Page 203 of Modern Romance January 2025 5-8

She’d been hiding even back then...

Only her rather pale and drab past wasn’t the issue now, and she listened as Dante told her what had happened between him and Rosa.

‘We both agreed it was to be a one-off.’

Never had Susie been more grateful for her reticence—for holding back and not automatically voicing her thoughts. It meant she hadn’t jumped straight in and was able to speak in an unaccusatory tone.

‘You were nineteen. So, they weren’t married at the time?’

‘God, no.’

He dismissed that as if he were brushing off a fly, and then he looked over at her. ‘But it didn’t end brilliantly. She suddenly seemed to think that our brief hook-up meant we were going out. That was never what we agreed.’

Susie fought not to react—not to show in her features that she didn’t like that term...brief hook-up. Not because of any moral code or such—she just didn’t want it applied to her.

To them.

She didn’t want what they’d found to be labelled as a ‘hook-up’.

‘So, for you it was just casual...?’ Her voice tripped over the words. ‘Like us? Like this?’ she checked, speaking through lips that were possibly a little pale and taut.

But then she checked herself, doing her best to put her own issues with Dante aside—whatever they might be—and do her best to focus on him.

Dante looked at her and wanted to say,It was nothing like us. Nothing like this...

‘We didn’t do a lot of talking,’ he said, and even as he answered he knew he’d said it all wrong.

Her short nails dug into his skin then, and she pulled her hand back as Dante continued.

‘I told her from the start that I didn’t want a relationship,’ he said. ‘I made it clear we were never going to be serious.’

‘But she fell for you?’

‘I don’t know...’

Dante sat up in bed, his elbows on his knees, and Susie lay silent.

Susie didn’t really know what to say, for as she looked at him, gorgeous in the morning light, on the bed still rumpled and warm from their time together, her body still thrumming from the breathtaking attention he’d given her, she could see both sides.

But contemplating how Rosa might have felt wouldn’t be helpful right now—because no matter how sure and brave she’d been at the start, no matter that she’d sworn to hold on to her heart, when they said goodbye it was going to hurt.

Dante had seen her features change, could feel Susie’s eyes on his back, and knew she was struggling to find the words to say.

He sat waiting for relief to come at having finally told someone.

Wasn’t confession supposed to be good for the soul?

It didn’t feel that way, and there was certainly no sense of relief.

He felt ill as he examined what he’d said, and even though Susie didn’t press him for information, he carried on out loud. ‘Rosa wanted to tell people about us,’ he said. ‘She kept calling...asking when I’d be back in Lucca...angling for me to take her to the ball. That would have been practically announcing our engagement...’

‘So, she wanted to get serious?’

‘Oh, yes—and I don’t doubt her parents were behind it.’ He turned and looked at Susie, still lying there, her eyes huge as they met his. ‘They had big plans for their old shack of a winery.’

‘What?’ Her eyes snapped closed and her lips tightened. ‘I’ve heard you be blunt before, but never mean...’

‘Because I save it for those who deserve it.’