She asked the attendant if she could see the necklace. When she placed it in Tierra’s hands, Amalía, Daníella, Talía and Sophia crowded around her.
“This is beautiful, Tierra.”
She smiled as she looked at Daníella. “I know. Do you think Antonio will like it?”
Amalía shook her head. “No, he will love it.”
Daníella, Talía and Sophia all nodded, giving Tierra the encouragement she needed to buy the necklace. The attendant put it in a nice case, and Tierra handed over her credit card without hesitation. With the purchase complete, she really was done shopping. She spent way more than she should have, but so far everything she spent on this trip was worth it.
* * * *
Antonio waited until his sister’s car disappeared out of sight before closing the door. He was glad his sister invited Tierra out to go shopping. It gave him an opportunity to shop for her in return. He wanted to give her a gift she would remember him by, whether she was with him or not. He dressed quickly, and a short while later he pulled up in front of an exclusive jewelry store his family frequented. The manager greeted him as he entered.
“Ciao, Antonio. It is good to see you. How are your parents?”
“Ciao, Ugo. It is good to see you as well. My parents are fine. Healthy and happy.”
Ugo nodded. “Buon. Buon. What brings you by today?”
He smiled as he glanced around the jewelry store. “I am looking for a gift. A special gift.”
The older Italian man smiled. “How special is she?”
He chuckled at the older man’s knowing look. Ugo was used to him making small purchases here and there to appease the women Antonio dated, but none of the purchases were as important as this one.
“If all goes well, I hope to change her mind about not staying involved with me after her vacation in Rome is over.”
Ugo’s smile widened. “What sort of gift do you have in mind?”
Antonio knew exactly what he wanted for Tierra. “I want a necklace and earrings, something that is especially nice.”
Ugo nodded. “Excellent. Let me show you what we have.”
He followed Ugo over to the display and glanced inside. Several nice items of jewelry lay within the display, but nothing that interested him, so he moved on to the next one.
He ended up going through a few more, feeling disappointed he wasn’t finding anything he thought would be right for Tierra, special enough for her.
“Do you see anything you like?”
Antonio shook his head as he straightened. “No, not yet.”
Ugo only smiled. “I have one more display for you to look at.”
He walked over to the last display Ugo referred to, and the corners of his mouth curved upward. It looked as if he found what he was looking for. In the display case sat a pair of white gold princess cut diamond earrings. His smile widened when he realized it went well with the matching pendant necklace.
He looked at Ugo and smiled. “I will take these earrings and the necklace, as well.”
Ugo pulled the jewelry out of the case and wrapped the items up while Antonio prepared to pay for them.
“You have made a good choice, Antonio. Your woman is indeed very special.”
Antonio nodded as he paid. Tierra was special, very special, and in more ways than she knew. He planned to show her just how much so before she left to go back to the States.
“Grazie, Ugo. Now I needed to speak with you about having something custom made.”
Ugo nodded handing him the bag containing the jewelry. “Come with me to my office and we can discuss it.”
Antonio followed Ugo to the back office, knowing the step he took would change his life in a way there might be no going back from. He looked down at the package in his hand and knew he made the right decision.
An hour later, he finally walked into the hotel. The interesting thing was he hadn’t missed it as much as he thought he would. Yes, he’d checked his voicemails regularly to make sure nothing important was pending, but other than that, the hotel had been the last thing on his mind. Antonio understood what his father meant when he said one day he would realize there were more important things in life than the hotel. Spending time with Tierra helped provide clarity on the statement. He would definitely prefer to spend time with Tierra than give all of his undivided attention to the hotel. He went straight to his office, running into Leonardo along the way.
“What are you doing here?” his younger brother asked, his expression and voice full of surprise.
Antonio smiled, knowing he wasn’t expected to be at the hotel, at least not working. “I am keeping busy while Tierra is out shopping with the women.”
Leonardo chuckled. “They are still in Rome, aren’t they? Better yet, did you give them a time frame when they should return and limit how much they can spend?”
He just stared at Leonardo and shook his head. They both knew the instructions wouldn’t have been followed regardless. Amalía could shop just as frantically as she worked.
Honestly, Tierra seemed to be excited by the invite, and he wasn’t going to be responsible for ruining her happiness. It seemed her ex-fiancé provided her with enough of that to last a lifetime. No, his intention was to spoil Tierra for as long as she let him. He turned his attention back to Leonardo.
“I have a favor to ask of you.”
Leonardo smiled. “Anything.”
He pulled out the purchase he made for Tierra. Leonardo peaked into the bag and whistled at the contents of the jewelry box.
“Remind me to come to you if I ever buy jewelry for a woman.”
Antonio smiled at him. “Grazie. I’m glad to know you think I have good taste for a change.”
Leonardo nodded, taking another glance at the matching set, then closed the lid on the box.
“What do you need me to do?”
