Page 191 of Modern Romance June 2025 1-4

Emilio lived in New York and would have a baby soon enough. How would he manage to keep a similar schedule?

‘It wasn’t necessary. I assure you, Emilio, production is well in hand.’

That was beside the point. His mother had trusted him with her most prized possession. He couldn’t let her down. But he couldn’t let his family down either. Jasmine would be fine without him, but he didn’t want to be away from his child.

Truth be told, he didn’t want to be away from Jasmine either. No matter how maddening her presence was.

‘I’m certain it is. Show me the rest.’

***

Jasmine was awake and working in the kitchen when he returned. For a moment, he couldn’t speak, couldn’t think. The sunlight fell over her and, with her curly hair loose, she radiated gold. He found himself being carried to her—unsure of what he would do when he reached her, only knowing that he needed to touch her, to feel her sun-kissed warmth against him.

‘Emilio, what are you doing back so soon?’

He stopped before he could reach her, the spell broken. Why did this woman affect him so? ‘What are you talking about?’

‘Isabella said you were gone before breakfast. She said not to expect you until much later.’

Sometimes it was easy to forget how well Isabella knew him. Especially considering how cold she had turned after Emilio had slept with Gia. He had been so close to her, and he felt the loss acutely. Gone was her pet name for him: herpeluche.After that, he’d become nothing but Emilio.

‘I was able to get what I needed done quickly. We don’t have time to waste. Make sure you’re ready to leave this afternoon. We’re going to Vozzano.’

***

Jasmine buckled herself into the back seat of a gleaming black saloon as Emilio shut the door. She looked in the mirror, watching their luggage being moved from the plane to the boot of the car. Once it was in, she watched Emilio round the car and join her, slipping in elegantly.

‘How are you feeling?’

He had been so attentive since leaving Perlano. She could see some of the Emilio that she had been growing accustomed to in New York come out again. He clearly loved the place, but it dimmed his light.

‘Still fine,’ she said. He had asked her the question when they’d left Perlano, on the plane and now again. She had to admit, the attention felt good. While she wasn’t relying on him, he was choosing to take care of her. And, even though she didn’t mean to, her brain automatically compared him to Richard. A man who would be chivalrous to a point in public but not when they were alone. Emilio was the same person all the time.

When Jasmine had woken that morning, she’d found herself so comfortably tucked in that she had slept far later than she usually did. And, even though they’d had to sharehisroom, he hadn’t pushed her to ignore her boundaries for him. Emilio had made sure she was comfortable before he’d slept on the couch.

Jasmine hadn’t anticipated feeling guilty about that. Hadn’t considered that she might want him next to her, might crave his warmth and that open-sea scent. Or that she’d be so acutely aware of his presence in the dark that it would take a long time for her to fall asleep. When she had slept, she’d dreamt of his hands on her body, his mouth trailing her skin. She’d awoken with his name on her lips.

She’d wanted to see Italy for so long—the landscape, the fashion. But she’d been so focussed on SOP that she hadn’t been able to take a holiday in years. And yet now, she didn’t look out of the window in wonder. She watched Emilio. She took in the relaxed posture of his body, the suit that fit him so deliciously. A suit that belied the power hidden beneath. She had seen that body. Felt it. It still haunted her dreams.

‘Why are you staring?’

She startled. ‘What?’

‘I can feel the way you’re looking at me,belleza. It’s distracting.’

Jasmine laughed. ‘I would have thought you’d be used to it.’

‘I’m not used to it from my wife.’ He turned to her and winked. Such a small action, but still it got her heart fluttering.

She rolled her eyes at him, pretending to be unaffected, but the smile on his face told her she was fooling no one.

‘We’re not far from Vozzano now,’ he told her. ‘I’ll take you to the house and get you comfortable, then go check on the vineyards here.’

Jasmine thought about how desolate he had seemed when they’d spoken the day before and how agitated he’d been when he’d returned from the vineyard earlier. She didn’t want him to face this alone. He was the father of her baby, after all. His wellbeing was a concern to her.

Is that all? You’re lying to yourself, Jasmine.

‘I’m going with you,’ she said.

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