I Want You for Christmas: The Prince's Lost Princess - a Heartwarming Snow-Capped Holiday Romance (11 page)

SIXTEEN

Part of her hoped that Luca had bailed. Then she could hold on to her righteous anger and move on—whether on her own or with another man. Her wish was not to be granted, though. There, standing with his back to her, was Luca, staring out at the New York skyline. When he heard the door close behind her he turned around and shivered.

“Gabriella,” he breathed, and his breath came out in a white cloud. “I’m so sorry.”

Gaby was taken aback; he’d been waiting in the freezing cold for her for over an hour, in nothing but a suit jacket. Still, she crossed her arms; she wasn’t about to let her guard down so easily.

Luca took a small step forward, but kept a distance between them. “You don’t believe me, and you have every right not to. When I found you, I admit that my intentions weren’t the greatest. I wanted new blood I could pursue. I wanted a conquest, and I was out of royal options. It was the worst part of me, and I realize that now. When I met you, you were so warm, so perfect. You looked into me and saw me for who I really am—who I really want to be. You were so much more than I could have ever bargained for.”

“And your conquest was won. So what, now there’s really no one left and so all you have is me?”

Luca shook his head. “Not at all. Gabriella, I never would have made love to you if I didn’t truly care about you. When I invited you to Italy, I didn’t really think past meeting you and seeing where it could go, but now that I’ve met you, I can think of nothing else. You have seared yourself into my soul, and I love you more than I could possibly express in words. I know it’s crazy. I know it sounds ridiculous, but it’s the truth, and I needed you to hear me say it before you close the door on us.”

“You closed the door on us when you lied to me!” Gaby wiped at a hot tear as it sank down her cheek.

Luca reached a hand forward as though to wipe the tear away, but he dropped it, thinking better of it. “You’re right. I was foolish and immature and I don’t deserve you.”

Luca took a few steps closer to Gaby, and she trembled, though not entirely because of the cold. Gently, he reached his hand out to cradle her face, wiping another tear away with his thumb.

“But if you’d consider opening that door again, just this once, I promise I will give you no reason to ever close it again. Please,
mia amore
?”

Gaby stared up into Luca’s eyes, her anger melting even as they both shivered in the cold.

He loved her.

It seemed impossible, after such a short time, but the truth was, if she were honest with herself, she had grown to love him, too. She’d wrapped that love in anger to protect herself, but there was no denying it now. She wanted to be with Luca more than anything in the world. The power was in her hands.

“No more lies?” she asked.

Luca snaked his hands around her, clasping them at the base of her back, warming them both. His expression was serious. “No more lies. From now on, I will be as honest as a priest in confession.”

Gaby’s lip curled up ever so slightly. “Well there’s no need to be
that
honest,” she said, and Luca smiled.

“Oh Gabriella, how I’ve missed you!”

Unable to stop himself, Luca finally lowered his face to hers, taking Gaby’s lips with his own in a gentle, cherishing kiss. Gaby felt cold drops landing on her face, and realized that snow was beginning to fall. When Luca broke the kiss, they both looked up at the snowflakes.

“Gabriella?”

“Yes?”

“New York is
freezing!”

Gaby laughed, landing a playful slap on Luca’s arm. “Oh it’s not that bad, you big baby. I’m not even wearing a coat!”

“And you’re trembling worse than I am,” he said, holding her a little closer.

Gaby blushed. “That might not be entirely due to the cold,” she mumbled.

Luca’s grin was wolfish as he claimed her mouth in another, much more passionate kiss that left them both dizzy.

“So what do we do now?” Gaby asked.

Luca looked out at the city, which was slowly being covered in pure white snow. “Well, I showed you Florence. Why don’t you give me a little taste of your homeland? I’d love to see New York from your eyes.”

Gaby nestled against Luca’s chest, looking out at the city. The world was far less chilly in his arms. “I think that’s a wonderful idea. And we should probably get you a better coat,” she laughed, reluctantly breaking their embrace and grabbing his hand as she led the way towards the door.

When the two reached the bottom step, Rosalie was already waiting for them with wild curiosity in her eyes.

“Hi,” she said, her gaze darting from Gaby to Luca as she tried to discern how the conversation had gone. When she saw their hands interlinked, she smiled. “Well, that’s good news. I thought the day would never come when Gaby could admit she actually liked somebody. Welcome to Il Lupo, Your Highness. I’m Rosalie.”

Luca actually blushed. The color enhanced his already gorgeous features, and Gaby felt an urge to pull him into another room and make out again. Instead she just smiled back.

Luca held out his free hand for Rosalie to shake. “Luca is just fine. It’s nice to meet you, Rosalie.”

“You, too, Luca. Now, you kids better get out of here. Gina’s been on a rampage looking for you, Gaby. I’ve been able to keep her away from the stairs, but you’re running out of time.”

Gaby’s smile faded. If her mother caught them, she’d be lucky if she ever got to step foot outside the restaurant again.

Unfortunately, they were too late.

