Читать книгу A Forever Family Collection - Коллектив авторов - Страница 18

“JUST A MINUTE, Leon. I need to grab her diaper bag.” When they were out of hearing range, Belle caught up to him. “No matter what happens, you spoke your piece and your brother knows you love him. It’s up to him now.”

Leon grasped her hand and squeezed her fingers. “That’s what has me worried. Don’t forget he’s a Malatesta.”

“Have you forgotten I’m proud to be married to one? Remember something else. He didn’t slam the door in your face, either. That has to count for something.”

Leon had married an angel. “Are you ready to face the parents?”

She nodded. “Be honest. You are a little worried about their reaction.”

“You’re wrong, Belle.”

“Then what’s the matter?”

His bride was highly perceptive, but he couldn’t tell her the truth yet. He knew the reasons she’d entered into this marriage, but she didn’t know all of them. When she found out, that was what he was worried about.

“Your life hasn’t been like anyone else’s. Not even your wedding day could be like anyone else’s. I—”

“There you are!” Luciana called to them, cutting off the rest of what he was going to say. “I saw your car pull around the drive, but you were so long I came to see what was going on.”

Belle ran to meet her mother and they hugged. “Leon wanted to talk to Dante for a minute.”

“That was an awfully long minute, when I’ve been waiting for you. Sullisto went to the bank this morning, but he’ll be home any second.” They both gravitated to the baby. “Look at that outfit she’s wearing! Where have you been?”

“To church,” Belle answered with her innate honesty. “We were there quite a while. She needs a diaper change and a bottle.”

Leon carried Concetta into the house, deciding it was the perfect segue for what was coming. He handed her over when Belle reached for her, and all three females disappeared into one of the guest rooms, while he wandered around the living room, looking at the many family pictures.

There was an eight-by-ten that he particularly loved—his mother on her knees in the garden. She wore a broad-rimmed hat and was planting a rosebush. Flowers were her passion. So were her two boys.

She’d poured out all her love on them. In the process she’d spoiled them, but Leon could never complain. His childhood had been idyllic. That’s what he wanted for Concetta. He knew Belle would love her forever.

He picked up the framed photo. “Mamma? I wish you were here today. You’d love Belle the same way you loved Benedetta.”

When he heard voices, he put it back and looked across the room at the stunning picture of the three women in his life. They sat down on one of the couches while Belle fed the baby.

“I know she’s so good, but I’m surprised you took her to Mass,” Luciana said.

Belle flashed him a signal. He took the chair closest to the couch and pulled it around. “Not Mass. We arranged a private meeting with Father Luc.”

“Why?”

“This morning your daughter did me the honor of becoming my wife.” He drew the certificate out of his pocket and handed it to Luciana. “Last night we talked everything over. I asked her to marry me, so she wouldn’t go back to New York and meet some other man. As you can see, Concetta is already crazy about her.”

With tear-filled eyes, Luciana looked at Belle. “I only want to know one thing. Do you love him? Because if you don’t, darling…”

Leon knew what Luciana was asking. She was married to a man who’d done his duty with Leon’s mother, but the personal fulfillment hadn’t been there. The mother in Luciana didn’t want that for Belle.

“It’s all right, Mom,” she said with a gentle laugh. “When I first met Leon, I thought of him as the dark prince of Rimini. He frightened me, but he also thrilled me.”

Her half lies thrilled him.

“I can understand that,” Luciana murmured. “He has a lot of his father in him.”

“I tried not to be attracted, but that flew out the window, because we’ve spent hours and hours together. Then I met Concetta. The three of us had such a wonderful time watching the dolphins we didn’t want it to end, did we?” She kissed his daughter’s forehead. “We saw a lot of daddies there, but none of them had your daddy’s way.”

“Leon has been a remarkable father.” Luciana’s comment made him feel more ashamed of his prior behavior toward her.

