Best of Bosses 2008(67)

‘Yes, they do. And I want to do it the traditional way.’ His gaze grew hot. ‘Just for the record, I’m intending to carry you over the threshold as well. And take your wedding dress off very, very, very slowly.’

Oh, lord. The picture that conjured up. The memories of the night he’d made love with her and insisted on taking it slowly. So slowly that she’d come more than once for the very first time.

Some of her thoughts must have shown on her face, because he added with a grin, ‘Spoon.’

She couldn’t help laughing back. ‘Behave.’

His smile faded. ‘Then say the words.’

‘Which words?’

‘You know which ones. I need to hear them, Fran.’

Words she’d never said before.

She took a deep breath. ‘I love you.’

‘Didn’t hear that.’

‘I love you,’ she said, more loudly.

‘Good.’ He wrapped his arms round her and kissed her. Thoroughly.

The next thing she knew, they were sitting in the office chair—and she was on his lap, with her arms round his neck.

‘I missed you,’ he said softly.

‘I missed you too,’ she admitted.

‘We’ve been very stupid. We should’ve been honest with each other. Talked. Taken the risk instead of being too scared.’ He brushed his mouth against hers. ‘I need to see your parents.’

‘No, you don’t.’

He sighed. ‘Fran, I shared my family with you. Why won’t you share yours with me?’

‘Because it’s different.’

‘Because you were adopted, you mean?’ He stroked her face. ‘That doesn’t make any difference. They might not be your natural family, but they’re still your family—they’re the ones who grew up with you. And you refer to your parents as Mum and Dad, so surely you love them?’

She rested her forehead against his shoulder. ‘I’m not like any of them. I’m the odd one out.’

His arms tightened round her. ‘I don’t think you’re odd. Well, not very.’ He grinned as she lifted her head. ‘I thought that would make you glare at me.’ His voice softened. ‘Meet me halfway, Fran. At least introduce me to them. Because we’re going to have a big wedding.’

Oh, lord. ‘How big a wedding?’

‘I’m part of a big family. The Mazettis are close. And even if we disappear with the intention of getting married very quietly at the top of a mountain, they’ll all work out exactly where we’ve gone, and when we get back to base camp they’ll be waiting there with a party and more confetti than you’d think could ever be made.’

From what she’d seen of a Mazetti family party, he wasn’t exaggerating.

‘OK. I’ll call them.’

‘Call them now.’ He leaned forward, picked up the office phone and pushed it into her hand.

She replaced it on the desk. ‘Later.’

‘Now, Fran.’



For a moment, he thought she was going to refuse. But then she sighed, and punched in her parents’ number.

‘Hi, Mum. It’s Fran.’ She paused. ‘Can I come and see you? There’s someone I’d like you to meet.’

Gio couldn’t catch the reply on the other end. Why hadn’t he thought to switch the phone on to hands-free speaker mode?

‘When do we want to come?’ Fran asked. ‘Um…’

He prodded her so she looked at him and mouthed, ‘This Sunday.’

Fran shook her head and turned away.

He grabbed her desk pad and scribbled a note. Ask for this Sunday or I’ll ask them myself. She’d once threatened to break the rules and look up his personal information on the staff records. He could do the same.

She scowled, but to his relief she said, ‘How about this Sunday? Uh-huh. I need to check the train times, but, yes, we’ll be there before lunch. OK. Bye.’

No ‘I love you’, he noticed. All businesslike. So very different from his own family. Well, he’d give Fran all the love she’d been waiting for. And more.

‘We’re not going by train,’ he said when she replaced the receiver.

‘Why not? Gio, my parents live in Oxford.’

‘Which means it’s straight down the M40. That’s fine. I like driving.’

‘But…’

‘Not buts, Fran.’ He brushed his mouth against hers. ‘By the way, there are two more things you need to know.’

‘What?’

‘Firstly, I’ve just discovered I’m very traditional. So, much as I want to take you back to my place tonight and spend every single second making love with you, I’m not going to.’ He rubbed the tip of his nose against hers. ‘No sex,’ he whispered, ‘before marriage.’