by Nora Roberts
“Carlo, I want to.” She shook her head and went into his arms. “I want to. I can start over, learn Italian. There must be a publisher in Rome who could use an American.”
Drawing her back by the shoulders, he stared at her. “What are you talking about, starting over? You’re starting your own firm. You told me.”
“It doesn’t matter. I can—”
“No.” He took her more firmly. “It matters a great deal, to both of us. So you’ll have your own firm one day in New York. Who knows better than I how successful you’ll be? I can have a wife to brag about as much as I brag about myself.”
“But you have your restaurant here.”
“Yes. I think perhaps you’d consider having a branch of your public relations company in Rome. Learning Italian is an excellent decision. I’ll teach you myself. Who better?”
“I don’t understand you. How can we share our lives if I’m in New York and you’re in Rome?”
He kissed her because it had been much too long. He drew her closer because she was willing to give something he’d never have asked. “I never told you my plans that night. I’ve been considering opening another restaurant. Franconi’s in Rome is, of course, the best. Incomparable.”
She found his mouth again, dismissing any plans but that. “Of course.”
“So, a Franconi’s in New York would be twice the best.”
“In New York?” She tilted her head back just enough to see him. “You’re thinking of opening a restaurant in New York?”
“My lawyers are already looking for the right property. You see, Juliet, you wouldn’t have escaped me for long.”
“You were coming back.”
“Once I could be certain I wouldn’t murder you. We have our roots in two countries. We have our business in two countries. We’ll have our lives in two countries.”
Things were so simple. She’d forgotten his unending generosity. Now she remembered everything they’d already shared, thought of everything they’d yet to share. She blinked at tears. “I should’ve trusted you.”
“And yourself, Juliet.” He framed her face until his fingers slid into her hair. “Dio, how I’ve missed you. I want my ring on your finger, and yours on mine.”
“How long does it take to get a license in Rome?”
Grinning, he whirled her in his arms. “I have connections. By the end of the week you’ll be—what is it?—stuck with me.”
“And you with me. Take me to bed, Carlo.” She pressed against him, knowing she had to get still closer. “I want you to show me again what the rest of our lives will be like.”
“I’ve thought of you, here, with me.” He pressed his lips against her temple as he remembered the words she’d hurled at him on that last night. “Juliet.” Troubled, he drew away, touching only her hands. “You know what I am, how I’ve lived. I can’t take it back, nor would I if I could. There’ve been other women in my bed.”
“Carlo.” Her fingers tightened on his. “Perhaps I said foolish things once, but I’m not a fool. I don’t want to be the first woman in your bed. I want to be the last. The only.”
“Juliet, mi amore, from this moment there is only you.”
She pressed his hand to her cheek. “Can you hear it?”
“What?”
“The carousel.” Smiling, she held out her arms. “It’s never stopped.”
Don’t miss these other favorite series by Nora Roberts available now wherever ebooks are sold!
Stars of Mithra
Hidden Star
Captive Star
Secret Star
The MacKade Brothers
The Return of Rafe MacKade
The Pride of Jared MacKade
The Heart of Devin MacKade
The Fall of Shane MacKade
The Stanislaskis
Taming Natasha
Luring a Lady
Falling for Rachel
Convincing Alex
Waiting for Nick
Considering Kate
Also Available
A Will and a Way
Lessons Learned
One Summer
Second Nature
Summer Desserts
Unfinished Business
ISBN: 978-1-4592-7339-9
Lessons Learned
Copyright © 1986 by Nora Roberts
All rights reserved. Except for use in any review, the reproduction or utilization of this work in whole or in part in any form by any electronic, mechanical or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including xerography, photocopying and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system, is forbidden without the written permission of the publisher, Harlequin Enterprises Limited, 225 Duncan Mill Road, Don Mills, Ontario, Canada M3B 3K9.
All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. By payment of the required fees, you have been granted the non-exclusive, non-transferable right to access and read the text of this e-book on-screen. No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted, down-loaded, decompiled, reverse engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of publisher.
All characters in this book have no existence outside the imagination of the author and have no relation whatsoever to anyone bearing the same name or names. They are not even distantly inspired by any individual known or unknown to the author, and all incidents are pure invention.
This edition published by arrangement with Harlequin Books S.A.
® and ™ are trademarks of the publisher. Trademarks indicated with ® are registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office, the Canadian Trade Marks Office and in other countries.
www.Harlequin.com
