Guido’s grim expression couldn’t prevent her from getting everything off her chest. “He was the second man in my life to do real damage.”

  “What do you mean, the second?”

  “Rini didn’t share that with you?”

  “I told you. You were never a topic of conversation between us.”

  “I see. Well, years ago Alessandra’s fiancé made a play for me and followed me to Rome. I never encouraged him. He swore he was in love with me, but the minute he got there, he went off with another model. The incident not only put me off taking any man seriously, but made me feel horrible for my sister and it drove a knife in her heart. Both of us had been so hurt it took us years to become friends again.”

  “You don’t have to say another word.” Clearly uncomfortable over the direction of the conversation, Guido got to his feet. After leaving some bills on the table, he walked around to her chair. “Come on. Let’s go out to the car.”

  Still fired up, she walked quickly without letting him touch her. The second they got in the Lamborghini, she turned to him. “I know you don’t like hearing this, but you wanted all of my truth.”

  “I never meant to cause you this kind of pain.”

  “Maybe not,” she admitted, but Dea was too far gone now. At a glance, his profile resembled chiseled stone, but that didn’t stop her from telling him everything.

  “Simply put, Rini’s rejection put me in the blackest hole of my life. Who could imagine a greater irony than the one where he met my sister and fell madly in love with her? They say lightning doesn’t strike twice in the same place, but it did with me. I needed help. If it hadn’t been for my family and my therapist, who pulled me out of that abyss, I don’t know what would have happened.”

  “Please don’t say any more.”

  “I have to. You wanted an answer. After many talks I began to figure out my life. Alessandra and I are now closer than we ever were throughout our childhood and have come to a perfect understanding.

  “She knows that Rini represented the figment of my imagination that had lived inside me for years. He didn’t know me from Adam and had no interest in me. So for me to feel rejected by him tells you the precarious state of my mental health.”

  Traffic was light entering Rome. It didn’t take long to reach her apartment and drive to her parking level on the third floor.

  “In time I worked through my humiliation. Rini was very kind and told me to forget it. Whatever he chose to tell Alessandra is their business, but she knows the whole truth. At her wedding I realized any amorous feelings for him had been wiped clean from my heart. Soon after that I gave up modeling and went back to college.”

  Without saying anything, Guido turned off the car and reached for the door handle. She told him not to bother. “I don’t want you to see me inside my apartment. In fact I don’t want to see you again. You have a trust issue with me that will never go away. I understand where you’re coming from, but I can’t be with a man who won’t ever be free of his suspicions. Something, someone, has robbed you of your ability to trust.”

  Dea let herself out of the car. Before she shut the door, she said, “Let me leave you with this thought, which you can choose to believe or not. If you or your parents felt slighted by me at the reception, it wasn’t intentional. What you sensed was my shame because you were his best friend and had witnessed my brazen behavior that night on the yacht.

  “No one could expect you to forget that. But please be assured of one thing. I’ve loved getting to know the former Cuor di Leone.”

  “Dea—”

  “Adio per sempre, Guido.”

  “Goodbye forever?” he ground out.

  “Just what I said.” She shut the door. Wild with pain, she hurried toward the entrance leading to her apartment.

  CHAPTER SIX

  “YOU’RE NOT RUNNING away from me again.” Guido caught up to Dea and wrapped his strong arms around her from behind so she was trapped. His breathing was as ragged as hers. “I’m not letting you go until you agree to spend all day tomorrow with me.”

  She moved her head from side to side. “There’s no point.”

  “Of course there is! You’re right about me. I do have trust issues and need you. I want to show you the real me. I know in my gut you and I are good for each other. Give me tomorrow to turn this around, Dea. You can’t mean things to end this way. I couldn’t take it.” He held her tighter, sounding frantic.

  Once again she could feel herself giving in to him. “You have a game this weekend.”

  “On Sunday. Tomorrow is Saturday. I’ll be here in the morning at seven thirty. Where we’re going, it will be sunny and you’ll want to wear something casual. We’ll be gone the whole day and won’t be home until late. Promise me you’ll be ready when I come for you.”

  His body was actually trembling like hers. Feeling the strength of his emotions made it impossible to deny him. “I...promise.”

  “Grazie a Dio.”

  “Buonanotte, Guido.” Before he tried to kiss her, she reached for the door handle and hurried inside the building.

  Once in her apartment, Dea dashed to her bedroom and pulled out her cell phone. There was only one person she could talk to about how she was feeling. She needed her twin. The two of them had suffered through so much. Alessandra, now a married woman with a child, would understand Dea’s pain and fear as no one else could.

  Her sister answered on the third ring. “Dea?”

  “I know it’s late, but I need some advice. If Rini is right there, maybe you could call me back later?”

  “No, no. I’m back in Positano. He’s still with our parents working, but will be home tomorrow.”

  Dea was glad she hadn’t disturbed them. “How’s Brazzo?”

  “Thriving. I put him to bed several hours ago.”

