Carole Mortimer - Men of Power

Totally unlike Julie, for instance.

Disturbed by thoughts that kept turning to her, he headed down the hall. Upon reaching his bedroom, his legs, in fact his whole body, felt like lead. Since the phone call from Sansone which seemed a hundred years ago, he hadn’t truly slept.

He showered but was too tired to shave. However, once he was in his old bed, his brain wouldn’t shut off. Like bubbles that kept popping, one thought led to another. Damn if the woman sleeping down the hall hadn’t gotten beneath his skin.

Massimo could still see her standing there trembling in his hotel room while she railed against his family. In one breath she attacked, in the next she begged to be a part of Nicky’s life, insisting they would adapt to the jungle if they had to. He figured she would have said anything in her grief in order to be with the baby.

He still thought that, but having spent some time with her, he was also convinced she’d do whatever she had to and never complain about it. His mouth curved to imagine the stir those two blond heads would create among the natives as his loaded canoe glided deeper into the forest …

With her aboard the jet helping him with Nicky, their flight across two continents and an ocean had been surprisingly enjoyable. The insulation from his cousins had been another plus. He’d hardly given them a thought while he and Julie kept Nicky and each other occupied. She was intelligent. Unspoiled. It was almost as if the three of them were their own little family.

To his shock he found himself missing the intimacy of the plane’s interior. In such close proximity, he hadn’t needed an excuse to look at her whenever he wanted. He’d been attracted to her at the hotel, and was even more so now.

Long lashes darker than her hair fringed wide-set blue eyes. His gaze studied the perfect oval of her face, then drifted over a generous mouth to her well-shaped body.

The image of Nicky snuggled up against fresh youthful skin with her gold hair splayed across the headrest wouldn’t leave his mind.

It was true what Lia had said moments ago. Julie was acting very much like a mother. His housekeeper had been prepared to look after Nicky herself, but how could she do anything when Julie put the baby in the same room with her?

He had a feeling that consciously or not, this sort of thing was going to keep happening. Time wouldn’t change Julie’s feelings for Nicky, only deepen them, ensuring an unbreakable bond.

If he hadn’t brought Julie with him, Lia and the maids would be the ones seeing to most of Nicky’s needs. There’d be no danger in them forming an attachment to him, or Nicky to them. On the contrary. His tiny nephew needed people around him he could grow to love and trust.

Yet if Massimo were honest with himself, he had to admit the help wouldn’t curl up with Nicky and play with him the same way she did. Every child deserved that kind of love and attention.

Unfortunately, Julie would be leaving at some point—her relationship with Walton clearly wasn’t as over as she’d made it out. He hadn’t consciously thought about it, but now the prospect of that eventuality alarmed him. For the baby to lose her at any given time would be like losing a second mother.

It had only been ten days, yet already Massimo had grown used to her being there to help him with Nicky, who appeared to adore her. He groaned, haunted by the possibility he’d made a mistake in letting her come to Italy.

In retrospect he shouldn’t have allowed his compassion for her pain to get to him. Those drenched blue eyes half despising him for being named guardian had caught him off guard in the hotel room. That, and her obvious love for the baby.

Normally he didn’t make errors in judgment like this. Being unencumbered by marriage, he’d had the freedom to immerse himself in his archaeological pursuits. That was the way he’d planned it long ago. Even if he was back in Italy, he had every intention of working on the book he’d started in his spare time.

He punched his pillow, but no amount of rearranging made him more comfortable. There wasn’t any way around the fact that Nicky wasn’t the only one who’d developed a bond with Julie. Something had to be done before things went too far.

According to Julie’s watch it was four in the afternoon Bellagio time. She and Nicky had been asleep for hours. Both their clocks were off, but it didn’t matter. He was being the best boy on earth right now!

She’d taken a shower before getting in bed; however, he still needed a bath. “Let’s try the sink, shall we?”

Julie set out a towel and clean diaper, then filled the marble basin halfway.

“Here we go.” She lowered his wiggly body into the warm water. He immediately began kicking. “You love that, don’t you?”

She couldn’t help but wonder if any baby had ever had a bath in surroundings that looked as though a princess lived here. Except for loving parents, Pietra and Massimo had lacked for none of the monetary things of life. History had repeated itself with Nicky.

Julie fought back tears. “As soon as we’ve finished and I’ve given you a bottle, we’ll go exploring.” The sight of the town from the helicopter had been so glorious, she couldn’t wait any longer. After they came back she’d unpack everything and get settled.

Ten minutes later he’d drunk most of his formula and they were both ready to go. She’d dressed in a pair of pleated tan pants and a short-sleeved white top. After arranging her hair in a loose knot, she put on a coat of frosted-pink lipstick, then dressed Nicky. He looked adorable in a little blue play suit with a superhero motif on the bib.

“Now for this new hip sling.”

It was a padded pouch affair in khaki twill to cushion his legs while she walked around with him. After buying some things before leaving Sonoma, the clerk had convinced her to get one.

“They’re the latest rage for tourists with a baby. Easy to pack and don’t take up much room.” Julie figured that until Massimo bought Nicky a stroller, it was perfect.

She left the room and made her way downstairs to the elegant foyer, where she saw one of the maids she’d met earlier.

“Gina? I’m going out for a walk. Please let Lia know.”

“Have you told the signore?”

“No. I haven’t seen him. Is there a problem?”

The last thing she wanted was for Massimo to think she was waiting for him at every turn. Julie had been the one to beg for this job. Though he’d hired her to be Nicky’s nanny, she was never at ease with him.

For her own peace of mind, the less she saw of him the better. It would be disastrous if on top of her secret fear of him, he knew how attracted she was to him.

Gina looked concerned. “He left instructions I should bring Niccolo to him.”

“I’ll do it then. Where is he?”

“No … no …” She spread her hands. “The signore is sleeping.”

Julie wasn’t surprised. She was sure he hadn’t gotten any sleep on the plane. “Then he shouldn’t be disturbed. I’ll be back in an hour. He won’t even know we’ve been gone.”

Gina didn’t seem pleased about the idea, but Julie wasn’t about to sit around until he got up. Waiting made you think. She’d already done too much thinking and looking at Massimo on the plane.

Now that she was in Italy, she planned to keep herself and Nicky so busy Massimo’s anger with her would pass. Since that terrible moment in his hotel room, she didn’t think she’d done anything else to arouse his wrath, but she couldn’t be sure. Nicky had to be her first priority now.

ONCE Julie slipped out the door of the villa, she stopped to breathe in the scent of flowers filling the balmy air.