Page 35 of A Very Italian Wedding
‘Then when is?’ The older woman asked sharply, earning herself another warning glare from her son. ‘We need to speak about these things. With Marco, as a family.’
‘Not now,’ Leonardo repeated.
Isabella sniffed and jerked her chin, although it was clear she wasn’t happy about dropping the subject.
‘I could read your tarot cards, now?’ Aurora offered. ‘We can see what else is in your future?’
‘I think perhaps we’ve done enough for today,’ Rose said and felt a presence behind her, knew without looking that it was Ben.
‘Perhaps we could come back to it later, Aunt A,’ he agreed lightly. ‘I think people are getting hungry – I know I am. We could try it when the sun sets. I’m sure a little more atmosphere wouldn’t hurt. Perhaps the spirits will be more willing to share their secrets then?’
Rose felt a wave of relief and gratitude, a little surprised that he’d stepped in. Ben might be frivolous, flippant and nothinglike the men she usually esteemed, but he clearly had a sensitive side.
Aurora considered him for a moment, her expression thoughtful. ‘Sì,bello,’ she said eventually. ‘We have plenty of time. Perhaps some food will help too. Then, we can pick up where we left off.’
Luna rose from her chair and Marco hugged her, then the both of them linked hands and signalled to their guests that they should make their way back towards the villa.
Rose held back and was surprised when Ben did too. ‘So are you ready for our torrid romance?’ he teased as he put his hand on her back and guided her forward. ‘Because you need to know I’m quite the catch.’
She snorted as a laugh got the better of her again. Perhaps it was just relief from the tension earlier? ‘I get the feeling Aurora is confident I’m going to fall at your feet,’ she said.
‘Is she?’ he asked, and Rose could hear the smile in his voice. ‘And are you going to?’
‘Well, maybe if I trip over my dress again.’
Ben laughed. ‘Is it okay if it’s the other way around?’
The idea sent prickles of awareness skidding across Rose’s skin making her humour fade. ‘I’m not the type of woman men like you usually fall for,’ she said stiffly.
‘Men like me?’ he asked, and if Rose didn’t know better, she might have thought she detected a trace of hurt in Ben’s tone. She checked his face, which was filled with amusement, and dismissed the idea.
Men as good-looking as Ben Pearson didn’t fall for women like her – and women like her definitely didn’t get involved with men like him.
But as they wandered through the olive grove and she took in a deep lungful of the woody fragrance, Rose thought sheheard the sound of someone laughing and for a crazy moment wondered if Aurora had somehow heard her thoughts.
12
BEN
Ben knocked on Rose’s door again, trying not to wake Aurora who was sleeping a few rooms away. The dawn sun’s orange light glowed from the hallway window, warming his face, and he scrubbed a hand across his forehead, trying to help himself to wake up. It was almost five a.m. and he hadn’t got to bed until after midnight. Rose had retired earlier – although she hadn’t told him she was going to bed. She’d been avoiding him after the huge, noisy meal, probably because Elena and Francesca had taken to following them both around – seemingly intent on getting them to dance together, or photographing them whenever they got close. Also, Aurora had been threatening Rose and Luna with a tarot card reading, which Rose had made clear she didn’t want. Ben hadn’t known Rose long, but it was obvious she wasn’t keen on being the centre of attention – and hated making her private life so public.
Despite that, the engagement party had been raucous and fun, and Ben had found himself seeking Rose out on a number of occasions. Even the advances of a couple of the female guests – friends of the Marinos – hadn’t tempted him, which was unusual, and he wasn’t sure what to make of that. Perhaps itwas simply the lingering memories of his own engagement party with Sophia which had been held in her parents’ old house, just a mile from here?
He knocked on Rose’s door again, trying to practise what he was going to say in his mind. Marco had cornered him in his room just after he’d gone to bed, eliciting a promise that Ben had a bad feeling about. But he was in Tuscany to support his friend, and he wasn’t going to back out now.
‘What?’ Rose asked as she opened the door, and Ben felt something in his chest wake up and flip over.
She wore the red silk pyjamas she’d brought in Francesca’s shop. When Ben had seen them on the hanger, he’d thought they were too big. But the material skimmed her body, giving away the curve of her waist and hips, and the vibrant colour added a flush to her pale skin. He swallowed a wave of unwelcome lust as her forehead crunched.
‘Why are you here?’ she asked, glancing into the hallway, looking confused. ‘Is something wrong?’
‘No. Well, yes.’ He sighed. ‘Isabella is insisting that someone goes to pick up a wedding gift for Luna and Marco, and he asked if we could do it. The Marinos want to placate her, so she doesn’t do anything to spoil the wedding.’
‘Like me you mean?’ Rose asked, looking annoyed.
Ben huffed. ‘Not exactly. She is…old…and it’s important to everyone that she’s happy about the marriage. She can be…difficult.’
Rose jerked her chin. ‘Right.’ She sighed. ‘And we need to pick up this wedding gift now?’ she asked incredulously as her tired expression morphed into one of disbelief and she looked back at the clock by her bed. ‘Ben, it’s five a.m.’
