The Ultimate Romance Box (6 Bestselling Romance Novels)

by Eckhart, Lorhainne

  Chris's heels clicked on the parquet floor as she paced back into the room, a huge grin on her face. Then Maria noticed a man behind her. A dark-haired man.

  Maria's heart faltered. Her breath caught in her lungs.

  Dino followed Chris into the dining room and halted just inside the door. Silence fell as everyone looked up. Dino's gaze swept the table and settled on her, dark, intense. Uncertain.

  Oblivious to everything else, Maria stared back, drank in every detail of him. Specks of snow glittered in his black hair like stars in the night sky; streaks of color from the cold ran along his cheekbones. A luxurious, chestnut fur coat enveloped him, the collar turned up against the chill.

  He'd come back to her! In an instant, the disappointment of New York and all the weeks of separation and heartache melted away as if they were a bad dream.

  Dino's lips curved in a tentative smile. Nerves tingled to life all through Maria's body as if she had been half asleep since he left. In her fantasies, when they met she ran into his arms and kissed him. But she could hardly throw herself at him in front of her family. Belatedly she remembered her manners. She stood and went to him, brushed her fingertips across his soft fur sleeve. "Mum, Dad, this is my friend, Dino Rossellini."

  "Mr. Gardener, Mrs. Gardener," Dino said in his beautiful, accented English. He stepped forwards as her father stood and shook his hand. "Forgive me for disturbing your dinner, sir. I would like to speak to Maria, if I may."

  Maria pressed a palm over her heart, feeling almost light-headed. This was her Dino. How could he be the same man she'd watched singing to thousands of people mere hours ago?

  "You'd better stay for dinner," Maria's mother said, as she jumped up and bustled around, fetching another place setting for the table.

  "Thank you, Mrs. Gardener. That is very kind of you, but I cannot stay long."

  Maria's euphoria faded at his words. Of course, this was a quick visit before he jetted off to his next concert venue.

  Despite his comment, Dino took off his coat and sat obediently when Maria's mother indicated a chair. "Sit down, Mari, and finish your dinner," her mother said tersely. Maria hesitated behind Dino, longing to touch him. Instead she returned to her seat.

  His gaze rose to find Maria's again as he was given a plate and served with vegetables. All she wanted to do was sneak away somewhere private with him. She had so many questions. She didn't even know where to start. When her mother sat down with a harassed sigh, Maria noticed that she didn't look as impressed with Dino as everyone else.

  Maria tried to continue her meal, but her mouth was so dry she could barely swallow. In the end she gave up trying.

  As soon as Dino finished eating, Maria stood up. "Excuse us for a few minutes. If Dino's short of time, I don't want to hold him up."

  Heart racing, she led him through to the conservatory where they had spent many evenings together, staring up at the stars, snuggling, kissing. Tingles raced up and down her spine at the firm tread of his footsteps following her across the mosaic tiles of the hallway. Her cheeks were flushed by the time she reached the conservatory and turned to face him. He was wearing an elegant dark suit, but his shirt was open at the neck.

  He took her hands, lifted them to his mouth, and kissed her knuckles. "Maria, Maria, amore mio." Dino pressed his lips to the backs of her hands again and closed his eyes for a moment. "I have so much to apologize for. I don't know where to begin."

  She'd assumed he didn't know about her trip to New York, but his words changed her mind. Yet he hadn't contacted her until now. Her bruised feelings welled up, and she pulled her hands out of his grip. "You left without saying goodbye."

  "Oh, cara. I thought I was doing the right thing." He gestured in frustration. "This has not gone well between us since I left. I'm sorry. I did not learn you were in New York until you had gone. Rachel told me when we arrived in Toronto."

  "So why didn't you call me? You could have found the guesthouse phone number on the Internet."

  Dino passed a hand over his face, his expression pained. "It is difficult to say, Maria. I did not want to cause more problems between us."

  "What problems could you possibly cause by phoning me?" She had no doubt she loved this man. And he must have feelings for her or he wouldn't have come back. But he had a funny way of showing it.

