Deceptive Desires (6 page)

At some point, she realized he had released her arms, and she now clutched his shoulders as he pulled off her pants and underwear. “This is a really bad idea.”

“But it feels so good.” His erection sprang free from his pants when he opened the zipper, and he didn’t bother to remove them before sinking inside her. “You feel good, Molly. I thought about this a lot.”

“Now who’s lying?” She wanted to push him away, but he changed his angle enough to hit an especially sensitive spot, making her moan.

He bent one of her legs to curve around his back, so he could get deeper inside her, making her gasp from the sensation. “I’ve never lied to you.”

With them joined, it didn’t seem like a good time to continue the argument, but she didn’t believe he’d spared her even a thought in the past two years. An orgasm swept through her abruptly, and she dug her nails into his skin, a small part of her hoping it hurt. Suddenly, reason returned, and she pushed harder against his chest. “Pull out.”

Eyes glazed with passion looked down at her with a bit of confusion. “What?”

“Don’t come inside me. I’m not on birth control, and I don’t want another child.” She shuddered at the thought, remembering how difficult her pregnancy with Cara had been. A large part of it had been the depression that had overtaken her, but she remembered it as a negative experience, one never to repeat—especially with him.

With a curse, he withdrew just in time. She felt the warm spurt against her thigh as he climaxed and was relieved she had remembered. As soon as he slumped forward, she scooted backward, escaping him to hide under the coverlet. “Now that you got what you came for, leave.”

He looked hurt. “I didn’t come for a quick lay, Molly. I want us to get to know each other, the way we should have before we got married and had a child.”

“Don’t you care what I want?”

He scoffed. “Carter? Can he make you come like that?”

Refusing to answer, she said, “It will never work between us, Aronne. We don’t even like each other. I’m willing to try a limited visitation schedule with you, but anything else is out of the question.”

“I’m unwilling to have limited access. I want you to move in with me.”

She shook her head. “We aren’t leaving our home.”

A slow smile spread across his face. “Very well. I’ll move in here. I’ll even use a guestroom—for now.”

“I didn’t invite you.” She crossed her arms. “I don’t want you here.”

Sounding casual, he said, “Did you know Mamma was excited when I told her I wanted to be a proper husband and father? She didn’t sound distant anymore. More color returned to her cheeks, and I swear she got a little better with the news.” He arched a brow. “It’s her fondest wish that we be as happy as Cristiano and Margot.”

“Don’t do this.” Sophia was one of her weaknesses, and he knew it, the manipulative jerk. He might not be a liar, but he was certainly a selfish schemer.

He moved over to lie beside her, putting his arm over her stomach atop the blanket. “I’m merely telling you what Mamma wants. She could recover faster, or perhaps knowing you aren’t even willing to try will cause a relapse.”

“I hate you,” she said with a depth of passion she hadn’t known she could still feel for the man beside her.

Aronne gave her a sad smile. “You don’t. You wish you did, but it isn’t possible to hate me when we’re so good together in bed.”

Sighing, she said, “Fine. You can stay with us for a few days, until Sophia’s better.” Through narrowed eyes, she saw the trace of satisfaction in his smug expression. “However, you’ll be in the guestroom, and this won’t happen again.”

He seemed on the verge of arguing before he shrugged. “I’ll sleep in the guestroom, but we both know this will happen any time I want it. To avoid accusations of double standards, I will make myself equally available whenever you want me.”

“Never.”

With a quick move, he leaned forward to capture her mouth in a possessive kiss. She resisted, keeping her muscles stiff as long as she could. The moment she relaxed against him and parted her lips, he drew back.

“Never? Somehow,
cara mia
, I don’t think so.”

Chapter Five

It annoyed Molly that Cara took to Aronne like she’d known him forever. Aronne seemed comfortable in the role of father and easily picked up everything he needed to know to care for her. Cara seemed to become the center of his world, and she hated feeling jealous of the attention he gave their daughter.

