But he suddenly pulled away from her and shot out of the car. ‘Come with me.’ He opened her door and took her hand, marching her so fast to the roses she had to run to keep up.
‘It should be here,’ he said roughly.
‘What sh—’
‘You said you loved me,’ he interrupted her. ‘That you wanted me to let you love me. But that’s not enough. You need love too, Gracie. And I love you. I want you. I’m not good at it, but I plan to get better.’
She stared at him, shocked into silence all over again.
‘Did you hear me, Gracie?’ he said. ‘I love you. I really love you.’
Her eyes filled all over again. ‘Rafe?’
‘I know it’s not been long, but I need—’ He broke off, and reaching into his pocket he pulled out a small box.
‘Rafe—’
He was on his knee in front of her. ‘Please, Gracie, will you marry me?’
She stared at the ring he’d revealed. ‘Rafe.’ She covered her mouth with her hand so she wouldn’t giggle inappropriately, but a gurgle of amusement snuck out anyway even as another tear rolled down her cheek. ‘It’s ridiculously huge.’
‘I know, right?’ He suddenly smiled up at her encouragingly. ‘It’s okay to laugh. I didn’t want anyone mistaking it for anything else.’
‘Like what?’ She giggled again. ‘A container ship?’
‘Not a container ship. An anchor. So you can look down and know you’re safe. That you have a home with me.’
Her laugh died as her heart melted. More of those tears sprang to her eyes.
‘I know you don’t generally like jewellery as gifts,’ he added with a small smile. ‘So I thought I’d go all out with just the one item—an outrageously massive diamond that you can wear for ever.’
For ever.
She dropped to her knees to match him and put her finger to his lips. ‘No, I love it. I love you. I only laughed because I’m nervous and I’m babbling because it’s you and you’re really here and you overwhelm me. You know you have from the very first moment I saw you. And I can’t believe this is happening. I can’t wait to put that massive ring on because then I’ll know it might be real. It’s the perfect anchor for me. I want to be with you—’
Her hands shook but so did his and it took longer than it should have because they got caught up kissing and touching and tearing off the clothing that blocked them from where they wanted to touch most.
‘Missed you,’ he muttered hoarsely, hauling her beneath him to press himself home with a sure, sharp thrust. ‘So much.’
‘Yes,’ she cried out as he filled her. Again and again he completed her. And she knew then just how much she was loved. ‘Yes.’
* * *
‘I’m sorry,’ he groaned, gently tracing her swollen mouth a long moment later. ‘I’m still recovering from the horror of the last few days. I wanted to do everything right.’
‘No one does everything right all the time.’ She framed his face with her hands and embraced him with all her body and soul. ‘You’re right just as you are. Just you is perfect for me.’
‘But I hurt you.’
‘You did.’ She nodded.
‘Yet you still love me.’ He looked intensely vulnerable as he said it.
Her heart broke again as she realised how deep his insecurity struck. He’d thought she’d stop loving him because they’d argued? He’d worried that she wouldn’t want him any more? But why would he believe in love, in forgiveness when he’d never been shown that before?
‘I’ll always love you. No matter what.’
‘Are you feeling sorry for me?’ he growled, nipping her lip. ‘I told you I don’t want pity—’
‘Be quiet. I love you.’ She placed her hand over his mouth. ‘And I need to show you that I love you too. Do you think you can take it?’
He grunted as she pushed him with all her might so he rolled onto his back on the grass. She rolled too, keeping pace so she lay on top of him. She kissed him again the way she’d ached to for days—moved on him, writhing in pleasure at the feel of his strength beneath her and between her thighs. He was so powerful, so strong. And he was hers.
A low, satisfied laugh escaped him when she finally lifted her head.
‘I’m not going to be silent,’ he warned her with a teasing smile. ‘Because I love you and what you do to me. You’re everything to me.’
