Chapter 17

ROBIN

Robin sat in the garden the following day with her sketch pad, drawing. Luca had business in town and wouldn’t return till later; already she was missing him.

From the corner of her eye, she saw Grazia walking toward her, carrying two glasses. Shielding her eyes from the sun with her hand, she looked up as Grazia handed her a drink.

“I saw you out here, and since it is so hot, I thought you might like a cold drink, iced tea,” she said and sat down on a chair next to her.

Robin studied the glass, wondering if she should drink it. “Um, thank you.”

“It’s okay, I didn’t poison it,” Grazia said with some humor. “What are you doing?”

“Sketching,” Robin answered.

“May I have a look?” Grazia asked, holding out her hand.

Robin frowned. It was so unlike the other woman to be in the same area with her and not say something insulting.

“This is really quite good. You have a talent,” she said and handed it back to Robin.

“Why are you being nice to me?”

Grazia sighed, fanning herself with the small fan she brought out with her.

“Luca is going to marry you no matter what I say. I figure I might as well get used to it and try to make amends. After all, we’ll be living under the same roof together.”

“Okay, well, thanks for the iced tea.”

Filippo came out at that moment and saw the two women talking, something he never thought he’d see. “Hello, ladies, nice to see you both getting along.”

“Did you know Robin could draw? She’s very good,” Grazia said and pointed to the sketch pad on her lap. “Show him, dear.”

A little shocked at being called “dear” by the woman, she handed Filippo the drawing.

“This is very good.” He looked at Robin. “Do you do people?”

Robin nodded.

“Perhaps you would draw me?” He smiled warmly at her.

“If you want me to.”

“Of course he does, but it will have to be after the wedding. There are many details to finish in just a few days. Now if you’ll excuse me, I have things to attend to,” Grazia said, and rising, she left the two alone.

“That was so weird,” Robin commented.

“What’s that?” Filippo asked.

“Grazia, being nice to me when I know she hates my guts.”

Filippo laughed. “Surely you must know why.”

“No, I can’t imagine.”

He stole a glance at her legs and looked away as he wiped his mouth. “She knows Luca is going to marry you, so she wants to get on your good side so that you won’t have him toss her out.”

“I would never do that,” she cried out.

“I believe you wouldn’t. You have a kind heart. Say, how about we go for a swim seeing it’s such a beautiful day.”

“I don’t know.” She hesitated.

“You do have a bathing suit, don’t you?”

“Yes, Luca bought me several.” She thought about it for a moment and figured there would be no harm in it. “Okay, I’ll go change and be right back.”

Twenty minutes later, she joined Filippo in the pool wearing a one-piece bathing suit; the others were bikinis, and she thought they were too revealing.

When she grew tired of swimming, she sat on the edge of the pool and watched Filippo swim. He was an excellent swimmer, and when he, too, had had his fill, he sat next to Robin.

“Luca is a very lucky man. You are really beautiful.”

She blushed. She was not used to men saying these things to her. When he moved closer, she discreetly shifted further away from him. “Tell me about Luca.”

“What would you like to know?”

“Anything.” She shifted her eyes away from him.

“Okay, let’s see, well, as you know, he has a temper, especially if he doesn’t get what he wants. The meaner he becomes, the more women want him. Is he mean to you?” he asked, looking at her.

“No, he’s good to me, sweet.”

Filippo laughed. “Sweet? That doesn’t sound like Luca. You must have cast a spell on him.” His eyes roamed over her, and he smiled. “But I can understand why he treats you so. There is something special about you.”

Robin felt somewhat uncomfortable when he leaned over, his shoulder touching hers. “I should go change before Luca returns.”

“Yes, you should go get dressed,” Luca barked, and the two turned to look at him. They hadn’t heard him approaching.

“You’re home,” Robin said, smiling as she stood up.

Luca grabbed a towel and wrapped it around her. Stroking her cheek in a loving gesture, he gave her a warm smile.

“I couldn’t bear being away from you for another minute. Go put some clothes on. I need a private word with Filippo.”

LUCA

When she was gone, he turned to the other man. “Getting a little friendly with Robin, aren’t you?” His eyes narrowed when he looked at Filippo.

“You think I would hit on her right under your roof? No, Luca, I know better than to go after what belongs to you.”

“I’m glad to hear that, Filippo, and she is mine, remember that.” Giving him one last angry glare, Luca walked away, heading inside.

Seeing how cozy the two were, he became jealous, an emotion he’d never felt before. In no way did he blame Robin, nor was he mad at her. She, being naive, probably didn’t realize Filippo was flirting.

ROBIN

After taking a shower and changing, Robin went down to the family room and found Luca there alone, drinking.

“Luca, is anything wrong?” She noticed his jaw was twitching and his lips firmly pressed together.

“Were you with Filippo all day?” he asked, an icy tone in his voice.

“No, why do you ask?”

