‘Well, you’re a girl and Stefano says girls like jewellery and things. He gave you earrings and that thing for your hair, but he didn’t give you a necklace.’ Max slid his arms round her and Liv hugged him tightly.
‘I love it. It’s really beautiful.’ She watched with a lump in her throat while the twins ripped the paper off their presents and then Isabella tilted her head.
‘I hear bells outside—did anyone order a sleigh?’
Stefano rose to his feet. ‘We’ll see you later. Don’t eat lunch without us.’
‘Isn’t everyone coming?’ As Liv slipped her arms into her coat, she glanced around her but the group was already breaking up and doing different things. Donatella was going skiing with the other cousins, Isabella was joining her grandmother in the kitchen to prepare the meal.
Max was speechless with delight when he saw the horse-drawn sleigh waiting on the snowy path outside the chalet. ‘We’re going to ride in that?’
‘You certainly are.’ Stefano scooped him up and deposited him in the back of the sleigh on a deep pile of sheepskin rugs and soft cushions. Following more slowly, Liv climbed up beside him, horribly conscious that it was just the three of them.
She really didn’t want to be alone with Stefano. But what choice did she have? If she made an excuse, she’d spoil Max’s fun and she didn’t want to do that. So she said nothing and tried to look as though this was her idea of a perfect trip.
And in different circumstances it probably would have been.
The driver urged the horses forward and the sleigh moved smoothly along the snowy track that snaked up the mountain through tall pine trees. The only sounds were the muffled thud of horses’ hooves, the creak of the oiled leather harness and the tinkle of sleigh bells.
Just enjoy the moment, Liv told herself desperately, and then she glanced at Max’s face and felt herself soften with love. She would have been willing to face a thousand demons if it meant seeing her little boy smile the way he was smiling right now.
‘It’s magical,’ she murmured and Stefano spread a blanket over her knees.
‘Magical and freezing. Are you cold?’
‘No.’ How could she be cold when he was so close? Reminding herself not to get any ideas, Liv shrank back against the soft cushions and concentrated on the view.
The pain of not being with him would fade in time, wouldn’t it?
And if it didn’t, she’d somehow learn to live with it.
Max peered ahead of them, oblivious to the tension between the adults and fascinated by the horses. ‘Can they go faster? Can we gallop? Can I help to drive them?’
‘No, to all those questions,’ Stefano said dryly, his eyes amused as he watched the child. ‘We don’t want to end up at the bottom of the valley. I think, for now, we’ll leave
the driving to the expert.’
‘It was kind of you to do this for him.’ Liv risked a glance and then looked away quickly, appalled by the sudden stab of need that swamped her.
‘I didn’t do it for him.’ Stefano’s voice was soft. ‘I did it for myself. Because it’s the only way to escape from my enormous family. Families can give you many things, but not privacy and peace and quiet. I can’t quite believe that I’ve resorted to hiring a horse and sleigh, but that should give you some indication of how desperate I am.’
Desperate?
‘Don’t lean that far out, Max.’ Anxious about safety, Liv reached out a hand and pulled the child back and then glanced at Stefano. ‘Why do you need privacy?’
‘Because I refuse to propose to you with my entire family watching.’
There was a long silence and Liv sat absolutely still, unable to speak or move, sure that she’d misheard him. He couldn’t possibly have said what she thought he’d just said. She recited his words back to herself in her head. Then she turned her head slowly and their eyes met and held. ‘What did you say?’
‘What you thought I said. Marry me, Liv.’ The look in his eyes made her body tingle and warm.
‘Stefano—’
‘Te amo. I love you. I should have told you that days ago and I’m sorry I didn’t, but until yesterday I wasn’t sure you’d say yes.’
‘You should have asked me,’ Max chipped in breathlessly. ‘I could have told you she’d say yes. She’s always staring at you and looking goopy and she smiles all the time, especially when you’ve just said something to her.’
Liv blushed, amazed that Max had noticed so much.