Page 40 of Forbidden Bride (Forbidden 1)
“Anyway, that’s why I haven’t said anything to my brothers. Didn’t want them getting their hopes up over nothing. Plus, they get so overprotective. Think they know everything.”
“I believe that runs in the family,” she says teasingly. “But I won’t tell on you.”
Ignoring the jab, I hold out my hands to help her up. “Come on. It’s almost lunchtime.”
“You think you can distract me with the promise of food?” Frankie asks.
“Yeah, I do.”
“Maybe you’re right,” she says with a laugh. “Let’s head back.”
As we make our way down through the vineyard and toward the house, I try to pay attention to Frankie’s stream of excited chatter about the upcoming harvest and all her plans for the Bellanti grapes. But honestly, my mind is miles away. I never imagined I’d be in this position. Pretending I’m someone that I’m not and doing it because of a woman. Sure, I’ve played my cards right when it comes to hookups, but I’m always straight about what I can offer and what I expect in return. No strings, no attachments. Certainly no expectations of anything exclusive, long-term, or—dare I say it?—permanent.
Yet here I am pretending to be spying on Karina just so I can keep seeing her under everyone’s noses. Not that I haven’t been keeping an ear open for anything she might let slip about her family…but that was never why I wanted her. Or why my insides are so twisted up with this relentless longing to be with her. It’s not why I want to snatch her in the middle of the night and carry her off like a fucking caveman.
I can’t put a name on whatever is driving me to be this way, and maybe I don’t need to put a label on it. But what I do need is to figure out a safe way to contact Karina.
Because one thing is certain: I can’t go much longer without her.
