“There’s no one like you. It was a perfect wedding.”
Vincenzo wrapped his arms around her. “There’s more. Much as I want to take you upstairs, our friends are waiting in my grandfather’s small dining room to celebrate with us. I’m excited, because Cesare’s contribution has been to make the meal for us. He learned to cook from his mother, just the way you did. It’ll be an all-Sicilian menu tonight.”
She put her arms around his neck. “I love your friends. I adore Dimi, and I love my dear friend Filippa. I’ve decided her timing in coming back to Italy was meant to be, as was Mamma’s. Now I guess we’d better not keep them all waiting.”
He kissed her eyes, nose and mouth. “They understand and will enjoy the vintage Sicilian wine until we get there. One more kiss, sposa mia.”
Twenty minutes later they walked arm in arm to the second floor. When they entered the dining room, Gemma could smell the beef fillet in brandy before she saw the paintings of wood nymphs, all in a serious state of undress. Her face turned scarlet.
Everyone clapped. Vincenzo walked her to the table and sat down next to her, putting his hand on her thigh beneath the table. Heat coursed through her body.
Dimi raised his glass. “To my cousin and his wife. To Mirella. None of you have any idea how long I’ve wanted to say that. I don’t know when I’ve ever been this happy.” His eyes were smiling. So were Filippa’s.
Cosimo waited on them, bringing one delicious dish after another. Caponata...arancini...pasta with urchin sauce.
When the meal concluded, Gemma got to her feet. “This is joy beyond measure to be surrounded by our friends and my beloved mother. What can I say about our bridal feast? The six-star award goes to Cesare for the best meal I’ve ever eaten in my life. Grazie with all my heart.”
Cesare beamed. “Di niente.”
Vincenzo stood up and put his arm around Gemma’s waist. “I can’t improve on anything my bride said. And now I must tell you we have a pressing engagement elsewhere and ask to be excused, but we know you will understand.”
The men’s deep laughter filled the room while Filippa and Gemma exchanged a secret smile. With her friend planning to stay at the pensione for a few more days, everything was working out perfectly. On a whim, Gemma removed her garland of roses and tossed it to Filippa, then tossed her mother a kiss. She would be staying in the tower room of the principessa until after the hotel’s grand opening. Vincenzo couldn’t do enough for her.
“Come with me,” her husband whispered.
She needed no urging. Her desire for him had reached a flashpoint.
Vincenzo rushed her through the hallways to the back of the castello. When they came to the winding steps, he picked her up in his arms and carried her to the tower room. His strength astounded her. When they’d reached the bedroom, he wasn’t even out of breath.
“I’ve dreamed of doing that for years. Help me, Gemma. I want you so much I’m shaking.”
While he was helping her out of her dress, she was trying to take off his suit jacket. Somehow they managed and kissed their way to the bed. He lay down with her and crushed her in his arms, entwining his legs with hers. After suppressing their needs for the last two weeks, the freedom to love each other made her delirious with longing.
Each touch and caress ignited their passion. Vincenzo had lit her on fire. The right to show her husband everything she felt and wanted was a heady experience too marvelous to contain. They drank deeply from each other’s mouths, thrilling in the wonder of being together like this.
Far into the night, they gave and took pleasure with no thought but the happiness and joy they found in each other. Gemma hadn’t known the physical side of their lovemaking could be this overwhelming. Her rapture was so great that at times she cried afterward and clung to him.
When morning came he began the age-old ritual all over again. They’d suffered for so long, they thoroughly enjoyed becoming one flesh, one heart.
Toward noon, they lay side by side, awake again. Vincenzo smiled at her. “I feel like I’ve just been reborn.”
“I know. I’ve had those same feelings.”
He suddenly pulled her on top of him. “I’m too happy, Gemma.”
“Can there be too much happiness?”
“I don’t know. Promise me it will always be like this.”
She searched his eyes. “My love for you just keeps growing.”
Rolling her over, he kissed her fiercely. “I want to make love to you all over again, but I know you must be hungry. Are you?”
“Yes. For you!”
“I’m serious.”
“So am I.”
“Cesare told me yesterday he’d have food brought up to us. I’m pretty sure it’s outside the door now.”
“Then we’d better eat it. I don’t want to hurt his feelings.” Her darling Vincenzo. He was starving, but he didn’t want to admit it. She loved this man beyond description. “Why don’t you go look and see?”
He pressed a kiss to her throat. “I’ll be right back. Don’t go away.”
“Where would I go?”
“Never disappear on me, Gemma. I couldn’t take it.” Lines had darkened his face.
