She gasped as he pushed closer still.
He looked into her eyes, his own revealing exquisite torment as he paused. ‘We’ll get there together, darling. You can count on it.’
He reached down between them to touch her. Merciless. Relentless. Utterly loving. Determination hardened his face as she trembled, shaking in his arms. There was more than an orgasm coming. There was bliss of the for-ever kind.
‘Yes,’ she sobbed. ‘Yes, yes, yes.’
EPILOGUE
Two years later
‘YOU’RE NOT A good accompanist for my beginner classes,’ Bella admonished her laughing husband once the last of her students had left the studio.
‘I thought I did pretty well.’ Crown Prince Antonio spread his hands in an innocent gesture as he left the piano and sauntered over to where she stood in the middle of the wooden floor.
Bella tried not to be swayed by his gorgeous casual jeans and tee combo but she just loved seeing him this relaxed. ‘Breaking into Happy Birthday in the middle of the warm-up was not helpful.’
‘But it is your birthday and they loved singing it to you.’
It was his smile that was her undoing—that wickedly tempting glint that flashed from behind that formal reserve and hit her like sensual lightning.
‘I’ve cancelled the rest of your classes for today.’ He walked past to lock the studio door and turned back to face her with an arrogant wink.
‘You haven’t,’ she breathed, outraged and delighted at the same time.
Two years in and he was still stealing moments for them alone.
‘I have,’ he confirmed with zero apology. ‘Not only is it your birthday, it’s our first wedding anniversary and I’m in charge of all celebrations. Especially the private ones.’
‘You do love to be in charge, don’t you?’ she murmured as he came close enough to kiss.
‘I’ve had a lifetime of experience.’ He nodded as he brushed his lips over hers. ‘Don’t hold it against me.’
Laughing, she curled her arms around his neck and snuggled close. She’d never have thought she could feel so happy and so secure.
Salvatore Accardi had sold his property on San Felipe, loudly declaring he preferred Sardinia. Which was more than fine as far as Bella was concerned because Antonio had been muttering about banishing him from San Felipe for ever on some pretext and that would have only caused scandal and pain, neither of which she was interested in.
Antonio’s brother Eduardo had welcomed her with rakish charm and she’d bonded with his wife Stella over her beautiful baby daughter Sapphire.
But the best thing of all was the man in front of her. That her Prince had become so playful still amused her. When the crowds weren’t around he was filled with warmth and laughter, but it had spilled over into his public persona as well. The press headlines gushed over the transformation in the Prince—he smiled, he laughed, he was so obviously happy, they seemed to think she was Wonder Woman... So to her absolute amazement, the people of San Felipe had welcomed her completely. Speculation about Princess Bella’s possible pregnancy was rife. But that was the one thing she wanted to share with him alone.
She looked up into his beautiful eyes, unable to keep her secret a second longer. ‘I have an anniversary present for you.’ Even though she was so excited, she was suddenly shy and couldn’t get her voice above little more than a whisper.
But he could lip-read and, besides, he knew already, didn’t he?
Her eyes filled as he dropped to his knees before her.
‘Tell me it’s true,’ he muttered roughly, wrapping his arms around her legs so tightly she almost toppled.
‘I thought we didn’t read the papers.’ She couldn’t resist a final tease as she ruffled his hair gently.
‘I haven’t read the papers. I’ve read here.’ He placed his hand on the very gentle swell of her stomach. ‘And here.’ He cupped her breast. ‘And here.’ He cupped the side of her face, wiping the tear from under her eye with the gentlest finger and then tracing the full curve of her lips. ‘So tell me it’s true.’
She smiled a watery smile. He groaned, a raw sound of heartfelt longing and wonder. She bent to kiss him quiet, pouring her heart and happiness into it, into him. She could never give him enough—not when he’d given her so much.