Either he had lost interest in her, or he was trying to be on his best behavior, because he hadn’t even tried to touch her in the past five days. Molly knew that was for the best, but it didn’t keep her from being disgruntled.
I just want the pleasure of rejecting him.
Yeah, right. She knew that was a lie even as she had the thought. Much as she hated the fact, she still found Aronne desirable.

That didn’t mean she wanted to play happy family with him. It was good for Cara to get to know her father, and perhaps it would have a beneficial effect on him, but the only thing between them should be their daughter. Physical longings led to emotional complications she didn’t want to face. Falling in love with her husband was unacceptable. She couldn’t trust him to stick around, and what kind of loving relationship could a couple have without trust?

Saturday morning, she woke early, hearing Cara babbling away. She smothered a yawn and slipped on her robe to pad down the hall to the nursery. As she stepped in the room, she stopped at the sight of Aronne sitting in the rocker, Cara on his lap. She was playing with the buttons on his shirt and talking away. Having spent so much time with her, Molly understood a lot of what the toddler said, but she was surprised to realize Aronne did too, as he responded appropriately to her comments.

“Dada.” Cara beamed when Aronne let out a laugh that sounded like pure happiness.

Molly tried to force back the sentimental tug at her emotions reminding her how she had felt the first time Cara said, “Mommy,” at eight months old. Her gaze locked with his, and the joy in his eyes made it difficult not to return his grin. “It’s pretty amazing, isn’t it?”

He nodded, hugging the baby closer. “Thank you, Molly.”

She frowned. “For what?”

Aronne nodded toward Cara. “For her. You didn’t have to have her. At your age, no one would have faulted you for choosing not to.” He flushed. “To be honest, I might have suggested that alternative, since it would have been easiest for me.” With a grimace, he said, “I can’t imagine not knowing her now.”

Dammit. She blinked at the moisture in her eyes, unable to deny the love in his gaze as he looked at Cara. Their daughter seemed just as enthralled with her father. Her carefully nurtured fantasy of him losing interest and taking off once more disintegrated. If Aronne ever left the city again, it was obvious he would still remain in his daughter’s life. She hated the idea. Didn’t she?

“I considered it,” she said, sounding less emotional than she felt. “It was my mother’s solution, of course.” She couldn’t hide her distaste. “Mother confided she’d had an abortion at sixteen, and it hadn’t done her any harm. I think it was the thought of turning into her that scared me away from a termination.” Molly walked closer to them. “When I saw her on the ultrasound at twelve weeks, little heart beating away, I couldn’t wait to hold her. It was instant love.”

“I can relate.” His expression was one of wonder as Cara took his finger, trying to bring it to her mouth to suck. “No no,
piccolino
. I’ve felt your teeth before.”

Most of the softness left his face when he looked up at her, though his eyes remained tender. “Papa called this morning. Mamma gets to go home today. She’s already insisting we all come for brunch tomorrow.”

Molly smiled. “That sounds like Sophia. Who can tell her no?”

“It takes a braver man than me,” he said with a wink.

♥♥♥

Sophia looked much better the next morning when they sat down at the table for brunch. Molly couldn’t help wondering if Aronne had been right about their supposed reconciliation hastening her recovery. Feeling the burden of maintaining the charade that they were considering reconciling gave her an instant headache.

To her surprise, Aronne insisted on feeding Cara as they sat down to brunch. He’d done so before, but always with a little guidance, and in his casual clothes. She winced at the first smear of tomato on his khaki blazer, which he shrugged off.

“You’re a natural,
caro
,” said his mother, her lips curving into a pleased smile.

Molly missed his reply as she sipped a mimosa and hoped the headache would fade away. Her attention abruptly returned to them when she heard Sophia say, “Happy anniversary.” Stomach churning, she resisted the urge to grimace. Was that today? A quick mental calculation confirmed it was. Resisting the urge to raise her drink in celebration of having reached the expiry date of her marriage, she gulped it instead.

“Thank you, Mama, but that is not a day to celebrate.”

