Sweet Italian Christmas: Three Christmas Romances

by Helen Scott Taylor

  Claire ignored him and kept going. She had enough cash for a taxi to the airport, and as soon as she was safely away from Jonathan, she'd stop and call for one. She could text her sister and ask her to book a flight home for her tomorrow.

  Jonathan strode after her. Fear shot along her nerves, putting her on high alert as he grabbed her arm. A car drove past, distracting him for a moment so she twisted out of his grip and put the suitcase between them.

  "Get inside the hotel and stop behaving like a stupid cow."

  "No. It's over."

  Jonathan gazed at her through narrowed eyes, his stance tense and threatening. Claire held her ground and didn't look away.

  "Walk away then." Jonathan threw out his arm. "You'll be back. You haven't got anywhere else to go."

  Claire turned and paced away as quickly as she could while towing the suitcase, very aware of the looming threat behind her. The tiny suitcase wheels hummed on the road and the rain pelted down, soaking her hair.

  As she turned a corner in the road, she glanced back to find no sign of Jonathan. He must have gone in out of the rain. She slowed, suddenly weary, her legs trembling. When she could no longer see the hotel, she stopped and leaned on a wall.

  Leo's angry expression was seared on her brain. If only he'd let her explain. Jonathan never listened to her, but she'd thought Leo was different. Of course Jonathan was an expert at fooling people into believing he was an honest guy. He had managed to get her parents on his side.

  Car doors slammed nearby, and happy voices rang out as family members greeted each other. Christmas music filtered out of an open door—the same tune she'd listened to with Signora Marin and Gina that morning as they prepared dinner.

  Claire pulled out her phone and her heart plunged at the blank screen. She'd forgotten to charge it last night because she was with Leo, safe in his arms in his warm, cozy bed. Yet it turned out she hadn't been safe at all. Jonathan had found her and spoiled things like he always did.

  She sat on the wall and rubbed at the tension headache starting to throb in her temples. Her hair was soaked and rain ran down her neck. A weary laugh slipped between her lips. She was right back in the same situation that Leo had found her—stranded in the rain. Only this time, thanks to Leo, she was not so helpless.

  With her new phone, he'd given her a solar-powered phone charger that was in her suitcase. As soon as she got out of the rain, she could charge her phone and call her sister.

  Leo had also made sure she knew her way around. On one of their frequent trips he'd taken her past the train station, and she remembered how to find her way there. She could catch a bus from there to the airport.

  Tucked in her purse, she still had the twenty euros he'd loaned her the night they went to the old town to see the presepi in case she lost him in the crowd and needed to take a taxi home. That twenty would be more than enough to pay her fare to the airport. All she had to do was walk the mile to where she could catch the bus.

  As she trudged along, water running down her face and neck, her clothes soaked, an engine revved behind her. She paused to look over her shoulder. A large silver SUV slowed down and pulled up beside her.

  Leo jumped out and strode around the vehicle. "Claire, I'm sorry. I should have talked to you, given you a chance to explain."

  He wrapped his arms around her and held her tight, kissing her forehead, her cheeks, and her lips. Relief made Claire tremble as she clung to the lapels of his coat, her heart pounding so hard she could barely draw breath to speak.

  "I'm sorry. I should have told you about Jon."

  "Come on, get in. We'll talk when you're out of the rain." Leo opened his passenger door for her, then loaded her suitcase in the back of his vehicle.

  When he joined her in the front, he leaned over the center console and kissed her again, stroking the wet hair out of her eyes. "Show me your arm."

  "Why?"

  "I want to see where that jerk hurt you."

  "It's nothing. Don't worry."

  But Leo was determined. Claire slipped off her coat and rolled up her sleeve to reveal the red marks that would be bruises tomorrow.

  Leo muttered under his breath in Italian. "I want to tell him what I think of him."

  "No, don't, Leo. I just want to forget."

  "Don't worry. I won't do anything to make life more difficult for you. I'll take you home to dry off." He gripped her hand and kissed her knuckles. "I should have trusted you, Claire. I shouldn't have let him take you away."

