The Bride's Awakening by Kate Hewitt Page B

held hers. ‘Can you do that, Ana? It will not always be easy.’
    The conversation that had started so matter-of-fact had suddenly become emotional, intense. Dark. ‘If you mean will I never question you—’
    His hand slashed through the air. ‘I’m not asking for blindobedience. I want a wife, not a lapdog. But you must realize that, because of my position and my wealth, there are those who seek to discredit me. They would even enlist your aid, attract your sympathy by the foulest and most devious motives. Can you—will you—be loyal to me against those enemies?’
    Ana suppressed a shiver. She wanted to make a joke of it, tell Vittorio to stop being so melodramatic, yet she had the terrible feeling that he was deadly serious. ‘Vittorio—’
    ‘I mean all that I say, Ana,’ he said quietly. He reached across the table to encircle her wrist with his hand, his fingers pressing against her bare skin. Nerves jumped at the touch. ‘I can tell you think I exaggerate, that I am seeing shadows where there is only light. But I will tell you that the quality that attracted me to you most of all was your sense of loyalty. You’ve lived with your father for nearly ten years, ever since you returned from university. You’ve helped him and taken care of him in a way that is gentle and beautiful. Of course, he is your father and he commands your loyalty because of his role. I will ask you now—do you think you can give such allegiance to me?’
    ‘If I were married to you,’ Ana said slowly, ‘then, yes.’
    Vittorio released her wrist and sat back with a deeply satisfied smile. ‘Then I know all I need to know. Now it is your turn to ask questions of me.’
    ‘All right,’ Ana said, still a bit shaken by the intensity of their exchange. ‘If we were married, I would still expect to work for Viale Wines. Would that be acceptable to you?’
    Vittorio lifted a shoulder in assent. ‘Of course. Naturally, I would expect our children to take the reins of both the Cazlevara and Viale labels. Truly, an empire.’
    Ana nodded slowly. Children . Under the table, she pressed a hand against her middle. ‘And my father,’ she said after a moment. ‘Of course, he would still live at Villa Rosso, but I would want to see him often, and invite him to be with us whenever possible.’
    ‘Naturally.’
    A bubble of sudden nervous laughter escaped her and she shook her head. ‘This is so crazy.’
    ‘It seems so, I agree, but actually it makes wonderful sense.’
    And she was a sensible person, which was why she was considering it all. Because it was so logical. It just didn’t feel that way at the moment. It didn’t feel logical when he kissed her.
    It felt wonderful.
    ‘I’m scared,’ she whispered, her voice so low she didn’t know if Vittorio had heard her. She didn’t know if she wanted him to.
    In fact, she thought he hadn’t heard her, for he didn’t reply; then she felt his hand on hers, his fingers warm on her skin, curling around her own fingers, squeezing slightly. She took a deep breath and let it out in a shuddering sigh. ‘I never thought I’d marry, you know.’
    ‘Why not?’ Vittorio asked, his voice as quiet as hers.
    Ana shrugged, not wanting to explain. Vittorio squeezed her fingers again, and she felt a lump at the back of her throat. ‘What if we end up hating each other?’
    ‘I have too much faith in both of us for that.’
    ‘But we might—’ she persisted, her mind coming up with every possibility, every consideration, now that she was actually at the moment of decision. Now that she was ready to jump.
    ‘All good business decisions require a certain amount of risk, Ana. They also take courage and determination.’ He smiled and released her hand to take a sip of wine. ‘I recently closed a deal with several major hotels in Brazil. South America has never imported much Italian wine, and some would have said I was wasting time and money going there.’ He leaned forward. ‘But, when I