Claiming His Out-Of-Bounds Bride (Mills & Boon Modern) - Annie West by Annie West

Author:Annie West [West, Annie]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Mills & Boon Modern
Published: 2020-07-23T18:06:06+00:00

CHAPTER EIGHT

AFTER FIVE DAYS of marriage Olivia felt ridiculously restless on her first day alone. She and Alessandro had stayed at the villa, ostensibly having a very private honeymoon.

Not a traditional honeymoon.

Instead of spending their time in bed, they mainly worked.

Of course, Olivia didn’t mind, she assured herself as she sat in the shade of a loggia, scrutinising a screen full of wedding photos.

She wasn’t dissatisfied that Alessandro had gone out and left her alone for the day. She was just...

Edgy. Unsettled. Finding it hard to concentrate.

This feeling was unfamiliar. Most of her life she’d been essentially alone. She’d built up reserves of inner strength and a determination to succeed. Plus she had enough work to keep her very busy.

Yet she’d grown used to Alessandro. Despite that current of awareness that dragged through her belly and tightened her nipples when their eyes caught and held. Then she almost imagined he saw her as something other than a contracted partner.

When had they moved from being wary colleagues in a convenient marriage to companions?

They shared mealtimes, worked together on ideas for the winter ball and even relaxed together. Last night they’d watched a new-release film in the cinema room, chatting afterwards about the merits of various directors. Early each morning they rode together, exploring the estate and beyond.

Olivia had been delighted to discover Alessandro kept stables. He’d even brought in a mare especially for her when she mentioned she loved riding. It was one of the few things she’d enjoyed about her exclusive boarding school, the chance to commune with horses instead of snobby trust-fund teenagers determined to make her life hell because she wasn’t like them.

Olivia looked up from her screen to gaze across the gardens.

It wasn’t only the riding she enjoyed. Or the films. She liked being with Alessandro.

This morning, when he’d excused himself to attend a meeting of senior staff, she’d actually been disappointed. Though she understood the need to be fully prepared for tomorrow’s first board meeting for the newly amalgamated company.

How crazy was that? She wasn’t some adolescent, unable to occupy her time or desperate for attention.

She’d spent the morning finishing the presentation she’d make to the board tomorrow. The presentation Alessandro had put on the agenda, to consider her proposal to establish a permanent bridal-wear arm of the company.

In the past Dell’Orto had produced bridal dresses only for runway shows. Olivia wanted to create an exclusive bridal boutique service, catering not just for brides but entire wedding parties, right down to the shoes and accessories they wore and the luggage they used. It would meld the strength of Sartori menswear and Dell’Orto feminine fashion, tapping into the universal desire to mark a wedding as special and memorable.

In time, she hoped to expand into providing a range of off-the-rack bridal gowns at the less exclusive end of the market as well, under a label linked to but separate from the original luxury brand names.

Olivia was torn between excitement and trepidation. This was her chance, finally, to push one of her own initiatives.

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