The Billionaire's Second-Chance Bride (The Romero Brothers, #1) by Shadonna Richards Page B
Authors: Shadonna Richards
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repeated, incredulously.
“Yes, Lucy. My grandfather always had this fear of dying alone. Since my grandmother passed many years ago, he has been on a rollercoaster of indiscreet relationships and bad marital decisions. All of them ending bitterly in divorce. And all of them ending with my grandfather getting nothing but slapped with exorbitant spousal support. And what has he been left with?”
“A broken heart,” Lucy whispered, her voice trailing off. She swallowed hard. Her heart was pounding in her chest again. She could see raw hurt glittering in Antonio’s dark eyes. She really did not want to be responsible for Toni suffering more heartbreak, but on the other hand, what if this marriage did work out for him? But would young Shelly stick around for Toni until his final days, whenever that would be?
“Love is one heck of a ride, Antonio. It’s never easy. You never know how bumpy or smooth it’s going to be. You never know if you’ll have enough fuel to go the distance or if you’ll crash and burn.” Lucy bit down on her lower lip.
She noticed Antonio’s body language changed ever so slightly. He’d become more rigid. Then his eyes trailed to her lips. Damn! She must stop that awful habit of biting down on her lower lip. What must Antonio think of her? That she was some shy, awkward school girl who was indecisive?
“I like what you just said,” Antonio finally spoke in his deep, throaty voice. “It’s true.”
“I take it you’ve had your share of-” Lucy decided not to probe further. She thought it would be way too inappropriate at that time.
“Broken hearts?” Antonio interjected for her. A grin touched the corner of his lips. “Not exactly. I’ve been very disappointed, Lucy. But I don’t give my heart to just anyone.”
Whoa!
“Oh. Um...I didn’t mean...I mean...” Lucy didn’t know what to say and she bit down on her lip again. “I meant to say that love is one heck of a ride. But we won’t know if we’ll enjoy it or not if we don’t take the driver’s seat and punch the gas pedal. We need to steer ourselves where we want to go.” Okay, wow, that sounded awkward. Lucy chewed on her lip again.
“Please don’t do that,” he said quietly.
“What?”
His gaze fell on her lips again. “Never mind.” He exhaled sharply and moved over by the French glass doors leading to the garden from the study. The view was spectacular. There was so much greenery outside and the hills in the distance created a picture-perfect painting of the outdoors.
“The view is very nice,” Lucy said to break the tension.
“It’s okay. It was there when the house was built in the 1940s.”
House? That’s an understatement.
“Oh, nice. I absolutely love the view over there. God, it’s beautiful.”
“Want a closer look?” Antonio invited in a low, sultry voice that caused a little explosion of butterflies in her stomach.
God, that man could say Atlas and it would sound sexy as hell. The truth was, she would like a closer look at him.
“Do you want a tour?” he continued.
“Well, I’ve seen quite a bit of the property.”
“I’m not talking about the estate.”
“Oh,” Lucy answered, stunned. To what exactly was Antonio referring?
“I’m talking about the part beyond that stretch over there.” Antonio raised his hand to motion to the area beyond the hills. “I know my grandfather wouldn’t have anyone take a tour there. Well, not just anyone. It’s actually an area we keep away from most people.”
“Oh, and you want me to see it?”
“I’m a spontaneous man, Lucy,” Antonio proffered. “I don’t always plan things. I act on things.”
Like acting on the moment , Lucy guessed. “I’d love to. Thanks.” Lucy got up and reached for her handbag and her cardigan on the chair. This was not about to screw up any more opportunities to be in Antonio’s presence. She really wanted more than anything to just be with him. Just to be near him. There were few people
“Yes, Lucy. My grandfather always had this fear of dying alone. Since my grandmother passed many years ago, he has been on a rollercoaster of indiscreet relationships and bad marital decisions. All of them ending bitterly in divorce. And all of them ending with my grandfather getting nothing but slapped with exorbitant spousal support. And what has he been left with?”
“A broken heart,” Lucy whispered, her voice trailing off. She swallowed hard. Her heart was pounding in her chest again. She could see raw hurt glittering in Antonio’s dark eyes. She really did not want to be responsible for Toni suffering more heartbreak, but on the other hand, what if this marriage did work out for him? But would young Shelly stick around for Toni until his final days, whenever that would be?
“Love is one heck of a ride, Antonio. It’s never easy. You never know how bumpy or smooth it’s going to be. You never know if you’ll have enough fuel to go the distance or if you’ll crash and burn.” Lucy bit down on her lower lip.
She noticed Antonio’s body language changed ever so slightly. He’d become more rigid. Then his eyes trailed to her lips. Damn! She must stop that awful habit of biting down on her lower lip. What must Antonio think of her? That she was some shy, awkward school girl who was indecisive?
“I like what you just said,” Antonio finally spoke in his deep, throaty voice. “It’s true.”
“I take it you’ve had your share of-” Lucy decided not to probe further. She thought it would be way too inappropriate at that time.
“Broken hearts?” Antonio interjected for her. A grin touched the corner of his lips. “Not exactly. I’ve been very disappointed, Lucy. But I don’t give my heart to just anyone.”
Whoa!
“Oh. Um...I didn’t mean...I mean...” Lucy didn’t know what to say and she bit down on her lip again. “I meant to say that love is one heck of a ride. But we won’t know if we’ll enjoy it or not if we don’t take the driver’s seat and punch the gas pedal. We need to steer ourselves where we want to go.” Okay, wow, that sounded awkward. Lucy chewed on her lip again.
“Please don’t do that,” he said quietly.
“What?”
His gaze fell on her lips again. “Never mind.” He exhaled sharply and moved over by the French glass doors leading to the garden from the study. The view was spectacular. There was so much greenery outside and the hills in the distance created a picture-perfect painting of the outdoors.
“The view is very nice,” Lucy said to break the tension.
“It’s okay. It was there when the house was built in the 1940s.”
House? That’s an understatement.
“Oh, nice. I absolutely love the view over there. God, it’s beautiful.”
“Want a closer look?” Antonio invited in a low, sultry voice that caused a little explosion of butterflies in her stomach.
God, that man could say Atlas and it would sound sexy as hell. The truth was, she would like a closer look at him.
“Do you want a tour?” he continued.
“Well, I’ve seen quite a bit of the property.”
“I’m not talking about the estate.”
“Oh,” Lucy answered, stunned. To what exactly was Antonio referring?
“I’m talking about the part beyond that stretch over there.” Antonio raised his hand to motion to the area beyond the hills. “I know my grandfather wouldn’t have anyone take a tour there. Well, not just anyone. It’s actually an area we keep away from most people.”
“Oh, and you want me to see it?”
“I’m a spontaneous man, Lucy,” Antonio proffered. “I don’t always plan things. I act on things.”
Like acting on the moment , Lucy guessed. “I’d love to. Thanks.” Lucy got up and reached for her handbag and her cardigan on the chair. This was not about to screw up any more opportunities to be in Antonio’s presence. She really wanted more than anything to just be with him. Just to be near him. There were few people
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