  "Will you forgive me, Maria? Give me another chance."

  "Oh, Dino..." Maria dropped into one of the wicker chairs and rested her face in her hands. "I don't blame you for not seeing me in New York. That was Freddy Short's doing. But it made me realize you and I live different lives. We think differently, have different priorities."

  Dino crouched in front of her and stroked the hair back off her face. "We are not so different, cara. Don't you remember our time together here?"

  "But that wasn't real life for you. I saw what your life's like when I came to New York. I watched La Bohème on the screen outside the Met. I heard about the movie you're doing. I was at the stage door after your matinée performance."

  "I thought I heard your voice then. Why did you not come to me? I would have been overjoyed to see you."

  Maria remembered the shoving crowd, the bald man who had pushed in front of her. She had forgotten about him once she arrived home, now she realized he must have been following her if she'd seen him three times in as many days. "I think there was a man watching me to make sure I didn't get close to you."

  "Freddy!" A string of Italian words slid from Dino's lips. She guessed it was a good thing she couldn't understand them. "He is despicable. But he will not interfere between us again. I have thrown him in the toilet."

  A giggle burst from Maria. "I don't think that's quite what you mean. But I understand the sentiment."

  Her flare of amusement faded. She smoothed a hand across his shoulder and touched his hair to reassure herself he was real. "I'm over the moon to see you, but why did you wait so long to contact me? I've really missed you. I'd have loved to hear your voice and know you hadn't forgotten me."

  He sighed softly and brushed his fingertips across her cheek. "I did call, you, cara. Your mother, she told me not to phone again. I hoped you would accept my letter as apology."

  Maria's heart jumped with a painful clench. "Mum told you not to call? And there was a letter? What letter?"

  "I wrote to you as soon as I realized I could not speak to you on the phone. You should have received it by now."

  "I didn't get your letter." Their eyes met and a moment of understanding passed between them. Maria groaned. "Mum," she said her throat so tight with emotion the word was mangled.

  "Did you not get the postcards I sent you?" Dino continued.

  Maria shook her head slowly. Her mother must have checked the mail and hidden any letters from Dino. "She told me you were the wrong sort of man for me."

  "She probably thought she was protecting you, cara."

  Maria closed her eyes until she could get her emotions under control. She had no doubt her mother was well-intentioned, but instead of protecting her from hurt, she'd caused her unnecessary weeks of heartache.

  "In my letter, I gave you my phone number and asked you to call me. I wanted to arrange for you to come to Italy with me for my mamma's fiftieth birthday. When I did not hear, I thought you were angry with me and would not see me again. But I could not give up without hearing you speak the words."

  "Oh, Dino." Maria wrapped her arms around his neck and pressed her face against his neck. They held each other for long minutes, then Dino eased back and cupped her cheek in his palm.

  "Am I forgiven, Maria, amore?"

  "Of course, Dino. I've missed you so much."

  "I've missed you too. Every minute of every day." Dino leaned close and Maria's eyelids fell as he pressed his lips to hers in a soft, sweet kiss. Too soon he pulled back. He blew out a breath. "I don't have much time, cara. I must leave in a few minutes or I will miss my flight home. I want you to meet my family and see where I grew up. Will you come with me
?"

  Maria leaned her forehead on his shoulder. She desperately wanted to go, but it worried her that every moment she spent with him would make it harder to part. "You'll have to go to America to start filming soon. It'll tie you up for months, won't it?"

  "Maria, amore." He raised her hand to his lips again, the look in his brown eyes so loving and earnest. "Do not worry about that now. Please come home with me. It is just a week in Italy."

  The doubts flooding her mind faded as she realized she couldn't turn down an opportunity to spend time with him, even if it meant heartache later. "Yes," she whispered. "I'll come."

  Chapter Twelve

  Maria squinted through the windshield as Dino drove up the narrow lane out of Porthale. He had rented an SUV. A good decision as snow was pelting down. The fluffy, white flakes probably wouldn't settle for long at this time of year, but right now the steep hill out of the village would be too slippery to navigate in a normal car.