“But I guess I didn’t know how deeply I felt about him until he told me he wanted to marry me,” Belle went on. “The thought of turning him down and flying back to New York was too devastating to contemplate. I felt the same pain at the thought of leaving you, after having just found you.”

In the next breath Luciana jumped up from the couch. First she threw her arms around Belle and the baby, then Leon. “I’m so happy with this news, I can hardly contain it.”

Leon’s gaze fused with his wife’s. If Belle had any doubts about their marriage being the right thing to do, they were wiped away by her mother’s joy.

“Your father shouldn’t have left. Why isn’t he home yet?”

Leon had a hunch he’d been meeting with his attorney about the adoption. While he was thinking about that, they had a visitor. To his shock, his brother entered the living room, in jeans and a sport shirt, showered and shaved. “I just got off the phone with him.” Who called whom? “He’ll be here in a minute.” Dante eyed Leon. “Don’t worry. I didn’t spoil your surprise.”

He moved over to Belle and hunkered down in front of her. The baby had fallen asleep against her shoulder. “Belated congratulations. I would have invited you in earlier, but I wasn’t decent.”

“If you want to know the truth, when I’m at the apartment in New York, sweats are about all I wear.”

Dante grinned. “Do you run?”

“As often as I can, before work.”

That was news to Leon.

“We must be soul mates. Like you, I try to get in a run, but I usually do it after work.”

“Does your wife run with you?”

“Sometimes.”

“We’ll all have to do it together.”

“I’m afraid my brother swims.”

Belle nodded. “So I noticed. Like a fish, I might add. Maybe I can train him by getting him to push Concetta in her stroller at the same time.”

Dante roared with laughter.

“Where is Pia, by the way?”

“Visiting her mother, but I phoned her. She’ll be back soon.”

“Does her family live far from here?”

“No. Only a few kilometers.”

“How lucky for both of them.” Belle smiled at Luciana.

“They’ll never know, will they, darling.”

“No.”

Dante studied them. “I bet it shocked both of you when you first saw each other.”

Leon hadn’t seen his brother smile or act this animated in years. Belle had that effect on everyone.

“When I was at the orphanage, I used to dream about what she’d look like.”

Leon got up to take the baby from her. “Little did you know you saw her every time you looked in a mirror.” He kissed his little girl. “I’ll go put her down in the crib.” Luciana had provided one for her after she was born. Leon hadn’t brought her over often enough.

“I’ll go with you. We’ll be right back.”

“Sure you will,” Dante joked.

Belle followed Leon out of the living room and down the hall to the first bedroom. He put the baby on her back and covered her with a light blanket. Belle stood next to him at the side of the crib.

He reached for her hand, too full of emotion to speak.

“So far so good,” she whispered.

“A miracle has happened today. It’s all because of you.”

“I’m afraid it’s not over yet. We still have to tell your father.” She eased her hand away. “If you’ll excuse me for a minute, I need to freshen up, and will meet you back in the living room.”

Much as he wanted to be alone with her, this wasn’t the time. With another glance at his daughter, who was sleeping peacefully, he left the bedroom, and ran into his father in the hallway. The marriage certificate was in his hand. Leon had forgotten it had been left on the coffee table.

“It seems everyone in this house knows what you’ve done except me,” Sullisto exclaimed without preamble. “Your powers of persuasion are phenomenal, to get Belle to marry you when you don’t love her. You’ve even convinced Luciana.”

Love for his stepmother seeped into Leon.

“She’s only been here three days,” his father added. “What did you do? Slip something into her wine?”

Leon bristled. That was below the belt, even for the count. “No. The trick of our ancestors wouldn’t work on her. She doesn’t drink, smoke or indulge in drugs.”

“Belle’s not an ordinary woman.”

“Truer words were never spoken. She’s made in the image of her mother, a woman who would have married the man of her heart if he hadn’t been killed…. The woman you married after Mamma died because you wanted her at all cost.”

His cheeks went a ruddy color. “How dare you speak to me that way—”

“I didn’t say it to be offensive, Papà. I only meant to point out that true love makes us act with our hearts, not our heads.”

