Rome for Always (The BAD BOY BILLIONAIRES Collection) by Judy Angelo Read Free Book Online Page B

herself.
    “But this one’s so cute,” she wailed as Lena tugged a
pink and white polka dot dress from her fingers.
    “Yes, but you already have a polka dot one in that stack
of yours. No need to deplete the store’s inventory.”
    Arie heaved an aggrieved sigh. “All right. You win.”
Then she gave her friend a fake frown and a crooked grin. “But don’t think I’m
taking you along next time I go shopping.”
    Lena put her hands up, palms facing forward, and shook
her head. “Hey, after today you’re on your own.”
    That evening Arie bid Lena goodbye and drove out of the
mall with a car packed with baby gear and a heart that was happy and light. A
shopping spree had been the perfect medicine to get her out of the doldrums. Now
all she wanted to do was get home and go through the tons of baby girl stuff
she’d bought. What better way to spend the evening?
    She was still smiling and humming to herself as she
pulled off the main road and drove the half-mile through the quiet neighborhood
toward her home. Just as she’d done hundreds of times before, she swung off the
tree-lined street and turned down the gravelly road that led to her home.
    But this time as she turned into her driveway her heart
did a little leap of shock. But it was a good shock, an unexpected and truly
wonderful surprise.
    There, parked in the middle of her driveway, was Rome’s
black Maserati.
    Arie’s face broke into a wide grin. Her beloved Rome was
home.
    ***
     
     
    Rome heard the soft rumble of the engine just before
Arie’s BMW drove up the driveway toward the house. He shifted out of his slouched
position, straightened and glanced in the rearview mirror just in time to see
her car rolling in behind his. As he watched, she waved and gave him an
infectious grin that had him smiling back. With the mood he was in his half
smile was a poor response to her joyful greeting but he was doing his best.
    He was happy to see her, that was without doubt. The
problem was, no matter how hard he tried he just could not shake himself out of
his persistently pensive mood. It was no mystery why he was feeling so low. He’d
been like this ever since that talk with his father, the one where he’d felt
like punching him in the mouth or at least giving him a generous piece of his
mind. But this was his father and he'd just suffered a stroke. There was no way
he was going to do anything that could mess up his recovery.
    But Vittorio had been so vehemently against Arie that
Rome knew he had some serious decisions to make. But not now. He was back in
the United States, far away from family and again with Arie, and all he wanted
to do was forget about the conflict and lose himself in her embrace.
    Within seconds she was at his door, tapping on the
glass, drawing him out of his reverie. “You’re home,” she said, beaming as she
bent to peer at him. “You didn’t tell me you were coming.”
    He gave her a careful smile. “I wanted to surprise you.”
When he looked up at her as she bent to him, the setting sun forming a halo
behind her golden hair, he was struck once again by her sheer beauty.
    But it wasn’t just her physical beauty that had him
entranced. It was her inner beauty as well. How many single women would have
taken the huge leap of faith to take an orphan into their home and into their
heart? She wasn’t the only one, he knew, but she was one of the few. It would
not be easy, juggling work and a home and an infant all on her own. But still,
that never swayed her determination to help.
    More than that, she would have stood by her commitment
to the child even at the risk of losing him. He should probably feel insulted
but instead all he felt for her was admiration.
    “You're coming or what?” Arie pulled his door open and
stepped back as she gazed at him expectantly.
    He grinned up at her. “I’m coming,” he said and got out
of the car to draw her close and wrap his arms around her. She felt so good
pressed against him, her body so