Dante's Honour-bound Husband

“Impressive,” he said to Gianna. “And quite beautiful. Peaceful.”

She smiled, clearly pleased with his reaction. “We like it.”

The main residence, a rambling rough-hewn log building, complete with a pair of stone chimneys, perched on the lake’s edge. Two more modern wings bookended the main section and cantilevered over the water. On the lakefront, a pier and boathouse occupied one end of the curved shoreline and the Dantes had trucked in soft white sand to form a sweeping beach. Tucked into the nearby woods he spotted individual cabins.

Gianna noticed the direction of his gaze and gestured toward the closest one. “For the married couples who prefer a bit more privacy than being under one roof with everyone else.”

“And if the couple in question isn’t married?”

She shot him an impish grin and jerked her head toward the main house. “Opposite wings.”

“And of those two options, where would you prefer to spend the night?”

Her eyes narrowed in consideration and she caught her lower lip between her teeth. For some reason she was having trouble making a decision. “The first cabin,” she finally decided. “That way we don’t have to open up the main house. Plus the closest cabin has two bedrooms.”

“Are we going to use both?”

She fussed with her sunglasses for a moment. “What happens if we only use one?” she asked. She tried to make the question sound casual and failed miserably.

“You and I announce our engagement the moment we return,” he answered, not the least casual about his response.

“Okay,” she said. Reaching inside the car, she snagged the groceries they’d picked up and started across the driveway toward the cabin.

Okay? What did she mean by that? “Okay, we can announce our engagement?” he called after her. “Or, okay we’ll use separate bedrooms?”

“Yes,” she tossed over her shoulder.

He snatched up their bags with a broad grin and followed after her, appreciating the view. Her endless legs ate up the distance with ease, the feminine sway of her pert backside drawing his gaze. Her hair tumbled down her back in loose curls, the sunlight losing itself in the glorious streaks of brown and gold. What would she say if she knew he’d purchased a Dantes’ Eternity engagement ring…just in case? Panic, or set the fastest wedding date on record?

Maybe he’d find out.

After grabbing a quick lunch, Gianna took Constantine on a tour of the complex, followed by a hike partway around the huge lake. He knew she was avoiding the true purpose for their visit. But he didn’t push, instead allowing her to set the pace. She’d tell him when she was ready to act.

They returned to the cabin late that afternoon to enjoy a cup of coffee on the deck and Constantine leaned back in his chair, stacking his feet on the top railing. The cabin rested within the protective embrace of a stand of cedar trees, about fifty feet from the water. A solid two hundred yards from shore a raft teetered back and forth against the slap and drag of gentle wind-driven waves. From his current position he could look out across the shimmering blue lake to the dense forest beyond, with the Sierra Nevada mountains rising majestically in the background. It was an amazing sight, one he’d be all too happy to view on a regular basis. No wonder the Dantes loved this place. And how fortunate to have been able to acquire all the surrounding property. He couldn’t help but wonder how many years that had taken.

“It’s getting late,” Gianna commented.

Constantine kept his voice calm and nonchalant. “The sun doesn’t set for hours yet.”

“Still…” She took a final swallow of coffee and set her mug onto the glass-topped table beside her with a decisive click. “Let’s get this over with.”

Without another word, she stood and disappeared inside the cabin. He followed in time to see her vanish into the bedroom she’d staked out, and continued on to his own. Stripping off his clothes, he changed into trunks and returned to the deck.

Gianna joined him a few minutes later, wearing a pale lime-green one-piece, the color somehow intensifying the unusual shade of her eyes. The squared bodice was modest, just hinting at her generous cleavage. And she’d tied a misty drape at her waist that fell to her calves in a swirl of blues and greens. All he could think about was how quickly he could strip away that drape, followed by her swimsuit.