She saw Nico’s face fall, the light in his eyes fade. He closed the velvet box and put it down before standing up. She realised that he was misreading her reaction.
‘I’m sorry, Chiara, I never meant to hurt you. If you still truly want a divorce then you can have it.’
He had turned to walk away before Chiara could make her body work. She stood up and called out hoarsely, ‘Stop!’
Nico stopped, his back to her.
She started towards him, her legs like jelly. ‘You didn’t let me finish...’
He turned around and she saw the pain etched into his features. She took a deep shaky breath. ‘What I was going to say was that I don’t know what to say—except I love you with all my heart, and, yes, I want to spend the rest of my life with you too...’
The dawning relief on Nico’s face told Chiara better than anything just how much he’d been holding back for so long. She wasn’t sure who moved, but they were in each other’s arms, mouths fused in a desperate kiss of love and reunion.
When they broke apart Chiara looked up in wonder and traced Nico’s mouth with a shaking finger. ‘I love you so much. You deserve to be happy, Nico.’
His eyes were suspiciously bright. ‘You are my happiness—you and Sofia. I love you both. For ever.’
Chiara looked deep into Nico’s eyes and saw his soul reflecting back all the passion and emotion he’d been denying himself. She took a deep breath and allowed herself to believe. Really believe.
As if reading her mind, he said, ‘You deserve to be happy too, cara.’
She smiled tremulously and nodded. ‘I am—finally.’
Just then a mewling cry sounded from the pram and they both smiled.
Nico traced Chiara’s jaw and whispered, ‘Later, mio amore, I’ll show you just how much I love you...’
Chiara took Nico’s hand and led him to where the pram sat in the shade. She took Sofia out, and as she nursed their daughter Nico picked up her hand and placed the eternity ring on her finger. He pressed a kiss to her hand before interlacing their fingers and letting the peace that had eluded him his whole life infuse every bone in his body.
He’d never believed in love...but now it was all he could see.
EPILOGUE
CHIARA FELT ARMS slide around her midriff from behind and the intimate contact of her husband’s hard body against her back as he settled behind her and stretched his legs alongside hers, where she sat on the sand in the shade.
As it always did without fail, her pulse sped up and her body reacted to his proximity. She leant back against him, letting him take her weight. She sighed happily. ‘You’re home.’
‘I told you I’d make it back before dinner.’
She craned her head to look at him. ‘You’re not missing the buzz of Rome or New York too much?’
Nico had moved his main office from Rome to Syracuse, and he commuted in and out of there every day now—apart from the occasions when he had to go abroad, when he invariably took Chiara with him.
‘It’s the only thing that keeps me sane, having you near me,’ he’d told her.
‘No way,’ he said now.
Chiara felt his voice running through her body like a happy hum of contentment. She’d never have guessed he could smile so much, or laugh, but that was all he seemed to do these days.
‘Did you speak to your mother?’
She could feel him nod—yes. ‘She’s coming at the weekend.’
‘Good.’ Chiara was happy for Nico that he and his mother had developed a relationship at last. Patrizia adored visiting and spending time with them.
Nico’s lips feathered a kiss near her ear and he asked, ‘Well, is this close to what you imagined all those years ago?’
Chiara had told him of her fantasies about the kind of life she’d wanted at the castello. She looked around them and smiled. Sometimes her heart felt too full, as if it would burst. Now was one of those moments, on the small beach she’d always loved so much.