When everything was done, she took a shower, then brushed out her hair. Eventually, she was ready for bed. Though she’d brought reading material in her luggage, she decided to read the book she’d taken from the living room.
Once she’d climbed under the covers, she turned on the bedside lamp and started to read. Soon she found it hard to concentrate because she kept listening for sounds that Stefano had gone to bed, too. Inside the chalet it was quiet as a tomb. Beyond these walls the wind moaned and snow pelted the bedroom windows.
She turned off the lamp and snuggled deeper under the covers. In one way Lanza had never felt so isolated and alone, but in truth she loved it. Her life had always been planned out. Her parents had done her thinking for her. The wedding that had been organized for a year was over and now she was a married woman.
To the wrong prince.
But her parents were happy. So were his. Perhaps it meant her father’s life had been preserved for a few years longer. Her thoughts wandered. Alberto would have brought her here for their honeymoon. Stefano was attempting to fulfill all his younger brother’s wishes.
Before she fell asleep she wondered what her new husband would have wanted and done if he were in love with her.
When morning came Lanza walked over to the window. Snow was still falling, revealing a white world. She checked her watch: 9:40 a.m. What a surprise! She rarely slept late.
Slipp
ing into a new pair of black wool pants and a red sweater, both of which fit her to perfection, all she had to do was fix her hair. It fell from a side part she gathered at the nape with an elastic band. After applying lipstick, she reached for Stefano’s small gift and left the bedroom.
On the way down the hall she smelled coffee. She had no idea how long he’d been up because there’d been no sound. Last night she hadn’t been hungry. This morning she was starving and headed for the kitchen.
Lanza found him cooking what she considered a full American breakfast. Eggs, bacon, toast. Why not? He’d received his education in Colorado. After exchanging emails for the past year, she’d learned Stefano had spent a lot of time in the States at his gold mine in South Dakota.
This morning he’d dressed in a navy hoodie and jeans that molded his powerful thighs. His five-o’clock shadow and disheveled hair added to his disturbing male presence. Her unwanted attraction to him was growing. Perhaps he’d been outside already and had worked up an appetite.
“Good morning, Stefano.”
CHAPTER FIVE
STEFANO HAD BEEN wondering when his wife would awaken and make an appearance. He couldn’t prevent his gaze from traveling over her beautiful face and curvaceous body, not missing one inch of her. Her long chestnut hair against the red sweater took his breath.
“Buon giorno, sposa mia.”
She smiled. “You look like you slept well. What can I do to help?”
“Our food is ready. Come in the dining room and we’ll eat. I’ve already fixed our coffee.” He carried their plates and put them on the table. She followed him and placed her gift next to his food before sitting opposite him.
He eyed it with curiosity. “Am I to open this now?”
“Whenever you’d like, but I’m afraid it’s not like the gift you gave me because it has no monetary value.”
“Now you’ve intrigued me. I think I’ll wait until later.”
She spooned sugar into her coffee after pouring some from the carafe. Without waiting for him, she dug in and helped herself to two more helpings of bacon, which pleased him.
“This breakfast is delicious. I could get used to it. You’re welcome to do all the cooking for as long as we’re here.”
He stopped munching on his toast. “We’ll be leaving tomorrow.”
“Why?”
“Because it occurred to me you might not like it up here. Alberto wasn’t entirely sure, either. In that case, I’ve planned to drive us around some of the Mediterranean countries you mentioned you hadn’t visited in your emails.”
“That’s very considerate of you.” She finished eating everything and eventually sat back to eye him through her dark lashes. “You’re an awesome bridegroom. Feed your bride an excellent meal before doing anything else. But before we discuss how to spend our honeymoon, I’d like to hear you lay out the rules of engagement.”
Her response let him know she’d not forgotten that message he’d sent her a year ago. But he was in an entirely different place now.
“That wasn’t my best choice of words at the time. I wish I’d put it a different way. Let’s agree this situation wasn’t what either of us had anticipated. For want of a better word, I see our marriage as one of convenience for a way to begin.”
Her eyes pulsed a deep blue. “Didn’t that quaint expression get thrown out decades ago?”