Read I Want You for Christmas: The Prince's Lost Princess - a Heartwarming Snow-Capped Holiday Romance Online

Authors: Lara Hunter,Holly Rayner

Tags: #Literature & Fiction, #Genre Fiction, #Holidays, #Romance, #Romantic Suspense, #Mystery & Suspense, #Suspense

I Want You for Christmas: The Prince's Lost Princess - a Heartwarming Snow-Capped Holiday Romance (9 page)

BOOK: I Want You for Christmas: The Prince's Lost Princess - a Heartwarming Snow-Capped Holiday Romance
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The sky was illumined with constellations she’d never glimpsed before. New York had enough light pollution to block out the entire solar system. Here, it was as though she were standing at the edge of the universe.

 

Gaby shivered. She’d forgotten to bring out a jacket, and with the breeze flowing in through the window, it was properly cold. She felt Luca slide his arms around her from behind, and she nestled into his chest as he held her while they gazed out at the stars. He was so warm and solid, she never wanted to let go.

 

“Thank you,” she said.

 

Luca rested his chin against her shoulder, nuzzling her cheek. Gaby’s stomach erupted in butterflies.

 

“For what?” he asked. His breath smelled like wine and tiramisu, and Gaby had a strong desire to taste it.

 

“For this. All of this. The adventure, the food, the company. Just, thank you,” she said, turning in the circle of his arms.

 

Luca lifted his head, but not by much. When she turned up to look at him he could no longer resist the temptation, and he captured her mouth in a delectable kiss. Gaby deepened the exchange, wrapping her arms around his shoulders and pulling him in closer, their bodies pressing together.

 

The Prince stooped and swept her up into his arms, and Gaby laughed at the heady sensation. He carried her back into their tower and closed the door behind them, laying her gently on the soft, enormous bed. They made love by the firelight, snuggling together for warmth as the embers died out, until Gaby fell asleep with a smile on her face.

 

 

 

FOURTEEN

 

Gaby woke up slowly.

 

She was wrapped in a cocoon of warmth, and she could tell the room beyond was freezing. When she shifted, she felt a body next to hers. She opened her eyelids to find Luca still asleep, his black eyelashes resting delicately against his cheek. She reached over and gently stroked the black stubble growing along his chiseled jaw.

 

Good lord, he was handsome.

 

At her touch, Luca stirred and opened one hazel eye. When he saw Gaby watching him, he smiled. “Good morning, beautiful,” he said, tightening his arms around her and holding her close.

 

Gaby smiled into his muscular chest. His skin was so soft and warm. She really was in heaven.

 

“Good morning,” she said, holding him close. “It’s freezing in here.”

 

Luca chuckled. “No one said castle living was easy.”

 

“I thought this place had been updated.”

 

“And so it has. But maybe I wanted you to have the full experience,” he said, and his grin was wicked.

 

Gaby realized then what he had done and playfully slapped his chest. “You turned the heat off so I’d be forced to cuddle with you for warmth! Admit it!”

 

Luca laughed and rolled over, taking Gaby with him. She squealed as she landed on his other side.

 

“I might have. Are you angry with me?”

 

Gaby stared into his eyes, which were full of joy and warmth. She liked seeing Luca so happy. She’d had a feeling it was something he hadn’t felt in quite some time.

 

“I am not. But you can bet I’m not getting out of here until you start a fire or turn the darn heat up, mister!”

 

Luca gave her a squeeze. “Then I guess we’ll be stuck in this tower forever.”

 

“I can think of worse things,” Gaby said quietly, enjoying the warmth of his body against hers as they snuggled away the morning.

 

Finally, when his stomach started growling in earnest, Luca jumped from the bed and threw on a robe before starting another fire and ordering them some breakfast. When the room service arrived they sat in their white cloth robes and enjoyed fresh fruit and pastries together, sipping on hot coffee that steamed in the cool room.

 

“I still cannot believe that you kept the heat off,” Gaby laughed. She’d started trembling when she stepped out of bed and Luca had held her until she’d warmed up again.

 

Luca grinned. “Oops,” he said, his expression completely unrepentant.

 

Gaby threw a croissant at him, and he ducked out of its path, laughing.

 

When breakfast was finished, the two prepared to return home. Gaby took a hot shower, surprised when Luca joined her, thrilled when they made love one more time before getting dressed.

 

Gaby was heading toward the door when Luca grabbed her hand and pulled her back to him for another kiss.

 

“Just one for the road,” he said, and Gaby beamed.

 

The Ferrari was waiting for them out front when they exited.

