“Where’s Fausto?”
“Outside somewhere.”
“Was he still in his box this morning?”
Stefano nodded. “I think he learned his lesson about staying put so he wouldn’t get trapped again.”
“He’s a little rascal.”
“I agree. By the way, Enzo wrote. We’re supposed to get electricity by this evening.”
“Yes. I heard as much on the radio a little while ago, but they still haven’t cleared the road covered by that avalanche.”
“Lanza, if you’re anxious to leave, Enzo will have a helicopter sent for us.”
“Oh, no!” she cried immediately. “I mean... That is...unless you’ve grown restless.”
That little outburst was worth its weight in gold to Stefano. There was the proof that she loved it here as much as he did. It revealed another truth to him. This intimate time with his enticing wife had grown on him to the point that he didn’t want to budge from his favorite spot.
CHAPTER TEN
LANZA NEVER WANTED to leave the mountains and was embarrassed to have reacted so strongly. The longer they stayed away from everyone, the h
appier she would be. Once they were back at the palace, the world would descend on them. While they were here, she had Stefano to herself.
She feared he could never love her the way she loved him. But she cherished the fact that this would probably be the only time in her life when they would have this kind of privacy. It was incredible that no one knew where they were except Enzo. If they were trapped here for a month, she’d love it.
After clearing the table, she went back to the bedroom for her spy novel and came out to the living room once more to lie on the couch and finish the book. Her only problem was her inability to concentrate. Snatches of earlier conversations sent her down one road after another, each tidbit of information giving her insight into his character.
Out of the corner of her eye she saw their Christmas tree, the one he’d brought home for her when he didn’t have to. Fausto’s blanket still sat in front of the fireplace. Stefano had made the box into a home for the fox with bowls of food and water. It was right there that he’d kissed her close to senseless. Her body still throbbed from the sensations that had sent her spiraling to a different universe.
Love’s first kiss, the famous line delivered in angry mockery from the lips of the evil queen in a certain childhood fairy tale, had taken on new meaning for her. She’d never get over what his hands and mouth had done to her. The feel of his hard body was a revelation. Lanza had been transformed into a different person. That was Stefano’s doing.
By midafternoon Lanza grew restless and got up from the couch. She would have to finish the story another time. The Vacherin and Gruyère cheeses in the fridge had been calling to her. She could make up a pot of fondue au fromage. They could eat it with one of the loaves of French bread from the freezer.
Stefano had been outside a long time and no doubt was hungry. His supply of wines included Kirsch cherry wine, a perfect one to add flavor. She got busy grating cheese and hurried downstairs to the freezer so the bread could thaw in time for dinner.
Lanza had always enjoyed cooking, but had never cooked on a regular basis in her life until now. Of course, even if she couldn’t boil water, that wouldn’t have bothered Stefano. He knew how to cook and had been fending for himself for years. But it made her happy she could do her part while they were cut off from the world for a little while. She adored him and couldn’t do enough for him.
Before long he came in for a drink of water, bringing a draft of cold air with him. “Um, that fondue looks good enough to eat.”
She laughed. “Let’s hope. It’s ready when you are. Did you get all the chores done?”
“Yup. I’ll freshen up and be right back.”
While he was gone she set the table with the fondue forks and put on a bottle of white wine to go with their meal. By the time he returned, she’d brought the pot of bubbly yellow fondue to the table.
“Food for a king!” Stefano exclaimed, his dark eyes shining with excitement as he sat down.
“That’s what you will be one of these days, or have you forgotten?”
“I’m trying,” he said under his breath, but she heard him and couldn’t believe she’d said it when she knew how hard he’d fought to be a nonroyal.
“I’m sorry, Stefano. I wasn’t thinking when I said that.”
“I shouldn’t have said what I did, either.” His apology meant a lot. “How did you know this is my favorite dish after being outside in the snow all day?”
“It’s mine, too. Who stocked all your shelves and freezer for you?”