His father’s eyes glittered with emotion, but Leon had to finish what had been started years ago. “Mamma loved another man before she obeyed her parents and married you. I have no doubts my autocratic grandfather forced you into your first marriage.”

“Basta, Leonardo!”

“I’m almost through. I was about to say it’s possible you loved someone before you had to do your duty. I have no way of knowing, since you never shared that with me or Dante. But given a second chance, you married for the right reason. Every man and woman born should have that privilege. Concetta will grow up being able to choose.”

For once in his life, Leon’s father looked utterly flummoxed.

“Would you really condemn me to a loveless marriage with one of the titled women you’ve picked out for me, because it’s what Malatestas do?”

“You’re my firstborn son.”

“You were your father’s firstborn son, too. We’ll both always be the firstborn, but in the end, what does it matter? In the Middle Ages it was a system devised for the aggrandizement of wealth. Surely we’ve come further than that in the twenty-first century.”

“Leon is right.”

Dante had suddenly materialized, seemingly out of nowhere. Sullisto swung around. “Were you in on this, too?”

“On what?”

“This outrageous marriage of your brother’s.” He thrust the marriage certificate at him. “When I phoned, you said nothing.”

“Because I didn’t know anything. But I can tell you this. When he showed up at my door, he looked happy like I haven’t seen him since before Mamma died. Let’s hope Luciana didn’t hear you, or she might think you don’t approve of her daughter. I happen to know you do or you wouldn’t have invited her to come and live with you.”

“So you’re in his corner now?”

“This is his wedding day, Papà.”

“A wedding set up to thwart me!”

“I doubt you were on his mind when he asked Belle to marry him,” Dante interjected. “Just so you know, Luciana sent me to tell you lunch is ready on the terrace.”

“I couldn’t eat now.”

“It would hurt Luciana if you don’t come. In fact, it would be the height of bad manners.”

Their father scowled. “I don’t recall you having any the other day.”

“The other day I wasn’t myself.” Dante shot Leon a pleading glance. “Since then I’ve repented.”

“Why?”

“Since I’ve come to realize how much I love my brother.”

Bless you, Belle, for your inspiration.

Leon smiled at him. “That goes both ways, Dante. Why don’t you two go ahead? I’ll find out what’s keeping Belle. Maybe the baby woke up.”

Their father still looked angry as he eyed both of them before walking back down the hall toward the foyer.

Dante clapped Leon on the shoulder. “That went well,” he teased, sounding like the old Dante. “See you in a minute.” He rolled up the marriage certificate and handed it to him.

“I owe you.” Putting it in his pocket, Leon watched them go before he hurried into the bedroom. To his surprise, he found Belle standing at the side of the door. Rufo walked over to brush against his legs.

“I heard every word. I’m so happy you and your brother have reconciled. Between the two of you, I’m sure in time you’ll be able to win your father around. Your master plan worked brilliantly, Signor Malatesta. Come on. Lunch is waiting.” She slipped out the door, trailing the scent of gardenias, but she didn’t look at him.

His marriage was in trouble.

He knew how deep Belle’s insecurities ran. Leon had to hope his powers of persuasion were as phenomenal as his father claimed. Otherwise he was in for the kind of pain from which he sensed he’d never recover.

“Leon? How soon do you think you can arrange for TCCPI to set up a phone store here?”

Now that Concetta was awake, Belle had carried her out to the patio to play buckets with her.

He was standing by the railing, looking out at the sea. She feared he was brooding over his father. “I’ll lay the groundwork next week,” he told her.

“At first I couldn’t believe you were serious, but since then I’ve found out you never joke about anything. I like a challenge. It would be interesting to see if I could make a success of it.”

“What do you mean, if?”

Leon always complimented her. She decided it was in his nature, but she didn’t deserve it. “When Mac learns I’m not coming back to the store, he’ll be overjoyed, because he wants my job.”