She couldn’t understand it and pulled him back. “Someone once said, ‘Don’t give in to your fears. If you do, you won’t be able to talk to your heart.’”
“That was Paulo Coelho.”
Gemma caught his handsome face in her hands. “You’re disgustingly intelligent, my love, but you need to take his advice. Don’t you know I plan to cling to you forever?”
“I’m besotted with you, Gemma.” He hurried to the door in his robe and came back with a tray of food that smelled divine. “Cesare has really outdone himself.”
She took it from him and put it on the bed. “Let’s eat fast so I can love you all over again.”
His smile melted her bones. “I’m planning to keep you locked up here forever.”
She leaned across to kiss his jaw. He needed a shave. “That’s fine as long as you let me out in time for the grand opening. It’ll be here in a few days. I was hired to cook, remember?”
Those silvery eyes blazed with fire for her. “Do you think I can ever forget anything since you came back into my life?”
He ate his cheese-and-ham strata in record time, displaying the appetite she always associated with him. Then he put the tray on the floor. After taking her in his arms again, he buried his face in her neck.
“We were meant to be together from the beginning. Love me, sposa squisita. I was hooked from the first time I saw the cutest little honey-blonde girl on earth come running out to the ruins to play hide and go seek. Her eyes were greener than the grass and her smile was like sunshine. My five-year-old heart quivered, and that has never changed.”
“Vincenzo—”
EPILOGUE
THE MORNING OF the day before the grand opening, Gemma worked with her team as they prepared everything. While she was supervising the tiramisu desserts, Cesare walked in the kitchen and came over to her.
“Per favore, will you stop what you’re doing and come out in the hall? This will only take a minute.”
“Of course.” She washed her hands and wiped them on her apron as she hurried after him. Once through the doors she came to a full stop. Paolo!
Cesare said, “I understand you two know each other.”
“Yes. It’s good to see you, Paolo.”
He gave her a slight nod. “I understand you’re Signora Gagliardi now. I get why it didn’t work out for us. The Duca di Lombardi was the man you could never forget.”
“You’re right.”
“Congratulations on your marriage.”
“Thank you.”
“Buon Appetito magazine has sent me out to cover the grand opening
of the restaurant tomorrow and write up my opinion. Knowing that you’re the new executive pastry chef has blown me away. Signor Donati told me I could say hello to you if I waited out here. I realize how busy you must be, so I won’t keep you. Buona fortuna, Gemma.”
She felt his sincerity, though that didn’t mean he wouldn’t be brutal if her food didn’t measure up to his idea of five-star dining. “To you, too, Paolo. Grazie.”
Two mornings later
While Gemma lay wrapped in her husband’s arms, both still exhausted from all the work of the grand opening, she heard a knock.
“Vincenzo, get up and see what I’ve slipped under your door.”
At the sound of Cesare’s voice, both of them came awake. The reviews!
“Grazie!”
“Stay there, caro.” Gemma bounded out of bed first and grabbed her husband’s robe to put on. Half a dozen computer printouts had been pushed through. She reached for them and ran back to the bed.
By now Vincenzo was fully awake. He threw his arm around her shoulders while they read the glowing reviews. Then his cell phone rang. He saw the caller ID and picked up, holding the phone so Gemma could hear, too.
“Dimi?”
“Have you read everything yet?” His cousin sounded ecstatic.
“Almost.”
“Our cup has run over today.”
“I agree.”
“I’m bringing Filippa to the castello with me later on today and we’ll celebrate.”
“That sounds perfect. Ciao.”
He hung up and they began to read Paolo’s article.
A new star is born in Lombardi!
Ring out the bells for the Castello Supremo Hotel and Ristorante di Lombardi. From its hundred-years-old ducal past has emerged a triumph of divine ambience and cuisine so exquisite to the palate, this critic can’t find enough superlatives. One could live forever on the slow-cooked boeuf bourguignon and the sfogliatelli Mirella dessert alone. This critic thought he’d died and gone to heaven.
It deserves six stars. Bravo!
Gemma put it down and threw her arms around Vincenzo’s neck. “You and Dimi and your partners did it, amante! You did it!” She broke down crying for joy.
“We all did it, including your wonderful mamma.”
“Was it your idea to name the dessert after her?”
He studied her features before kissing her passionately. “It was Cesare’s. An Italian loves his mother. After hearing your story, he knew your mamma deserved the credit on the souvenir menu commemorating the opening.”
“That’s so sweet of him. When Mamma sees this, she’ll die.”
“I have a better idea. Let’s frame it, along with a menu, and give them to her for a special present. Cesare was touched that you loved your mother so much you talked about her on your application. I already know how sweet you are.
