Chapter 14
Breanne stood up and faced him with tears in her eyes. "Zandro this was so unexpected and so beautiful. Can we sit and talk for a minute? I want to give you the answer you want but we still have some unresolved things we need to talk about."
They sat on the couch and Breanne started the conversation, "What happened when we got back to Australia?"
"I have no real excuse. I was feeling threatened by my own feelings and I was trying to get away. Then I received a call that my mother had suffered a massive heart attack and I raced back to Italy."
"Oh my god I had no idea."
"That was my mistake. Thinking I could get through that time on my own when I had no need to. It was a particularly dark time for me as I wrestled with the responsibility of again looking after my mother and managing my business affairs. Everything seemed to go wrong at once and I was stretched thin working fifteen hours in a day and keeping up hospital visits. If you ask my staff they would tell you that I was an ogre to work for during that time."
"It's understandable you were under a lot of pressure," Breanne sympathised.
"Yes, but I am used to pressure and working under such conditions. The truth of the matter is my irrational mood had little to do with my work load or mothers health. It had everything to do with a little Aussie treasure that I had found and not kept by my side. The entire time I kept pushing the thought out of my mind. I was unwilling to admit to myself that I may actually need someone in my life. I'd sworn to myself from an early age that I would never be trapped by anyone."
"I have never set out to trap you Zandro."
"I know that, in fact, I would say that tonight shows you that I am the one trying to trap you to me. I had hoped that by showing you just how much I know you and finally putting on the perfect date for you that I could convince you to want to be with me forever," Zandro held his hands out palms up showing her that he was giving her every bit of him.
"When did you realise that you wanted more?"
"I'd become completely irrational and not just unbearable for my staff but I became unbearable to me. I decided that the only way to fix it was to get on a plane and head back to Australia and be with you. I really had no idea what it would look like or what I would suggest. I just knew that I could not continue to run from the best thing in my life."
Breanne made a little sound. It felt so good to have him really open up about his feelings.
"So then I arrived and made a complete ass of myself assuming that you were shacked up with a new young lover. I was jealous, I wanted to knock him out and drag you out of there like a cave man."
"Really, you can't be serious?" Breanne was amazed at his feelings and thankful he controlled himself. Lance really was a good natured kid and wouldn't have deserved that.
"Then you stormed off and it only took a minute for me to re-evaluate my opponent and realise that he was not actually an opponent. However, by then I'd done you the injustice of insulting you and I had a lot to make up for. For the first time I was stressed before a meeting."
"What do you mean?"
"When I met you to have my breakfast I was worried you would throw me out. Then when you gave me the thirty minute window of your time I knew that it would be the biggest and most important meeting of my life. Still I had no clue what I would suggest or say to you. In your presence though, the right things just seemed to come out to convince you to go on yet another date."
"I'm glad you did ask me out on another date. I had a fabulous time with you."
"Well yesterday I knew with certainty that I did not want just one date or one evening with you. I did not want you as a temporary person in my life. When I looked forward at my future I could only see you in it. That is when I went out and bought this ring."
Breanne gazed down at the immaculate, emerald cut solitary diamond on a platinum band. Even the ring was perfect. A couple of tears slid down her cheek.
"Around you I am not known for my patience. Are those happy tears? Will you accept my ring Breanne? I do not think I am too proud to beg," he grinned at her.
"Of course I will marry you," she threw herself into his arms and he kissed her passionately. Zandro then lifted her hand and placed the ring on her finger.
"I'm so glad you came looking for me. I never dreamt that you would."
"Well you certainly didn't make it easy. I had just returned from one of the longest flights imaginable, headed straight to Newcastle and found out that you had resigned. I was furious at not having been notified. Then I went to your home where a beefy looking older man must have thought I was trying to break into your house. He advised me you no longer lived there. So I went to see Georgie. She didn't realise it but she provided me with the most help. Mentioning something about you finding your surroundings barren which with the help of my investigator we recognised to be a place rather than a description of your surroundings."
"Yeah the line was bad. I thought it would be fine to finally tell her where I was. I just didn't want anyone to try to stop me from my mission."
"And what exactly was your mission? Why were you hiding out up there?" he lifted her chin to search her face.
"I was feeling rejected and my ego was a little bruised and battered. I also wanted to try to get to know myself and work on my goals such as writing. I was a misery to be around in the first few weeks but gradually I got stronger and more secure with being me. Then you turned up. I had not really gotten over you and your presence triggered all the feelings I had thought were dealt with but were most likely just repressed. I was angry that you had left but more than anything I simply missed you."
"You will never need to run again. From now on we will always be there for each other," Zandro vowed to her and Breanne hugged him closely.
Zandro picked her up and took her into the bedroom. "My beautiful bride to be will you allow me now to make love to you?"
"Do you really need to ask?"
They made love slowly with passion and more feeling than either of them had experienced before. Secure in each other's love. Afterwards with Breanne's head cradled on his chest they talked about their future.
"How will it work?" she asked.
"We should spend time here and in Italy. We could travel together and if you are not attached to your job you can write. You will go on many adventures and this will only enhance your creative ability. Yes?"
"I'm not attached to my current job. I do feel a strong attachment to LSS though. Massimo was so good to me and if it wasn't for him I never would have met you."
"Hmmm, I wonder if he was doing a little matchmaking from the grave." Zandro reached into the side table and handed Breanne some papers.
"Before I even got back to Australia I had made a certain decision. Please open the paper and have a read."
"What does this mean?"
"It means my sweetheart that LSS is now owned by you. Whether you were going to marry me or not you deserved to have it. You understand the Australian people and market and more importantly you understand what Massimo wanted. It is you that should run his business. Of course I will be happy to lend a hand if you need it," he smiled down at her and kissed her forehead.
Breanne reached up and put her arms around her man her fiancé. "Zandro, I love you. I will love you always."
Zandro tightened his hold on her and with a ragged voice full of emotion said, "Breanne, I have never said these words to another and for the rest of my life I will say them to you. I love you," he kissed her and stated again, "I love you and it feels great to say it."
Breanne would treasure this moment for the rest of her life. Lying in Zandro's arms grinning at each other like a pair of love sick fools. It was the perfect ending to a perfect date.
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