  In the darkness she could barely see Dino, but she stared at his profile, still finding it hard to believe he had come back to her. They headed to Newquay Airport for a connecting flight to Bristol. From there they would fly to Pisa in Italy. Her hastily packed bag was in the back. She hoped she hadn't forgotten anything. It had been difficult to concentrate on packing with her mother standing over her, trying to persuade her not to go.

  She knew her mother was being cautious because she didn't want to see her hurt, but when she grudgingly gave Maria the pile of postcards and the letter from Dino, Maria had to bite her tongue to hold back words she would later regret.

  The snow was lighter near the north coast of Cornwall, so Newquay Airport was open. Dino checked his watch before he lifted her bag from the car. "We should be in time for our flight from Bristol as long as we hurry."

  He locked the vehicle, took her hand, and they dashed across the car park towards the terminal building. Dino halted inside the doors, pulled some sunglasses from his pocket and slipped them on. Maria raised her eyebrows. "It's dark. What're you doing?"

  "I do not want people to recognize me."

  An incredulous chuckle burst from Maria's lips. With snow glittering on his black hair and the fur coat, he looked as though he'd just stepped off a magazine cover. The few people nearby were already ogling him. They might not know precisely who he was, but it was obvious he was somebody. He had a personal magnetism that made him stand out. "The dark glasses are not going to work. Believe me," she said. "And the fur coat is a bit of an attention grabber."

  He looked down at himself as he put the glasses away. "It is not real fur, cara."

  At his bemused look, she kissed him. He really had no idea how gorgeous he was. "You're missing the point, Dino."

  He smiled and held her close for a moment. "I will miss it more often if it makes you kiss me. Anyway, I do not have a problem in England, usually. The British are polite. They do not accost me."

  "What about the Italians?" she asked as Dino took her hand and they headed across the terminal building.

  Dino laughed. "The Italians, they ignore me. They like to show me I am nothing special."

  They bypassed the check-in desk and Maria frowned. "Don't we need to drop off my bag?"

  "No, cara. Your bag comes with us."

  Dino left her for a moment and spoke to someone in uniform. Then he returned and led her along a corridor to a door that was unlocked by a security guard. "Where are you taking me?"

  He grinned at her. "Be patient. You will see."

  They emerged onto the concourse and found a vehicle waiting for them. After they piled in, it headed across the runway. Floodlights picked up a helicopter parked in an area set off to the side. "That's for us?"

  "It was the only way. I had an interview at lunchtime, so I could not leave London any earlier. And I must arrive home tonight. Mamma has arranged a big dinner in honor of my visit. I cannot miss it."

  He'd gone to all this trouble on the off chance she would come with him? However much had the helicopter cost?

  Before she had time to dwell on it, they pulled up and Dino helped her out of the vehicle. A man in orange coveralls loaded her suitcase into the helicopter, and Dino helped her climb in. She settled in the seat, staring around curiously. This was a first for her. Dino chatted with the pilot who had brought him down from London. Then the engine started and the rotor blades whirred so loudly that they had to shout to talk.

  The pilot checked they were both strapped in, spoke on his headset, and about ten minutes later they lifted into the sky. Maria laughed and clutched Dino's hand as the aircraft rose. Tiny white snowflakes splattered the glass windows.

  Once they gained height and headed off, Dino leaned closer and put his mouth to her ear. "I have been dreaming of arriving home with you by my side."

  Her heart fluttered at his words. He did manage to say all the right things, but then he was Italian and they were notoriously romantic.

  They arrived at Bristol Airport in time to catch their flight to Pisa. After a pleasant flight spent chatting and catching up, they landed in Italy and collected their bags. Hand in hand they walked out to be met by Dino's brother. The man who greeted them looked like an older version of Dino. He smiled as they approached and pulled Dino into a bear hug, kissing both his cheeks. They chatted in Italian, their voices rising and falling with excitement at seeing each other again.

  Dino put his arm around Maria's shoulders and led her forwards. "Rob, this is my friend, Maria. Maria, this is my eldest brother, Roberto. He is the one who owns the fish restaurant."

