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Yanking off his steering wheel, he levered himself up out of the car. He was fleetingly aware of cameras closing in, but then something else caught his eye, making his head snap round as forcefully as if he‘d just taken a corner at one hundred and eighty miles an hour.
Kate.
It was Kate.
She was standing behind Silvio, both hands pressed to her mouth in a way that in that single, incredulous, sunlit moment made him think of when they‘d made love in her brass bed in Yorkshire and she‘d had to stop herself crying out.
What the hell are you doing?‘ Silvio yelled, his face almost purple with rage. The track was wide open in front of you. The car was going like a dream—‘
I know.‘
Cristiano pulled off his head support and his helmet, tossing them back into the cockpit of the car. His eyes never left Kate. He wanted to tear open his overalls and pull his beating heart from his chest, offering it to her on the palm of his hand.
You know? You know? Per Madre di Dio, Cristiano, the race could have been yours…‘
I know,‘ he said again, moving past Silvio and going towards her. But the thing is, I just realised I don‘t want it.‘
The huge desert sun brushed her hair with gold-dust and turned the tears that welled in her eyes into shimmering pools of molten gold.
Don‘t say that—please,‘ she croaked hoarsely, and for a moment his heart stopped as icy fear gripped him. Real fear.
Kate—‘
No. Let me finish.‘ She reached up and pressed her finger to his lips, hushing him. Her throat felt as if she‘d swallowed an entire desert of sand. I came here to tell you—‘
But the other cars, still grouped together, were coming around the circuit again, the ever-present scream of their engines rising to an ear-splitting shriek. She kept her eyes fixed on his, desperate to make herself heard above the noise.
To tell you that I‘m sorry,‘ she yelled, standing on her tiptoes to bring her mouth closer to his ear. I won‘t stand in the way of what you want to do. I love you so much, and I was so frightened of losing you, but you were right—a life lived in fear is no life at—‘
She didn‘t get any further because at that moment he captured the back of her head in one strong hand and brought his mouth down on hers, kissing her on and on as the cars streaked past on the track behind them, whipping her hair against his face. Her body arched against him, her bones melting as he held her in their own dark, sweet world. When the noise had died away again they pulled apart slowly, gazing at each other in stupefied wonder.
What did you say?‘ Cristiano rasped, holding her face between his hands as her tears streamed over his fingers.
I said I love you,‘ Kate sobbed. I want you—on any terms. Because I‘d rather have five minutes of being loved by you than five hundred years of being loved by anyone else. So if you want to get into the car and go back out there, that‘s OK with me.‘
Kate…‘
He kissed her again, with a tenderness that bordered on reverence this time.
Kate smiled tremulously.
But you‘d better do it soon, because even you might struggle to make up time from an extended kissing stop in the middle of a race.‘
He shook his head slowly. I‘m not going anywhere. I‘ve finally remembered what happened last time—in Monaco. But even before that I had realised anyway. I don‘t need this anymore. I don‘t need to risk my neck to feel alive, or win to prove that I‘m something. Not if I have you and Alexander.‘
She was dimly aware of cameras whirring at a distance, as the pit crew kept back the journalists who had gathered. Happiness was rising inside her like the sun, spilling warmth and shining light into the dark corners where fear had lurked for so long.
You do. You will. Always.‘
The sun dazzled her, making rainbows dance in the blur of tears as he stood in front of her. His face was pale, his narrow eyes black with fiercely restrained emotion. Does that mean that if I asked you to marry me again you might say yes this time?‘
Try,‘ she sobbed.
Gravely, he lowered himself down onto one knee, looking for all the world like some handsome crusader in a Pre-Raphaelite painting about to be knighted.
Cars screamed past on the track behind them, but the noise that used to set her teeth on edge was now nothing more than a background symphony to Cristiano‘s voice.
Kate Edwards,‘ he said, taking her hand, would you possibly be brave and foolish enough to risk joining your life to a dyslexic ex-racing driver who loves you more than he can ever say?‘ He looked up at her with a crooked, heartbreakingly sexy smile. Certainly on paper.‘
Tipping back her head, Kate laughed, tears still cascading down her cheeks as she pulled him to his feet again. You know me—I thrive on risk. Bring on the challenge—and the happy ending.‘
He caught hold of her waist and gathered her into his arms. Oh, no,‘ he said softly, his eyes gleaming as he bent his head to kiss her again. It‘s not the end.
This is only just the beginning…‘
