Free Her Venice Affair (The Albury Affairs) by Christina OW Page A

had laid their mother
to rest. According to her, their father’s lunacy was a romantic gesture and she
wanted a husband who showed such dedication to their love even in death. She
wanted a soul mate who’d feel as incomplete as their father did when his soul mate
died—one who couldn’t go on with life without her.
    The girl had only just become legal to drink, what did
she know?
    Allan just found the old man to be selfish. And
because of that, he didn’t want to fall madly, emphasis on mad, in love and
have children, only to pull the same selfish act when ‘the love of his life,
his soul mate died. No, he enjoyed this arrangement just fine. A different
woman for each trip to keep him company and keep him entertained for a short
while. He’d even contemplated proposing to Theresa. It would have been a
parasitic, she being the parasite, union, but one that would keep his heart out
of it and no offspring. Theresa cringed at the sight of kids.
    Allan felt his body get pushed back and he took a step
back to steady himself. He looked down and couldn’t help but smile at her
quirked brow, the edge of her lips turned down in a slight frown. Does she know how innocently cute she looks
with that puzzled look on her face?
    “Hey, where did you go just now?”
    “It doesn’t matter, I’m back now.” He pulled her to
his side and led them to the black Escalade that just pulled up next to the
plane. “How about some shopping?”
    She shrugged, hugging his waist. “We do need a few things.
A change of clothes for one, and something light for you, because that suit
looks good on you, but you must be burning up.”
    Allan almost stopped walking. We? She said we and not
only that, but she was worried about him getting heat stroke. All the women
he’d brought, especially Theresa, would have started with I . Instead of worrying about him, they’d be demanding to know if
they were going to a five star hotel and if his black Visa was going to buy a
dinner gown that would multiply to an outfit for different times of the day.
    And the yacht thing—sailing and living in the yacht
instead of flying first class from city to city. They would have thrown a hissy
fit, which would’ve immediately lead him to calling a taxi and booking them the
next flight back home. Riana hadn’t even asked where they were going to stay!
Or had she just assumed it would be the best of everything because he was a
billionaire?
    Why not put it to the test?
    He ushered her into the car, handed the driver his
briefcase then climbed in after her. With a noncommittal grunt he began. “Where
would you like to stay and would you like to buy a dress for dinner?”
    Riana stared at him like he’d asked her for the
solution to world hunger. He arched his brow, prompting her to speak.
    She shrugged. “I don’t know. Anywhere you want is
fine. And a dinner dress? I figured we’d order room service. We’ll be tired
after sightseeing.” She blushed, quickly turning away from him. “And you
know…the whole making love at night thing you wanted to do. I’m cool with that
plan, unless you want to change it?”
    Yes, she was proving his theory of her being a unicorn
with every single word she said.
    He hooked his finger under her chin and turned her
head around to face him. She kept her eyes low, her lower lip pulled into her
mouth—something he’d come to notice as her being nervous, especially when she
nibbled—and her hands folded at her lap.
    “Look at me, Riana,” he whispered. After a heartbeat
or two, she looked up. He could see the worry in her eyes. He leaned down
slightly and taking his cue, she tipped her head back. “No. I like that plan,
we’ll stick to that.” She released her lower lip just in time for him to
capture it in a kiss.
    She planted her hands on his shoulders and pushed him
back. Allan groaned. He was just getting into that kiss. He was beginning to
get the feeling she was more excited about Italy than him.
      “Are we going
to