“That’s probably the reason he won’t get it.”

She chuckled. “Spoken like a man who knows about business.”

“I’ve been thinking about that and other things. I’ll arrange to have your possessions sent from your apartment.”

“Except for books and a few more clothes, I brought everything else important with me. One good thing about me. I travel light.”

He didn’t smile. She couldn’t bring him out of his dark mood.

They’d just returned from the palazzo. Belle had forced herself to eat the fabulous meal Luciana had served them. For her mother’s sake she’d acted like a new bride, and had kissed Leon several times for family pictures, while Sullisto looked on with only a comment here and there.

Pia had arrived in the midst of the festivities. Whatever Dante told her must have resonated, because she was very friendly to Belle. The party atmosphere continued after Concetta awoke from her nap and entertained everyone.

With the announcement that they were leaving to get ready for a short honeymoon, Leon brought the car around to the front. Rufo jumped inside before Belle’s new husband helped her and the baby, after another hug for her mother. They left the estate and drove to the villa, where she changed into jeans and a knit top.

This was her home now, complete with the dearest, sweetest little girl on the planet and a husband to die for. There was only one thing wrong with this picture. Sullisto’s words still rang in her ears.

Your powers of persuasion are phenomenal, to get Belle to marry you when you don’t love her. You’ve even convinced Luciana.

She’s only been here three days. What did you do? Slip something into her wine?

No. Leon didn’t have to do any of those things. Belle had fallen instantly in love with him. He was the man she would have married no matter how long she had to wait. Of course he wasn’t in love with her, but he’d been right about their desire for each other.

With every kiss over the past few days, she sensed a growing hunger from him. After having been happily married to Benedetta, it was only natural he craved the same kind of fulfillment. A man could compartmentalize his needs from his emotions.

Belle couldn’t.

She loved him in all the ways possible. Today she’d made vows to be his wife. That was exactly what she would be to him. If not his love, he’d given her everything else, including a baby. There were trade-offs.

Belle could always be near her mother now. He and Dante were friends again. Sullisto was at war with himself, but it spoke volumes about how much he loved Leon, because he hadn’t disowned him yet.

“Where are we going on our honeymoon?” That brought his dark head around. If she wasn’t mistaken, her question had caught him off guard. “Mom offered to look after Concetta.”

Leon’s hand went to the back of his neck. She noticed he did that when he was weighing his thoughts carefully. “Where would you like to go?”

“Anywhere on the water. How about you? Or did you do that with Benedetta…?”

“No. We honeymooned in Switzerland, but I don’t want to talk about her.”

“I’m sorry. Would you rather we postponed a trip right now? Believe me, I’d understand.”

“Understand what?” he blurted. “My father hurt you today. Do you think I’m going to forget that?”

“I didn’t take it personally, not after his warm welcome the first night we met. He needs time. You’re trying to change someone who was raised under a different set of rules.”

Leon’s eyes narrowed on her face. “How do you know so much about people?”

“Probably because I wasn’t one of the participants of life. As I’ve told you before, most of the time I spent it observing other people. You learn a lot that way.” She cocked her head. “Does your family own a yacht?”

“Yes. Shall we take it across the water to Croatia? There are some wonderful ruins in Dubrovnik and Split to explore.”

“That sounds thrilling, but this is your honeymoon, too. Since you’ve probably done everything, what would be your very favorite thing to do?”

His lips twitched for the first time. “That’s a loaded question to ask a new husband.”

“Humor me. I’m a new wife.”

“Has anyone ever told you you live dangerously?”

Belle laughed. “I’m still waiting for your answer.”

“Find a deserted island in the cruiser and do whatever appeals.”

Her heart ran away with her. “An island? I’m glad you said that. I’ll phone Mom and ask her to come over while we’re gone. Concetta will be happier in her own surroundings, with the dog and familiar staff.”

