by Annie West
Ella stared, shocked.
‘To see you.’
‘To apologise?’ Donato took duty seriously. He’d used her and knew she deserved an apology. Stupidly her heart shrank at the idea of her being no more than a duty to be ticked off his list.
‘That too. I should be on my knees grovelling, shouldn’t I?’
‘That too?’ What else could there be? Her eyes grew rounder as he paced close, filling her vision.
‘I came because I had to know how you feel about me.’ He stopped and cleared his throat. His nostrils dilated as he dragged in a deep breath and it struck her he looked almost nervous. She must be projecting her own feelings.
‘Everything is different without you. I can’t—’ He rubbed has hand across the back of his neck in a gesture of unease she’d seen him use only once before.
The butterflies in her belly became seagulls, whirling and swooping.
‘What can’t you do, Donato?’ She clasped her hands tight together, barely noticing them tremble.
‘I can’t settle. I can’t work.’ With one more stride he was before her, taking her hands in his. They felt big and warm and tantalisingly familiar. An ache started up in the back of her throat and Ella told herself not to be foolish, but she couldn’t help it. Hope was a tiny flame deep inside.
‘I want you back, Ella. I need you.’ He planted her palm on his chest, his own hand covering it, pressing it down so she felt the quickened thud of his heart.
‘I know you’ve no reason to want me after I destroyed your father and lied to you. I know you’re going to send me away.’ He paused and she saw his Adam’s apple bob above his suave bow tie. ‘But I had to be absolutely certain because I love you. And if there’s one thing I know it’s that love, true love, is a rare and precious thing. It shouldn’t be ignored.’
Dumbfounded, Ella stared up into a face ravaged by emotion. The strong man she knew looked...unravelled.
‘You can’t love me.’ It was a whisper of disbelief and awe.
The laugh that jerked out of him held no humour. ‘Of course I can. Though I understand you hating me or believing a man like me can’t love.’ A frown ploughed his brow.
‘A man like you?’ She shook her head, still stuck on the word love. He loved her? Was it possible?
‘A criminal. A man whose mother sold herself for money. Who grew up in places that would horrify you. Who—’
Ella’s hand on his mouth stopped the dreadful words. His lips felt tantalisingly familiar on her sensitive palm. Slowly she pulled her hand away.
‘Don’t say such things. That’s not who you are.’ Her lungs felt too tight, clamped by unseen bands. ‘It’s not your past that defines you, Donato. You’ve made yourself the man you are today. You’re respected and admired. You’re generous and hardworking. And if it wasn’t love you felt for your mother, I don’t know what love is.’
It still broke her heart, thinking of him as a child, separated from his mother and running away to find her, again and again.
She blinked up into indigo eyes that shone with unabashed emotion. This close to him she felt the tremors running through his tall frame and the racing thud of his heart under her other hand.
‘Everything you did, you did because you loved her. She must have been a special woman to inspire such devotion.’
Donato’s eyes widened. To her amazement they looked over-bright. Then powerful arms scooped her against him, holding her to his heart. He planted his hand in her hair and Ella’s eyes sank shut at the overload of pleasure: his fingers massaging her scalp, his body hard and strong against hers, the warm scent of his skin in her nostrils and the sound of his voice, rich and low, murmuring endearments in Spanish.
Ella couldn’t help herself. She leaned into him, revelling in each sensation. In the tenderness of his embrace. In the love she heard in his voice.
Love! For her?
‘You’re an amazing woman, Ella. No other woman would think that way.’
She’d tried to hate him for the way he’d used her, but through the tearing pain, the anguish of discovering the truth, she’d found she couldn’t. Her feelings for him couldn’t be squashed, no matter how she tried, especially since she understood the darkness and pain that had driven him. How far would she have gone if she’d been in his shoes?
Now to discover Donato loved her, that he didn’t believe himself worthy of her...
‘No other woman loves you.’ She wrapped her arms around him, hugging tight, trying to burrow as close as possible.
The big hand on her scalp stilled.
‘What?’ Beneath her cheek his heart hit a new beat.
Ella sucked in air scented with coffee and man and shivered at this intimacy she’d thought she’d never experience again. ‘I love you, Donato. I—’
Her words cut off as he stepped back, cupping her cheeks in his hands and leaning down to watch her face.
‘Say that again.’
Heat rose in her cheeks. ‘I love—’
This time it was his lips that stopped her words. She didn’t mind because he gathered her close, exactly where she wanted to be, his mouth working magic.
She strained up into him, pouring out all she felt, hoped and yearned for. And she was rewarded a thousandfold as Donato’s kiss spoke of passion and tenderness and wonder. And love—the love she hadn’t dared expect.
When they pulled apart enough to breathe Donato swiped the back of his hand across his eyes.
‘You unman me, preciosa.’
Ella pressed closer against his aroused maleness. ‘Of course I don’t.’
He laughed and looked down at her with brilliant eyes. ‘You make me feel things I’m not used to feeling. I haven’t cried since I was a kid.’
Ella’s heart turned over in her ribcage. Maybe if he’d learned earlier to cope with his emotions he would have found ways to deal with his anger and loss sooner. But he’d got there now.
