Modern Romance October 2019 Books 1-4. Кейт Хьюит

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СКАЧАТЬ her, Aurora and Nico ate dinner. A gorgeous osso bucco in a wine and herb sauce. There was even bread! Well, there were rolls…

      And as they sat at his gleaming dining table, and dinner was served by staff from the hotel, Aurora’s stomach growled as wine was poured.

      Nico must have sensed her discomfort and dismissed the staff back to the hotel. ‘Grazie,’ he said.

      ‘But dessert…’ one of the waiters said.

      ‘We can manage.’

       Manage.

      That was what he would do, Aurora thought. Nico would manage this situation as best he could.

      ‘I’m sorry to have landed on you,’ Aurora said.

      ‘I’m glad you called.’

      ‘Please, Nico, don’t be polite.’

      ‘Okay,’ he said. ‘I won’t be polite. Are you wearing underwear?’

      She gave a shocked laugh, but then her smile faded as she felt his eyes on her.

      And then Nico was serious. ‘I am glad that you called.’

      ‘Truly?’

      ‘Yes. I just wish that it had been sooner.’

      ‘And what would you have done?’

      ‘I’d have done better than a summerhouse in winter.’

      ‘Please don’t…’ She was starting to cry. ‘I did my best, Nico. I got us into this…’ She looked at him. ‘You think I trapped you.’

      ‘Did I say that?’

      ‘Nico, I wasn’t on the Pill.’

      ‘And I didn’t use a condom.’

      ‘But you thought I was on the Pill.’

      ‘Aurora, I am arrogant, yes, but not arrogant enough to expect you to remain on contraception for me because of one night four years ago.’

       Oh.

      ‘If you had actually told me that day that you were ovulating I don’t think I’d have even heard. I was going to have you—’

      ‘Oh!’ She said it out loud this time.

      Actually, she was surprised he knew such a word—but then the witch in her head flew in and reminded her that Nico knew all about female anatomy.

      ‘We made love and we made a baby,’ Nico said.

      ‘Yes.’

      ‘I came back from Silibri early because it stunk without you,’ he told her. ‘Thank goodness I had that last morning with my father, but I flew home early. Marianna said you were at the house, for the balcony…’ He looked right at her. ‘I came in and I knew you were still there. I followed my desire up the stairs and we seduced each other—the way we do and the way we always have. We took each other beyond the edge and, no, I was not thinking of pills, or condoms, or anything other than getting inside you. So, no, you did not trap me.’

      ‘Thank you,’ she said.

      ‘And another thing,’ Nico said. ‘My intention is not to lay a finger on you until we have talked this out, however, please go on the Pill—because there will be times, like this current one, where I want you on the floor.’

      ‘I am on the Pill,’ Aurora said.

      Thank goodness, she thought, because she was squirming with how turned on she was.

      ‘Why?’

      ‘Because whatever our feelings are, or are not, we do always seem to end up in bed.’

      ‘We do,’ Nico agreed, and took a long drink of red wine. He held it for a moment in his mouth, then swallowed it down. ‘But not now, because we have a lot to sort out.’

      ‘I’m not ready to sort it all out.’

      Tears were filling her eyes again. She did not want his practical solutions, she wanted his adoration—his relief that she was back in his life. Aurora wanted his love.

      ‘Please, Nico, I’m not ready to thrash things out with you.’

      ‘Then eat.’

      She nodded.

      ‘But I mean it, Aurora. No sex till we’re sorted.’

      ‘Good!’

      She took a mouthful of her own wine and swallowed that lie.

      For the first time in her life Aurora left dirty plates at the table. She was simply too drained and exhausted as she searched out the nanny. Her room was miles away!

      ‘He’s a delight,’ the nanny said as Aurora took over bathing Gabe. ‘Why don’t I warm him a bottle?’

      ‘Thank you,’ Aurora said.

      It was nice to sit in a chair and feed him, with this kindly woman watching on. She had missed her mamma so much these last few months.

      ‘I hope you’re settled in okay?’ Aurora said.

      ‘And you.’ The nanny smiled. ‘And little Gabe. It’s our first night here for all of us.’

      ‘True.’ Aurora gave a tired laugh.

      ‘Your cheek…?’

      ‘It wasn’t Nico,’ Aurora said, in an effort to clear the air. ‘He would never, ever do something like that.’

      ‘I know,’ the nanny agreed. ‘Or I would not have taken the job.’

      ‘I worked for someone who did, though,’ Aurora said.

      Oh, heavens, she was like a leaky tap all of a sudden, but it dawned on her how much tension she had lived with these past months. All the energy spent watching the gathering storms.

      Poor Louanna, Aurora thought. And Antonio and little Nadia.

      She looked down at Gabe, whose eyes were heavy and sleepy. He gave her a soft smile, at the very edge of his lips and looked at her with his trusting eyes.

      Poor Nico.

      It hit her then, fully, just how appalling it must be to be beaten by someone you love—someone you should be able to trust.

      It was no wonder Nico did not want anything more to do with love.

      ‘Go to bed,’ the nanny said when she saw Aurora’s tears. ‘I’ll take care of little Gabe.’

      Nico and the nanny were right, СКАЧАТЬ