  “Then you don’t mind if we talk?”

  “Are you kidding? I’ve been dying to know if you’ve seen or heard from Guido since that weekend when we were all together. But in case nothing came of it, I was afraid to ask any questions.”

  Her eyes closed tightly. “Quite a lot has gone on, actually.”

  “Oh, Dea—that’s the best news!” She heard pure happiness in her sister’s voice. “I just love Guido. He’s a fantastic man. You two seemed so great together I couldn’t believe it. Rini thought the same thing. To quote him, you were ‘like two halves of the same incredible whole.’”

  It had felt that way to Dea. “We’ve been out several times. He’s been by Juliana’s office and sent me roses. Tomorrow we’re spending a whole day together.”

  “Meraviglioso!”

  “I don’t know, Alessandra. That’s why I’m calling.”

  “What’s wrong?”

  “He’s been relentless in getting me to bare my soul to him. Now that I have, he—he’s afraid I’ll always have feelings for Rini,” she stammered. “I don’t know what more I can say or do to convince him otherwise.”

  “From what Rini has told me, Guido has always been as closed up as my husband when it comes to the personal. He’s a deep one.”

  Dea shivered. “I’ve already learned that about him. I’m frightened to spend any more time with him.”

  “Because you feel doomed to love a man who isn’t sure of you, right?”

  “Exactly.” Dea knew her sister would understand. “I can’t think of anything worse than having to prove myself to him over and over.”

  “I can think of one thing.”

  “What’s that?”

  “Never seeing him again.”

  She gripped the phone tighter. “You’re right. The thought of his being gone out of my life is anathema to me.”

  “He’s exciting, all right. Something must have happened over the years that has made him so distrustful. If you want my advice, do to him what he did to you. Stick to him like glue until you uncover his secrets. When that day comes, he’ll get the point that he’s the only male in your universe.”

  Was that possible?

  “Thanks for talking to me, Alessandra. I’ll do what you said, but I’m so nervous.”

  “So was I when I flew to Positano to surprise Rini long before we were married. It was a bad time for us and I was terrified he’d tell me to go home and never darken his doorstep again.”

  “You knew he wouldn’t say that to you.”

  “No. Not then I didn’t. There’s no man more forbidding than Rini when he’s upset. All I can say is, I’m thrilled to hear Guido hasn’t left you alone. Just keep doing the unexpected.”

  “We’ll see.” But it took courage she didn’t have a lot of. “Give the baby hugs for me until I can see him again.”

  “I will. And when you’re with Guido tomorrow, tell him Brazzo adores the purple octopus. Between the color and the bells, I’m positive it’s his favorite toy.”

  “I’ll relay the message. I’m sure it will please him.”

  “Dea? Do me one more favor. Keep me informed. I’ll be dying until I hear from you again.”

  “I promise. Love you.”

  “Love you too.”

  She clicked off. It was hard to believe that after so many years of pain, the two of them were close again in a brand-new way.

  * * *

  At seven twenty in the morning Guido parked his car in front of Dea’s apartment building and hurried inside to ring her on the foyer phone.

  “There’s no need for you to come up, Guido. I’ll be right down and meet you at the car.”

  Elated that she was ready, he went back outside to wait for her. Though it was semicloudy in Rome, there’d be full sunshine where they were going.

  Every time he saw her, she wore something different. Five foot seven and beautifully built, she could wear anything and look fabulous. This morning she’d put on white jeans with cuffs at the ankles and strappy beige sandals. On top she wore a round-necked three-quarter-sleeve cotton sweater in a soft hyacinth color. She left her freshly washed hair loose. It sparkled in the light. Best not to eat her up until they were alone.

  “Buongiorno, bellissima.” He opened the car door and helped her inside before going around to get behind the wheel. “I hope you haven’t had breakfast yet.”

  “Just coffee.”

  “Good. We’ll eat on the plane.” He pulled into the traffic and headed for the airport.

  She glanced at him from eyes the color of vintage Burgundy. “Are we flying to Naples again?”

  “Si, signorina. But we won’t be visiting the yacht.”

  “Are you going to take me on a sightseeing tour of your childhood haunts?” The question intrigued him.

  “Would you like that?”

  “I’d love to see the places that helped shape you into the person you are.”

  * * *

  “We’ll do that another day. Today I don’t want to think about the past.”

  Her brows furrowed. “Why would you say that? Is it so painful?”

  “That was an interesting choice of words.”

  “But the right one obviously. Otherwise you wouldn’t question my asking.”

  He was glad they’d reached the airport so he could avoid an answer until they were on board the plane eating breakfast.

  “Before we land in Naples, I’ll try to explain myself. I grew up an only child. Since you were a twin, you can’t possibly comprehend what it was like for me. My parents couldn’t have more children and my father refused to adopt. He wanted a child from his blood. My mother was eager for more children, but it didn’t happen.”

  “I’m sorry for all your sakes.”

