“What? Who?”
“Cosimo.”
My eyes widened. “No. Why would I be?”
Elena’s lips pursed. “Because guys like him—the ones at the very top—they think they can do anything. And once you’re married, Rafe’s not going to intervene if things go sideways.”
Beside me, Cleo stiffened.
“He’s not like Dad,” I said sharply, annoyance pulsing at my temples. Elena always assumed the worst.
“How do you know? You’ve basically just met him.”
“I know him well enough.”
“Rafe used to hate him until they went into business together. Don’t you remember? He used to call him a stuck-up ass.”
“And what do you think the Ferraros called Rafe? I doubt it was anything flattering.”
We glared at each other for a beat before her expression softened.
She was worried. Immediately, guilt nudged at me.
I reached for her hand and gave it a squeeze. “I’ll be fine with him. I can see why Rafe called him stuck up. He is. Also stubborn and bossy. But he can be…surprisingly gentle. And protective.”
Cleo lowered theVogueto her lap, not even bothering to pretend she wasn’t eavesdropping on our conversation.
Elena looked thoughtful for a long moment. “Then why are you jittery?”
I laughed. “Elena, I have to kiss a very attractive man for the first time in front of two hundred and eighty guests. Isn’t it self-explanatory?”
Her shoulders lowered. She gave me a crooked smile. “Seriously? You haven’t kissed yet?”
“No, we haven’t.” But that didn’t mean I hadn’t thought about it. Extensively. Especially over the last week.
I’d seen Cosimo in passing a few times since the bachelorette. He’d come over to Rafe’s house to discuss business, and each time I’d seen him, the place where he’d written those letters on the inside of my thigh had flared hot.
My attraction to him had always been annoyingly stubborn, but ever since that night, it had progressed to something worse. I was sure I could keep it under wraps for six months if I thought it was one-sided.
But it didn’t feel that one-sided anymore.
“I’m sure it’ll be fine,” Cleo said as she gave Yeti a scratch under his chin. “If you freeze up, I guarantee he’ll take the lead.”
“Yeah, you’re right. It’s just a kiss. It’s not like I haven’t kissed anyone before.”
“It’ll probably just be a quick little thing for the audience,” Elena said. “A peck.”
“Uh-huh,” I said, feigning relief, even though that description filled me with faint disappointment.
My phone buzzed.
“Mail. New message from [email protected] Subject: URGENT.”
I frowned at the screen. It was probably spam, but since when did spam emails include your name in the address?
I opened it.
One glance, and the phone slipped out of my hand.