“The first thing I need is for you to find out if Tierra will have any trouble getting this back into the States. I already have Ugo drawing up the necessary paperwork stating I made the purchase as a gift. If she would have to pay any additional fees, let me know, and I will take care of them.”
Leonardo nodded as he listened to Antonio’s instructions. “I will do that. Is there anything else?”
Antonio paused before nodding. “Check into reimbursing Tierra her cost expenditures for her stay here. I will pay for them instead.”
Leonard nodded again. “I will have Macéo reverse the charges back to her card. Anything else?”
Antonio smiled. “No. Grazie il piccolo fratello.”
Leonardo returned his smile. “Anytime. I just hope I am this lucky if I ever meet a woman I grow to care this much about.”
Antonio stared at his brother for a long time before chuckling. He couldn’t deny he was falling for Tierra. He laid a hand on his brother’s shoulder.
“I hope so, too, little brother. I hope so.”
Chapter 13
Tierra smiled as she woke up to the smell of freshly brewed coffee, a smell she’d definitely grown accustomed to. She knew when she returned to Boulder City she would always associate the smell of coffee with what she experienced with Antonio. He stirred beside her, as if he could hear her thoughts, sense she was awake.
“Buongiorno, cara,” he murmed huskily.
“Buongiorno, Antonio.”
It seemed no matter how late they stayed up the night before, her eyes would open as soon as she smelled the coffee.
“Are you ready for coffee?”
She rolled over to look at him. “As if you really have to ask.”
He smiled before placing a brief kiss on her lips, then climbed out of bed. They made their way downstairs and suddenly she realized this would be the last full day she would spend in his home. She already talked him into staying one extra day. He’d been happy to oblige, but it dawned on her that she only had two days left with this man. Still, time felt like it was passing too quickly. She was glad she’d given in to his request to spend one more
night with him, a request she couldn’t resist, because as comfortable as the hotel bed felt, his bed was spectacular.
Antonio pressed a cup of coffee into her hands. She smiled at him as she took a sip.
“So we are going back to Vatican City today?”
He nodded. “Sí.”
Yesterday, he took her to Vatican City. She’d been so enamored he decided to make it a two-day trip so she could see everything she wanted to. After today, the plan was to get up in the morning and go back to the hotel. The two of them would spend the day together before going over to his family’s house for dinner one last time. Then Antonio would drive her to the airport to see her off. It saddened her to think about it.
She tried to clear her mind so she could focus on the sexy man who stood in front of her and the little time she had left with him. Fortunately, he was inclined to help her.
“What do you want for breakfast?”
She shrugged her shoulders. “Eggs, toast, and bacon, or ham is fine.”
He nodded, pulling out the items she requested. She took another sip of her coffee, then she began helping him. They carried everything upstairs to enjoy it on the balcony like they normally did. When Antonio opened the door to the balcony, she realized this was another thing she would miss. They ate breakfast in silence. She stared at Antonio the entire time.
“I hate this,” she finally whispered.
Antonio leaned back in his chair and sipped his coffee, staring at her over the rim of his cup.
“You hate what?”
She sighed heavily, shaking her head. The words were there, she just didn’t know how to express them without sounding like a complete idiot. Antonio just looked at her for a long moment.
“Everything will work itself out, cara.”
She looked at him, trying to hold on to that thought as they cleaned and cleared away the dishes from breakfast. A short time later, he drove them toward Vatican City. She marveled at Saint Peter’s Cathedral until her stomach demanded she eat. He drove them back home, and they prepared a late lunch together. She studied him as they ate, realizing she could no longer believe things were going to work themselves out. It had been the problem in her relationship with Quincy. She’d let him get away with so many small things, thinking they would work themselves out.
In the end, they hadn’t. Instead, things had only gotten worse. She didn’t want that to happen with her and Antonio. He was a good man—a much better man than Quincy could ever think of being. Yet, she knew something had to be done about the way she and Antonio both felt but seemed afraid to discuss. Taking a deep breath, she set down her fork, her appetite waning and not because she was full. She’d only eaten a few bites of food, but she didn’t want any more.
“Antonio.”
He looked up at her. “Yes, cara?”
“What would you say if I told you I think I may be falling in love with you?”
The expression making its way across his face made her heart swell.
“Probably what you would think if I tell you I feel the same.”
Her breath caught in her throat. She suspected as much, but to hear him say the words aloud made her pulse soar.
“Do you feel that way?” she asked breathlessly.
One corner of his mouth curved upward. “I have felt something for you since we first kissed.”
She smiled. For her it started the first time they’d been intimate in her hotel room, maybe a little before then. Knowing that he came looking for her after their kiss meant something to her. It always would. She closed her eyes and sighed heavily.
“Well, this is a heck of predicament we have gotten ourselves into.”
Antonio nodded slowly.
She opened her eyes, looking over at him. “What do you suppose we do?”
He answered the question smartly. “What would like to do, Tierra?”
Indecisiveness swept through her, and she immediately tried to quell it before it showed, but his expression told her he saw it. She also knew her next words were going to be met with strong opposition.
