Read Her Sicilian Arrangement Online

Authors: Hannah-Lee Hitchman

Tags: #romance, #drama, #contemporary, #free, #hannahlee hitchman

Her Sicilian Arrangement (12 page)


She
wove very beautiful baskets in a market where Felipe and I stayed.
Fabio—it was Fabio who brought me there to purchase a couple to
bring back here.”


Fabio?” she frowned and scoffed. “I don’t trust that guy one
bit.”


Wait…you believe that Fabio has something to do with
it?”

“I
wouldn’t put anything past a guy who wears dark sunglasses even
when there is no sight of the sun…”

Marc
chuckled. “Fabio have been an employee of mine for two years and he
has never done anything for me do distrust him. Find another
suspect.”


I
don’t believe I will…in my work, everyone is a suspect…even the
supposed victim.”

Marco sighed and then approached her. “Do whatever you
please…but now, we need to go buy you a ring.”


What?” she exclaimed, jumping to her feet.


You
are my fiancée. You surely haven’t forgotten, have you?”


But—but why do you have to buy a ring? Engagement rings are
very expensive…besides, a lot of people don’t wear
them!”


You
are not a lot of people…if you’re going to act as my fiancée; I
want the world to see my ring on your finger”.


Not
only is that stupid but it is outrageous as well.”

“Then call me reckless,
mia tesora
,” he chuckled. “We should be on our way now. We have an
appointment with the jeweler in twenty minutes.”

“Appointment?” she scoffed. “Who makes an appointment with a
jeweler? How ridiculous is that?”

“Hush,” he said and pulled her by the arm. “I’m afraid I don’t
have time for your loquacity this morning.” And she huffed angrily
as he pulled her outside of the room and down the flight of steps.
She tried to find the right words to say to him but it seemed as if
her mouth could not open. She stuttered their way to the door until
she finally found the strength to pull out of his grip.

“Listen…,” she muttered, trying to catch her breath. “You need
to think about this… What if the paparazzi see us?”


Then maybe that is what I want, Meagan.”


Hold on a second…I agreed to do this so that your family won’t
judge you. I never said that I was going to prove it to the world
too.”


You
might as well. A man of my status brags his trophy bride…and I do
hope you act in the same degree towards me.”

Meagan shook her head and sighed. “My god, you are crazier
than I thought! And I’m even crazier to go through with
this.”


I
shall take that as you’re accepting,” he said and then reached for
her but she pulled away. “I don’t have time for games,
Meagan.”

She
rolled her eyes at him and then stepped pass him and unto the
threshold and then the porch. “At least allow me to go with my
dignity still intact!”

Marco sighed and then closed the door behind them. “Wait
here,” he said. “…while I get the car.”

As
if I have a choice
!
She stood folding her arms proudly and holding her chin high trying
as much as she could not to reveal how anxious she really was. She
was supposed to pretend to be his fiancée; nothing else. Why did
she have to wear his ring too? In her world, it took a man almost
his entire life to propose a woman...and here he was buying a ring
to place on her finger that they were both positive that would not
be there for the next three weeks.

What
was he doing? Was he trying to through her off her game? If that
were the case, she was more than sure he would not succeed. She had
all her defenses up and there was no way that she was going to
allow him to invade her private life. She refused to be fooled by
any man who thought that they could snivel their way into her
pants. So, she was dressed in a pair of those white cotton pants,
which he ‘bought’ for her, and a pink blouse. Her hair was caught
in a tight ponytail which made her face look younger and much more
radiant.

She
frowned miserably as the black Ferrari pulled up to the front of
the car and sighed. Stepping down the steps, she then approached it
when the she saw him lean across the passenger seat to open the
door for her. She then slid in and pulled on her seat belt. “I
won’t kill you, if that is what is going through your
mind.”


I
won’t take any chances,” she muttered flatly and staring directly
ahead of her.

She
heard him chortle and then the car went speeding through the
driveway—stopped for a brief moment for the gates to open—and
through the streets. “Smile for me,
mia tesora
. I do not wish to make you upset but you are a very
short-tempered woman who needs a man like me to make you redirect
that attitude elsewhere…perhaps in bed?”

She
cast him a dark glare at that moment that could burn him to ashes
in a second. “How dare you? If you’re thinking for a minute that
this stupid charade is going to win you a chance to get laid, then
think again!”


I
have no problem with getting ‘laid’ as you might put it. In fact,
that has never been an issue in my life. You on the other hand,” he
continued and glanced sideways at her. “…must admit that you need a
hot-blooded man like me to make you moan passionately from those
delicious lips of yours.”

Meagan gasped breathlessly and could not believe how blunt he
was being. That was no way to talk to woman who was not
yours...even if she was posing as yours. There were days, yes, when
she found herself needing a man’s touch in all the right tender
places but it was nowhere his position to make that call about
her.


You
think that you can have any woman you want, don’t you?” she
scoffed. “I’m beginning to think that you only came up with this
sham so that you could have me to yourself.”

“I
have never hidden my desire for you,
mia tesora
,” he said, pulling so sharply and dangerously around
a curb that she had to hold on tightly to the door handle. For a
moment, she felt as if her stomach was in her mouth; her
experiencing that nauseating feeling similar that which happened
when you went way too fast over a bump on the road. “You, on the
other hand, are very good at it.”


Oh,
please!” she groaned. “I have no reason to ‘hide’ any feelings
because I don’t feel anything for you.”

“Are
you sure about that? Because if you are; what would you do if I
pull over right now and take you across this seat?” Meagan’s eyes
widened and her mouth opened slightly in surprise. And when she did
not answer, he chuckled. “That’s a good enough answer.
Aaah
…and we are here!”

