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THREE MINUTES FELT LIKE an eternity

Stefano paced across the cool tiles of his bedroo to let Annabelle leave tomorrow Not now Not yet

He had to persuade her to stay With words With his body Whatever it took The more time he spent with Annabelle, the more he knew they were meant to

be together—if not forever, then at least for longer

Stefano heard her knock, and flung open the door

Annabelle’s beautiful face looked both sad and deterht, I’e my mind about tomorrow So let’s not talk about it, we have so little time left already…”

Stefano held open the door “Come in”

He could see the uncertainty and longing across her lovely, expressive face as she entered his bedroom

“Sit down,” he said “I want to tell you so”

She stood in front of hiht as steel and shook her head “I’ll stand”

“I want to tell you,” he said quietly, “the real reason I gave upcareer at nineteen, in the middle of the London International Equestrian Show”

Her ray eyes ide as she sank onto the bed

Stefano looked down at her He hadn’t wanted to ever explain this, but it was the only thing that ht help her understand He forced himself to speak, and the words came slowly

“I told you I was lured into joining the show-juhter Rosalia,” he said in a low voice “I thought she loved ht before the horse shoas unable to reach my parents back in Spain My mother hadn’t answered her phone for weeks I orried so I went to see my coach, who I believed cared for me as a son”

“What happened?”