“I would like for you to give me time…and space.”
Before he could open his mouth to protest, she cut him off. “Somewhere along the last three years, I lost myself. I was so caught up in a life of pleasing a man that I forgot about taking care of myself.” She gave him a wary look. “We both know he cared nothing for me, and now I’m in a situation where I am hardly left with anything.”
One corner of her mouth curled upward. “Thanks to you, I have started to find myself again.” Her smile slipped a little. “The thing is…I need some time. A little time and space to figure out a few things.” She reached across the table and touched his hand. “I hope you can understand.”
He stared at her a long time before he spoke. “I can, but just know, cara, I won’t cut off contact with you. I want to be able to speak with you and see you when time permits.”
He wasn’t asking for much, so she didn’t see a reason why she shouldn’t agree to his request. She was addicted to him. No one could quit an addiction cold turkey. Or at least she couldn’t.
“I would like that.”
He turned his hand over, enclosing hers within his own. “I know you feel you need to do this so you can find yourself, as you put it, but I think you already have.”
She smiled. “Or I would say I have gotten off to a good start.”
Antonio sat back, his expression unreadable. “Just so you know, I’m not thrilled with this at all, but I respect your choice. I also know you have a good reason for making it.”
Tierra dropped her gaze for a moment. How had she gotten lucky enough to run into this man that night in the bar? It felt as if they were meant to be together, but she needed to be sure. Up until her wedding day, she’d been sure of everything she had with Quincy, and look how that turned out. She felt very unsure of what direction she and Antonio could head in. She tried to taper down her fear, fear that she was going to end up hurting him, or worse yet, he would end up hurting her.
“Are you finished eating?”
She looked down at her plate before shrugging. “I guess so. My appetite disappeared suddenly.”
He wiggled his eyebrows. “Even for dessert?”
She rolled her eyes, shaking her head at his playfulness. “I was thinking more along the lines of a movie.” She smiled as she standing up. “I am going to give my parents a call as well.”
He nodded. “Take your time.”
She made the call to her parents. They spoke briefly about her flight back to Boulder City. Their conversation was brief because her parents were on their way out. She felt slightly guilty about not telling them about Antonio, but they would know soon enough. When she returned home, she would tell them. It was going to be a long, interesting conversation, but her parents were good listeners. They also always had good advice. She had a feeling they would have plenty of it for her when they found out about Antonio.
After a moment, she stood up and went to find Antonio. He had a phone to his ear while he spoke in rapid Italian. She loved to hear him speak his native language. She stood there for a moment and listened just to his voice and his accent. He was speaking entirely too quickly for her to understand. A moment later, she cleared her throat, and he glanced at her and smiled.
“It is for you.”
He put the phone to her ear before she could ask who it was. She relaxed when Mona’s voice traveled over the line.
“Ciao, Tierra.”
“Ciao, Mona.”
“I asked Antonio what he thought you might like for dinner tomorrow night, but he wasn’t certain.”
Tierra could only think of one thing she wanted and hadn’t had so far. “I hope this isn’t a difficult request, but I would love to have lasagna.”
She could hear Mona’s smile when she spoke. “That isn’t a hard request at all, Tierra. It would be my pleasure to make it for you. Would you like anything else?”
She started to tell her no wh
en she stared at Antonio, who studied her with amusement. One corner of her mouth tilted upward slowly as she formulated a plan. Antonio’s eyebrow rose at the expression. The look she gave him was one reserved only for him.
“Yes there is, Mona. If it isn’t too much trouble, could you make a panna cotta?”
Just as she imagined they would, Antonio’s eyes darkened. Their memories of the dessert were—and always would be—fond ones.
She would probably never have the dessert again once she was back at home. Even if she didn’t, she would always have the memories of it. She was only half cognizant of Mona’s response.
“We look forward to seeing you tomorrow night, Tierra.”
She smiled, knowing she would miss Mona. “I look forward to tomorrow night as well.”
She handed the phone back to Antonio, who took it without taking his eyes off of her. The intensity of his gaze made her shiver. She stared at him for another moment before turning to go into the living room. If she stayed in his presence too much longer, there was no telling what trouble they could get into. Walking toward his movie collection, she sighed heavily. Why had she suggested a movie? Antonio had a fascination with scary movies, and unfortunately they were the kind that would keep her awake at night. Some of the movies made her hide behind him as much as she could in fear. Closing her eyes, she reached out for a movie blindly, not wanting to see her choice until she had to. Her hand touched a DVD case, and she pulled it out. Opening her eyes, she grimaced when she saw what she selected.
The sound of Antonio’s laughter reached her ears, and she turned to give him a look of irritation. He stood in the doorway, watching her with amusement.
“What did you choose?”
She sighed with resignation. “The Boogeyman.”
He came toward her. “It is bad.”
She rolled her eyes. “It is always bad when they take anything you fear in real life and put it into movie form.”
Propositioning the Rich Italian Page 12
