Rome for Always (The BAD BOY BILLIONAIRES Collection) Read Online Free PDF

she said, her voice low and tight, “do you want
out? Are you having second thoughts?  Do you want to call off the wedding?”
    It was that question that finally got a rise out of him.
    She saw when he gripped the armrest between them and his
jaw clenched. “Arie,” he said, his voice hard as flint, “don’t ever ask me a
question like that again. That’s bull and you know it.”
    “But I have to know,” she threw back at him. “I need to
know how you feel. You’re not talking. And in the last couple of days you’ve
been so weird.”
    Rome glanced at Arie then away again but in that quick
second she could see the depth of emotion in his eyes. When he spoke his voice
was low and firm. “No matter what, Arie, always know this. I love you and there
is nothing that will make me walk away from you.”
    And those words were so simply spoken, but with such
conviction, that she could no longer doubt that they were true. Her lips
softened in a tremulous smile and she reached out to lay a hand on Rome’s
shoulder. “And I love you,” she said softly. “I love you so much.”
    He looked at her again and this time, to her relief, he
was smiling. “I have the perfect name for our little girl.”
    Arie’s eyes widened. “You do? But I just asked you about
it. You haven’t had much time to think.”
    He shook his head. “I don’t need to. I want to name her
after a very special lady in my life.”
            “Oh? Who?”
    “My grandmother, my nonna . Her name is Agnesia
Ismirelda Belaflore Milano.
    Arie looked at him askance. “And you want to name Maya…which
one?”
    Please, God, don’t let him say Agnesia . The fact was, Arie didn’t like any of the names, but how could she
tell Rome that, after she’d jumped on him for not seeming enthusiastic about
giving Maya a name?
    “Agnesia,” he said and gave her a proud grin.
    Arie almost fell back in her seat. Never gonna happen. There
was no way she was going to name her daughter Agnesia. How could she break it
to him? She sucked in her breath. She would just have to be brutal. It was the
best way. “Rome,” she said with a shake of her head, “I’m sorry but I’m going
to have to go back on my word. You are not naming our baby Agnesia.”
    Instead of the protest she’d expected Rome burst out
laughing. “Got you, didn’t I? Come on, Arie. Give me some credit. I wouldn’t be
so sadistic as to saddle a twenty-first century kid with a name like Agnesia.”
    That made Arie sink into her seat in relief. “Whew!
Thank goodness you were only kidding.” Then she punched him on the leg. “And
don’t do that again.”
    He chuckled. “Oh, come on, honey. A guy can have some
fun.” Then as he sobered he said, “But I do want to use one of those names.”
    Arie’s grin disappeared. “You do?” It was going to be
Ismirelda. She just knew it.
    “I’d like to name her Bella. You know, from Belaflore.”
He gave her a gentle smile. “I know she’s going to be bella , just like
her mommy.” 
    That made Arie’s heart melt. “Aaw, that’s so sweet.” She
leaned over to touch her lips to Rome’s cheek. “Thanks, honey.”
    The mood lightened, for the rest of the journey Rome and
Arie exchanged light banter, with Arie teasing him about diaper-changing duty
and Rome throwing it right back at her. On the outside she was laughing and gay
but inside she was nervous as heck. Soon she would have Maya in her arms and
she didn’t know what to expect.
    What if the baby didn’t like her? What if she cried?
What if she refused to even come to her? And, even worse, what if the baby sensed
that she knew next to nothing about being a mother?
    She glanced at the man sitting beside her. And what
about Rome? What did he know about being a father? And then the thought made
her smile. Rome would make a wonderful father. She just knew it. She could imagine
him holding Maya to his chest, rocking her to sleep, humming soft lullabies as
she drifted off into