Surrender To The Single Dad. Michelle Douglas

and pass it around. I remember the hours she taught us about the constellations. Then she and Papà would slip into their tent and leave the three of us to enjoy the wonders of the universe. When I grew old enough, I understood they sneaked away to enjoy the wonder of each other.”

      “Oh, I know all about that.” Alessandra chuckled. “Our family went on expeditions to Sicily. One time at the Valley of the Temples, we’d set up our camp. I thought we’d explore that first night while there was still light. But our parents told us to run along and enjoy ourselves.

      “My sister and I eyed each other. We could always amuse each other. But it was another one of those times when we were both thinking exactly the same thing. You could say that night contributed to our enlightenment. I never looked at my parents the same way again.”

      Rini ate another pie. “I can relate.” He let the fire burn down.

      She sat cross-legged in front of it. “You’ve never told me where you went to school.”

      “University of Naples, then MIT in Cambridge, Massachusetts.”

      “You didn’t meet a special woman during those years?”

      He swallowed the rest of his coffee. “Yes, but I had a goal to finish my education and didn’t let anything get in the way.”

      “Still, you know what I mean.”

      “She didn’t matter enough to distract me from my agenda since I knew I couldn’t give her a baby.”

      “I’m glad it didn’t work out. Otherwise I wouldn’t be with you now.”

      Rini stirred and got to his feet. “I want to continue this conversation, but would rather do it in the tent. Give me a minute to put out the fire.” While he went over to the stream half a dozen times for water to douse the flames, Alessandra put the food away, then found her flashlight and took a trip behind a fat bush.

      She kept the light on for Rini. Once she’d removed her tennis shoes, she entered the tent and lay down inside one of bags. Before long he joined her having exchanged his sweater and jeans for a dark blue sweatshirt and pants. His dashing smile took her breath. “I’m having the most fun I’ve ever had in my life.”

      “So am I.”

      He zipped up the tent flaps and opened the little screened window for air. Then he stretched out on top of his sleeping bag and turned toward her. “Do you mind if we keep the light on for a little while? I want to look at you while we talk.”

      She rolled on her side to face him. “I love looking at you, but you already know that.”

      “Alessandra?” He reached for her hand and kissed the palm. “Though I want to make love to you and never stop, I can’t wait any longer to tell you what’s on my mind first.”

      “What is it?”

      “I’m helplessly in love with you, adorata, and want to marry you.”

      A cry escaped her throat. “Rini—”

      “That couldn’t be news to you.” He sat up to face her. “I fell in love with you that first day. You weren’t the only one who had a surreal experience.”

      Joy permeated her body. “I hoped you felt that way, but I hardly dared to dream I would ever hear those words.”

      “I’ve been afraid to say them because of the burden it puts on you.”

      She raised up on one elbow. “What burden? If you’re talking about the fact that you can’t give me babies, we’ve already had this conversation. It doesn’t matter.”

      He shook his head. “Of course it does. But putting the reality of adoption aside, I’m talking about something else that I should have discussed with you weeks ago.”

      Weeks?

      With that word Alessandra got a sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach and sat up. “This has to do with my aunt, doesn’t it?”

      Lines marred his features, letting her know she was right, and her frustration grew. “Instead of going diving that morning, you drove us back to the castle because you said you had business with Papà.”

      “I did,” he muttered.

      “That’s interesting. When I came down to the office later to find you, he told me you’d gone. I heard the helicopter. According to him you were no longer interested in drilling for oil on our property. As a footnote he said you thanked both of us profusely for our time.” Her voice quivered, but she couldn’t stop it. “I thought I was in the middle of a nightmare.”

      Rini was quiet so long, she couldn’t stand it. “What went on with my aunt behind closed doors that caused you to leave without even having the decency to say goodbye to me in person? If what happened was so terrible, why didn’t you tell me immediately?”

      “I held back because I didn’t want to betray a confidence that could bring pain.”

      “You’ve said that before. To whom?” she demanded.

      He stared her down. “Everyone involved.”

      “I don’t understand.” Her tears had started. He brushed them away with his thumbs.

      “My feelings for you ran so deep, I was afraid to spend another moment with you. The only thing to do was get away and never see you again.”

      She shuddered. “Don’t you know how cruel that was to me? I’d fallen hopelessly in love with you and you knew it.”

      “Listen to me.” He grasped both her hands. “I slipped away because I thought it was the best thing to do considering that I never intended to see you again.”

      Alessandra couldn’t take much more. “Then why did you come back?”

      “You know the answer to that. When I heard about the earthquake and knew your diving team had been affected, I came close to having a coronary. Nothing could have kept me away, not even my reason for leaving you the way I did in the first place.”

      “The accident didn’t turn out to be that serious.”

      “It could have been deadly,” he argued. “Don’t you know you were the most important person in my life? To think of losing you was so terrifying, I flew out of my office and left for Crotone. I had to search for you at two other hospitals before I found you. The moment I saw you again and your doctor told me you would recover, I realized I couldn’t walk away from you a second time.”

      “Even if what you’re about to tell me will hurt everyone?” Her question rang inside the tent.

      “Yes. I have to risk it because I’ve just asked you to be my wife. But I was premature and don’t want your answer until you’ve heard the whole truth from me.”

      A groan came out of her. “How long are you going to make me wait? Please just tell me what it is and let it be the end of all the secrets.”

      The sick look on her face devastated Rini, but she needed to hear everything. He drank part of his bottle of water first, then screwed the top back on. “Did you know that Dea flew to Taranto to see your aunt the morning after being on the yacht?”

      A delicate frown marred her features. “That’s news to me. I thought she told you she had some fashion shows that kept her in Naples.”

      Rini nodded. “That’s what she told me. Does your sister have a special bond with your aunt?”

      “Yes. Many times over the years she’s gone to stay with her. My aunt took care of her after she was born so Mamma could have a break from two children at once. I usually spent time with our mother. I adore my aunt, but I’m pretty sure Dea developed a deep attachment to Zia Fulvia that has lasted. Our aunt is very glamorous and exciting. Naturally it meant the world to her since she couldn’t have children.

      “I’ve always appreciated that Dea and I were