She
swallowed hard and wished that she could somehow dismiss the sudden
warmth that rushed to that sensitive spot between her legs. All of
a sudden, she felt as if her feminine core was pulsating to a
rhythm that she could not identify and she was wet with arousal.
Meagan swallowed again and then watched as he pulled up to a
parking lane directly in front of a large jewelry store. She exited
the car quickly and then saw him follow. As he stepped out onto the
sidewalk, she noticed a few flirtatious stares throwing in his
direction and she rolled her eyes with denying jealousy. “At least
one of us is acting like we are, in fact, engaged!” she snapped
softly and then stormed off, pushing open the glass door to the
store. She then heard him sigh and he entered behind
her.

“Signor
Mussolini!” the elderly jeweler greeted him and then sped from
behind his desk and then signaled a younger female clerk to take up
his position. “
Non
vedo l'ora di
...Ah, this must be your beautiful American bride,

?” And he grabbed Meagan gently, as if she
was some sort of a delicate antique he was afraid to break, and
then took her hand in a formal handshake. “She is rather exquisite,
yes?”


I
tell her everyday but you know women, Vinicius. They never seem to
believe.”

The
man laughed. “Come…I have a wonderful collection for you to choose
from.”

As
soon as the man walked off, she scowled at Marco who pushed her
forehead and through the door that Vinicius was heading
through.


Be
nice…,” he bent to whisper in her ear. “I know many ways of how I
could punish you…”

Meagan’s scowl grew even deeper as he planted her elbow firmly
into the side of his abdomen, causing him to groan lowly. “Two can
play at that game, Marco,” she returned, distastefully.


Here we are,” Vinicius said and pushed open a door to what
looked like his office. “Please, both of you take a
seat.”

Marco nodded and then sat down while Meagan sat next to him.
“We shall not be staying long,” Marco said, clasping his hands
outwardly neatly in his lap. “I have plans to take my bride
shopping.”

Vinicius chuckled. “
Non c'è di che
! I assure you…how long this process takes depends on
how long,
Signora
…?”


Summers,” Meagan inputted.

“Yes; how long
Signora
Summers takes to select her favourite.”


Very well,” Vinicius muttered and then stepped into a small
adjoining room, from where he returned with a medium-sized
briefcase. He then placed it on the desk directly before them and
opened it, revealing a collection of a variety of rings that she
was baffled with. Her conscience kicked in rather annoyingly: How
the hell was she supposed to choose from so many engagement rings?
Why was she even pretending that it meant anything to her anyways?
She would not waste her time doing such a thing—but they were so
beautiful! She wouldn’t mind just going through them for fun…yes,
for fun—that is what she would call it! And it did not mean
anything else to her.


These are remarkable,” she exclaimed.

“Indeed. This is a dear collection of mine. I handmade all
sixty-five of them since I was
un ragazzo
—a young man in the business.”


You
must really love your line of work,” she remarked.


Yes, I do. You see, my age of retirement is fast approaching
but it saddens my heart as I will have to leave it
behind.”


But
you will always be remembered as a great jeweler.”

“Sí
, which is
the most favourable part of it all.”

Marco smiled in wonder as she reassured the older man with
such gently kind words. He then cleared his throat and stood. “I
have a phone call to make…it might take a while,” he said and then
turned to Meagan. “Go ahead and choose the one you like best.” He
then turned on his heel and left the room.


He
is a good man, yes?” Vinicius smiled. “Those lies—I don’t believe
them at all. He would never do such a thing. I have known his
family for quite a long time—his father bought my first ring for
his delightful mother and his sister’s husband bought one as
well—and he has always chosen the right paths. It is very nice to
see that you have accepted him regardless of the untruthful stories
that have been constructed about him.”

Meagan’s eyes fell to her knees and she felt as if she was
being pushed into a whirlpool of twisted emotions. “Then I should
say that I am the lucky one,” she said before she could pull it
back in. Why did I say that? It was nowhere near her true
feelings…or was it?

Vinicius smiled fondly and then averted his eyes to the
briefcase. “Well then…choose the one which suits you
best.”

Meagan looked at the collection and sighed. “I don’t think I
can. They are all so stunning. I’m afraid that if I choose one, I
might end up going through all over again.”

“Take your time…I am sure there will be one that will grab
your attention above all the rest.” Meagan bit her bottom lip and
then looked more carefully at the set again. “What about this one?”
he said, pointing at sleek gold ring with a blue center-piece
stone. “This is called Kashmīr blue sapphire. It is very exquisite
and is the true and best tint of the gem.”


It’s very lovely,” she smiled and then her eyes moved over to
another ring. “What about this one?”

“This one is pink sapphire. I received it on one my journeys
to Sri Lanka ten years ago. Aaah, it fits your complexion just
beautifully. I believe this one suit you best. Try it
on…”

Meagan squealed lowly and then allowed him to place it on her
finger. “Wow! I think I will take this one…”

“Magnifico
!”
he exclaimed and chuckled with pure enthusiasm. “Will you need a
box for it, Signora?”


No…that will be fine,” Marco’s voice came from behind, a small
smile lingering around the corner of his mouth and a small cheque
book in his hand. “My fiancée will be wearing her ring as of
now.”


Very well. Your fiancée has very small delicate fingers. I’m
surprised that the one she desires fits her perfectly.”

Marco chuckled and held her left hand up to examine the ring.

Mia
tesora
, this one
reflects your beauty!”

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