He swept his arms down her back, helping her ride them home to ecstasy. She planted her palm on his chest so she could feel the wonderfully fast, strong beat of his heart as she rocked faster still, revelling in the pleasure of his body and the passion in his eyes.
‘I feel closer to you than I’ve ever felt to anyone.’ He breathed hard. ‘I thought I never wanted this. I didn’t want to need anyone, ever. But you...’ He sighed and swept her hair back so he could kiss her again. ‘You’re honest and generous and optimistic. I love your infectious enthusiasm for all the little things. And now I love you so much I can’t bear the thought of life without you and that freaking terrifies me, Gracie. I don’t want to make you unhappy. I’ll never ask you to choose me over your home. I get that you need to stay here and I don’t care where I live as long as I’m with you. So I can work from here. I’ll have to travel sometimes but I can reduce it and you don’t have to come. You can stay here and I will always return.’
That he’d make such a massive shift for her was so generous. But it also wasn’t entirely fair. ‘I thought I was being so in control—you know, choosing my home, my name, my job,’ she said sombrely. ‘But you were right, I’ve been running away, hiding, pretending everything was fantastic when really it wasn’t always. I wanted to make my choice. But you’re my choice. And I don’t want to do what my parents did. I don’t want to make you stay only where I say. Yes, I love the villa and I love Bellezzo, but I know you have work commitments and I want to be with you, wherever that may be.’ She swallowed. ‘I don’t want to be apart from you.’
‘Then we’ll work it out. The villa is perfect as our base home, though, right?’ He smiled at her. ‘It has lots of bedrooms, definitely room for, what was it...four children?’
‘You were serious about that?’ she whispered. ‘You never wanted children.’
‘I’ll have four if they’re yours.’ His smile was suddenly wicked. ‘I want to see you pregnant. I want to see you showering our children with all the love that I never got. That might just make my heart burst. I know you’ll do that for them and I’ll do it too because you’ll help me. I can learn, I want to learn. And I want my children to have loving siblings. I’ll show my sons how a man should love his woman. And you can make anything you want in our kitchen. I want you to have it all.’
‘All?’ She smiled at him blissfully because he had just given her it all. ‘I have this fantasy of marrying you here in the rose garden,’ she said shyly. ‘I have amazing memories attached to those roses.’
‘Caramellina, there’s nothing I’d love more, but the roses are almost over and I’m not waiting almost a year to marry you.’
‘Then let’s do it as soon as possible,’ she said with a nervous chuckle. ‘I think Alex still has a couple of roses I could carry and I know a bakery where we can get a nice cake.’
‘Done,’ he answered immediately, his expression intense. ‘No getting away from me now, darling.’ He suddenly smiled. ‘You can’t help but be quick.’
‘Only when it comes to you.’ She shot him a coy look. ‘Always when it comes to you.’
‘I think you enjoy slow sometimes.’
Shaking her head, she fluttered her fingers over his stomach, loving the ripple of muscles beneath his hot skin. ‘Not this time.’
‘Yes, this time.’
He firmly swept his hands down her back and thighs and pulled her to the position he wanted. So exposed, so vulnerable, so his. She wriggled
but his grip tightened. She stilled and met that gleaming challenge in his eyes. His hands tightened more. Slowly he lowered his head.
‘You’re so mean,’ she moaned.
But he was right. She enjoyed slow. With him, she loved it.
‘We should go back into the village to see Alex and Francesca soon,’ he said lazily, over an hour later. ‘They’ll be worried about you.’
Her heart swelled, because she knew he was right. Her friends cared. So did he. ‘That would be good. That would be really good.’
She put her head on his chest and closed her eyes in pure delight. She’d found her home, and she knew he’d found his—in each other’s heart.
* * *
If you enjoyed Awakening His Innocent Cinderella you’re sure to enjoy these other Natalie Anderson stories!
Claiming His Convenient Fiancée
The Forgotten Gallo Bride
The Mistress That Tamed De Santis
The King’s Captive Virgin
Available now!