brown eyes and her stomach fell. Good grief, he was hot.
She took a step back, but swayed. She hoped her morning sickness was back because she’d hate to think she’d actually faint over a good-looking guy.
He caught her elbows and kept her upright. “Let’s get you to the dining room and get some food in that stomach.”
As he led her into the ultramodern dining room, dominated by the large rectangular table with mismatched chairs, her skin prickled from the touch of his fingers on her arm.
She reminded herself that he was only a friend helping her because she’d swayed. And she was pregnant—with another man’s child. She didn’t know how Italian men were about these things, but lots of American men would think long and hard before they took on the responsibility for another man’s child. And Antonio was half-American.
Damn it! Why was she even thinking about this?
He pulled out her chair and helped her sit, but immediately excused himself. “I’ll need five minutes. By the time I get back, the staff will have breakfast ready.”
She nodded and he left. Nervous, she shifted on her chair, until the pool beyond the wall of glass caught her eye. Past the shimmering water were lush gardens, and beyond that, the blue sky. She’d been to Italy before, but this place, the place Antonio had chosen, was so perfect it seemed to have been carved out of heaven. The peace and quiet of it settled over her.
The door swung open and Antonio returned to the table. “I’m sorry about that.”
As he spoke, Rosina entered behind him, carrying two plates of eggs, bacon and toast. She served their breakfasts and exited. Antonio opened his napkin and picked up his fork.
“I trust eggs and bacon are good for you this morning.”
She nodded eagerly, her stomach rumbling from the scent of warm bacon. “It’s great. I’m starving.”
His fork halfway to his plate, he paused. “You should be. You didn’t eat last night. I went into the kitchen ten minutes after you said you’d be getting a snack, but you weren’t there.”
“Too tired. Honestly, Antonio, everybody talks about things like morning sickness, but nobody ever mentions the exhaustion.”
He fussed with the silverware beside his plate. “When I told Rosina you had fallen asleep last night without even changing into pajamas, she said women are very tired for the first three months and fall asleep often.”
She heard everything he said as a jumble of words. Her brain stalled then exploded after he said he knew she’d fallen asleep without changing. For him to know that, he had to have checked up on her. Which meant he’d seen her lying naked across her bed. Her face blossomed with heat.
“What?”
She sucked in a breath. “You came looking for me last night?”
“Yes.”
She groaned.
He frowned. “What?”
“You saw me naked.”
He busied himself with his silverware again. “No. I saw you lying on the bed with a towel wrapped around you. You weren’t naked.”
“Oh, way to split hairs.”
“Americans are prudish.”
She squeezed her eyes shut. Was she making too much of this? “You’re half-American!”
He laughed. “What are you worried about? You have a beautiful, long, sleek back. I’d love to paint you, but I’d replace the towel with a swatch of silk—” He stopped. His brow furrowed.
This time she frowned. “What?”
He picked up his napkin. “It’s my turn to say nothing.”
“Really? Because I wouldn’t mind sitting for a portrait.”
He sniffed a laugh. “Then you’d be sitting for a long time. I haven’t painted for two years.”
Since his wife died. She knew that. And knowing he’d grieved for two long years, a smart person wouldn’t push, wouldn’t question any further. She reached for her toast.
Rosina walked into the dining room. “Excuse me, Mr. B. Your package has arrived. I sent it back to the office as you requested.”
He rose. “Thank you, Rosina.”
Laura Beth looked from Antonio to Rosina and back again. But the oldest maid smiled and walked away. Antonio set his napkin on his plate. “That would be your computer.”
“My computer?”
“Yes. I ordered you a new one, since you insist on playing secretary for two weeks. Come back to the office whenever you’re ready. I’ll have it set up.”
An odd feeling stole through Laura Beth as he walked out of the room. Why had he gotten her a new computer when there were two perfectly good computers in his office? She remembered the software might have commands in Italian and she didn’t speak Italian, and went back to eating.
She finished her breakfast, wishing she could eat more. Not because she was hungry but because she simply wanted more food. But in the end, she knew if she didn’t soon get ahold of her appetite, she’d be big as a house when this baby was born.
After washing her hands and brushing her teeth in her room, she made her way to the office.
As she entered, she gasped. “Wow. Look at this.” Everything on the desk had been stacked in neat piles. The old computer had been removed and sat on the floor in a corner.
He pointed at his office behind her. “Everything in that room is to be left alone.” He motioned to the piles on the smaller secretarial desk. “This fan mail you can answer.”
“What about the other stacks?”
“Some are requests for portraits or for me to paint specific scenes or commissioned work for someone’s home or office. Those we will answer together.”
She nodded. Obviously considering the conversation over, he walked to the computer sitting in the corner, picked up the monitor and took it into his office. He returned and did the same with the computer tower and the keyboard. When he was done, he pulled the office door closed and locked it.
She tried to catch his gaze, but he avoided her by keeping his attention on the keys he shoved into his pocket.
“I have some errands in town. I’ll be back at noon to read any letters you’ve drafted.”
She nodded and said, “Yes,” but before the word was fully out of her mouth he was gone.
She sat at her desk, glancing at the new computer, which he’d set up while she finished breakfast. When she saw that everything was in English, she reminded herself that was why he’d bought a new computer.
But that made her