Belle picked up the baby, who’d become bored with the buckets. “Can we leave soon? It will give us more daylight to find the right island.” That suggestion seemed to galvanize him into action. “I can see by your eyes you already have one in mind.”

He actually grinned. When he did that, she was reduced to mush. “There’s not much I can hide from you.”

Yes, he could. He did! But being a Malatesta gave him special powers that rendered him inscrutable at times. Such as when he was pretending to be in love with her.

“I’ll call Mom.”

“While you do that, I’ll pack the cruiser.”

They pulled away from the dock at four, loaded with everything Leon could think of to make this trip one they’d never forget. Belle had been humoring him, to the point he could almost believe her gratitude to him for uniting her with Luciana wasn’t all she was feeling.

He hoped like hell her physical response to him so far wasn’t a total act. If a woman as genuine as Belle could be playing a part for his benefit, then he no longer trusted his own judgment.

They headed farther down the coast. There were no islands of volcanic origin close to Rimini, but there was a sandbar. Those familiar with the area knew to avoid it. Others came upon it too quickly and in many cases ruined their hulls. Years ago Leon had come across it by accident and got in some of the best fishing of his life. If he’d had Belle with him back then…

Using his binoculars, Leon found the exact spot. He cut the motor and let momentum carry them all the way in. When sand stopped the cruiser, Belle gazed at him in surprise. “I thought we were going to an island.”

“I lied. There isn’t one around here. But with the sea this calm, there’s enough sand exposed for us to sunbathe until tonight, and then moon bathe under the stars. No one else is around here for miles.” He loved how she’d piled her hair up on her head. “If we’d taken the yacht, we’d have staff to contend with. These days it’s almost impossible to get away from people.”

Her mouth curved into a smile. “But you managed it.” She stood up on the bench and looked around. “I love it! It’s like being shipwrecked.”

“Except that we have all the comforts of home on board and can leave when we feel like it.”

“I don’t want to talk about leaving. We just got here. I think this is the most romantic place for a honeymoon I ever heard of. Unique in all the world.” The light in her eyes dazzled him. He wanted this to be real. “A little focaccia, a bottle of water and thou. It’s evident Omar Khayyám hadn’t been to the Adriatic.”

Laughter rumbled deep in Leon’s chest before he picked her up and lifted her out of the boat to the sand. She started stripping as she ran. He did, too. They’d both worn their swimming suits beneath their clothes.

“If you’ll stay close to me in the water, I won’t make you wear a life preserver.”

She sobered. “That rule applies to you, too, Leon. If you decide to go out alone, I don’t want anything to happen to you.”

Belle…

“Come on,” he said in a husky voice when he could find it. They waded into the water, then started swimming. He loved her little shouts of excitement every time she saw a fish.

Several times they went in and out of the water, lying in the sun in between dips. Belle put on sunscreen and gathered some seashells. Leon got out his fishing pole and caught two mackerel. They cooked them in a pan on his camp stove, and ate them with salad and fruit brought from the villa. She declared she’d never eaten a tastier meal, and he agreed with her.

After the sun went down they covered up and lay back on lounge chairs on the cruiser. He turned his head so he could look at her. “When you told me earlier I’d probably done everything, you were wrong. I’ve never been here with anyone else.”

“I’m glad you’re making a new memory. I’m really glad it’s with me. This has turned out to be the most fabulous wedding day a girl could ever want. To be surrounded by your family and my own mother. I can hardly express it.” Belle’s voice had caught in her throat.

“You’re easy company, Belle. I’ve never enjoyed anyone more.”

“I feel the same way about you.” She sat up abruptly. “Do you know I almost didn’t go to your bank? Obviously the manager at Donatello Diamonds had advised me to go there for a reason, but I was so upset with him, I had to have a long talk with myself first.”

Leon didn’t even want to think about it, and turned on his side toward her. “What decided you in the end?”

“I knew that if I went home not being able to find my mother, it would haunt me that I hadn’t turned over that one stone to see what was under it.” Her way of expressing herself enchanted him.