His logical answer surprised Molly, and she frowned at the dart of ire that pierced her. It was true nothing good—except Cara—had come from their union, but it was still insulting to hear him say it so bluntly.

Santo frowned. “That is no way to talk when you are reconciling.”

Aronne shook his head. “Don’t misunderstand please. I very much want Molly and Cara in my life. I’m simply being realistic. The ceremony was a farce. She deserved better. Once we have a new ceremony, we’ll celebrate that date.”

Molly dropped her glass against the table harder than she’d intended, making all eyes turn to her. “There won’t be another ceremony, Aronne.”

“I want you to have the wedding you deserve.”

Through gritted teeth, she said, “It’s unnecessary. The idea is thoughtful, but I’m not interested in revisiting our—” A quick glance at Sophia revealed the other woman had lost some of the color in her cheeks, leading her to amend her statement. “Revisiting a marriage ceremony. The wedding isn’t what matters. It’s what comes after it.” With a heated glare, she silently dared him to dispute that. “That’s the important part.”

His lips were thin when he gave her a tight nod. “If that is your wish, we’ll skip the formality of another wedding.”

“Believe me, another wedding is the last thing I want.” With a lingering glance at him, she added, “Almost the last thing.”

An awkward silence fell before Santo cleared his throat. “Nevertheless, your mother and I wanted to mark the occasion, to celebrate your renewed efforts at matrimony.”

Sophia nodded, cheeks flushed with pleasure.

Molly forced a polite smile. “That’s so sweet of you.” She would accept whatever gift they’d selected and give it to Aronne later. He could keep it or dispose of it. She didn’t care.

“We’re giving you time.”

Molly frowned at her sister, somehow unsurprised to find she was in on it. “What?”

“We have arranged for you two to spend the week at our villa on St. Sophia,” said Santo.

Feeling lost, and a little panicked, she asked, “Where is that?”

“It’s our family island,” said Cristiano. “Papa gave it to Mama for a wedding present and christened it with her name.”

“It’s lovely,” said Sophia, eyes misting. “We spent our honeymoon there. Other than a few discreet staff, it was just the two of us.” She leaned forward, almost vibrating with excitement. “We have arranged the same for you. It will give you both time to work out the kinks and get used to each other.”

“I don’t—” She broke off when Aronne grasped her hand, squeezing harder than necessary.

“It’s a lovely gesture, Mama, but I don’t have time. I imagine Molly is too busy as well.”

“We’ve cleared your calendars,” said Margot with a hint of smug laughter.

Cristiano nodded. “I’ve arranged to take care of things in Rio for a few days. While I’m there, I’ll be interviewing candidates to take over your old position. When you return from your honeymoon, we’ll figure out what role you want to take on.”

Feeling trapped, Molly threw out, “Cara. We can’t because of her.”

Margot grinned. “Again, not a problem. I’ve taken vacation while you’re gone. Cara and I will stay here with Mama and Papa, so they can spend lots of time spoiling her.”

Cristiano chuckled, clearly enjoying hers and Aronne’s mutual chagrin at being trapped so neatly. Molly had the urge to outright refuse, but a look at Sophia stifled her protests when she saw how much better her mother-in-law looked—not just from the day she’d been admitted to the hospital, but also how her appearance had improved since they sat down for brunch. “It sounds nice,” she said a little lamely. “Thanks.” There was no hiding the disgruntled note in her voice.

“It’s a wonderful idea,” said Aronne warmly, clearly much more impressed with the idea than she was. “Thank you.”

♥♥♥

Thanks to her sister and in-laws’ neat maneuvering, Molly found herself whisked away via private company jet and ensconced on the island of St. Sophia four days later. As promised, it was a beautiful white jewel glittering in the Tyrrhenian Sea. Other than a modest villa, much smaller than she’d expected, the island was bare, except for vegetation and white sand. There was a marina on the main beach, with a small motorboat anchored to it, but it wouldn’t be sturdy enough to take her to the nearest neighboring island of Salina. She’d thought about it and already discarded it as an escape option.