  "I only went with him to get him out of your house. If I hadn't, he might have turned nasty."

  "Savi and I could have tossed him out. I wish we had. I wish Savi had never let him inside in the first place."

  A shiver racked Claire's body. Leo turned up the heater, then put the car in gear and pulled away. With an almost surreal sense of déjà vu, Claire sat quietly as they drove the short distance to Leo's home and he parked. Then they climbed out and took the elevator, just as they had the first time he brought her here. Only this time the house was so familiar, it felt like coming home.

  "Oh, thank goodness Leo found you." As Claire stepped out of the elevator, Gina ran along the corridor with a huge towel in her hands and held it out. Violet followed a few steps behind.

  Swathed in the fluffy towel, Claire crouched and smiled as Violet touched her wet hair. "Papa brought you in out of the rain."

  "He certainly did."

  "Why did that other man make you go away?"

  "Let's forget the other man," Leo said. "Claire needs to dry off and change." He rested a hand on Claire's back. "Come, cara."

  She followed him as he carried her suitcase upstairs to her room and set it on a chair.

  "Would you like something to warm you up? I'll bring a drink," Gina said, standing in the doorway.

  "That will be great, thanks."

  Claire grabbed a change of clothes out of her case, then went into the bathroom, stripped out of her wet things, and pulled on black trousers and a cream cashmere top. She dried her face and hair on a towel and reapplied her makeup, then stepped out into the bedroom. Leo was sitting on the edge of the bed with a cup of coffee in each hand.

  "One of Mamma's specialties, coffee with amaretto, cinnamon, and brandy, topped with whipped cream. Sure to warm you up."

  "Sounds delicious." Dazed with the unreality of being back here, she took the tall cup he held out and sat beside him on the bed before sipping the hot nectar. "Ahh. Wonderful."

  "Claire." Leo slipped his arm around her shoulders and pulled her close. "You will still stay another week, won't you?"

  "I'll stay forever if you want me to."

  Leo set down his coffee, cupped his warm hand around her face, and pressed his lips to hers. His dark eyes were deep and intense as he drew back. "I love you, tesorino. When I thought I'd lost you, it made me realize how I feel."

  "I love you too." It hit her then how close she'd come to losing Leo, this man who'd made her feel good about herself for the first time in her life. "You care about what I think and what I want." Not like Jonathan, who thought she should always agree with him and do what he wanted.

  "Of course I do." Leo sounded baffled that she would expect him to behave any other way.

  "You're kind and thoughtful and gorgeous."

  Leo chuckled. "I agree with that."

  Claire laughed as he angled his head, his eyes twinkling and his usual smile curving his lips.

  "Have you unwrapped your present?"

  "No, sorry. That was the last thing on my mind."

  "Do it now."

  Claire fetched the small package from her coat pocket and returned to sit beside Leo on the bed. He rested a warm hand on her back as she pulled off the gold paper and lifted the lid on the blue velvet box inside.

  "A Saint Christopher. Thank you so much." Claire draped the chain over her hand and examined both sides of the pendant. "It's beautiful."

  "Let me fasten it for you."

  Leo attached the chain
around Claire's neck, and she rose to stare at herself in the mirror. Leo stood behind her and pressed a kiss beneath her ear.

  "It will keep you safe while you travel, cara. But I might have to come along too. Just to make sure Saint Christopher does his job properly and no harm comes to you."

  "Oh, Leo. I'd love you to come traveling with me, but I know you won't want to leave Violet for long. Perhaps we could explore Italy first. Maybe my website can specialize in Italian holidays."

  She turned into Leo's arms and sank into the warm security of this man's love—a love that she'd thought she'd lost. They hadn't known each other for long, but instinct told her this man was special; he was the one she wanted to be with, the one who would make her life complete.

  She'd been through a dark time with Jonathan, and it had taken her ages to summon the courage to leave him because she'd known he would make it difficult for her to move on. But with Leo at her side, she had a chance of happiness, and she planned to grab that with both hands and never look back.

