He let out a sigh of resignation. "I tried to find a way to get out of the mess I created. I meant for the ruse to run its course quickly. Yet the more I saw of you, the more I knew if I revealed my deception, you'd hate me forever. I didn't want that to happen, especially since we hit it off so well when you knew me as Nico. I could be with you and make love to you-without the lies and come-ons that Gianni used."
When Erica didn't respond right away, he slowly wiped his face with the back of his sleeve. "I'm in love with you, dammit! You think you're surprised, but let me tell you! I thought I could fight it or ignore my feelings for you in hopes they would all go away, but they didn't. In fact, they continued to grow until I knew I was absolutely, positively in love with you."