“I don’t like you spending so much time alone with him.”

Walking up and putting her arms around his neck, she smiled. “Are you jealous of Filippo?”

He yanked her arms away, turned, and poured himself another drink. “Do not play that game with me, Robin. I will not stand for it.”

Looking at her, he raised the glass to his lips. “In order to be jealous, one would have to have feelings for that person.” He swallowed his drink, watching her reaction.

Robin was hurt and confused, wondering why he was behaving this way. “You feel nothing for me?” she asked, tears welling up in her eyes.

She waited for an answer, and not getting one, she turned and fled the room. Reaching her room, she closed the door and flopped down on the bed, crying. She was crushed.

She sat up when she heard a knock on the door, and Luca walked in. “Get out. I don’t want to see you,” she snapped.

Ignoring her, he sat down next to her. “Robin, I want to explain.”

“Don’t bother. You’ve made it clear how you feel.”

“I was lying to you…but more to myself. I was jealous when I saw you and Filippo by the pool. You seemed to be enjoying his company. I didn’t like the way he was looking at you. He had lust in his eyes.”

“Oh, Luca, he was just being kind and keeping me company until you returned. Filippo knows I’m yours, and he has no interest in me.”

LUCA

Shaking his head, he reached over, pulling her close. His eyes roamed over her face, and he spoke softly. “You are so innocent when it comes to the opposite sex. You cannot see when a man desires you.”

“I want no one but you, Luca,” she said, her eyes locked onto his.

“My feelings for you grow stronger every day. I fear that if I fall for you, it will destroy me.”

His heart was hammering so hard that he found it hard to breathe. Never had he expressed his feelings to another person, much less a woman.

“How could falling for me destroy you?”

“Being in love makes you weak, vulnerable. You, my beauty, would have the power to break my heart, leaving me a shattered and broken man. No one would fear or respect me.”

“Love is not like that. It would make you stronger, a better person. Without love, Luca, you have nothing,” she said, touching his arm.

“What do you know about love, Robin?” he said angrily as he pushed her hand away and stood up.

“I know I love you and how it makes me feel,” she said, standing up. “When you are near, my heart skips a beat. And when you’re away, my heart aches from missing you.”

His eyes glazed over with tears when he looked into her eyes, which were filled with love and admiration for him. “You love me?” he repeated.

“I’m in love with you,” she said, her lips quivering. “I think you love me too, though you are too afraid to admit it.”

“I cannot say it, Robin, as I don’t know that’s what I’m feeling. Is it love or just infatuation?”

Putting her arms around his neck, she smiled at him. “It is love, but I can wait until you are ready to say the words.” She placed her lips softly on his till he began to respond.

ROBIN

She ended up against the wall as his mouth continued its attack on hers. She felt the pounding of his heart against the pounding of her own heart.

His arousal was clear when he pressed into her, breathing heavily, and his moans grew loud. “Love me, Luca,” she cried out when he released her and sucked on her neck.

He reached under her dress and felt inside her panties, which were damp. “You are so wet for me, my little bird. Makes it hard for me to stop, but I must,” he said as he removed his hand.

“Don’t stop. I don’t want you to,” she moaned, pouting when he shook his head.

“Two more days, and I will make you my wife in every sense of the word. Now, change your dampened panties, and we’ll join the others for dinner.”

Robin walked over to her dresser and took out a pair of pink silk panties while Luca leaned against the door, watching her.

She deliberately lifted her dress and slowly slid down the panties she wore and tossed them his way.

Catching them, he held them to his nose, watching her. He couldn’t stop from getting turned on when she slowly pulled them up, letting him get a glimpse of her.

Smiling, he shook his head and turned away; she was doing everything to entice him into breaking his vow to wait until their wedding night.

LUCA

Instead of leaving her panties in the room, he put them in his pocket. He wasn’t sure why he did that; it just felt like the thing to do.

Luca made no attempt to kiss her that night, fearing he wouldn’t stop.

The wedding was in two days, and Luca was busy clearing his appointments. The castle was humming with people setting up tables and arranging the menu.

The night before the wedding, he came to her room as she was coming out of the shower with only a towel wrapped around her.

“Luca, you shouldn’t be here.”

“Why not?”

“It’s a tradition that the groom doesn’t see the bride before the wedding, that includes the night before.”

“I’ve never believed in that silly tradition. I won’t stay long. I just wanted to give you something.” He handed her a black square box. “Open it,” he said.

Opening it, she stared at a pair of diamond earrings and a diamond necklace. It was the most beautiful thing she had ever seen. “Luca, it’s lovely, but you shouldn’t have.”

“It’s a wedding gift, and I hope you’ll wear them tomorrow.”

“I will, and thank you.”

Taking her in his arms, he kissed her tenderly. He didn’t dare kiss her passionately, not when they were this close to waiting for her special night.

“Night, I’ll see you at the altar,” he said, giving her a smile, and he left the room.