“Tomorrow it will be a week since I flew out of JFK Airport, a single woman with no family, on a quest so overwhelming, I can’t believe I followed through. Tonight I’m lying under the stars on the Adriatic with my Italian husband, knowing my mother is home watching your little girl.”

“Our little girl now.”

Belle nodded. “I know I’m not dreaming, but you have to admit the chances of all this happening are astronomical. You’ve been so good to me, Leon. If I spend my whole life thanking you, it won’t be enough. I promise to be the best wife I can. Do you mind if I go downstairs now and take a shower? I’m a sandy mess.”

“While you do that, I’ll get everything battened down for the night.”

Belle gathered up her things and went down the stairs to the lower deck. The twenty-one-foot cruiser had to be state-of-the-art. Leon had told her he liked a smaller boat like this. He could man it himself, and pull in and out of coves with ease. It made a lot of sense.

Beyond the galley was a cabin with a double bed. One glance at it and her heartbeat tripled. She hurriedly took a shower and washed her hair.

Leon was giving her plenty of time, but now that she was ready, she felt feverish, waiting for him to come. Belle was the only one of her roommates or the girls at her work who hadn’t been to bed with a man. Now it was her turn.

The mechanics of the act were no mystery to her, but it was a whole new world she was about to enter. Those few kisses they’d exchanged had already thrilled her, so much she couldn’t wait to find out what it would be like to spend the night with him.

They hadn’t talked about the consequences of sleeping together, but she’d made a vow to accept children lovingly. How would he feel about another child if she conceived? Or was Concetta enough for him?

This marriage had happened so fast, Belle was full of questions about the sexual side of their relationship. Only he could answer them. Why didn’t he come? They needed to talk.

After another five minutes, she walked down through the hallway and called to him from the stairs.

“I’ll be right there.”

When he joined her in the bedroom five minutes later, he’d showered and was dressed in a T-shirt and lounging pajamas. The sight of his black hair disheveled after being washed had an appeal all its own. Her gaze dropped lower, to that well-defined physique she’d longed to touch all day. He was standing only a few feet away. She could reach out and touch him. Marriage had given her the right, but she needed a signal from him.

“Is there anything you need before I go back up on deck for the night?”

The question, asked in that deep voice, sent her down a dark chute with no bottom. The pain was so acute she couldn’t hold it in. “I thought this was to be our wedding night.”

His sudden grim expression chilled her, reminding her of the side of his nature that could be forbidding at times. “Under normal circumstances it would be.”

She shook her head, causing her hair to swish across her shoulders. “These aren’t normal? I don’t understand.”

For a moment she thought she saw a bleak look enter his eyes, but it might have been a trick of light. “You don’t have to keep up the pretense any longer, Belle.”

“Excuse me?”

“Your gratitude has been duly recognized. The truth is, I don’t expect your sleeping with me to be a part of it.”

She sucked in her breath. “Well, pardon me if I misunderstood. I thought this morning we took vows to become man and wife. You know—the kind who sleep together.”

Now that she was all worked up, she couldn’t stop. “You think you’re so different from your father, but you’re just another version of the same male. He was right. You don’t love me. That I can handle. You’ve taught me that love at first sight is an absurdity, after all. I learn something new every day.

“Everyone knows real love takes years and years to develop. It’s your lie about feeling desire for me that cuts to the quick, Leonardo di Malatesta. You faked it until I believed it, but now that it’s crunch time, you’ve brushed me off the way I’ve been brushed off all my life.”

“Belle—” A ring of white had encircled his hard mouth.

“I’m not finished. Do you have any idea how hurt I am by your rejection? How humiliated I feel after putting everything I am and feel out there on the line for you?

“Cliff was right about my being pathetic. Thank you for underscoring what I’ve always known about myself. But until just now I was looking forward to being with you tonight, to being in your arms.

