Rome for Always (The BAD BOY BILLIONAIRES Collection) Read Online Free PDF Page B
Author: Judy Angelo
slumber.
Surprisingly, it was that thought that finally put her
at ease and for the rest of the journey she was her normal self. With Rome by
her side she was sure everything would work out just fine.
And it did. When they finally arrived and Arie walked
into the reception lounge of the orphanage Rome was holding her hand, and when
the associate escorted them down the hallway to the nursery he was with her
every step of the way.
But when they walked in and she saw the nurse holding Maya
all dressed in pink, Arie slipped her hand from his, her heart thumping, an
involuntary smile on her lips. She was finally seeing her baby again.
And she was beautiful.
Little Maya Bella soon-to-be Milano, all pink-faced and
chubby with black curls peeping out from under her bonnet, was smiling and
bouncing in the nurse’s arms and when she saw Arie approaching she showed no
fear, only curiosity. Instead of turning away or crying at the approach of her
visitor she bounced even harder, almost jumping out of the nurse’s arms. She
was like no other ten-month-old Arie had ever seen. By this age most babies had
developed a healthy fear of new faces, but not this one. Maya Bella was all
smiles.
“My baby,” Arie whispered as she crept closer. “My
pretty little baby.” There were tears in her eyes as she reached for her and
her heart breathed a soft sigh of relief when the baby released her grip on the
nurse’s neck and leaned over to fall into her outstretched arms.
And it felt so good.
It was the most wonderful feeling in the world to have
Maya in her arms, to feel the soft cheeks pressed against hers and the tiny
hands patting her face, exploring her eyes then the bridge of her nose then her
lips. Maya was no longer a memory she’d clung to in the stillness of the night.
She was real.
Arie lowered her face to plant a gentle kiss on top of
the little girl’s head and as she did she was rewarded with the softly sweet
fragrance of baby. Her smile widening, she turned with the baby in her arms and
looked over at Rome who still hovered in the shadow of the associate. “Do you
want to hold her?” she asked.
Rome looked curious and made to step forward but then he
hesitated. “Do you think that’s a good idea? I might scare her.”
The nurse shook her head and gave him a reassuring smile.
“Don’t worry,” she said. "She’s one of the most outgoing babies I know. Give
it a try. Let’s see how she responds.”
She waved him over and he took a tentative step, his
eyes never leaving the rosy-cheeked tot in Arie’s arms. When he saw that he
hadn’t caused an explosion of tears he took another step and then he was right
next to them, his face now soft and gentle, his eyes so full of wonder that
Arie could not help but feel touched by the effect the baby was having on him.
“Here,” she said. “You can hold her.”
He began to shake his head but then the baby made all
objections null and void. Taking the decision out of his hands she leaned over,
fat little arms outstretched, leaving him with no alternative but to gather her
into his arms.
And then he was snuggling her close to him, his eyes
closed, looking for all the world like he’d found his heaven.
And that was when Arie knew it was going to be all right.
Everything would work out just fine.
Because, if the look she’d seen in Rome’s eyes was
anything to go by, he was already falling in love. And Arie wasn’t jealous at
all.
***
“Maya Bella Milano.” As the words rolled off his tongue,
Rome nodded. “Sounds good.”
He was talking to himself but it really didn’t matter. He
was in a great mood. And who wouldn’t be, after meeting a cutie pie like little
Maya?
He’d been surprised – no, shocked – when the baby came
to him without so much as a second of hesitation. There was not an ounce of
shyness in that little one. Just the opposite. She was the one who seemed to be
dictating all the moves, her bubbly personality shining through as
Surprisingly, it was that thought that finally put her
at ease and for the rest of the journey she was her normal self. With Rome by
her side she was sure everything would work out just fine.
And it did. When they finally arrived and Arie walked
into the reception lounge of the orphanage Rome was holding her hand, and when
the associate escorted them down the hallway to the nursery he was with her
every step of the way.
But when they walked in and she saw the nurse holding Maya
all dressed in pink, Arie slipped her hand from his, her heart thumping, an
involuntary smile on her lips. She was finally seeing her baby again.
And she was beautiful.
Little Maya Bella soon-to-be Milano, all pink-faced and
chubby with black curls peeping out from under her bonnet, was smiling and
bouncing in the nurse’s arms and when she saw Arie approaching she showed no
fear, only curiosity. Instead of turning away or crying at the approach of her
visitor she bounced even harder, almost jumping out of the nurse’s arms. She
was like no other ten-month-old Arie had ever seen. By this age most babies had
developed a healthy fear of new faces, but not this one. Maya Bella was all
smiles.
“My baby,” Arie whispered as she crept closer. “My
pretty little baby.” There were tears in her eyes as she reached for her and
her heart breathed a soft sigh of relief when the baby released her grip on the
nurse’s neck and leaned over to fall into her outstretched arms.
And it felt so good.
It was the most wonderful feeling in the world to have
Maya in her arms, to feel the soft cheeks pressed against hers and the tiny
hands patting her face, exploring her eyes then the bridge of her nose then her
lips. Maya was no longer a memory she’d clung to in the stillness of the night.
She was real.
Arie lowered her face to plant a gentle kiss on top of
the little girl’s head and as she did she was rewarded with the softly sweet
fragrance of baby. Her smile widening, she turned with the baby in her arms and
looked over at Rome who still hovered in the shadow of the associate. “Do you
want to hold her?” she asked.
Rome looked curious and made to step forward but then he
hesitated. “Do you think that’s a good idea? I might scare her.”
The nurse shook her head and gave him a reassuring smile.
“Don’t worry,” she said. "She’s one of the most outgoing babies I know. Give
it a try. Let’s see how she responds.”
She waved him over and he took a tentative step, his
eyes never leaving the rosy-cheeked tot in Arie’s arms. When he saw that he
hadn’t caused an explosion of tears he took another step and then he was right
next to them, his face now soft and gentle, his eyes so full of wonder that
Arie could not help but feel touched by the effect the baby was having on him.
“Here,” she said. “You can hold her.”
He began to shake his head but then the baby made all
objections null and void. Taking the decision out of his hands she leaned over,
fat little arms outstretched, leaving him with no alternative but to gather her
into his arms.
And then he was snuggling her close to him, his eyes
closed, looking for all the world like he’d found his heaven.
And that was when Arie knew it was going to be all right.
Everything would work out just fine.
Because, if the look she’d seen in Rome’s eyes was
anything to go by, he was already falling in love. And Arie wasn’t jealous at
all.
***
“Maya Bella Milano.” As the words rolled off his tongue,
Rome nodded. “Sounds good.”
He was talking to himself but it really didn’t matter. He
was in a great mood. And who wouldn’t be, after meeting a cutie pie like little
Maya?
He’d been surprised – no, shocked – when the baby came
to him without so much as a second of hesitation. There was not an ounce of
shyness in that little one. Just the opposite. She was the one who seemed to be
dictating all the moves, her bubbly personality shining through as