Latin Lovers: Hot-Blooded Sicilians: Valentino's Love-Child / The Sicilian Doctor's Proposal / Sicilian Millionaire, Bought Bride. Catherine Spencer

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      CHAPTER NINE

      VALENTINO slammed back the scotch whiskey. It was his favorite brand. An unopened bottle before tonight. There was a message there he did not have time to contemplate. Faith needed him.

      It was worse than he had expected. She was obviously suffering from uncommonly bad morning sickness. After all, it was no longer morning, but she was definitely sick.

      Maura had been lucky. She had only experienced the lightest amount. However Tino’s mother had regaled him with stories of her own debilitating morning sickness when he had become worried during Maura’s pregnancy. She’d said over and over again how relieved she was Maura’s pregnancy nausea was so light and confined itself to mornings.

      Faith’s did not.

      And that made Valentino feel guilty. After all, she was pregnant with his child. He did not want his carina americana to be sick.

      He would not allow it.

      There was only one thing to do.

      Faith could hear Tino’s voice, but couldn’t imagine who he was talking to. She hadn’t heard a phone ring.

      Was he muttering to himself? He did that sometimes when he worked at his state-of-the-art laptop when they were together. Only he didn’t have his computer and she had a hard time imagining him working instead of bringing her tea. Nor could she imagine him making a business call. He might not love her, but he was not heartless.

      He’d actually proven himself to be a more than adequate nurse the one time she’d caught a cold the previous winter. Her illness had brought out a soft side to her stoic, businessman lover. Not quite as concerned as the one now, but then she hadn’t been puking then, either.

      He’d gotten plenty upset over her stuffy nose, fever and headache.

      So, where the heck was he with her tea?

      She was on the verge of going after it herself when he walked into the small room, filling it with his presence. Why had he decided to come see her after they’d broken up? Even this brief visit was going to haunt her when she tried to sleep in her lonely bed at night.

      He placed a steaming mug and a small plate with crackers and mild cheese on it on the table beside her bed. Then he leaned down to adjust the pillows so she could sit up more fully.

      “I’m not an invalid, you know.” She winced at the crabby tone to her own voice. Ashamed, she laid her hand on his wrist as he reached for the tea again. “I’m sorry. Thank you for getting my tea.”

      “Do not worry about it. Moodiness is to be expected.” He spoke with all the patience of a man bent on humoring the woman in his life.

      Only she wasn’t in his life. Was she? Right now, it sure didn’t feel like they’d broken up.

      And she had been moody when she’d been sick before. And he’d been patient. She was sure he had been the ideal husband during Maura’s pregnancy. And even though he was only being so nice because he thought she was ill, she would take what she could get. “Thanks for being so understanding.”

      He settled onto the bed beside her, careful not to jostle and handed her the mug. “Drink.”

      “Bossy.”

      He shrugged.

      She took a sip. “It’s sweet.” Very.

      “The doctor said sugar might help with the nausea. He said the crackers and a nonpungent cheese might also help.”

      “What doctor?”

      “The one I called.”

      “Overkill, Tino.” But sweet. Even sweeter than the tea. She took another sip. The well-sugared beverage did seem to be helping with her upset stomach.

      “Not at all. When in doubt, go to an expert.”

      She shook her head. “You’re too funny sometimes.”

      “Right now I am not laughing.”

      No, he wasn’t. He looked genuinely worried and guilty. “It’s not your fault I got sick.”

      “I think it was.”

      “No. I … it’s been like this for the past few days.” That at least was pure truth, if not the entire truth. “Only a few days. It was better before?” “Naturally.”

      He examined her, as if he was trying to decide if he believed her or not. She ignored him and took a bite of cheese and cracker. Oh, that did hit the spot. Her empty stomach began to rumble for more sustenance.

      “You have not eaten?”

      “I wasn’t hungry.”

      “You must take care of yourself. You cannot skip meals.”

      He was right, even if he didn’t know how much. “I’ll do better in future.” “I will see that you do.”

      “Right, because we spend so much time together. I mean before we broke up.”

      “I do not consider us broken up.” “Don’t be arrogant.”

      “I cannot force you to stay with me, but surely circumstances dictate a certain level of leniency on your part?”

      The admission shocked her. She’d always gotten the impression that Tino thought he could make anything happen if he worked at it hard enough. She supposed his words indicated a necessary level of respect for her. But she did not get where he expected tolerance from her.

      If he knew she was pregnant, that would be one thing, but there was no way he could know. She didn’t show any physical signs and she hadn’t told anyone but her doctor. Even if by some weird stroke of coincidence, Tino and her doctor were friends, the older man was hardly likely to chat about his patients.

      No, there was no way Tino could know, but he was acting very strangely.

      “Uh, Tino, you’re being really odd tonight.”

      “You think so?” he asked.

      “Yes, but, uh … that’s okay. No need to explain.”

      “You think not?”

      “No, really. We all have our moments.”

      “Funny, I have never been accused of having mine before.”

      “You’re serious?” “Definitely.”

      “You need to get out more.”

      “Lately I have had little excuse for getting out.”

      “You mean you haven’t started shopping for that new wife yet?” The words came rolling off her tongue, a ball of bitterness landing between them.

      “I СКАЧАТЬ