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He looked down at her, and for a split second she imagined he might kiss her. But then he stepped away, putting distance between them. She felt her heart thump uncomfortably.
‘I suppose I deserve that.’ She said quietly.
‘You travelled all this way just to tell me that?’
‘No. I came to tell you not to sell the castello to Umberto Lucchesi. I’ve realised that I made a mistake. That you were only selling it for me now. And I’d be the reason that such a beautiful place gets exploited by that man.’
‘You decided all that today—when the contract is as good as signed? Again, your timing is impeccable, Dara. What does your new boss have to say about all this?’
‘It doesn’t matter because I quit.’
Leo’s eyes narrowed, ‘Dara, please tell me that you retained your rights to the Palmer contract?’
‘I didn’t. The contract goes to Lucchesi. But the castello doesn’t have to.’ She took a deep breath, stepping closer to him. ‘What you said about finding your home here... That means so much more to me than some celebrity wedding. I want you to be happy. I want you to have this beautiful castle and a family of your own. You deserve happiness.’
‘It sounds suspiciously like you care about me...’
‘I do care about you. I love you for sacrificing your happiness for mine, but I just couldn’t live with myself if I’d let you do it.’
‘Dara...’ He stepped closer, reaching for her, but she held back, knowing that if he touched her she would just implode completely.
‘I have never felt happier than during the time I spent here with you,’ she whispered. ‘I’ll treasure the memory, but it’s best that we both draw a line under it and carry on with our separate lives. You see, someone like me—’
‘I’m going to stop you there.’
His mouth was soft on hers, his lips tasting her slowly and deliberately. She reached up and drew him closer, unable to control the raw emotion sweeping through her. This might be the last time she ever kissed him, so she needed to savour every moment.
She felt his shock as she deepened the kiss, controlling it with an urgency she had never felt before. She pressed close, so that their bodies were completely in contact. She could feel his heart beating frantically against her hand.
He was the one to break the kiss. He held her at arm’s length, a slow smile spreading across his face.
‘I forget what I was saying...’ she mumbled, pressing a hand to her swollen lips.
‘You were about to tell me that you’re no good for me because you can’t give me children and I deserve a complete woman. Or something else ridiculous along those lines, I imagine.’
‘Right. Well, now you’ve taken the power out of my argument by pre-empting me.’ She laughed weakly.
‘There was no power there to begin with, because that’s a load of lies and you know it.’
Dara began to argue but he stepped closer, wrapping his arm tighter around her waist.
‘Do I have to kiss you again?’ he warned. ‘I love you for who you are—not how many children you can bear for me. I want to build a life with you, Dara. For us to laugh together and travel together and come home together after a hard day’s work and argue over who does the dishes.’
‘You are far too pampered to ever wash your own dishes.’
‘That’s true.’ He laughed.
‘I’m sorry I almost ruined this. I’m so used to feeling like I’m not enough. The thought that you could ever be content with just me is terrifying. And even more terrifying is that when you call me perfect...I almost start to believe it myself.’
‘I will call you perfect every day until you believe it. Because that’s what you are.’
‘I love you.’ She whispered.
‘Dio, it took you long enough to realise it.’
He laughed into her neck, nuzzling the skin gently.
EPILOGUE
LEO WAITED IMPATIENTLY by the entrance of the castello. The final toasts had just been made in the marquee and the wedding guests were settling in for a night of dancing and celebrations. The June sun had been strong all day, leaving the night air balmy and the sea calm.
It had all gone off without a hitch—Dara had made sure of that. He spied her finally exiting the tent, still not a blonde hair out of place. Seeing her in action today, planning the pivotal wedding of her career, made the past eight months of stress worthwhile.
