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'Because your way of showing love is providing for your family,' she said softly, suddenly understanding him more than ever before. 'But I needed to hear it, Rico. I need to hear it.'
He pulled a face. 'I schooled myself for so long not to say it that it became a habit. I think I believed that if I said those words I'd suddenly be vulnerable. But not saying them didn't change the way I felt. I loved you. Right from the moment you challenged me in my foyer. I assumed you knew that.'
She stared at him. her heart thudding. 'I didn't know that—'
'Then why did you agree to marry me? If you didn't think I loved you?'
Knowing that she was making herself vulnerable, she hesitated briefly. 'Because I loved you enough for both of us.'
Rico sighed. 'I pursued you as I have never pursued a woman in my life,' he said dryly, 'and I married you. Never have I offered another woman marriage. If that didn't tell you how I felt, then—'
'I wanted you to say it.'
He tensed. 'I have never been demonstrative, verbally at least.'
She couldn't hide a smile. 'Then get on that learning curve,' she suggested, a note of invitation in her voice, 'because if this relationship is truly going to work then you need to learn to say how you feel.'
'Desperate? Frantic that I might lose you? Willing to do anything to win you back?' He caught the look in her eyes and smiled. 'I love you,' he said huskily. ' amo, cara mia.'
Stasia closed her eyes and experienced perfect happiness for the first time in her life. 'Say it again.'
He hauled her against him, locking her against his powerful body. 'English or Italian?'
'Italian,' she whispered huskily, her green eyes drifting open and clashing with dark. 'You know how I feel about Italian.'
'I also know what usually happens when I speak to you in Italian,' he teased gently, easing her towards the car. 'And, bearing that in mind, I think we'd better leave before we risk being arrested. That sort of publicity I can definitely do without.'
Stasia followed without question, her body already throbbing with desire for this man. 'Where are we going?'
'The nearest place where we can be assured of privacy.' He reversed the car and hit the accelerator. 'Which is probably your cottage.'
She slid a hand on to his hard thigh and felt his muscles tense under her fingers. 'I thought you hated my cottage.'
'I will be lying flat,' he said silkily, his glance loaded with sexual promise, 'so the height of the ceilings will cease to be a problem, at least in the short term.'
Her heart missed a beat. 'I love you, Rico.'
His hand covered hers. 'And I love you too, cara mia. For always.'
