"That is no excuse," Luca said, leaning in to her and covering her hand with his. "It is natural for a woman to want a child. When there are difficulties, her husband should be more attentive and supportive than ever. To stray from your bed because he felt like he wasn't getting enough attention is absurd. I was always raised to believe that a woman is meant to be treasured. She is a gift, an angel sent into your life from the heavens. To treat her as anything less is an abomination."
Claire watched him speak with a mix of disbelief and wonder in her gray eyes. She leaned into him, her lips parting. They were soft, plump lips that had gone too long without kisses. That was a tragedy in Luca's eyes. A few kind words and she was melting like butter. She deserved better. Unfortunately, Luca was not the man to give it to her. He sat back and pulled his hand away.
She snapped out of her trance and moved her hand down into her lap. "Do you really believe all that?" she asked.
"I do. My parents have been married for over thirty years keeping that philosophy in mind."
"May I ask why you haven't married, then? I'm sure there are plenty of women out there who would love you to treat them like a precious gift."
Luca tried not to stiffen at her question. He had done his fair share of prying into her personal life; it shouldn't be out of bounds for her to do the same. But there were land mines in this field he didn't want to hit. Not tonight and not ever. Instead, he shrugged and relied on the story he had told again and again over the years.
"Since the day I was born, I was groomed to take over the family business. Moretti's has always had the oldest son running the company. I went from high school to college to grad school to the boardroom. Once my father retired, I had this huge weight on my shoulders to keep the company running and profitable, or I would be letting everyone down. That hasn't really left me much time for anything else. Not just relationships, either. I never travel. I have almost no hobbies or interests outside of work. I have my business. That's it."
What Luca left out was that it was all by design. His father had managed to run the company while having time for his wife and children, so he knew it could be done, but keeping busy was the only way Luca could get through the lonely times. Claire wouldn't understand that, though, because she didn't realize he was damaged. She only saw the successful, confident businessman he portrayed to the world.
"You've never been in love before?"
Luca considered his answer before speaking. "No," he lied. "I got close, but I was wrong."
"That's kind of sad," Claire said. "For all your money and success, all you have to show for it is money and success. You don't even get to enjoy it with someone. When was the last time you took a vacation?"
"I'm on a vacation right now," Luca argued.
"No. Before this one."
Luca thought back, but he knew there wasn't really an answer. "I've never taken a vacation as an adult. Not a real one, at least. Occasionally my family gathers for a long weekend in the Hamptons during the summer."
"It sounds like you're going to be an old, lonely bachelor before too long. What will your family do if you don't have an oldest son to take over after you?"
That was a question that had plagued Luca since the day of his diagnosis. In reality, there were plenty of people in the family who could take the reins. His younger brother Marcello had a son who could easily be the next CEO. But now he had a new possibility. "Well, this isn't the fifties anymore. It isn't written anywhere that it has to be a son. I may not marry or have any more children, but through a twist of fate, I do have Eva in my life. It's always a possibility that she could take over for me."
"If she wants to," Claire countered. "It's nice to have a family legacy, but I don't want her pressured into a life and a career she doesn't want."
"Of course." Luca didn't want that for his daughter, either. He hadn't been pressured into taking the company over, thankfully. It was something he'd always dreamed of doing. His family was important to him and carrying that legacy on was an honor. He'd once hoped that he could pass it along to his child, too, but that was a fantasy he'd given up years ago. "We have the next three weeks to worry about before we need be concerned with Eva's career path."
Claire nodded and turned back to her food. Luca watched her eat for a moment, sipping his wine thoughtfully. At this angle, he could see the faint gray circles under her eyes and the defeated slope of her shoulders. The stress wasn't just wearing her thin. It was eating away at her.
He recognized the look from the days his mother sat at his bedside at the hospital, worrying over him. He hadn't been in any condition to help his mother, but he could help Claire, if she'd let him. Being a single mother had to be incredibly difficult, even with resources at her disposal. She needed this vacation more than even he knew.
They had come here to get to know each other and hash out a custody arrangement, but now he had a different goal: to find a way to make Claire happy again.
Five
Claire couldn't sleep that night. Her head was spinning with everything Luca had said to her at dinner. She wasn't sure if he was telling the truth or if he had the ability to charm a woman by knowing exactly what she needed to hear. They'd spent only a week together. Was she that easy to read? Either way, it was working. A combination of gentle words and strong wine had weakened her defenses. By the time they'd finished eating and cleaned up the kitchen, she would've agreed to anything he suggested. Even the kind of things she knew were a bad idea.
Like touching him. All through dinner she wanted to run her fingers though the dark waves of his hair. She wanted to brush the pad of her thumb over his bottom lip as he spoke the words she'd longed for a man to say to her her whole life. What would he do if she reached out to him? Would he pull her into his arms or push her away? Would he call her tesorina? She had no idea what it meant, but whenever he said it she felt her knees soften beneath her.
Now there was a restlessness inside her, keeping sleep at bay. An ache deep in her belly. She didn't know if it was heartburn from the spicy tomato sauce or her long-dormant desire coming back to life, but neither was welcome.
She'd come here to get to know her baby's father, but not in the biblical sense. After her disastrous relationship with Jeff, she'd resigned herself to not falling in love again. It was too hard on her heart, and she didn't think she could take that risk a second time. If she did, she needed a man who was first and foremost honest, and she couldn't trust a word out of Luca's mouth right now. They were on opposite sides of this custody battle. But between the beautiful beach views, the amazing meals and the stimulating conversation, it was easy to let that slip her mind. That would be a dangerous mistake, as she was pretty certain Luca wouldn't do the same.
Frustrated, she flung back the blankets and headed out into the living room. Tonight, she'd been warm from the wine, so she'd opted for a thin, baby-doll nightgown with spaghetti straps. It was short and nearly see-through, but she couldn't bear to put on her flannel pants and top when she went to bed.
Fortunately the house was dark and quiet when she stepped into the hallway, so her attire wouldn't matter. Claire wasn't entirely sure what she was after, but she ended up in the kitchen. She didn't bother turning on the lights. Doing that would ensure she'd never sleep.
Instead, the moonlight through the windows illuminated what she needed to see. Deciding on a cup of tea, she found some in the cupboard and put a mug of water in the microwave to heat. She opened the refrigerator door, looking around for something of interest, but nothing caught her eye. When the water was warmed, she shut the refrigerator and pulled the mug out of the microwave. She let the tea bag steep, then added some honey to sweeten it.
It took a moment for her eyes to adjust to the darkness again, but when they did, she turned and noticed a large, dark figure standing at the edge of the kitchen.
A jolt of panic rushed through her as the shape came closer, until she recognized Luca's gait. Finally, the moonlight from the window lit him, and her heartbeat started to return to normal. Well, at least until she realized he was wearing nothing but a pair of boxer shorts.
The silver light highlighted the curves of his muscular arms and cut of his chest. The sprinkle of dark hair across his chest narrowed and ran down his belly. Her eyes followed the trail along his hard abs, and she felt the heartburn start to rage more intensely inside her.