She shook her head, ready to launch into a vehement protest, but he reached out a hand, stopping her.
‘I thought that risking our friendship and disrespecting the promise I’d made to Duarte was what terrified me. But seeing this paper now...knowing he’s alive out there somewhere... It doesn’t change anything for me. We will deal with that as it comes.’ He took a deep breath, laying the document down on the step behind him. ‘Dani...look at me. I now know I was just afraid of what I felt—not the consequences or the risks. I don’t need anyone’s permission. Letting you move on without ever telling you how I feel is no longer an option.’
He laid his hand over hers, turning it to find she still wore the diamond engagement ring on her finger. She hadn’t been able to part with it just yet. He looked down at her, meeting her eyes with such reverence that it took her breath away all over again.
‘I think I’ve been slowly falling in love with you since we were teenagers and I didn’t have a clue. So I ignored you—I ran away or I provoked you. I’m far from perfect, and I’ll probably make mistakes, but I’m asking you for a second chance.’
She felt emotion clog her throat as she fought to formulate the words rushing through her head. In the end she just threw her arms around his neck, burying her face in his shoulder.
Eventually she leaned back, looking into his eyes and seeing the relief and emotion there. ‘You put far too much effort into playing a part and worrying about what others think...but I see a man who is so much more than a playboy pirate. You put me first every single time, and I...’ She felt her throat catch. ‘You told me that if you want something you just have to take a deep breath and dive... So I knew that I couldn’t walk away without telling you how I felt. Without telling you what you could have if you were only brave enough to take a risk of your own.’
He closed the small distance between them with lightning speed and pulled her up into a kiss that made her entire body shake with emotion. His hands entwined with hers, coming up to press against his thundering heartbeat.
Dani smiled against his lips as he devoured her. He kissed her until she was kissing him back with every ounce of love she had...until she felt the breath sigh from her and her entire body melt into his arms. Only then di
d he pause for breath, burying his face in her neck and exhaling on a deep, primal growl.
‘Sorry, I’m not good with pretty words or speeches,’ he said softly into her hair, his hands still clutching her tightly against him, as though he feared she might run away if he loosened his grip.
‘That was pretty eloquent, I think.’ She bit her bottom lip, feeling as if there was a hint of magic in the air—as if this couldn’t be real, this perfect moment. But the smile that spread across his full lips mixed with a look of fierce possession told her everything she needed to know.
She gasped, looking down as he slid her engagement ring off her finger with one smooth movement. Silencing her with a finger on her lips, he took a step back and slowly lowered himself down to one knee.
‘I know I’ve technically proposed already, but I feel the situation requires a do-over.’ His eyes met hers with intense heat and emotion. ‘Tesoro... I want to be your husband and your partner. I want us to create a family and a life together. I swear I will spend the rest of my life giving you every single thing you desire if you’ll have me.’
‘I’ve never wanted anything as much as I want to be your wife for real. I love you. I want us to live together, work our crazy schedules around each other. I want to have your babies, Valerio Marchesi. I want all of it.’
She took a deep breath, fearing her heart might actually burst out of her chest with the effort of getting the words out. She felt shivers run down her spine as he slid the ring back onto her finger and stood up, pulling her into a tight embrace.
She felt a calm settle over her like nothing she’d ever experienced before. Despite the unknown of what might lie ahead of them, she knew he would be by her side. Together they would dive headfirst into whatever adventures lay ahead, and as long as she had her hand in his, she knew things would be okay.
EPILOGUE
THE NOVEMBER RAIN poured down on his face as Valerio raced across the busy rush hour streets, narrowly missing a black cab as he finally reached the door of the hospital. He barely stopped to announce himself at the desk, his breath crashing in and out of his lungs as he took the stairs two by two.
The prestigious London hospital was a maze of corridors as he passed by door after door, finally finding the one he was looking for. The one he’d been inside every day for the past week. He came to a stop inside the brightly lit room—only to see an empty bed, perfectly made up with white linen. Fear closed off his air supply for a long, panic-ridden moment, before a woman entered the room behind him, wearing bright blue scrubs and a white mask.
‘Mr Marchesi, you’re just in time. Your wife is in Theatre.’
He was rushed down to the emergency operating theatre and handed a bundle of scrubs to change into. His hands shook as he pushed open the door to the bright surgical space and saw Dani’s beautiful face, white with fear, as she lay surrounded by doctors and nurses and the rhythmic beeping of medical equipment.
‘Valerio!’ Her shout of relief was palpable as she reached out to clutch at his sleeve and pull him close to her face. ‘I can’t believe this is happening. It’s too early!’
Valerio steeled himself at the anguish in her voice and murmured words of encouragement in her ear, his hand gripping hers tightly as the surgeons performed their work on the other side of a blue screen.
It seemed as if hours passed before the doctors announced that the baby was out, then spent a while bending over Dani with furrowed brows. Moments later a loud, healthy infant’s cry erupted in the room and he felt his shoulders sag with relief as he pressed his forehead to Dani’s and let emotion take over.
After a flurry of movement and various checks, the doctor assured them that their daughter was perfectly healthy and didn’t need any care other than her mother’s skin.
A nurse placed the tiny form on Dani’s chest and Valerio felt his heart swell with love and gratitude as they both cradled and stroked their child’s glorious head of jet-black curls.
‘What do you think Leandro will say when he finds out he got a baby sister instead of a brother?’ Dani asked softly, her eyes filled with laughter.
Valerio winced, thinking of the serious-faced three-year-old at home in their town house, being spoiled by Nonna and Nonno Marchesi. Leandro had been quite clear that a baby brother was the only thing he would tolerate.
‘I’m sure we’ll figure out a way to bring him around,’ he said, and smiled, leaning in to brush a kiss on his wife’s forehead.
Once the surgical team had finished the aftercare for her emergency caesarean procedure, Dani was returned to her comfortable private room, where she promptly fell asleep. She awoke a short while later, to the sight of her husband cradling their infant daughter in his strong arms.