At long last, Cade West realized she was a woman. It was a fact she was more than ready to take advantage of. Love and hope. Like the princess in the song, those two emotions had filled her since she'd found out he was on his way to the island-though since her father's revelations fear coursed through her as well. She swallowed, and tried to calm down. She couldn't panic until she'd examined the books. And she couldn't talk to anyone about this until after the wedding.
Melo rotated her shoulders, unknotting the kinks. Just when she was buckling under the pressure of keeping this juggernaut of a wedding on track, her father had added to her load. She wished to hell she could confide in someone.
The plates were cleared away, and then the next course, a selection of barbecued meats, was brought from the braziers and placed on the table in large wooden platters. Rosticciana, barbecued pork ribs and sausages, Fiorentina steaks, and tender, rosemary marinated lamb. A meal fit for a king. Or a princess. Hungry fingers reached for the cuts of meat as the guests served themselves.
Melo helped herself to the selection of salads laid out on the table, making a colorful mix of cannelloni beans with parsley, black olives and tomatoes swirled over with olive oil. Adam passed over the bread basket, and she pulled off a chunk before passing it on. She added a steak to her plate and leaned forward. Closed her eyes and breathed in the mouth-watering aromas. Could there be anywhere in the world where the food was as good as here? No way.
****
Cade had been watching Marco surreptitiously during the meal, shocked at the old man's appearance. Even though he was smartly dressed in honor of the occasion, his white shirt hung on his shrunken frame. There were deep hollows in his cheeks, and his black eyebrows stood out in stark contrast to the whiteness of his face. His black eyes were dull and lifeless, a drastic contrast to the Marco of old, and there were dark shadows under them.
Cade poured himself a fresh glass of San Pellegrino. Bittersweet music drifted in the night air. Guitar, with a lone saxophonist accompaniment. They were playing something familiar. It was only when the male singer started warbling, "You're much too good to be true" that he recognized it.
A bonfire blazed near the water. Couples meandered toward it, carrying glasses of wine. A circle of large pillows had been arranged as al-fresco seating in a circle around it.
"Do you want to go to the fire?" His dinner companion, whom he'd learned was Sophia, reached out her hand to him hopefully.
He shook his head. "Sorry. I haven't spoken to Mr. Bellucci yet, I'll have to pass."
Sophia dismissed him with a smile and sashayed away. The gorgeous looking woman wasn't alone for long.
But he wasn't remotely interested.
The only woman who held his interest had been out of his reach all evening. He glanced over, but she was gone. Somehow, sometime, when he'd been distracted she'd escaped. He almost groaned in frustration. In the silken darkness she would be almost impossible to find.
Marco sat at the table still, nursing a glass of sparkling water.
Cade strolled over.
"Ah, Cade. Please, sit." Marco indicated the empty chair next to his. "I'm so sorry not to have met you when you arrived. My health … " He grimaced.
Cade hurried to reassure him. "I understand completely Signore Bellucci. I was so sorry to hear you had been unwell. Adam and Rosa told me all about it."
"Grazie." Marco bowed his head in acknowledgement. "Please call me Marco, Cade. Calling me Signore Bellucci makes me feel old." His dry lips cracked in a sorry attempt at a smile. "Even older than I currently feel, which is saying something."
"Marco, then." Cade nodded.
"Cade. I would like to meet with you tomorrow. Just the two of us." Marco leaned forward and hissed. "Confidentially."
Curiosity spiked at Marco's cloak and dagger whisperings. It was going to be nigh on impossible. There was a full day of festivities planned, and another party tomorrow night. There were a couple of outings tomorrow; maybe he could skip one.
"I'm not sure exactly what time I will be able to meet you, Marco." Cade's mind worked rapidly. He wanted to be there for Adam, but Adam wouldn't need him every moment. He had Rosa, and hadn't taken his eyes off her since they'd arrived.
"You can come up whenever." The old man waved his hands in the air and shrugged. "It doesn't matter to me. I will be spending the day confined to bed. I will tell my nurse to expect you, and if I am asleep she will wake me. I have something very important to discuss with you. Something private."
Cade would have questioned the old man further. After all, what could possibly be so important? But Marco collapsed back into his chair, his face white with exhaustion.
Cade smiled. "Till tomorrow then, Marco."
Marco summoned his nurse with a quick movement of his head. "I will retire now. I don't wish to break up the party, so I'll just vanish into the night." And supported by his wife and his nurse on both sides, he did.
Cade found Melo on the gravel sweep outside the villa talking to a group of men, obviously the drivers hired for the evening to chauffeur the guests down to the hotel after the party. When she saw him coming, she walked toward him. The others melted into the night.
They were at last alone. Cade's muscles ached, and his mind felt dull with tiredness. He'd wandered on the beach, glancing at the faces lit by the flickering fire for half an hour trying to find her, his frustration growing by the minute.
He hadn't been able to think of anything but kissing her since she sat opposite him at the table. Despite the fact Adam wouldn't approve of him playing around with Melo. And the fact that he'd sworn only to date women who wanted the same things he did. A night of hot lovemaking, a date or two, no strings. No hearts involved.
Melo didn't fall into that category. Not by any means.
The way she'd looked at him across the table had chased all considerations out of his head, leaving only the urge to find her. Be alone. And he was blowing it big time. Now he'd found her, his jet lag was more than kicking in. He felt like a bear with a sore head.
"Where the hell have you been?" Not the greatest opening, but all he could manage under the circumstances.
"Did you miss me then? I thought you were busy with Sophia." Her eyes glinted. She put her hands on her hips and stared him down.
The entire experience was strangely erotic.
"No. I haven't seen Sophia since dessert. I've been looking for you." He stepped closer, into her captivating orbit. Ran his fingers over the silky skin of her upper arms, loving the feel of her. If she wasn't interested, she'd pull back. Increase the distance between their bodies and jolt him firmly back in his place. He half hoped she would, it would make things easier all round. Confusion flickered across her expressive features, and she swayed slightly, but didn't move. Just watched him with those sapphire eyes like a gazelle caught face to face with a hungry lion. "I wanted to see if you were going to deliver on that promise."
"What promise?"
Her tongue darted over her top lip.
His hand spanned her waist. Fingers splaying. He felt her heat through the thin cotton, as her breasts fell and rose quickly, signaling her arousal. His hand slid to her spine, pulling her closer so her breasts pushed against his chest.
"The promise your eyes were making over dinner." Blood thundered in his ears as he leaned closer, until his mouth tingled with the soft caress of her exhaled breath. "This promise."
Her head tilted back, and her eyes closed as his mouth descended.
****
The kiss blazed through Melo like a comet through the sky. Cade's hand wove through her hair to her nape, pressing her closer as masterful lips teased hers open, plundering her mouth.
Melo sighed, and gave in to her body's urgings to slide her arms up around his neck. Cade's kiss was all she'd dreamed of, and more. Her nipples peaked beneath the lace of her bra, pushing against his hard chest. His silky hair slid through her fingers and she breathed in the scent of sandalwood and warm man. The experience was so heady, her head swam and her legs trembled.
"Signorina Melo." She pulled away from Cade's arms with a gasp.
One of the drivers approached in the darkness. She quickly stepped back, swiping a hand over her lips as if to obliterate the evidence of his kiss.
"What is it?" Her voice shook, and she couldn't even remember the driver's name. She could barely remember her own, truth be told.