Page 58 of Bargaining

“How was your first day exploring?”

Freckles dusted her nose. Her eyes were full of awe as she sat. “We went to the Colosseum, the Pantheon, and the Spanish Steps. Dad always used to talk about the Roman Forum, but it’s even more amazing than I’d imagined.” She patted her stomach in contentment. “And I’ve decided I need to eat gelato with every meal.”

“And your head feels better?”

“Yes, thank you.”

“I still think you should have rested today. You took plenty of breaks?”

“Renata wouldn’t let me walk ten paces without stopping to drink water. It’s just as well. My feet are going to end up as hooves with all these cobbles.” She wrinkled her nose. “Renata is very nice, but she fusses over me even more than Elain.”

Good.Theo had found Renata for me. She was a professional bodyguard who just happened to know Rome like the back of herhand. If my wife was walking around this city all day, then I wanted her safe. Theo only had the best on his team, and I’d told Renata that if she wanted a big fat tip, then Charlotte didn’t need to know that she was anything other than a tour guide. “Good. It’s hot out there. It sounds like your guide is just being cautious.”

“It’s definitely hot. You should come with us tomorrow. Get some sunshine.”

“I’m up against it with work.”

She nodded sagely. “You keep telling me that. But I know the truth.”

An uneasy feeling crept over me. Was I making it too obvious? If she accused me of having feelings for her, I’d have to deny it. It had almost killed me last night to see her in those stockings. Thank God for migraines, because otherwise I would have been on my knees begging her to let me spend the night worshipping her body.

I kept my face neutral, but braced myself. “What truth?”

She raised an amused eyebrow. “Vampires can’t risk direct sunlight. It’s too bright out there.”

The tension in my jaw relaxed. “True enough. That’s also why I ordered the risotto without garlic.”

She lowered her gaze to the menu and shot me a furtive glance. “There are no prices on here.”

“People who stay in places like this don’t talk about money.” I raised a sardonic eyebrow, so she’d know I didn’t take any of this stuff seriously. “It screams nouveau.”

“Also because it would give us plebs a nosebleed to see it in print. I’d have to sell a kidney to afford a crouton in here.”

A smart waiter appeared. He hovered with a pen in his white-gloved hand. “Good evening. It’s a pleasure to have you here again, Signor Thorner.”

“Ackroyd. It’s Signor Ackroyd now.”

It felt strange to speak it out loud. What would Roy have made of me taking his name? He hadn’t wanted me anywhere near Charlotte in the end. I could only hope I wasn’t pissing off his ghost. Charlotte shot me a charmed look. Good that she was pleased. Even better when my dad heard I’d so easily ditched his legacy.Fuck being a Thorner. Fuck him.

The waiter inclined his head to Charlotte. “Signora, may I take your order?”

She scanned the menu again with an anxious look. “I might need a minute. My Italian is rusty.” She fiddled with the silver hoops in her ears and muttered under her breath, “And when I say rusty, I mean nonexistent.”

“Do you want me to order for both of us?”

Her shoulders relaxed a fraction. “If you don’t mind.”

I ordered way more than I would normally for two, but Charlotte deserved a treat. The waiter left, and I looked up to find her watching me.

She gave me a faint smile. “Italian, huh? You do it with the accent and everything.”

“We have a few offices over here.”

“Where else?”

“All over. Everywhere.”

“No wonder you’re always so busy. I’m flattered you tore yourself away from the screen for dinner.”