‘I like a man who’s in touch with his feelings.’ She gazed up at him, still unable to believe he was here and that he loved her. ‘But are you sure?’
‘About what, cariño?’
She closed her eyes as that liquid caress traced warmth across her bare arms and shoulders. She breathed deep then looked into his penetrating gaze.
‘About loving me. I’m Reg Sanderson’s daughter.’
‘No one could blame you for your father’s actions. You’re as different from him as it’s possible to be.’ Donato’s tender expression was balm to the soul. ‘I’ve been falling for you since that first night. It confused me to want you so much, not just in my bed, but in every way. I’ve never wanted a woman like I want you, Ella. I want to be with you, grow old with you. Watch our children grow and have children of their own.’
‘You do?’ She blinked.
‘Why do you think I’m here? It almost destroyed me when you walked out but I knew I’d hurt you. I didn’t have the right to ask you to give me a second chance.’
‘Yet you came.’
He nodded. ‘When I got your gift I had to know.’ He hefted in a deep breath, frowning. ‘I haven’t even apologised properly for what I did to you. I was selfish. I should never have—’
Ella stood on tiptoe and planted a kiss full on his mouth. With a groan he sank into her, hauling her close. Every nerve quivered with delight at being kissed by the man she loved. The man who loved her.
‘There’s time enough for apologies later,’ she gasped when they finally broke apart. ‘Apologies and explanations are important but right now I’m having trouble believing this is real. I forgive you, Donato, and I love you with all my heart. I just want to bask in happiness.’
Donato’s smile transformed his face, banishing lingering shadows. He was the most breathtaking man she’d ever known and he held her heart
in his hand.
‘Don’t worry, Ella. I have plans to make you happy for the rest of your life.’ He hesitated. ‘If you’re sure...’
‘I’m absolutely sure.’ What she felt for Donato was unique. They were meant to be. ‘I intend to work at making you happy too.’
‘You already make me the happiest man alive.’ His smile was the best thing she’d seen in her life. Yet his eyes were serious. ‘You make me want to be a better man, Ella. To be someone you can be proud of.’
‘You already are, Donato. I respect you more than any man I know.’
His eyes glowed. ‘I’ve never known a woman of such honesty and integrity, Ella. Or such passion. I never want to let you go.’ He gathered her in and she sank against him, her soul soaring.
She sighed as the sound of music reached them. ‘The others are expecting us. I promised I’d be there for their special night.’
‘Our special night too.’ Slowly he stepped back, lacing his fingers through hers. ‘Come on, let’s go and help your family celebrate. I have to thank them for trusting me enough to invite me here.’
‘You want to spend the evening at a party?’ Ella pouted and instantly Donato swooped down and claimed her lips in a kiss as brief and powerful as lightning. It left her quivering.
‘I’ve booked the honeymoon suite,’ he said in that rumbly deep voice that always turned her internal organs to mush. ‘I thought we could make an appearance at the party then go back there. I still have those apologies to make. And after that I can begin.’
‘Begin?’ Ella was having trouble getting her brain to function after that devastating kiss.
‘Courting you, Ms Sanderson. I want you to know my intentions are completely honourable.’
‘Completely?’ Her mouth turned down in mock disappointment, even as her blood fizzed with excitement.
Donato leaned closer. A smile lurked at the corner of his mouth but it was the love in his eyes that stole her breath. ‘Almost completely.’
Then he kissed her again and she forgot all about talking.
* * * * *
Keep reading for a bonus novella by Amanda Cinelli, CHRISTMAS AT THE CASTELLO!
‘THERE’S STILL SOMETHING MISSING.’
Dara stood poised at the top of the staircase, looking over the Winter Wonderland theme that had transformed the opulent grand ballroom below her. Her assistant, Mia, waited patiently by her side. The younger woman had long ago got used to her boss’s obsessive eye for detail. Devlin Events was about creating perfect Sicilian weddings for their high-profile clients. Over the past three years Dara had gained an army of the industry’s most talented people and put them onto her payroll, but she still liked to oversee the final run-throughs at their most prominent venues. There was no one in the industry who could spot the little things better than she. And right now something was off.
Sweeping yet another glance around the room, she mentally checked off twenty-five tables, each adorned with a glittering crystal tree centrepiece. The overall effect was like a winter forest, with white and blue lighting completing the wintry theme. Her bride, a famous opera singer, had expressly forbidden any real flower arrangements on the tables. She had instead ordered hundreds of spherical arrangements of fresh white and pink roses, to be suspended from the ceiling in intricately symmetrical clusters.
Dara counted across the floating flower bombs—as she had so lovingly named them. She got as far as the third row before she noticed the problem.
She sighed. ‘They’ve doubled up on the colours.’
Mia’s head snapped up. ‘Are you sure?’
‘Right over here.’
She walked down the marble staircase, the click of her heels echoing on the hard surface. She came to a stop underneath the offending decoration. It wasn’t a major issue, but it was damned irritating now she’d noticed it. Mia’s quiet voice came from behind her.
‘Should I fetch one of the guys from the ceremony room?’