  "Maria, it is good to meet you." Roberto shook her hand, grinning. Then his gaze moved to Dino and he laughed. "Mamma will not be happy with you, Dino."

  "Is something wrong?" Maria asked, sensing that his comment related to her.

  Roberto ruffled Dino's hair. "My little brother did not tell his mamma he was bringing a girlfriend home."

  "It is all right, Maria. Do not worry." Dino pulled out his phone. "I will call her now. She will be pleased to see you. I did not want to jinx my chance of persuading you to come by telling Mamma to expect you."

  Dino talked on his phone while they walked through the airport, gesturing with emotion as he spoke. Roberto pushed the luggage cart carrying their bags.

  "Is everything all right?" Maria demanded as soon as Dino ended his call.

  "Of course. Take no notice of Rob. He likes to tease me. Mamma is delighted you have come."

  The drive to Riomaggiore seemed to last forever. They had landed in Pisa just before ten in the evening. Maria couldn't imagine how they would arrive in time for the big family dinner Dino had mentioned. She sat in the front of a van marked Ristorante Rossellini, sandwiched between Dino and Rob. The temperature was much warmer in Italy than England and made her drowsy. She nodded off and woke as they arrived with her head nestled against Dino's shoulder.

  He smiled down at her as she climbed out a little uncertainly. "Welcome to Riomaggiore, Maria. Welcome to my hometown."

  The houses were tall and narrow, streaks of light shining through the gaps in shuttered windows. They'd parked in the steep main street outside Rob's restaurant. Dino took her hand while Rob carried her bag and led them along a covered walkway and down some old stone steps.

  "This is the only way through to the harbor," Dino said. "No motor vehicles can reach it." Pretty narrow houses balanced precariously on the steep cliffs surrounding the small bay. The few windows not masked by shutters glowed with warm light. The Rossellini house was one of those closest to the harbor. Wooden boats were pulled up on the cobbles in front of the building. She remembered the village from the picture Dino had shown her on his phone weeks ago. Although the place was quite different from Porthale, the fishy smell and gentle hiss of the sea reminded her of home.

  "My mother and father cannot speak English, cara, but the rest of my family all know some. One of us will translate for you, if necessary," Dino said.

  Maria pulled out the tie holding her ponytail and re
fastened it to make sure her hair was neat, and to give her a moment's breathing space before they went inside. After weeks of hearing nothing from Dino, she was about to be welcomed by his family. Suddenly everything seemed to be happening very fast. She wasn't sure she was ready.

  Rob took care of Maria's bag while Dino led her into a terracotta tiled entrance hall. He tossed his fur coat over the newel post at the bottom of the stairs and ushered her along a narrow passage to the back of the house. The mouthwatering smell of cooking filled her nose. They mounted five steps and went through a door into the kitchen. The chatter of voices almost overwhelmed her as she entered. There were so many people—young, old, and in-between—crowded into every spot they could sit. A shared exclamation of pleasure burst out at the sight of Dino. "Give me a moment, cara," he said and went in. Maria waited in the doorway as his family leaped to their feet and surrounded him, all talking at once, the hugging and kissing interspersed with affectionate slaps on the back.

  A middle-aged woman wearing an apron came forwards with her hands raised. Dino lifted her off her feet as he hugged her. When he returned her to the ground, she patted his cheek, tears in her eyes. "Ah, Dino, chicco." They spoke so fast that Maria was sure she wouldn't be able to keep up with the conversation even if she did speak Italian.

  Dino mentioned Maria's name, then he put his arm around her and escorted her into the melee. "Hello, Maria Gardener," the woman he'd hugged said. "Buona sera."

  "My mother says good evening," Dino added. "My father is over there." He indicated a gray-haired man asleep in a chair. "I will introduce you to him later."

  "Buona sera, Mrs. Rossellini," Maria said, hoping she had the pronunciation right.

  Rob came in and further ciaos erupted as everyone headed for a huge table to one side of the kitchen. From the front the house appeared tall and narrow, but at the back it opened out to twice the width, obviously extended behind a neighboring property.