‘That week at the Villa Rosa was unlike anything I’d shared with anyone. I couldn’t explain the impulse to keep a memento, apart from the fact that you fascinated me. For a while I convinced myself it was a reminder not to be taken in by plausible lies, but it wasn’t true.’
Gio took her hand, threading their fingers, and she let him.
‘All through our separation I missed you, Stella. I tried not to but it was impossible. I couldn’t get you out of my mind until we sated our passion for each other. But since you came here I’ve learnt it’s more than that. Ifeelso much more, but it’s taken me a long time to realise what that means. I was scared to confront the truth. It’s not just sex I want from you, Stella. It’s love.’
He paused and his chest rose mightily. In her own chest, her heart raced as never before.
‘I love you with all my stubborn, flawed heart. I’ll do anything to make you happy. Just don’t ask me to let you go.’
She opened her mouth but was too overwhelmed to speak because there was no question the man before her was utterly genuine. He meant what he said.
No one other than a man besotted would treasure a worn paper flower.
‘I want us to be a family,’ he went on. ‘I’m nervous about being a good father, but no man will ever try harder than I will.’
Her heart ached for the doubt in his, the belief he was flawed because of his father.
‘You’ll make a wonderful father. I know you will.’
‘Stella?’
She blinked back, heat glazing her vision. ‘Our baby will be so lucky to have you. To have both of us.’
Gio lashed his arm around her, pulling her in. ‘You’ll have me?’ His voice was a mix of disbelief and triumph.
‘Of course. I’ve loved you so long. How could I refuse?’
His gaze was jubilant but his mouth was grim. ‘You love me?’ She nodded and his embrace tightened. ‘You loved me through all my doubts?’ She saw him take that in. ‘I’m sorry for hurting you, my darling. You deserved better.’
Stella put her hands on his chest, feeling the quickened thud of his heart. It raced like her own, but it was strong like him. She knew with absolute certainty she could trust Gio with her love, and her life. Suddenly the world was incandescently bright.
‘That’s in the past, Gio. We both made mistakes. My mum used to say that’s how we learn.’
‘In that case, I’m learning a lot about relationships, especially love.’ His smile dimmed a little. ‘I could make more mistakes. This is new to me.’
‘And to me.’
After a wondering moment, his smile returned, confident and irresistible, and her heart sang. ‘We’ll learn together, make our mistakes together and pick each other up when we need to.’
Those weren’t the words of someone who took love for granted or thought building a life together was easy. They came from a man who knew the future held challenges as well as celebrations. Who’d faced demons and moved on. A man determined to build happiness.
Stella was thrilled and humbled to love such a man and have him love her too. ‘That sounds perfect.’
‘It does, doesn’t it?’
He swept her into his arms, lifting her so she nestled against his hard chest.
‘What are you doing?’
He bent his head to feather kisses across her forehead, her nose and mouth. Their lips clung and familiar, fiery heat ignited.
His gaze, when he lifted his head and carried her indoors, turned her insides molten. ‘Practising. I want to be good at making you happy.’
‘You already do that.’ She sounded breathless.
‘And you make me happy. I can’t tell you how much.’
She wrapped her arms around his neck as he carried her to their bedroom. ‘You don’t have to tell me, I understand.’