Dara shook her head. ‘The wedding is due to start in two hours—the ceremony room is priority.’ She smoothed down the front of her sleek red pencil skirt, trying to focus on everything but the mismatched flowers above her. Her eyes drifted upwards again.
Mia laughed. ‘I’ll go and get somebody.’
She disappeared out through the door, leaving Dara alone in the glittering winter ballroom.
The rest of the room was perfect. Her team was talented, and very capable of doing most of the work unchaperoned. She could pick and choose which events to attend, leaving her plenty of time to travel with her jet-setting husband. But it had been three weeks since she and Leo had been together—his newest business expansion into Asia had kept him away much longer than usual.
The restlessness that had plagued her over the past months seemed to have intensified in the absence of her husband. Three weeks was the longest they had spent apart. She was unable to shake the feeling that something was wrong—or perhaps something was about to go wrong.
Their joint venture into charity work in Sicily kept her busy. The Valente Foundation was doing fantastic work in some of the most disadvantaged areas on the island. And with Christmas fast approaching there was lots of volunteer work to do. But, as busy as she kept herself, something still kept her wide awake at night and staring at the ceiling.
Making a snap decision, she grabbed a ladder from nearby and set it up, removing her heels in the process. She didn’t need to stand here waiting for a big strong man to fix the problem. There was no reason why she couldn’t do it herself.
She quickly reached the top, keeping both hands in front of her on the cold metal for balance. It was true: if you wanted a job done well, sometimes you had to do it yourself. She focused on the arrangement, unhooking it from its place and lowering it down. It was heavier than she had expected, and she gasped as the world unexpectedly tilted on its axis.
‘Dio, what is it with you and ladders?’ a deep voice shouted from below her as the ladder suddenly righted itself and she was entirely vertical again.
‘Leo.’ Her heart gave a sharp thump.
Her husband was looking up at her, his hands holding the metal ladder steady. Dara dropped the flower arrangement and cursed.
‘It’s nice to see you still haven’t lost your love of daring stunts, carina.’
Dara descended the ladder as quickly as she could manage and practically fell into her husband’s arms. The familiar smell of him surrounded her, making her sigh involuntarily.
‘Surprise...’ he whispered huskily against her neck.
His permanent five o’clock shadow brushed against her skin and she shivered. Oh, how she had missed those shivers.
‘You’re a week early.’ She pulled back in his arms.
He smirked. ‘I like to be unpredictable.’
She loved it when he smiled like that, filled with mischief. Life was too serious without Leo around.
‘I’ve got a surprise planned. Do you think you can manage a few days away from your work?’
‘Right now? Leo, that sounds wonderful, but I’m needed here.’
Dara made a noise of protest, only to have him silence her with a finger against her lips.
‘Do you remember your wedding vows, Signora Valente?’
Dara remembered their wedding day as if it had been yesterday. She had originally planned a simple ceremony on the beach in the Caribbean. But then they’d both realised there was only one place they could imagine becoming man and wife, attended by a few select family and friends: the castello, which had become the setting for the most romantic day of her life.
‘We both agreed to remove that medieval part about obeying one’s husband from our vows.’ She raised a brow.
‘I’m talking about the part where we promised to spend each and every day loving each other.’ His gaze d
arkened as his hand drifted lower on her back. ‘And it seems I’ve got about twenty-two days of loving to make up for.’
His mouth lowered to hers and captured it in a scorching kiss full of dark, sensual promise.
A muted cough interrupted them from their interlude. Mia, accompanied by one of the movers, stood awkwardly at the top of the stairs. Dara stood back from their sensual embrace, her cheeks flaming.
‘Nice to see you home safe, Mr Valente,’ Mia said and blushed. ‘Shall I book you both into the restaurant for lunch?’
‘I’ve come to steal my wife away, I’m afraid.’
Dara placed a hand against her chest, straightening her blazer as casually as she could manage under the scrutiny of her staff. ‘Leo, I can’t just leave two hours before an event—’
‘Actually, you can,’ Mia interrupted, blushing even more as both Leo and Dara turned to face her. ‘What I mean is, Dara, you’ve been working so hard... What’s the point in being the boss if you can’t take some time off? The rest of the team can see this through perfectly well.’
Leo moved forward, grabbing Dara’s shoes from the floor. ‘Mia, you are the voice of reason.’
Dara shook her head, smiling. ‘This is crazy. I have a million things I should be doing.’
‘That’s what makes stealing you away so much fun.’ He winked, pulling her by the hand. ‘Mia, you are only to call my wife if there is a fire or some other catastrophic event.’
‘Understood, sir.’ The assistant saluted, giggling uncontrollably as Leo commandeered his speechless wife from the room in her bare feet.
* * *
‘Is the blindfold really necessary?’ Dara asked, feeling for Leo’s hand in the close confines of his sleek sports car.
‘Necessary? Perhaps not,’ Leo’s voice purred silkily somewhere next to her ear. ‘But it adds to my enjoyment.’
Dara reached out, her hand coming into contact with his arm: a band of hard muscle covered in the rich silk of his dark shirt. ‘Well, in two years of marriage you’ve never mentioned this particular fantasy.’