“Gabriella Gianna Galtieri, what do you think you are doing? When I raised you I did not teach you to shirk your duties and leave your family and your staff to pick up your end of the work. How could you possibly think—”

Gina was stopped short when she saw her daughter holding hands with a very wealthy, very Italian-looking gentleman.

Luca gave a small bow to Gaby’s mother, who stood with her mouth open. “Signora Galtieri, it is a pleasure to meet you. You must forgive me, for I took your daughter’s time to discuss—”

“Mama,” Gaby interrupted. “This is Prince Luca of Campania. He’s the one who showed me around Florence.”

Gina’s expression went through a series of emotions, all played out openly on her face. First there was shock, then surprise, then approval, then suspicion. She placed her hands on her wide hips, and Luca’s grip on Gaby’s hand tightened. Gaby nearly laughed. Her mother’s wrath could even scare a prince; somehow that wasn’t surprising whatsoever.

“Are you the man who put tears in my daughter’s eyes?”

Gaby stared at her mother in shock. She’d done her absolute best to hide her feelings when she’d returned, but obviously her mother had noticed the telltale blotchiness that comes after a night of crying into a pillow.

Luca lowered his head. “I’m afraid I am. But, with your permission, I would like to be the man who brings her smile back, and keeps it there.”

Gina’s gaze darted to their clasped hands again, then to her daughter’s face. “I still see tears,” she said, unconvinced.

“They’re tears of joy, Mama. I’ve never been happier than I have been with Luca. I love him.”

It was a blurted confession, and one she probably should have reserved for Luca when they were alone, but it had just slipped out.

She stared up at Luca with wide eyes, and his returning expression was warm. “I do. I love you, Luca,” she said, her tone soft.

He gave her hand another squeeze. “I love you, too.”

A few moments passed before Gina cleared her throat, bursting their euphoric bubble.

“Well, I’m glad to hear it. But love is still no excuse to ignore your duties, understood?” Gina said, though her words were lacking any real conviction. She actually looked like she was repressing a smile of her own, though she would never show it under the circumstances.

“Yes, Mama.”

“It won’t happen again, Signora,” Luca said, his eyes full of contrition.

“See that it doesn’t. Now, where are you staying, Mr. Campania?”

“At the Four Seasons, Signora.”

Gina lifted an eyebrow. “Very good. Well, my daughter has some cleaning up to do, but I imagine she’ll want to spend some time with you soon. Gaby, say your goodbyes and then come back in and help us, please.”

“Mama, Luca doesn’t have an adequate coat for New York. Can he borrow one of Papa’s?”

“Of course he can. The Galtieri family will never let anyone freeze, especially not an Italian prince!”

Gina bustled out of the room, retuning moments later with a threadbare but sturdy jacket for Luca. He slid into it without hesitation, though Gaby wondered if he’d ever worn anything that cost less than five hundred dollars.

Luca thanked Gina, who shooed them from the kitchen and out the front door. The snow was starting to pick up.

“Sorry about my mother,” Gaby began, but Luca held up a hand.

“There’s no need to apologize. I’ve never seen a mother who cares so much for her daughter’s welfare. It’s a wonderful thing to see.”

“She can be kind of…overbearing,” Gaby said, prepared to launch into more apologies as Luca placed gentle fingers against her lips.

“She loves you. That much is clear.”

They stared at one another as the thick flakes fell, gathering in clumps at the tips of Luca’s perfectly coiffed hair.

Gaby sighed. “I’ll miss you,” she said.

Luca glanced back into the restaurant. Seeing no one there, he wrapped her in his arms and held her tight. “I’ll miss you, too. I wish I could take you with me.”

“I’m sure that would go over great with my old-fashioned Italian parents,” Gaby said, and Luca laughed.

“I would be far too afraid to find out. Well, goodnight, my love. Let me know when I can see you again, and I will be here in an instant. I can’t wait to see what New York has to offer, with you by my side.”

With that, Luca pulled a pen from his breast pocket and wrote his cellphone number on the back of her hand.

“I will,” Gaby promised, already thinking of how she’d be able to get out of work to come see him.

“I’ll dream of you tonight.”

“I dream of you all the time,” Gaby said, tilting her face up and meeting Luca in another deep kiss.

She was breathless and aching for more when he finally pulled back. He waved to a black Rolls Royce, and the car’s headlights lit up as he made to leave.

“I love you, Gabriella.”

“I love you, too.”

He blew her one last kiss, and she could almost feel it press against her cheek as he shut his car door and the vehicle pulled out of sight. She was instantly filled with an emptiness as he left, and wished she had the courage to simply get in the car with him and drive away.

Sighing, she went back into Il Lupo, and was instantly met with her mother’s stern face.

“Does that boy want to see you again?”

“Tomorrow, if that’s possible…”

“Good. I think you should see him every day that he is here, Gabriella. In fact, I think you should be out of the house first thing tomorrow, and don’t come back until there’s a marriage proposal.”

“What?” Gaby said, stunned.

Finally, her mother allowed her grin to come through, and it was a beautiful sight. “Gabriella, I’ve waited a very long time for a man to capture your heart. Now that one has, I’m not wasting any time. You hear me?”