  “My parents’ marriage suffered because of my father’s refusal to make my mother happy. His intransigence broke her heart. Ever since he said no to the idea of adoption, Papà has been paying for the damage he did to their union.”

  “So you became the golden child who had to meet your father’s every expectation.”

  Guido nodded. “From the time I could comprehend pressure, I felt like I had to be perfect in his eyes to make him happy. I knew he expected me to follow in his footsteps. But I loved playing soccer and saw the disappointment in his eyes when I had to leave for practice or another game. He warned me that a life of sports wouldn’t give me stability.”

  “That couldn’t have been pleasant for you.”

  “No, but what made it worse was the fact that he was right.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “In my late teens I had a serious girlfriend named Carla.”

  “You did?” At last he was revealing something vital about himself.

  “I imagined us getting married one day after I’d had my run at soccer. But after I gave it up to go back to work for my father, she went off with another soccer player. When I realized it was the celebrity status of being the wife of a high-profile athlete she wanted, not me, I became wary of women.”

  Her eyes looked wounded as they played over him. “I’m sure that hurt a great deal.”

  “It made me angry. I did go back to work for my father, but I wasn’t happy. The rest you know. Last year I left the company to buy a minor team. Not only have I turned out to be a great disappointment to Papà by leaving the business for a time, I’m a thirty-two-year-old bachelor.

  “For the last five years he’s been pushing me to get married. I know what’s motivating his overzealous methods of throwing women at me. He wants me to provide grandchildren, hoping it will ease my mother’s pain.”

  “So that was why he allowed the fashion show to take place on board the yacht.”

  “Of course. He planned it to coincide with my birthday because he wanted us to meet. Since nothing else had worked over the years, why not introduce me to the supermodel who’s been the talk of Italy? With his reasoning, no real man could resist you, certainly not his own son.

  “For once in his life, my father was right. Rini and I had been talking when Papà brought you and your friend over to your table. I’d seen your pictures everywhere, but meeting you in the flesh was something else.”

  Dea moaned. “When you and I were at the wedding reception, I was afraid I’d offended you when I made the remark about my friends hoping to do another fashion show on the yacht.”

  “I think you know by now that didn’t offend me.”

  She nodded. “I’m afraid I’ve jumped to too many conclusions.”

  “So have I. I don’t know how much you know about Rini and me. We met at seven years of age and attended the same schools together until college. The two of us went through every good and bad time together. I’ll never forget when he learned that his soccer injury left him without the ability to have children.”

  “That had to have been so terrible for him.”

  Guido nodded. “When you met him on the yacht and danced with him, I thought he was the luckiest man alive to meet you after what he’d been through. I also believed he deserved to find an amazing woman like you. But deep inside me I wanted you for myself and was appalled at my feelings of jealousy.”

  “Oh, Guido—”

  “Oh, Guido is right! You have to understand that I was at a vulnerable point in my life because I’d decided to buy the soccer team and leave the company for a while. Nothing was a sure thing and I risked alienating my father in a way that might ruin our relationship for good. You talk about floundering while you were at Rini and Alessandra’s wedding—so was I.”

  Before anything more could be said, the Fasten Seat Belt light went on.

  “Come on. Let’s get back to our seats. We’ll resume this talk later.”

  * * *

  Dea had wanted secrets from him and she finally had the truth. Now that she knew about his girlfriend from the past and her rejection of him to chase after another celebrity, she understood the war going on inside him where his father was concerned.

  When they touched down and got off the plane, he led her to the waiting helicopter and helped her on board. “I promise our flight won’t last longer than ten minutes.”

  Once they were in the air, he used the mic to talk to her. “We’re headed for Ischia Island. Have you been there?”

  She shook her head. “In my teens Papà drove us past it and the other islands off Naples in the old cruiser, but we never went ashore.”

  “Then you’re in for a treat. We’ll be putting down near Serrara Fontana in the mountainous southwest part.”

  “Does this island have special significance for you?”

  “I’ll explain in a few minutes,” was all he would tell her.

  The pilot made a beeline for the highest summit on the island and descended toward an isolated piece of property partially hidden by the vegetation. Soon a helipad appeared and they made a gentle landing.

  * * *

  Guido thanked the pilot before helping Dea to climb out. He grasped her hand and walked her along a path through the grove of chestnut trees. The sound of the rotors grew faint. As they came out the other side to a terraced garden of palms and flowers, he heard Dea’s soft gasp.

  Her eyes had taken in the two-story pastel-pink villa above the garden with its pool. The ornamental parapets of the balconies overflowed with bougainvillea and hibiscus. “This all looks like something out of a dream.” The marvel in her voice told him everything he wanted to know.

  He threaded his fingers through hers. “It wasn’t like this when I first saw the place sixteen years ago with Rini. We were through diving for the day and decided to explore on rental bikes. After we swam in one of the many hot springs throughout the island, we arrived up here at the top. That’s when I saw this wreck of what was clearly once a magnificent villa overlooking the sea, closed up and isolated. Its beauty haunted me.”