Damian spent most of the flight on the phone with Cole, keeping tabs on the deteriorating conditions in the city. Primo’s men were putting up a fight despite the fact that they were outmanned and outgunned, but Cole reported that they were slowly bringing things under control and beginning to expand their reach in the surrounding areas.

He’d urged Aria to take advantage of the sleeping cabin on the plane and was relieved when she agreed shortly after takeoff. The conversation with Primo had taken a toll on her and the smudges under her eyes had darkened in the time it had taken them to get to the airport and board the plane. He wanted to wipe away the sadness in her eyes, smooth the worry on her brow. The impulse was unfamiliar and not entirely welcome. He felt strangely exposed, like he was stumbling naked in the snow and it was only a matter of time before he fell and froze to death.

The steward came back and told him they would be landing, and Damian stood to get Aria. He was glad he still had access to the fleet of private planes kept by Cavallo Financial. It would be harder for Primo to separate the flight plans of this plane from the others used by executives on a regular basis, and it offered a comfortable overseas flight.

He knocked lightly on the rear cabin door, then opened it. She was asleep on her side, her dark hair fanned out on the pillow around her head, a lock falling over her forehead. Her face looked innocent in repose, almost childlike, and he entered quietly, sat on the edge of the bed carefully in an effort to keep from startling her.

He’d been stealing glances at her whenever he could, endlessly fascinated with her beauty, but now he had a chance to really look and he felt a tug of emotion deep inside him. It was more than the appeal of her features. It was a kind of familiarity he’d never experienced with anyone. Like they’d met once long ago and he’d been looking for her ever since without realizing it.

Like she was the remnant of a beautiful dream.

He reached out, brushed the piece of hair back from her forehead. “Aria…”

Her eyelashes fluttered in the moment before she opened her eyes. He thought she might be startled or confused. He wouldn’t blame her. They’d been on the move ever since she’d come to his apartment in the city.

But she seemed perfectly at ease, her eyes meeting his, a smile turning up the corners of her mouth. She reached for his hand, still near her face, and kissed it. It was a surprisingly tender gesture, and his throat constricted around a swell of emotion.

How long had it been since someone had touched him like that?

“Hello,” she said softly.

“Hi.” He bent down to kiss her forehead. “We’re going to land soon. You should come buckle in.”

She sat up and stretched, and his eyes were pulled to the long line of her torso, the perfect jut of her breasts. It had only been twenty-four hours since he’d been inside her and the impulse to take her again was already overpowering. It was more than lust — although there was plenty of that. It was a primal kind of possession that made him want to write MINE on her body.

How very enlightened of him.

He stood, forcing his thoughts away from the idea of taking her on the bed before they landed. She took his hand and they made their way back into the main cabin where they got settled for landing.

He watched her face as they came in over the city below, the ocean stretched out on either side.

“So this is Naples,” she said.

He nodded. She wasn’t about to board a plane with no idea where they were going. “Not our final stop though.”

She glanced over at him with a scolding smile. “You cheated.”

“Just a little,” he said. “You asked me where we were going. I said Naples. Here we are in Naples.”

He was happy she didn’t ask any more questions. Theirs was an unconventional trip, not exactly a romantic getaway, but he had a feeling it had been a long time since anyone had done anything special for her. He couldn’t change the reason for their trip, but he could make the best of it by surprising her with the next leg of it.

The landing gear came down under the plane as they approached the tarmac. Less than five minutes later they stepped onto the concrete and made their way toward a black car, the suited driver leaning against the trunk.

“Ciao, Signore Cavallo,” he said when they approached.

Damian gave him the one bag they had between them. “Ciao, Carlo.”

He opened the door for Aria, let her slide in, and stepped in after her. They made their way out of the airport and through the narrow streets of the city, a riot of color, cars, pedestrians, and scooters. He watched her face as she looked through the window. It was like seeing the city for the first time, and he suddenly had a sense of what he’d been missing by being alone. The opportunity to share everything with someone, but also the opportunity to see everything through fresh eyes, to experience something again and again as if it were the first time.

Half an hour after they left the airport, they came to a marina, boats bobbing next to the docks. Damian opened the door for Aria, got their bags, and paid his respects to Carlo before taking Aria’s hand.

“Wait… are we going on a boat?” she asked as she followed along behind him.

“Very perceptive, Miss Fiore.”

She laughed. “Don’t be a smart ass.”

He was surprised to feel a smile on his face. It was nice to pretend they were like everyone else for a moment. That they were just another couple spending the day together, getting to know each other.

It wasn’t true, but there was no harm in enjoying it while they could.

They came to a motorboat at the end of the dock.

“Ready for the next part of our journey?” he asked.

He held out a hand to help her into the boat, then followed her aboard. He spent a couple minutes getting everything situated and cast off before starting the motor. Then they were headed out across the azure waters toward the island of Capri.