 

“Did you call for valet service?” Gaby asked, unable to recall him doing so.

 

Luca grinned. “It’s a Ferrari, Gabriella—I think the owners wanted to put it on display.”

 

“Ah,” Gaby said, smiling up at Luca as he opened her door once again. She couldn’t remember a time she’d had a door opened for her so much.

 

They drove back to Luca’s villa in comfortable silence, reflecting on their evening together and trying desperately not to think about the oh-so-near future.

 

Luca pulled into the garage and parked the car. Gaby opened her own door and exited, meeting him in the driveway before he closed the garage door.

 

The door to the mansion opened from the inside and Luca’s valet greeted them both as they bustled in to get out of the chilly air.

 

“Your Highness, Signorina Galtieri, welcome back,” he said, his expression pleasant. “You’ll be happy to hear that the faulty engine part has been replaced; the jet is ready and the young lady can depart whenever she pleases.”

 

At the sight of their fallen faces, Rinaldo shot a curious glance at Luca before bowing out and walking out through another corridor. The silence he left was heavy.

 

“Well,” Gaby said, not sure how she would finish that sentence.

 

“Hey, have you ever wanted to go to a movie premiere?” Luca asked, taking her hands in his.

 

“What?” Gaby asked, wondering what this had to do with her leaving.

 

“There’s a premiere of a new film tonight at a theater outside of Florence. It’s very much like they do in America—everyone gets dressed up and walks the red carpet. I’m going to be there, and I’d very much love it if you could join me.”

 

Gaby stared into his eyes, searching. Did this mean he didn’t want her to go?

 

As she stared at him, she was torn between enjoying one more night with Luca and her duty to her family. Her two days were already up, yet somehow she’d found one huge reason to stay. What could one more night hurt, anyway?

 

“I’d love to,” she said, and Luca kissed her right there, in his front entryway where anyone could have seen.

 

“Wonderful!” he said as they finally pulled apart. “I’ll make a call to get you a designer team as soon as possible. I’ll have them come here!”

 

Gaby laughed. “Where are you going?” she asked, as he began to move away.

 

“I’ve got to get ready, too! I can’t show up looking like this,” he said, gesturing down at his rumpled shirt and jeans.

 

Gaby found that she quite liked him just as he was, but she waved him off anyway. She found her room and stepped inside, happy to feel warm again. There was a hot tea pot steaming on her little table, and she poured herself a cup and headed out onto her terrace. She never wanted to forget what Florence smelled like, and she was determined to breathe it in for as long as she could.

 

***

A knock at the door interrupted Gaby’s thoughts not thirty minutes later, and a line of well-dressed people burst into her room. Gaby stood and faced them, surprised.

 

“Who are…?” she began, but never had a chance to finish.

 

A slim woman wearing bold red lipstick approached and started speaking to her in rapid-fire Italian. Gaby stared at her, dumbstruck, as she circled her, picking at her hair and pulling out a measuring tape to measure her waist.

 

When the woman reached her bust, Gaby put a hand on the woman’s arm and stopped her. Mascara-caked eyes glared up at her.

 

“What are you doing?” Gaby asked, in English.

 

The woman sighed dramatically, but she answered back in English. “We are getting you ready for tonight’s opening, and we only have hours to prepare. This is very late notice; it’s very inconsiderate of the Prince to do this to us!”

 

Still unsure who exactly the people were, Gaby lifted her arms in surrender as the woman continued her measurements.

 

“Did you say hours?”

 

The woman huffed. “Of course! Do you think glamour and beauty are just things that happen naturally? No! They are manmade—or woman-made, if we’re honest,” she said, and two of her assistants chuckled as she barked out more Italian to them.

 

The rest of the day passed in a whirlwind. Gaby was bathed and waxed and dusted with a fine coating of shimmering powder that made her skin shine in a way it never had before. Sometime in the afternoon lunch was sent up, but the woman in charge of the operation wouldn’t hear of Gaby taking a bite.

 

“The last thing we need is for you to bloat out of the gown we have coming for you. Do not touch that plate!” she said, pushing Gaby away and back toward a makeup artist.

 

Gaby was then sat in a chair for another hour or so, getting her hair elaborately twisted and curled, while her face was painted. Without a mirror in front of her, she had no idea what it looked like. The dress arrived shortly after that, and after an eternity, Gaby was stripped down and made to step into the gown while the assistants draped it around her.

 

“Turn please,” the lipsticked woman said, and Gaby obliged.