“I thought my stepfather hurt me when he told me to get out of his garage and never step in it again. But you’re the true master at turning the knife. Now that you’ve drawn blood, please leave my bedroom. We’ll never talk about this again.

“In the morning I want to go back to the villa. Never fear, I’ll go on being your wife and a mother to Concetta. I’ll be there for your family day and night. You want to sleep in the same bed to keep up the pretense and avoid gossip? I’ll do it. I’ll stand by you at work, at home, until death. I owe you that. I made vows to do that.”

She took a deep, painful breath. “But don’t you ever touch me in bed, not even by accident.”

Leon hadn’t been sick to his stomach in years. But at two in the morning he slipped over the side of the boat and found a private spot. After being violently ill, he shook like a man with palsy. Until she heard him out, he wasn’t going to make it through the night.

He decided it would be better to make noise on his way below deck so he wouldn’t frighten her. Once he reached the bathroom, he brushed his teeth and drank some water. Then he tapped on the closed door. “Belle?”

“What is it?”

“We can’t go on like this. I have to talk to you. May I come in, or do we do this through the door?”

“It’s your boat.”

It didn’t sound as if she’d been asleep. He opened the door and a dim beam of light from the hallway fell across the bed, where her dark hair was splayed across the pillow. She was an enticing vision. How to begin repairing the damage?

Leon reached the end of the bed and sat on it. “When I came down here earlier, the last thing I wanted to do was go back upstairs for the night. But because of the speed of our marriage, I didn’t want you to think that I’d ‘purchased’ you so I could claim my rights. I wanted to give you time to get used to me.

“Today was pure enchantment for me. I wanted it to go on and on. I was terrified that if you knew how much I’d been counting the minutes until we could go to bed together, it would frighten you. So I backed off. But to my despair, I unwittingly made the wrong decision, and I fear it has cost me my marriage.

“You have no idea how sick I was when I realized you’d overheard the conversation with my father. When we went into lunch, I knew the things he’d said had affected you. I felt helpless to do anything about it until I could get you alone. But when I came down the stairs to join you after your shower, I saw a woman who looked like the proverbial lamb going to slaughter.

“I thought of your bravery in leaving the orphanage to go to a strange home and adapt to someone else’s lifestyle. You were so strong to do that and be able to handle it. Tonight I saw your strength in the way you faced me head-on, no matter what you might be feeling inside.

“Your trust in me was so humbling, I didn’t want to do anything wrong. You have to understand I would never deliberately hurt you. How could I do that?” He tipped his head back. “There’s something important you need to know, Belle.”

“What is it?”

“This is about my mother. She had some last words for me before she died. I’ll never forget them.”

Belle stirred in the bed. “What did she tell you?”

“She said, ‘You’re so much like me, Leon. If you expect to ever truly be happy, then follow your heart.’ Her advice sank deep inside me and helped free me from certain expectations, because I knew I had her blessing. When the time came to ask Benedetta to marry me, I didn’t hesitate.

“Last night I asked you to marry me for the same reason. The only reason. I love you, Belle. I’m a man desperately in love. You’re the most beautiful thing in my life. When we said our vows this morning, I kept thanking God for you in my heart. I can’t explain why I fell so hard for you. The French have an expression for it—coup de foudre. A bolt of lightning. That’s what it was like for me.

“Immediately I needed an excuse to keep you here for good. But the truth is, if there’d been no excuse—no baby, no Dante, no mother to find—I would have followed you back to New York until I could get you to fall in love with me.”

Leon moved to the door, petrified he wasn’t making any headway. “As God is my witness, I love you. That’s what I came to say.”

He walked into the hallway and was about to shut the door when he heard the rustle of sheets. “Don’t leave me.”

Afraid he was hearing things, he turned around in time to see Belle move toward him. “Don’t ever leave me.” In seconds he felt her arms around his neck. “I’m madly in love with you, too, Leon. I love you so much it hurts. Don’t you know that’s why I said those cruel things to you?”