  Chapter Eight

  Claire sat on the floor in front of the fire in the Marins' family room with Leo, Gina, and Savino, while Signor and Signora Marin relaxed on the sofa, sipping their small cups of strong coffee. Violet skipped between the adults, giggling and throwing herself into their laps, clasping a new doll she'd unwrapped.

  Warm, dry, and once again relaxed among friends, it was as if the horrible interlude a few hours ago with Jonathan had been a bad dream.

  Signora Marin had served Claire a plate of Christmas dinner, and the rest of the family had joined her at the table to talk and drink wine while she ate. After dessert, they cleared away the dishes and relaxed in the family room to enjoy a lazy Christmas evening together.

  Violet dashed over to Claire, threw her arms around her neck, and kissed her cheek. "I'm glad you came back."

  "So am I, sweetie. So am I." Claire's gaze rose to Leo.

  He leaned closer and squeezed her hand. "Me too."

  As he opened his mouth to say more, the harsh buzzer cut through the happy conversation like a herald of doom. Claire's heart jumped and pounded, sweat prickling down her back in alarm. "Please, no," she whispered, holding Violet close. Why couldn't Jonathan leave her alone?

  She glanced up warily to gauge Leo's reaction. He was already rising to his feet, his jaw tense. "Gina, Savi, please entertain Violet for a few minutes."

  "Come to me, angel," Gina called. Claire released Violet and she trotted away obediently.

  Leo offered Claire a hand and helped her to her feet. "Don't worry." He drew her close and hugged her. "We will not let him in this time."

  Signor Marin started to rise from his seat, his normally placid face creased with concern, but Leo gestured for him to stay there.

  "We have CCTV and an intercom on the gate, cara." Leo led Claire along the hall and opened a door beside the elevator. Inside the small room were a large screen and some electronic equipment.

  Leo switched on the screen. Three images of Jonathan from different angles popped up. Jonathan raised his hand and the discordant note of the buzzer sounded again. Agitated and obviously angry, he scowled and glanced around as if searching for a way in.

  Leo wrapped his arm around Claire's waist, then pushed a button and spoke into a microphone. "What do you want?"

  Jonathan stepped closer to the intercom. "Is Claire in there?"

  "She doesn't want to see you. Go away." Leo turned to kiss her temple.

  "He won't give up that easily." Claire's pulse raced, unsure what Jonathan would do next. He was used to getting his own way. If she ever tried to stand up to him, he got furious with her.

  "Claire belongs to me. Come out here, you—" Jonathan spat a string of vile names he normally only called her in private, causing her cheeks to burn. She hated Leo hearing this.

  Leo's arm tightened around her as he picked up the microphone and Italian words flowed from his lips, his tone harsh and dismissive.

  His face contorted in anger, Jonathan grabbed the gate and shook it, then kicked it a few times.

  "He can't get in, can he?"

  "No way."

  Claire rested her cheek against Leo's chest as they watched her ex-fiancé go into meltdown, shouting abuse and attacking the gate.

  "He's behaving like a spoiled child who's had his toy taken away," Leo said.

  Ironic when Jonathan used to accuse her of having childish tantrums.

  "Go away," Leo said in English into the microphone. "Or I'll call the police."

  Jonathan backed up, his fists clenched at his sides. The sight sent a flash of fear through Claire, even though he was on the other side of a locked gate. He glared at Leo's house for a few moments, then stomped away and climbed in a taxi waiting in the road.

  Only when the car drove out of sight did the painful tension in Claire's shoulders ease. In the small dark room, she turned into Leo's arms and he held her as tears filled her eyes and overflowed. She'd felt trapped for so long. Finally she was free.

  "You're safe with me, tesorina. I won't let him hurt you again."

  If that was true, it would be the best Christmas present anyone had ever given her.

  • • •

  Leo woke with Claire snuggled beside him in bed. How he loved this woman who had stolen his heart. He pulled her into his arms and pressed his lips to her hair.

  It had been over a week since Christmas, a week since her ex had tried to take her away and then made a scene outside the gate. When Leo told Jonathan to leave, he'd thought they'd seen the last of him. He hadn't realized how angry and vindictive the man was.

