Page 133 of Modern Romance October 2025 5-8
Opposite her, Enzo Rossetti leaned lazily against the side of a metallic baby blue convertible that looked like something out of the 1960s. His legs crossed at the ankles, breeze playing with the linen shirt, sleeves rolled back to the forearms and the tendrils of thick dark hair just above the pair of dark sunglasses bent towards his phone screen.
He tapped away aggressively, belying the adopted appearance of casual carelessness, and thrust it into his pocket when he was done. But the moment he looked up to find her waiting for him, all traces of anger were erased.
‘Rin!Bellezza! What a sight for sore eyes, as you English say.’
Oh god. Enzo was like the Duracell bunny. He just didn’t stop.
Pasting a smile to her face, she crossed the road and allowed him to air kiss each cheek.
‘Allow me,’ he said, walking her round the car bonnet to the passenger side door, as if she couldn’t have found it herself. No, that was ungracious. His manners...they reminded her once again of Gio Gallo, and she wondered whether they’d ever met, even though Gio had severed all ties to Enzo’s mother.
‘Thank you,’ she said, as he closed the door for her and returned to the driver’s seat. ‘Where are we going?’
‘It’s a surprise,cara.’
‘Wonderful. Ilovesurprises,’ Erin lied as she settled into the plush leather seat as Enzo guided them out onto the narrow streets.
As Enzo expertly manoeuvred the gorgeous car that, at any other time she would be delighted to be in, around the tourists and the small narrow cobbled lanes, Erin realised why the use of cars was so strictly monitored. But just a little way out of the main town, the road opened up and the dramatic island views began to take over.
Stunning. There was no other word for it. Clear blue seas surrounded them on all sides. In the distance, she could just make out the Amalfi coastline, as wild and dominating as the man beside her.
With the top down, the wind thundered around them, making small talk impossible, so she allowed herself to take in the moment. The easy way with which he drove, guiding the car around curves in the road, the way the muscles on his forearm flexed as he changed gear. The subtle catches of his aftershave—tempting hints of amber and musk—tasteful and not overbearing as she’d expected. The powerful line of his jaw dusted artfully in dark stubble and the sense that while he was utterly focused on the road ahead, he was also completely aware ofher.
And that awareness...she felt it on her skin, heating her cheeks, and in the fluttering of her pulse.
Oh, she could see how women could fall for his charms.
But she needed him to fall forRin.
‘Might we be going to a café?’ she tried to ask over the roar of the wind as she felt her stomach twist a little. She hadn’t had time for breakfast and she was beginning to get a little hungry.
‘What was that,cara?’ he asked, raising his voice but pointing to his ears.
She shook her head in an ‘it’s okay’ gesture. She was sure she’d find out where they were going soon enough. No doubt there would be some posh restaurant overlooking the rest of the island and she could eat when they got there.
Only when they got to the surprise destination she realised to her horror that it wasn’t a restaurant, but a helipad. With a helicopter waiting for them.
And the twist of hunger in her stomach morphed into nausea and fear. Because while Rin might have enjoyed a helicopter ride, Erin Carter was very much afraid of heights. And she was pretty sure she remembered telling Enzo that, too.
‘Enzo?’
‘Yes,cara?’ he said, turning off the ignition and leaning back in his seat, his sunglasses and easy smile utterly at odds with the creeping fear that was beginning to take hold.
‘Why are we here?’ she asked, trying to keep the shiver of revulsion at the sight of the death-trap behind him from her voice.
He looked at her, then to the helicopter and then back at her.
‘Why do you think? I want to show youallthat Capri has to offer.’
‘But...’ She hesitated. She wassurethat she’d told him that she didn’t like heights.Sureof it. He had either not been listening or hadn’t cared. And while Erin would have found an excuse to back out of it, Rin knew that it was too good an opportunity to pass up. A man like Enzo wouldloveto display his prowess, and this was a perfect opportunity for Rin to convince him that she was utterly charmed by him. All Erin had to do was keep her fear in check.Surelyit wouldn’t be that bad?
‘Is something wrong,cara?’
‘No... Not at all. I can’t wait,’ Erin said with a forced smile.
Enzo did the handover with the pilot as the flight assistant helped a very nervous looking Rin into the passenger seat of the chopper. He’d expected her to back out. To make an excuse, or even remind him that only just the day before, she’d told him that she disliked heights.
He’d been utterly prepared to be gracious about it and even had other plans ready to execute. But no. The silly woman had decided that it would be better to put herself at what could only be described as clear discomfort just to get what she wanted.
