What happened in the storage room hadn't lessened my desire for her. If anything, it had made it stronger. As we made our way through the city, I found myself constantly wanting to touch her. My arm around her shoulders, at her waist. Hand on the small of her back. Fingers laced between mine.

I barely registered the beauty of Venice even as our gondolier took us on a tour. All of my attention was on Nami and her reaction to everything. She was delighted at the architecture, amused by the other tourists. She was the strangest combination of maturity with child-like joy.

As we went, we also talked and I was again surprised at how easy it was to open up to her. By mid-day, I was telling her things I hadn't discussed with anyone.

“My parents decided that I needed to marry the daughter of this business partner of theirs. Britni.”

A shadow crossed her face, but was gone again before I could really be sure that I'd seen it. “Did you love her?” she asked.

I shook my head. “I barely knew her. She was a few years younger than me. I knew her brother was an ass, so that didn't make me more inclined to like the idea, but it was for my family.” I looked down at my left hand where I'd worn a gold band for the short time I'd been married. “I'd been okay with it until I met this girl. Piper. She was in my sister's class.”

“The spoiled one?” Nami was smiling, but her eyes were guarded.

I nodded. “I screwed up everything. I thought I was in love with Piper, but I didn't think I could break off the engagement with Britni, so I went through with it.”

“You're married?” Nami stiffened and started to pull away from me.

“No,” I said quickly. I kept my arm around her, but didn't try to pull her closer, not wanting to be aggressive. “I did marry Britni, but it was the marriage and Piper that finally made me see how miserable I was.” This was the first time I'd said all this out loud, I realized.

“What did you do?”

“Well, after I admitted it to myself, I knew I had to do something about it, but I wasn't sure what.” I twisted one of Nami's curls around my finger. “Then my brother-in-law did something awful and when I saw how his family rallied around him, I knew I couldn't be a part of it anymore. I filed for divorce.”

“And Piper?”

The words were flat and I looked down at Nami, wondering if I could read her thoughts on her face. I couldn't. I supposed I could've lied to her and told her that my divorce was the reason I'd come to Europe, but I didn't want to spoil what we had with a lie. Lies were what had gotten me into trouble in the first place.

“I went to her, told her about the divorce, but it was too late.” It didn't hurt to think about it anymore, which is what made me realize I hadn't been in love with Piper after all. “She'd found someone else.”

“I'm sorry,” Nami said, her voice sincere.

“I'm not,” I replied honestly. “She told me that the two of us had been drawn together because of circumstances, nothing else. We really weren't a good match.”

“Is she why you came to Europe?”

“Part of it.” I shifted in my seat and Nami moved with me, tucking her head against my shoulder. “My parents were furious about the divorce and threatened my job. That's when I realized I couldn't take it anymore. I was tired of doing everything they told me to do.”

“And did they accept your decisions?”

I heard the careful tone in her voice and knew we weren't just talking about me anymore. “Not exactly. I quit my job and left. That was a couple months ago.”

“And you haven't been back since?”

“No.” My fingers traced patterns on Nami's arm. “But I've talked to them a few times.”

“And are they okay with your choices now?”

“Not really,” I admitted. “But I don't regret doing it. Quitting or divorcing Britni. I've spent too much of my life doing as I was told. It was fine when I was a kid, but I'm far too old to be toeing the line like they wanted me to. I need to choose my own path. Work, love, family. They have to be my choices.”

Silence fell over us as our tour guide pulled us up to a spot where we could get off. I helped Nami out of the gondola and she put her arm around my waist, leaning her head against me. I was surprised, but wasn't about to complain. I put my arm around her shoulders and we headed for the Palácio rosado.

“It's so beautiful,” Nami said softly as we made our way inside.

She was right. The outside had been impressive enough, but the interior with its ornate high ceilings and breath-taking architecture, was spectacular. The tour guide was talking but I didn't hear a word he said and I didn't think Nami did either. She seemed to be deep in thought and I didn't want to interrupt her. Neither of us spoke through the entire tour, but as we broke off at the end and started to walk about on our own, she broke the silence.

