VITTORIO'S RUNAWAY BRIDE (The Vittorio Series) by Kimberley Reeves

you and that…that woman!”
    “When, cara mia ?”
    “The day I left you,” Shelby replied, unsuccessfully trying to blink back the tears.  
    Logan searched his mind, but had no recollection of having been alone with Alicia that day.   “You must be mistaken.   Richard Delatorre, her husband, was still in the country at that time.   I had a late lunch with him and Alicia…” Logan stopped, a sudden and very vivid memory flashing before his eyes.   “Oh, mia tesoro ,” he said tenderly, “my poor darling, you saw us coming out of the hotel, didn’t you?”  
    Shelby nodded.   “You had your arm around her,” she said in trembling voice.   “I saw you leave the hotel and get in a limousine with her and I…I was so hurt, so heartbroken to know you’d slept with another woman, I couldn't think of anything except getting away.”
    “Shelby, I…”
    “No, you have to let me say this.   I blamed myself too because I realized you wouldn’t have turned to her at all if I’d been able to…”   Shelby’s voice faltered as a new round of tears flooded her eyes.   She drew in a deep breath and finished.   “If I had been able to satisfy you in bed, you wouldn’t have felt the need to find someone who could.”
    “ Mio Dio ,” he rasped hoarsely, “you thought you did not satisfy me?”   Logan scooped her up and set her on his lap so fast she didn’t get the chance to protest.   “Listen very carefully, Shelby.   I went to the hotel to pick up Alicia at her husband’s request.  He was running late for our lunch date, and the only reason I had my arm around her is because she was wearing a pair of ridiculously high heels and I was afraid she would fall down the stairs and break her neck.”
    “No,” she shook her head, “I saw you kiss her.  Just before you got in the car, she turned around and you leaned down to k-kiss her.”
    “That was not the way it happened.  I leaned down to help her into the car and she kissed me.  Think about it, cara .  Think about how brief it was.  The kiss did not last past my initial shock that she had done it.  I was angry, but she laughed it off and said it was only a kiss of gratitude for picking her up.  I let it pass because of my friendship with Richard.”  
    Shelby looked at him with uncertainty.   “She’s a beautiful woman and you’ve been spending time with her.   Maybe what I saw was perfectly innocent, but what about the other times you were alone with her?”
    “I was not alone with her, cara .   The dinner at Mancini’s was with three other couples, all mutual associates of mine and Richard’s.   The art exhibit was a showing for one of Alicia’s friends and I only went with her because she begged me to.   I felt sorry for her because Richard was supposed to have been back by then.”
    “And the ball?”
    “A charity event that I did not particularly care to attend but felt obligated to.   Alicia was practically in tears because she did not want to go alone, and since I was already going, I agreed to be her escort.”
    “Are you…attracted to her?”
    Logan’s lip twitched in amusement.   “Attracted to a woman who flaunts her body and bats her eyelashes at every male she comes in contact with?   Not likely.   Besides, why would I want a woman like that when I have you?   You are the one I want, Shelby, the only woman I want sharing my life and my bed.”
    Shelby threw her arms around his neck and let out a painful sob.   “Oh Logan, how can you ever forgive me for the horrible way I’ve behaved?”
    Logan hugged her to him.   “Just say it is over so we can go home.   I have missed you so much, mia moglie.  I t was a struggle to get through each day and infinitely more difficult to get through the long nights.”
    “It was the same for me.”
    “Promise me you will never do anything like this again.   If something upsets you, you must tell me so we can work it out together.”
    “Together,” she