He came close to expiring with joy. “I do now.” He picked her up in his arms and carried her back to bed, following her down with his body. The second their mouths fused, they began devouring each other.

Belle awakened the next morning before her husband. She lay halfway across his chest, with their legs entangled, and watched him in sleep. He was the most beautiful man she’d ever seen.

She loved his powerful legs, which kept her where he wanted her, even in sleep. The top cover lay on the floor, along with her robe and his clothes. She hadn’t known pleasure like they’d given each other was even possible. It was too intoxicating to describe.

Unable to hold back, she kissed his eyelids and nose, the cleft in his chin. It was embarrassing how much she wanted him again. “Darling,” she said against his compelling mouth, “are you awake?”

His hand roved over her back.

Delighted with that much response, she kissed his throat and worked her way to one earlobe. She slid her fingers into his black hair. Belle was on fire for him. “I love you,” she cried, out of need for the fulfillment only he could give. Her dark prince had to be the most satisfying lover alive.

His eyes opened at last. They were smoldering like wood smoke. “Buon giorno, esposa mia.”

She smiled. “It will be a very good morning when you’ve made love to me again.”

He rolled her on top of him so he could look up at her. “You’re a shameless beauty. How lucky can a husband be?”

“Was last night as wonderful for you as it was for me?”

Belle heard him take a ragged breath. “Couldn’t you tell? I ate you alive last night.”

She smiled. “I’m still alive,” she said breathlessly.

“I know. Come here to me, bellissima.”

It was several hours later when they surfaced. Leon kept a possessive arm around her hips while they stared into each other’s eyes. “Where do you want to go today?”

“I want to stay right here. Is that all right with you?”

He laughed out loud. “You don’t know much about men, but I have to admit I’m thankful I’m your first and only lover.”

She traced the line of his mouth with her finger. It could go soft or hard depending on his mood. Right now there was a sensual curl. “I could look at you for hours. Do you think I’m terrible?”

He laughed again. “As long as I get to do the same thing.”

Heat rose to her cheeks. “I think it’s fun to be married. After being with you like this, I realize I grew up lonely. It worries me that I might be too needy. Promise you’ll help me not to get that way.”

He smoothed the hair away from her temple. “I think you’re perfect just as you are.”

“That’s because we’re on our honeymoon. But when you have to go to the bank, I don’t think I’ll be able to let you leave. Concetta and I will be miserable until you get home. Will you hate it if I bring lunch to your office sometimes?”

“What do you think?”

“I think you will.”

After another burst of laughter he kissed her passionately.

“Leon?” she said, when he finally let her catch her breath. “I’ve given the idea of the cell phone store a lot of thought. The truth is I’d really like to be a full-time mother to Concetta. In order to do that, I couldn’t manage a store, too.”

He kissed a certain spot. “Especially if we decided we wanted to have another baby.”

“You’d like that?”

“I want one with you. Concetta needs a sibling. My life was rich because I had Dante.”

“You were lucky to have a brother. When do you think you’d like to try for a baby?”

Leon’s shoulders shook with silent laughter. “Whenever you think you can handle it.”

“If we tried pretty soon and were successful, that would make the babies maybe a year and a half apart. That would be perfect.”

“Whatever you say, squisita.”

“You’re laughing at me.”

Leon grew serious. “No. I’m laughing because I’m so happy. The dark period I went through with Benedetta’s illness and death took its toll. At the time I couldn’t imagine feeling like I do right now. You’ve brought sunshine back into my life.”

“You don’t have time to hear all the things you’ve done for me—not before I feed you. While you lie here and miss me like crazy, I’m going to fix you breakfast in bed.”

She tried to get up, but he pulled her back. “Don’t leave me, Belle.”

She pressed a hungry kiss to his mouth. “I’ll only be as far away as the galley.”

“That’s too far.”

“Now you know why I’m already dreading you going to work. I’ve decided I think it’s scary to be married.”

He took her face between his hands. “I’ve decided I adore you, Signora Malatesta.”