shyness would somehow stop her from fitting in. He was wrong, though she didn’t suppose she would get the chance to show him that now.
Tina showered and breakfasted, then decided to go for a swim in the hotel pool. The exercise would do her good and it would make the time pass until evening. But first she checked her phone for messages.
There was an email from her mother, who was having the time of her life in Bora-Bora, and a quick text from Faith with a picture of baby Domenico and Renzo.
Tina’s throat hurt as she swallowed tears. Renzo and Faith were so happy, while she and Nico were merely going through the motions. What would it be like to be so overwhelmingly happy? So in love?
She pushed those thoughts down deep and wentdown to the pool. She swam laps for a while, and then sat in the shade of an umbrella and stared at the harbor below. Her thoughts kept going around and around. She almost called Lucia, just to have someone to talk to, but she didn’t know what to say. How could you tell anyone that you were pregnant and about to marry the baby’s father even though he did not love you?
It was too pitiful, and so she sat and stared at the blue water until she finally gave up and returned to the penthouse suite.
The last thing she expected to find as she opened the door was a seamstress and a selection of wedding dresses. Shock rooted her to the spot as she stood in the entry with the key card in her hand and the door wide-open.
There were racks of gowns—gorgeous, expensive gowns with lace and silk and pearls—that must each have cost a small fortune.
He’d ordered them without her knowledge. Without her input. He’d made the choice for her, just as he’d made so many other choices since barging back into her life in the Pantheon.
It hurt in ways she hadn’t imagined possible. She was already feeling sorry for herself, feeling like a burden and a possession rather than a cherished companion and equal after seeing Faith’s text earlier, and her hurt feelings bubbled over until she had to act or burst with the effort not to.
She spun on her heel and marched into the office, uncaring that she was still in her bikini and flimsy cover-up.
Nico was not alone. Three men looked up in surprise when she entered the room. Nico’s expression could have stopped a bear in its tracks—but she refused tobe intimidated. The two men with him excused themselves, slipping out of the office and leaving them alone.
She stood with her hands on her hips, glaring at him. It was only when his gaze dropped down her body that she realized the pose thrust her breasts forward. It was all she could do not to hug herself, but she refused to shrink beneath his simmering gaze.
He met her eyes again, a flicker of interest kindling in his. “What is this about, Tina?”
She took a step toward him, her heart thundering in her chest. “Wedding dresses? You picked out
wedding dresses
for me?” She was so angry that she could barely get the words out without them tripping over each other.
His brows drew down. “No, I did not,” he said evenly. “You may pick what you want. I only asked for several for you to choose from.”
She dropped her hands to her sides, clenching her fists together rhythmically. Violent emotion swept through her. He was no different from her brother in the way he viewed her. No, he
was
different. Renzo might view her as an accessory, but he loved her. This man did not.
At least Renzo didn’t think so little of her that he would pick out her clothes for her.
No, but he picked your schools. And when you wanted to major in finance, you had to convince him he should approve
.
She was so damn tired of men making decisions for her. It was going to stop. Now.
“I don’t want any of them,” she said tightly. Angry tears threatened to spill over as she worked to control her temper. She knew he thought she was being unreasonable, but she didn’t expect him to understand. How could he?
He waved his
Tina showered and breakfasted, then decided to go for a swim in the hotel pool. The exercise would do her good and it would make the time pass until evening. But first she checked her phone for messages.
There was an email from her mother, who was having the time of her life in Bora-Bora, and a quick text from Faith with a picture of baby Domenico and Renzo.
Tina’s throat hurt as she swallowed tears. Renzo and Faith were so happy, while she and Nico were merely going through the motions. What would it be like to be so overwhelmingly happy? So in love?
She pushed those thoughts down deep and wentdown to the pool. She swam laps for a while, and then sat in the shade of an umbrella and stared at the harbor below. Her thoughts kept going around and around. She almost called Lucia, just to have someone to talk to, but she didn’t know what to say. How could you tell anyone that you were pregnant and about to marry the baby’s father even though he did not love you?
It was too pitiful, and so she sat and stared at the blue water until she finally gave up and returned to the penthouse suite.
The last thing she expected to find as she opened the door was a seamstress and a selection of wedding dresses. Shock rooted her to the spot as she stood in the entry with the key card in her hand and the door wide-open.
There were racks of gowns—gorgeous, expensive gowns with lace and silk and pearls—that must each have cost a small fortune.
He’d ordered them without her knowledge. Without her input. He’d made the choice for her, just as he’d made so many other choices since barging back into her life in the Pantheon.
It hurt in ways she hadn’t imagined possible. She was already feeling sorry for herself, feeling like a burden and a possession rather than a cherished companion and equal after seeing Faith’s text earlier, and her hurt feelings bubbled over until she had to act or burst with the effort not to.
She spun on her heel and marched into the office, uncaring that she was still in her bikini and flimsy cover-up.
Nico was not alone. Three men looked up in surprise when she entered the room. Nico’s expression could have stopped a bear in its tracks—but she refused tobe intimidated. The two men with him excused themselves, slipping out of the office and leaving them alone.
She stood with her hands on her hips, glaring at him. It was only when his gaze dropped down her body that she realized the pose thrust her breasts forward. It was all she could do not to hug herself, but she refused to shrink beneath his simmering gaze.
He met her eyes again, a flicker of interest kindling in his. “What is this about, Tina?”
She took a step toward him, her heart thundering in her chest. “Wedding dresses? You picked out
wedding dresses
for me?” She was so angry that she could barely get the words out without them tripping over each other.
His brows drew down. “No, I did not,” he said evenly. “You may pick what you want. I only asked for several for you to choose from.”
She dropped her hands to her sides, clenching her fists together rhythmically. Violent emotion swept through her. He was no different from her brother in the way he viewed her. No, he
was
different. Renzo might view her as an accessory, but he loved her. This man did not.
At least Renzo didn’t think so little of her that he would pick out her clothes for her.
No, but he picked your schools. And when you wanted to major in finance, you had to convince him he should approve
.
She was so damn tired of men making decisions for her. It was going to stop. Now.
“I don’t want any of them,” she said tightly. Angry tears threatened to spill over as she worked to control her temper. She knew he thought she was being unreasonable, but she didn’t expect him to understand. How could he?
He waved his
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