“My family has planned my life out.” She was staring straight ahead and her voice was soft. I almost thought she might be talking to herself rather than me. “I told you that I majored in political science because it was what they wanted, but it's beyond that. I, too, am supposed to take over my family's...business.”

We stood at the Bridge of Sighs, oblivious to everyone else around us. I didn't know what was going on with Nami, but she was clearly dealing with some difficult choices.

“It's been in my family for generations,” she continued. “A legacy passed down to the eldest child, boy or girl, and we're expected to rise to it. We're trained for it from birth.” There was a hint of bitterness in her voice.

“And what if you refuse?” I asked.

“I can't.” She sighed and straightened, pulling away from me. “If my brother had lived, maybe I could have, but he died when he was only a few hours old.”

“I'm so sorry,” I said.

“I don't remember him,” she said absently. “I remember when my mother miscarried though. Twice. How sad everyone was. My parents weren't going to try for another one. Halea was their miracle baby. Four weeks early and so tiny. Even when she finally came home, she was so small I was afraid to hold her.”

I had the sudden, sharp memory of my mother handing me a squalling, red-faced bundle. Rebecca had been a handful from moment one, but I'd loved her then. I supposed I still loved her, but I didn't like her very much. I felt a stab of jealousy for what Nami and her sister had. Her parents might've been similar to mine, but she at least had Halea.

“You see, if I choose to step down from my position, it would go to Halea.” Nami crossed her arms, rubbing them with her hands as we followed a group of people to see the dungeon. “And she couldn't handle it.”

“Does she want it?” I asked. “I know you said she's sixteen, but some people know what they want to do when they're that age.”

Nami shook her head. “It doesn't matter. She doesn't have the strength to do it, to deal with everything.”

I wondered what sort of business the Carrs owned, but I didn't ask. I was getting the distinct impression that she would only offer the personal details she wanted, and nothing more.

“She wants to please people,” Nami continued. “She hates conflict. Always the peacemaker.”

I could see where that would be a problem in the business world. While compromise and negotiation always required a bit of flexibility, someone who always wanted to make peace would certainly get walked all over. To be good at being in charge, a person had to have the right combination of stubbornness and a willingness to consider others' opinions.

“There's no one else,” she said.

I hated the tone of defeat in her voice. A wave of protectiveness washed over me, surprising me. I'd never been protective of anyone. Not really. I considered myself a gentleman and tried to look out for people, but it was never anything like this. I wanted to hold her and tell her that it would all be okay.

“Can't your parents just hire someone? I know it's not ideal for a family business, but surely there's someone who's been loyal enough to be considered family without being blood.”

The smile she gave me said it all. “No, Reed. It has to be me. And I've made my peace with that. More or less, anyway.” She reached over and grabbed my hand, squeezing it tightly. “That's why this means so much to me. When I go back, it's all responsibility.”

I didn't say anything as I pulled her to my side, tucking her under my arm where she fit so perfectly. I hated this. I hated not being able to help her break free like I had. I hated her parents for making her feel so trapped. And I hated how much I cared. I didn't know this girl. She was supposed to have been a fling, another in a line of hook-ups to help me forget the mess I'd left in Philadelphia and to distract me from the fact that I had no idea what I was doing. But it was more than that already, had been from the moment I'd met her even if I hadn't wanted to admit it then.

I told myself that I needed to stop asking questions, stop trying to figure out a way to help. I couldn't help. All I could do was listen and then let her go when it was time. But as I looked down at her, my heart twisted at the thought of letting her go, never seeing her again.

Dammit. I knew better than to do this, but I couldn't seem to stop myself. I didn't know who she was or what I was feeling, only that it was more than I should. I also knew that no matter what I did, things were going to end badly. For both of us.