of having to leave Italy without meeting her mother.
He came straight to the point. “I went to see my father after I left you.”
“Oh no—”
“Before you get upset, hear me out. I learned that he knew all about you before he married your mother.” Belle’s eyes widened as if in disbelief. “I asked him if Luciana had wanted to give up her baby, or if she’d had to.”
Belle’s fear was palpable. “W-what did he say?”
“I’ll quote you his answer. He said, ‘She had to, but she wanted her little girl more than life itself. A day doesn’t go by that she’s not missing her, wanting to be with her.’”
Belle turned away from him to hide her emotions. Without considering the ramifications, he grasped her shoulders and turned her around to face him. Her body trembled like a leaf in the wind. Earlier when he’d held her, it hadn’t been long enough. This time he drew her against him and wrapped his arms around her.
Her gleaming dark hair tickled his jaw as he murmured, “Whatever plans you’ve already made to fly back to New York will have to be put on hold, because he’s bringing her to my villa tonight for dinner so you two can meet.”
An unmistakable cry escaped Belle’s lips. She tried to get away, but he wouldn’t allow it, and crushed her to him. “She won’t have any idea you’re going to be there. My father believes this is the best way to handle it, and I do, too. He wouldn’t want this if he didn’t believe she’ll be overjoyed. If you need more convincing, I’ll phone and tell him to come over here.”
Belle’s head was burrowed against Leon’s chest, reminding him of the way Concetta sought comfort when she was upset. He rubbed his hands over her back.
“How can you possibly leave and not see her?” he argued. “This is the opportunity you’ve been waiting for all your life. You’ve been so strong. You’ve survived an existence that would have defeated anyone else. Don’t you realize how proud your mother’s going to be of you and what you’ve accomplished?”
“I want to believe it.”
“Would it help if I told you I’m proud of you? When the head of your company sang your praises, I could have told him what a remarkable woman you really are. How you survived in that household is beyond me. The methodical way you’ve gone about trying to find your mother in a foreign country, with no help from anyone but yourself, defies description.”
He heard sniffing. “Thank you for those kind words.”
Belle...
“I’ll wait while you gather all your belongings. For the rest of the time you’re in Italy, you’re going to be my guest. Don’t worry about your rental car. If you’ll leave the key at the desk, one of my staff will return it to the agency. When we arrive at the house, you’ll have the rest of the day to get ready for this evening.”
“You’re far too good to me.”
He pressed his lips against her temple. “Why wouldn’t I be? For you to find your mother with my help after all these years brings me great happiness.” It’s a gift I couldn’t give my daughter, but I can give it to you. “You wouldn’t deprive me of it, would you?”
Slowly she lifted her head. One corner of her lovely mouth lifted. “No. Of course not, but I’m so nervous. What if—”
“Don’t go there,” he interrupted in a quiet voice, kneading her upper arms. “I can promise you that if she knew what was ahead for tonight, her fear would be much greater than yours.
“Papà told me that for years she has grieved because your case was sealed when she gave you up. Even if she could get a court order for information, she’s been afraid you would find it unforgivable, what she did, and would reject her out of hand.”
“Is this the truth?” Fear mixed with hope in Belle’s voice.
“Ask my father. He wouldn’t lie to me and is excited for the two of you to meet. It can’t happen soon enough for either of us.”
“Then he’s truly not upset?”
“Anything but. He believes this reunion will help solve certain problems in his marriage.”
“What do you mean?”
“Her sadness for having to give you up, and his inability to take it away.”
“Oh, Leon...” Belle’s heart was in her eyes.
Unable to deny the attraction, he cupped her face in his hands, but it wasn’t enough. He needed to taste her, and lowered his head, kissing her fully on the mouth. Right or wrong, she’d been a temptation from the outset.
As he coaxed her lips apart, wanting more, he drew a response from her that shot fire through him. What should have been one kiss deepened into another, then another. He should have been able to stop what was happening, but she’d aroused too much excitement in him.
“Belle...” He moaned her name, hungry for her. But in the next instant she tore her mouth from his and backed up against the door. He felt totally bereft. “Why did you pull away from me?”
“Someone has to stop this insanity!” she gasped, obviously trying to catch her breath. “I’m not blaming you. I could have resisted you, but I didn’t because...I enjoyed it.”
An honest woman.
“I could say I didn’t know what got into me, but that would be a lie,” she added. “The fact is I’ve never been this intimate with a man and I forgot myself.”
“You’re saying...”
“Shocking, isn’t it? At twenty-four?” she blurted. “When I didn’t try to stop you, I—I can understand why you kept kissing me. You enjoyed a happy marriage and miss your wife. As for me, I have no excuse, so let’s just agree that this was a physical aberration that shouldn’t have happened, and promise we’ll never find ourselves in this situation again. Promise me, Leon. Otherwise I can’t go through with anything, even if it means never meeting my mother.” She had fire in her eyes.
“I swear I’ll never do anything you don’t want me to do. Does that make you feel any better?”
“No.”
More astounding honesty. “While you pack, I’ll go out to the lobby and take care of the bill.”
She moved away from the door. “I don’t expect you to pay for me.”
“I know. That’s why I want to,” he murmured. She didn’t have a mercenary bone in her beautiful body. Just now her mouth had almost given him a heart attack. Belle Peterson had many parts to her, all of them unexpected and thrilling. After Benedetta died, he thought he’d never desire another woman.
He left the room and paid her account through Sunday, adding a healthy bonus that brought a faint smile to Rosa’s dark eyes.
Belle appeared sooner than he would have thought, carrying her shoulder bag and suitcase. Evidently her nervous anticipation over seeing her mother had
