Page 192 of Modern Romance June 2025 1-4

‘No, you’re not. You’ve been working all day, even on the plane.’

Only to give her something to concentrate on that wasn’t Emilio, who’d seemed to be controlling her libido telepathically.

‘And there will be a lot of walking to do. You need to rest.’

‘I’m pregnant, Emilio, not an invalid.’ She meant to snap at him but even she heard the lack of bite in her words. This was the man she was likely to spend the next twenty years with—a long time to constantly skirt the truth—so she chose honesty. ‘I’d like to be there for you. I’ve seen the difference in you here. Allow someone in your corner.’

He looked at her. In that split second she saw both longing and rejection building, but then he clenched his jaw, took a breath and said, ‘Fine.’

It was a small step, but a step nonetheless.

They arrived at a hilly estate, covered in rows and rows of vines. At the very top sat a stone house with a muted red roof. In fact, ‘house’ was way too understated a word for the structure. Broad-leafed trees and tall conifers stood around it. Sunlight fell in broad beams over the whole estate, creating sharp shadows and a rainbow of shades. It was utterly spectacular. She loved it even more than Perlano, and she hadn’t even been inside yet.

‘Wow…’ She breathed.

‘I love New York, but nothing beats this place,’ Emilio said.

‘I would miss this. How do you manage to stay away?’

‘I have little business here usually. I miss it occasionally, but I don’t have room in my life for indulging that kind of impulse.’

Emilio certainly didn’t strike her as impulsive. He was calculated. It was as if his entire life was a chess board. He didn’t move the pieces without thinking five steps ahead. The only impulsive thing he’d done in their acquaintance was sleep with her.

‘Do you ever take time away from work?’ The irony of Jasmine asking that question wasn’t lost on her but, unlike her, Emilio had safety nets.

‘I suppose I did when my mother passed.’

‘That doesn’t count. You were doing your duty.’

‘I always am.’

That statement seemed loaded with things he didn’t want to talk about, but Jasmine wanted to know. Every time she dug a little deeper with Emilio, she found more questions. It only made her more curious. But she didn’t want to have to ask. She wanted him towantto share with her.

The car drew to a stop outside a building that looked like something from a postcard.

‘I need you to understand the trust I am showing you by allowing you in here,’ Emilio said. ‘One day the vineyards will belong to our child, but—’

‘Emilio, I understand. This is your family legacy.’ She waited for him to open the door for her, and this time she took his hand in hers, offering whatever support she could.

She watched him shrug on the mask of indomitable CEO as they began their tour of the Vozzano winery. Throughout his questions, she never retracted her hand, and neither did he. When the sun finally started to sink, they stood amongst the grapes alone.

‘Do you think they’ll tell Enzo you’ve been here?’ Jasmine asked, still awed by the view.

‘They have no reason to. They don’t know why I’ve been here. Even so, we need to be cautious.’

Jasmine watched the way he glanced out at Vozzano, a faraway look in his eye. She wanted to know what he was thinking. Wanted him to take her through his memories,

‘I want to see something,’ he said, and they began the walk back up towards the buildings. When they got there, he stopped at an old tree and ran his fingers over his name carved in the wood. ‘My mother did this.’

Jasmine stepped closer to examine the bark and saw a jaggedly etchedEmilio, deep enough to withstand the years.

‘We came here for a few days—just the two of us and my tutors. On our last evening here, after I had helped tend to the grapes, she carved my name into the tree. She said a piece of me will always be here.’

Jasmine wrapped her arms around Emilio. There was so much grief in his voice, it broke her heart. There had clearly been so much love between Emilio and his mother. She couldn’t imagine the pain he was in. Especially since, from the terms of his will, it seemed that his father had had no interest in him. It surprised Jasmine how angry that made her.

‘You two had a special bond.’

Emilio didn’t respond. Jasmine wasn’t sure he could, considering how hard the muscle in his jaw was feathering. She didn’t want Emilio trying to hide what he felt. Keeping his vulnerabilities to himself. She wanted to see them. Help him bear them.

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