The Italian's Fake Fiancée

66

Few minutes later, Paige was inside the ostentatious house. After navigating for a while, and pulling open several empty rooms, she finally found Leonardo upstairs in one of the rooms.

Contrary to what Wesley believed, Leo was standing by the window. Which gave a natural view of the outside. One hand in his pocket. He had discarded his jacket and was left only in a white shirt and his pants. He was backing her so Paige couldn't see his face, but he must have sensed her presence because he said without turning, "I thought i told you to go home, Paige."

Paige stepped inside quietly, closing the door. Waiting for him to face her, but he never did. "I don't want to. I don't want to go home."

He turned then, his eyes resting on her arms, the tear in the hem of her gown. Her knee, and then finally her belly, and his face contorted. While his attention was still on her, Paige used the opportunity to survey him.

Was he still remembering the moment Finn had told him she was pregnant? His gaze rested on her face, and Paige muttered, Wesley thought you might have feelings for me."

Leo, who had been about to go pour himself a glass of wine from the table nearby, froze.

"Is it true?" Paige whipped her suddenly wet palm and took a step forward.

Lowering the bottle, Leonardo cast her a glance from under hooded eyes. His voice, calm, too calm for reason. "Wesley doesn't know what he is talking about."

Paige, who had been hugging her arms looking innocent, and vulnerable, dug her fingers into her arms as her eyes watered instantly. "So you don't have feelings for me?"

He pressed his lips together, refusing to speak. "If that's all you came to say, perhaps you should leave now."

After saying that, his expression became withdrawn and unapproachable. Locked jaws and a heavy frown. To be honest, he looked a little scary, and had Paige not been hell-bent on seeing this to the end, she would have turned and left. In fact, she had already turned her back to him when she stopped abruptly.

There was nothing left to lose. It was not like everything wasn't already in a mess. She might as well tell him. Taking a huge breath, she said, "I'm in love with you Leonardo."

The silence that descended. Paige was sure she could hear the sound of a pin if it dropped.

"That's why I didn't tell you." She turned to look at him. Imploring him to believe her.

Series of emotions rippled through his face. And right before her eyes, he reined them all in, except one pain which shone through his eyes. Did Wesley ask you to tell me that because he knew it would make me feel good?"

Why would Wesley think that would make Leo feel good, unless, unless he was right and Leo did have feelings for her? But why was he pretending not to? It was a mystery to Paige.

"You do have feelings for me?" Paige caught his gaze and held it. "Don't you?" His face twisted, and he avoided eye contact.

"That isn't of any importance now," Leo muttered stiffly.

"Oh my God, it is." Paige took several long steps, shortening the distance between them until she was standing in front of him. His eyes narrowed. "I can't believe it. If I had known, I wouldn't have felt the need to withhold telling you I was pregnant."

"What are you saying, Paige? You are not making any sense?"

Paige took a huge breath, grinning sheepishly. Her face, a rictus of sheer delight. "I thought you didn't love me and your statement about marrying me was all for a baby."

After saying that, and Leo still looked confused. Paige sighed. "I didn't want you to marry me for a child. You were going to do that. If you found out, I'm with your child."

"So you decided not to tell me."

"I wanted you to marry me because you loved me."

"Then why didn't you tell me. This doesn't make any sense. You could have still told me and declined my offer of marriage. If you were so sure i was giving it for the wrong reasons."

Paige opened her mouth to speak, and he raised his hand in supplication, cutting her off. "I find it very hard to believe you, Paige. You come here and you say these things to me. You say you love me, but what you say and your actions just don't correspond. You had a chance to tell me the truth, but you didn't."

He paused and took a deep breath. "Paige, a woman who loves someone won't lie to them the way you have done to me. She would want her special person to know he was fathering her child. Because then, it would be something of joy to her."

During his long epistle, Paige had somehow gotten irritated. How long did she have to apologize and make him understand?
"Are you finished?" Leo looked at her in surprise. "I admit I made a lot of mistakes, but if you won't even believe me, how the hell do I justify my actions?" she yelled. "And now you won't believe am in love with you?" She said in disbelief.

"Why did you think I agreed to be your fake fiancée? Do you think the prospect of money or the vacation you mentioned swayed me? Think again, Leo. Because for the first time in the seven months since I fell in love with you i got the chance to be with you. Albeit even though it was to be your fake fiancée, and you were to be pretending you were in love with me there, I still wanted it."

"Good lord, Paige," Leo's voice broke in gently and Paige could tell he was putting two and two together and coming up with four, judging by that look on his face.

He wet his lips and opened his mouth.

"Don't say anything and just listen," she declared. She had already started on this trail, she might as well finish it.