His aggrieved tone made her laugh. ‘Two weeks ago for me too,’ she admitted. ‘As soon as you walked out the door.’
Valentino’s face broke into a slow, broad grin, the black of his eyes backlit by a fierce, wonderful glow. ‘Yeah?’ he murmured as his hand slid to her face, cupping it.
‘Uh huh.’ Peyton held his gaze as she cradled his hand with her own.
‘It was before that, though,’ he said, ‘themomentI fell in love with you.’
Bubbles fizzed in Peyton’s blood stream as she quirked an eyebrow. ‘Oh? When?’
‘That night at the wedding when you looked so confused as to why out of all the women at Alessandro’s wedding, I wanted you.’
‘Really?’ She frowned. ‘Why then?’ She’d been a nervous wreck that day between leaving McKenzie overnight and trying to keep her attraction to Valentino at bay.
‘Because you truly didn’t know how beautiful you were and that, my darling…’ He folded her hand in his and brought it to his mouth, kissing her knuckles. ‘…was utterly endearing.’
Heat flushed Peyton’s cheeks. ‘I think for me it was when you promised me there would be no sleeping.’ Valentino chuckled and Peyton grinned. ‘That was a great line. You’ll have to teach it to our son when he’s older.’
‘Our son.’ He drew in a breath as he kissed the back of her hand again. ‘I like the sound of that.’
‘Me too.’
‘So, does this mean you’re going to stop fighting me? That you’ll marry me?’
Peyton nodded vigorously as she snuggled his hand to her cheek, practically floating off the bed now. ‘And the four of us will honeymoon in Italy together.’
He chuckled. ‘Yes.’
Fishing around his jeans pocket with his spare hand, Valentino pulled out the velvet case he’d produced all those months ago when he’d first asked her to be his wife. Peyton’s eyes widened. ‘Do you carry that with you everywhere?’
‘Pretty much,’ he murmured as he opened the lid and presented it to her. ‘Will you wear it?’
Slipping her hand out of his, she freed the glittery diamond ring from its satiny cushion. ‘Just try and stop me,’ she said as she slipped it on her finger. Moisture gathered in her eyes as she admired it, loving it but loving what it stood for even more.
She loved him and he loved her.
‘It’s perfect.’
Peyton turned it around to show him, and he rose slightly to press a gentle kiss against her mouth. ‘Perfect,’ he agreed. ‘Just like you.’
‘Just like us,’ Peyton whispered. ‘Just like him.’
And she dragged their joined hands to her belly, where their son rested safely, and kissed him back.
EPILOGUE
Peyton smiled as Valentino peeled back the wad of wrapping in the crook of his wife’s elbow to reveal his one-hour-old son Ferdinando Lombardi.
She was exhausted from a fifteen-hour labour but somehow still too elated to sleep. Erica had taken her off the nifedipine ten days ago and their son, after wanting out at such an early stage, had finally decided to make an appearance, weighing a very healthy three and a half kilos.
‘Can we come in?’
Peyton looked up to see her parents and McKenzie waiting impatiently in the doorway.
‘McKenzie!’ Valentino held out his arms.
She rushed into the room, her grandparents following at a slightly more sedate pace.Slightly.
Valentino swept McKenzie into his arms and plonked her on the side of the bed. ‘Are you ready to meet your little brother?’ he asked, signing simultaneously.
