he could accept—well, he would after time to think about it and absorb the truth of the matter. He wasn’t going to admit as much to Elene though. Not yet. Not until he learned what was behind this visit. It wouldn’t be straightforward—meet your child and get to know her.
Elene’s sudden appearance without warning was a worry in itself. Back in Wellington, her snippy remarks about his womanising had rankled. She’d also pushed the guilt button for that hot moment with her when he was in the midst of a fling with her friend. In defence, he’d always been honest with women about what he required from a relationship and if they couldn’t agree he moved on fast. Elene had never accepted that Danielle was happy to go along with the rules. Elene was a warrior when it came to protecting her friend. So it stood to reason she’d be the same with her friend’s daughter. My daughter. No. Don’t accept it so readily. There had to be proof and legalities and a whole load of other things to consider first. His stomach clenched so tight it hurt. Because he already knew half the score. Aimee was his. He’d never walk away from her, no matter what.
He demanded of Elene, ‘Why are you here?’ To ask for money? To hand over Aimee and leave, free of obligations? No, even with his high level of distrust he knew she wouldn’t do that. Or would she? Raising a child would interfere with her career, and he’d seen how serious she took nursing. Couldn’t fault her there. He could use her talents here, with the ridiculous lack of suitable nurses at the moment.
‘We don’t have anywhere to stay.’ She’d gone for the immediate situation, not the bigger one. ‘I’m hoping you can look past our previous disagreements to help me out.’
Sì, she could still push his buttons. If he wasn’t careful he could find himself enjoying that. Mattia studied the pale face in front of him. Shadows stained her cheeks, her mouth drooped, as did her whole body, really. She was shattered, and who wouldn’t be after those long flights getting here from New Zealand? Throw a baby into the mix and it was a wonder she was conscious.
‘Believe me, the last thing I’m feeling like is arguing.’ Nor was he mentioning the unexpected heat lancing him internally from seeing her again. She was a breath of fresh, though angry, air.
‘I’m sorry for turning up like this. I’d hoped for a night to recuperate,’ she acquiesced, worrying him more than almost anything else she could’ve done.
‘You came here directly from the airport?’
‘Via the hotel that double-booked my room.’
Blink, blink.
Don’t cry. You are a tough, snippy woman—you don’t do tears.
Then her words swiped his brain. Elene meant it when she said she didn’t have anywhere to stay. Got it wrong about what would worry him the most, hadn’t he? She’d just handed him a grenade. Offering her a place to stay for a few days would mean seeing his daughter every day—bringing home the truth: bang, bang, bang. Having to spend endless hours in Elene’s company was another problem that’d be equally difficult to handle. He breathed deep. Tossing her out on the street wasn’t an option. His house was enormous; this mightn’t be as difficult as he envisioned. Besides, it was said, keep your friends close and your enemies closer. At the moment Elene fell into the latter category. ‘I believe you have a nappy to change.’ He’d overheard her conversation with Sonia.
Her head dropped, rose, in a slow nodding gesture. ‘I do.’
He took charge. ‘I have a patient to check on. It won’t take long, then we’ll head home. Unless you want me to change the nappy first.’ It wasn’t as though he didn’t know how.
She stared at him like there was no strength left in any part of her small frame. As if he’d offered her a gift she was waiting for him to snatch back. Finally she muttered, ‘I’ll do the nappy.’
Who’d have believed he could feel compassion for this woman? Right now he wanted to give her whatever she needed. Anything. He also wanted her back on the other side of the world, out of his hair.
‘You can stay with me until you sort other accommodation. There’s no rush. I have lots of space and bedrooms.’
Elene sagged further and he made to catch her and hold her upright, but as he took a step forward she began pulling herself together, one click at a time. ‘Thank you,’ she whispered.
‘Don’t thank me. It is why you turned up here, isn’t it?’ There. Bring this back to practicalities—definitely not about the child, not about Elene, not his unexpected reaction to her.
‘I was desperate. Aimee was screaming the roof down. The hotel receptionist was struggling to find accommodation at a hostel and—I’m sorry. I couldn’t think of anything else to do.’ Just as it was for him, it was as though Elene was afraid to talk about what had brought her to Sorrento in the first place.
He’d go along with her. There was no way he wanted to delve into that particular mess. Not tonight. ‘You did the right thing.’ By Aimee, at any rate. He’d have been furious if they’d stayed in a room amongst strangers. His daughter deserved better. So did Elene, though he wasn’t sure why he felt that way. Perhaps he’d extend the invitation to stay through to the end of her visit, but he’d wait on that decision. ‘I’ll be back shortly.’
Mattia strode away without a backward glance, despite his head pounding with incredulity. He was a babbo. Elene had brought his daughter to meet him. Sure, he wasn’t naïve; there was a lot to get through, decisions to make about Aimee. But a fizz of excitement ran through his veins.
Except it was Elene’s face popping into his mind, not Aimee’s. Elene’s expression when their lips had brushed that night, the sudden tightening in his blood and manhood when he’d breathed her in. That would not happen again. Not now that they had a child whose future needed sorting out.
He’d never seen Elene so exhausted, heard her voice so flat—not even after a day of emergencies and dramas in Theatre. She’d run out of steam, and was unlikely to be back up to speed quickly. Jetlag was a killer of even the toughest souls, so he’d see she had everything she needed to get through it. If he lived to regret that, so be it. It wasn’t in his nature not to help someone and, in this case, Elene was in a mess partly because of him. Even if he hadn’t had a clue what had been going on with Danielle, he owed Elene for bringing his child across to him, and he hated owing anyone. Debts were repaid pronto. This particular one was too close for comfort, so the sooner it was dealt with the better.
Mattia charged along the corridor, trying to outrun the sight of Elene looking so lost. Normally a feisty woman who rattled his cage and annoyed the hell out of him, this was not Elene Lowe. Bring her back. She might push every button he had and some, but he’d prefer that any day. The feisty version heated his blood with anger, sometimes with lust; this version also made him sympathetic, warmed him towards her. Made him want her with him.
Mattia swore.
ELENE WAS ONLY vaguely aware of the mansion Mattia drove up to, barely noticed the wide expanse of wall hanging off the hill, her mind busy, racing from Mattia to Aimee to sleep and back again. Once inside, the heat fell away under the onslaught of air conditioning, but she couldn’t find the energy to take in what was in front of her. In her arms, Aimee was busy
