Gambler's Folly (Bookstrand Publishing Romance) Read Online Free PDF Page A

went to have lunch. Crystal and silver sparkled on white linen in a cozy little room full of light. Damiano held her chair before seating himself opposite her.
    “I didn’t know what you would like, so I told them to keep it simple. Mangia, cara.”
    Simple? Karianna had seen simple, and this wasn’t it. The white porcelain bowl held a lightly seasoned, creamy soup, with a wonderful mushroomy aroma. The salad was a work of art. It was a shame to eat it, after all the work it had taken to arrange it so perfectly. Delicately seasoned greens were topped with paper-thin slices of tomato and cucumber, with other vegetables she couldn’t identify. Buttered asparagus, still firm, decorated the plate beside the juicy, heartily flavored slices of roast duck. This was all accompanied by a basket of freshly baked whole grain bread and a glass of white wine.
    “I can’t eat all of this,” she said. “I’ll look like a balloon.”
    “No, cara mia. Not with the schedule Carl has for you. You must eat, otherwise you’ll lose weight. Your weight is fine, you just need some toning. Please enjoy, Kari, you’ll be fine.”
    The meal was excellent, and though they talked over lunch, nothing was discussed about what he expected from her. After lunch was cleared away, Damiano suggested coffee in his office.
    The office managed to be serene and intimidating at the same time. Coffee served, Damiano looked at her and said, “Now, Karianna, we should talk about our arrangement. I know you are probably nervous and that is natural, since you don’t know what I require of you.”
    “First, I don’t do windows, and I can’t cook worth a damn.”
    Startled, Damiano took a moment to understand the joke. “Ah, you are funny. No windows! Cara, that is fine. There are no windows in my home down here, and I hire a chef for the cooking. Nothing to worry you.”
    “Getting back to your earlier statement, I’m nervous about a lot of things, but that’ll make a good start,” she said. She’d always had an odd sense of humor.
    “Very well. First, let me assure you that you are legally my wife. There is nothing you can do about that at this time, so please, don’t waste any time on it.”
    “I would like to see some proof of that, if you please,” Karianna answered. “I can’t just take your word for it. While it may be true, it’s hard to accept.”
    Damiano looked at her for a moment before reaching for the phone. “Paolo. Would you arrange for a clerk to bring a copy of the court records of our marriage contract for Karianna to view? Yes, the sooner the better.” Looking back at Karianna, he asked, “Satisfied?”
    “Once I see them I will be. Thank you, Damiano.”
    “My pleasure. Now, as to what will happen from here…” He stopped to think for a moment. “The marriage records are public and since I am a somewhat prominent figure, the whole public will know within a few days that I’ve taken a wife. The circumstances can be mitigated, but not the fact. What I propose to do, to give you more time to adjust, is to take a honeymoon trip.”
    “A honeymoon? With you?”
    “Yes, cara, but don’t worry. I will not force you into my bed. When you are ready, you will join me there, but not until. Capisce?”
    “I guess,” Karianna answered, not sure if she trusted him to keep his word.
    “It won’t be a public honeymoon. In fact, we won’t actually leave the city or my home. We can get to know each other a little better. You can take the time to get yourself suitably situated here, in my home. It can just be a week of relaxation for us, before you are on public display with me.”
    “What does that mean, exactly?” she asked.
    “In public, you will act as if you love me and are with me willingly. You will accept my small advances here in private, get comfortable with them, so that in public you react naturally, as my wife should.”
    “What sort of advances?” Karianna asked, suddenly more nervous than before.
    “Kari,