen’s anger exploded. She pushed against his chest, taking him by surprise so that he was momentarily unbalanced, giving her the chance to roll away from him. With the grace and surprising strength gained from years of gymnastics training, she pushed him onto his back and straddled his hips.
‘I’m sick of being manipulated by you,’ she said fiercely. ‘You always want everything to be your way. You snatched Nico and forced me to leave my job and life in London and come to Sicily. But you won’t force me to marry you.’
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