‘Is the water cold?’
‘Not cold enough, unfortunately,’ he drawled. His dark eyes glinted. ‘Not when you look so gorgeous and incredibly tempting in that bikini.’
Kristen blushed and glanced down at the bikini which she had found with the other clothes he had bought for her. It consisted of two tiny pieces of jade-green Lycra and was far more daring than anything she would have chosen.
‘You chose it,’ she reminded him.
‘And now I’m going to have to swim at least forty lengths to try and get rid of my frustration,’ he said ruefully. ‘Why don’t you stay with Nico and let him show you how well he can swim with armbands?’
It was all about compromise, Kristen mused as she played in the shallow end with Nico while Sergio thrashed up and down the pool. She appreciated that he had given her time to be alone with Nico to prove that he didn’t want to monopolize the little boy’s attention. For the first time since she had arrived in Sicily, determined to snatch back her son, a sense of calm settled over her and she was even able to fool herself that everything would be all right.
* * *
The fragile feeling of hope lasted for the rest of the afternoon. Nico clearly loved having the attention of both his parents and Kristen discovered that sharing responsibility with another adult gave her a chance to relax and enjoy herself. Eventually Sergio carried their tired son back to the house and, after he’d had his tea and a bath, Nico was ready for bed.
Luisa, Rosa’s nanny, arrived just as Kristen had finished reading him a story. ‘Salvatore offered to put Rosa to bed tonight, and suggested that I should come and see if you need any help with Nico,’ she explained, speaking in fluent English. ‘It is good that he is feeling better today and was able to meet his grandfather.’
‘Yes, Tito seemed much taken with him,’ Kristen said, remembering how Sergio’s father had not taken his eyes off Nico during lunch.
‘Of course! Signor Castellano is delighted. For many years he has hoped that Sergio would provide an heir who will one day inherit the company with Salvatore’s daughter.’ Luisa shrugged. ‘My cousin works as Tito’s cook, and she heard rumours among the household staff that Tito had delayed giving Sergio the permanent role of joint CEO of the Castellano Group with his twin brother, and chose instead to name only Salvatore as his successor. But that is to change now that Sergio has a son. Tito has instructed the company’s lawyers to upgrade Sergio’s status to CEO, the same as Salvatore, and I understand that Tito is impatient for the two of you to marry so that Nico becomes a legitimate heir.’
Luisa smiled, unaware that Kristen’s lack of response was because she was too shocked to speak. Her mind was reeling, but everything Luisa had told her made horrible sense. ‘I was going to offer to sit with Nico,’ the nanny said, ‘but he has already fallen asleep.’
‘It’s not necessary for you to stay, thank you.’ Somehow Kristen managed to keep a lid on her anger until the nanny had gone, but as she marched next door into Sergio’s room her temper reached boiling point.
‘Did Nico settle okay?’ He strolled over to meet her, looking unfairly sexy in tailored black trousers and a white silk shirt that contrasted with his bronzed complexion. With his silky hair falling forward onto his brow and his mouth curved into a sensual smile, he looked every inch a billionaire playboy, and jealousy stabbed Kristen through her heart as she wondered how many women must have shared his bed.
‘I thought we would have dinner on the terrace...like we used to do,’ he said softly. ‘But I’m feeling a little over-dressed.’