“The day you came running outside with the lemon ricotta cheesecake she made for my birthday, you ran straight into my heart and never left. You’ll always be there. Ti amo, Signora Gagliardi.”
“Ti amo, Your Highness.”
“Don’t call me that.”
“It’s the highest honor I can give you, Vincenzo. You’re the greatest Gagliardi of them all.”
* * * * *
Look out for two more stories in
The Billionaire’s Club coming soon!
You might also enjoy Rebecca Winters’
MONTINARI MARRIAGES Trilogy
THE BILLIONAIRE’S BABY SWAP
THE BILLIONAIRE WHO SAW HER BEAUTY
THE BILLIONAIRE’S PRIZE
Keep reading for an excerpt from
THE MILLIONAIRE’S ROYAL RESCUE
by Jennifer Faye
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The Millionaire's Royal Rescue
by Jennifer Faye
PROLOGUE
ANOTHER DISASTROUS DATE.
Lady Annabelle DiSalvo’s back teeth ground together as memories from the night before came rushing over her. It was tough enough finding a decent guy who liked her for herself and not for her position as the daughter of the Duke of Halencia, but then to expect him to put up with her overzealous security team was another thing altogether.
And so when her date had tried to slip away with her for a stroll beneath the stars, her bodyguard had stopped them. Heat rushed to Annabelle’s face as she recalled how the evening had ended in a heated confrontation between her, him and her unbending bodyguard. It had been awful. Needless to say, there’d be no second date.
The backs of Annabelle’s eyes stung with tears of frustration. She couldn’t stand to live like this any longer. Her friends were all starting to get married, but she was single with no hope of that changing as long as her every move was monitored. She just wanted a normal life—like her life had been before her mother’s murder.
If only her mother were here, she could talk some sense into Annabelle’s overprotective father. She missed her mother so much. And the fact that her father rarely spoke of her mother only made the hole in Annabelle’s heart ache more.
She clutched her mother’s journal close to her chest. Maybe she shouldn’t have been snooping through her mother’s things, but her father had left her no other choice. How else would she ever really get to know her mother?
Annabelle slipped the journal into her oversized purse and rushed down the sweeping staircase of her father’s vast estate in Halencia. At the bottom of the steps her ever-vigilant bodyguard, Berto, waited for her. There was actually a whole team of them, all taking turns to protect Annabelle.
Ever since her mother had died during a mugging, Annabelle had been watched, night and day. And since her mother’s murderer had never been caught, Annabelle had understood her father’s concerns at the time. But now, eleven years later, the protective detail assigned to her felt claustrophobic and unnecessary.
She’d thought by moving to Mirraccino, her mother’s home country, that things would change, but with the king of Mirraccino being her uncle, she was still under armed guard. But Annabelle had a plan to change all of that. And she was just about to put that plan in motion.
“Berto, I’m ready to go.”
The man with short, dark hair and muscles that were obvious even with his suit jacket on, got to his feet. He was the quiet sort and could intimidate people with just a look. Ann
abelle was the exception.
She’d known him since she was a teenager. He was a gentle giant unless provoked. She thought of him as an overprotective big brother. They moved to the door. Annabelle was anxious to get back to Mirraccino for a pivotal business meeting—
“Not so fast,” the rumble of her father’s voice put a pause in her steps. The Duke of Halencia strode into the spacious foyer. His black dress shoes sounded as they struck the marble floor. “I didn’t know you were leaving so soon.” He arched a brow. “Any reason for your quick departure?”
“Something came up.” Her unwavering gaze met her father’s.
He tugged on the sleeves of his suit, adjusting them. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
“It means I have responsibilities in Mirraccino. Not that you would understand.” Her voice rose with emotion as memories of last night’s date flashed in her mind.
“Annabelle, I don’t understand where this hostility is coming from. It’s not like you.”
“Maybe it’s because I’m twenty-four years old and you will not let me live a normal life.”
“Of course I do—”
“Then why do you refuse to remove my bodyguards? They’re ruining my chances of ever being happy. Momma’s been gone a long time. There is no threat. All of that died with her.”
“You don’t know that.” Her father’s dark bushy brows drew together and his face aged almost instantly.
Her patience was quickly reaching the breaking point. “You’re right, I don’t. But that’s nothing new. I’ve been asking you repeatedly over the years to tell me—to tell both myself and Luca why you’re worried about us—but you refuse.”
Her father sighed. “I’ve told you, the police said it was a mugging gone wrong.”
“Why would a mugger come after us?”
“He wouldn’t.”
“But?” He couldn’t just stop there.
“But something never felt right.”
Return of Her Italian Duke Page 15