  The Englishman had started sending vile, abusive texts to Claire, calling her all sorts of horrible names and accusing her of terrible things. How Claire had ever lived with the man was unbelievable.

  Thank goodness she didn't have to face this alone. Leo had transferred her phone to an Italian network with a new number, and transferred all of Claire's contacts and data to it. Then he'd destroyed her old SIM card and consigned her life with Jonathan to the trash.

  They hadn't discussed the future, but there was no way Leo would let her step foot in the UK without him by her side. Jonathan was dangerous.

  Leo stroked strands of pale gold hair off her face and kissed her forehead as she stirred and murmured sleepily. "What time is it, Leo?"

  "Early, love. You go back to sleep." He eased away and reluctantly released her. Then he propped himself up on an elbow, switched on a low light, and watched as she sank back into a deep sleep. He didn't want to leave her, but there was something he needed to buy before the Feast of Epiphany tomorrow.

  When he was sure she was sound asleep again, he climbed out of bed, took a quick shower, and dressed warmly. Then he headed down to the basement garage and drove out in his SUV, taking the route into the center of the city. The normally busy roads were quieter at this time of year when everyone was on holiday.

  He parked the car, easily finding a space on the side of the street, and walked the short distance to the small boutique jewelry shop where he'd bought Claire's Saint Christopher. He stood outside the locked door, hands pushed deep in his pockets against the cold, his breath a smoky plume in the chilly morning air as he waited for the store to open.

  As soon as the woman inside unlocked, Leo pushed the door and went in.

  "Buongiorno. I was here the other day and I bought a Saint Christopher. I also looked at a ring."

  The woman grinned, her eyes twinkling. "Ah, signor, I knew you would come back. I have it here." She lifted up a small blue leather ring box with the shop logo embossed in gold on the lid. She opened it, and the diamond and sapphires in the ring Leo had picked out before Christmas sparkled in the shop lights.

  "Yes." Leo's breath rushed out on a mixture of anticipation and uncertainty. When he lay in the dark with Claire in his arms, he'd been so certain he should ask her to marry him. Yet now he was standing in the store, he wondered if he was rushing her too fast after her bad experience.
They hadn't known each other long, but he loved her. Wasn't love all that mattered?

  "Thank you, signora. This is the one I want."

  "Shall I gift wrap it for you?"

  "Yes, please." He pulled out his credit card and tapped it against his palm as he watched the woman neatly fold silver paper around the box. She finished it off with a gold tinsel bow.

  After he'd paid, he left the store, very aware of the small bag in his hand. This bag carried more than an expensive ring—it carried his hope for the future, the hope that Claire would agree to be his wife and Violet's mother. Even though he lived with his parents and his darling daughter, there was an empty, lonely place inside him that ached when he climbed into bed alone, or when he and Violet went out and saw happy families with a mamma and a papa. Having Claire with him these last few weeks had filled that emptiness with love and happiness.

  He stopped at a general store to purchase a red Christmas stocking with an image of La Befana, the good witch, embroidered on it, and a few sweet treats to put inside.

  It was years since he'd written a letter to La Befana, asking her for something special on the Feast of Epiphany when she left gifts in the children's stockings, but he might just do that tonight. He'd help Violet put out an extra special bowl of treats for the witch so she smiled on him tomorrow when the presents were pulled from the stockings.

  • • •

  Claire woke with a start as something bounced on the end of the bed. She opened her eyes to see Violet, clad in her cute blue pajamas covered in polar bears, crawling between her and Leo.

  "Papa, Claire, come downstairs. I want to see what La Befana has left in my stocking."

  Violet sat astride Leo and bounced up and down, making him grunt as he grabbed her and tickled her.

  "Agh, piccolina. It's too early. Papa is still tired." The smile in his voice revealed he was only teasing.

  Claire sat up, already wide awake, Violet's excitement contagious. The little girl's enthusiasm reminded Claire of when she and her two sisters would get up in the early hours of the morning and creep downstairs to see what Santa Claus had left in their stockings.