 

The woman’s face remained unchanged as Gaby swirled in her beautiful dress. Even though she couldn’t see what she looked like, she already felt beautiful. The gown was shimmering gold, and as Gaby trailed her fingers over it she realized the dress itself was woven with actual gold in the fabric. It was strapless, with a corset top and a slightly poufy bottom—a true princess dress.

 

“I suppose it will do. Our task is complete.”

 

The woman helped her staff pack up their things before they left the room. The girls waved to Gaby, but otherwise they said nothing as they departed as quickly as they had arrived. The sun was already starting to set, and Gaby was starving. She hadn’t eaten a thing since breakfast.

 

“I’ll bloat if I want to,” she said, making a beeline straight for the food that had been sitting untouched the whole afternoon. She slathered a cracker with a generous slice of cheese before taking a big bite, being careful not to let the food touch her lips, lest she ruin her lipstick.

 

When she’d eaten her fill, she exhaled and turned toward a full length mirror.

 

Gaby gasped.

 

She didn’t even recognize herself. She looked like a real Italian princess, her dark hair twisted into a unique and gentle design. Her dress shimmered in the light and her perfect makeup made her face look like a doll’s. She stared at her own reflection until there came another, much gentler knock at the door. When she went to open it, she was met by a young housemaid.

 

“His Highness is ready for you, signorina,” the maid said, her accent strong.

 

Gaby thanked the girl and followed her down the hallway, reminding herself to breathe. When she entered the main hall and saw Luca, she lost her breath anyway.

 

Luca had cleaned up beyond well. He was clean-shaven, his hair styled in a roguish way that was handsome as ever. He was wearing a three-piece tuxedo, and he looked absolutely stunning. In her perusal of him, Gaby failed to notice him staring at her with his mouth gaping open, and he closed it and blinked a few times before he cleared his throat.

 

“You look…spectacular,” he said.

 

Gaby grinned. “You clean up pretty nice, too,” she said, joining him at the door.

 

“Shall we?” he asked, holding out his arm for her to grasp, which she did, relishing in the feel of being able to touch him again.

 

Rinaldo opened the door for them and bid them good evening as Luca led Gaby to the limo, which had been pulled out into the driveway for this occasion.

 

“Champagne?” Luca asked, opening a bottle and filling two crystal flutes.

 

Gaby nodded eagerly. “Why not?” she said, taking a flute and tilting a delicate sip past her lips. It was delicious, but with so little food in her stomach, she didn’t want to drink too much.

 

“Did you have a nice afternoon?” Luca asked, and Gaby laughed, telling him about her experience with the stylists.

 

He chuckled. “Lady Varalda is not known for her manners, but she does amazing work,” he said, his gaze appreciative as he glanced over her once again.

 

Gaby blushed, despite herself. “I’ll take that as a compliment.”

 

“I would kiss you silly if it wouldn’t ruin your
makeup,” Luca said, and Gaby smirked.

 

“I don’t care about that. I’d rather have the kiss.”

 

Luca scooted closer to her, gently leaning down and delicately kissing her lips, avoiding smudging the deep red lipstick. In that moment, Gaby wanted to tell the driver to turn the car around so they could go back home and spend the night alone together, but she held herself in check. She was about to experience something most people only dreamed about, and she wanted to remember it forever.

 

The limo reached a line of cars and other limousines that led to the theater, and the two of them waited in anticipation of their exit to the red carpet. As the line moved slowly, their turn finally came.

 

“Are you ready?” Luca asked.

 

He seemed to ask her that question a lot. Gaby was born ready, especially with the Prince by her side.

 

“Let’s do it,” she said, and the door was pulled open for them. Gaby emerged first, followed by Luca, who took her arm. Before them a red carpet extended to the front of an old theater with a façade that was elaborately carved from stone. On either side of the carpet stood rows upon rows of reporters and paparazzi, and as Gaby took Luca’s arm she was instantly blinded by the tidal wave of flashes. Placing a hand before her eyes, she winced.

 

“Don’t look directly at the cameras,” Luca said. “Let’s just keep walking.”

 

As they walked, their presence quickly got the attention of the people on either side, who began calling out questions to Luca in Italian. One woman called out in English.

 

“Prince Luca, is it true you abandoned Lady Barbarini at her debutante ball just last week? Were you not interested in dating her because she isn’t a royal?”

 

Gaby gasped at the question. Luca ignored the reporters, smiling distantly as he walked steadily forward.

 

“Who is this woman you have with you? Is she a royal? Is that why you brought her here tonight? Is she foreign?”

 

The questions kept coming, each more insulting than the last.

 

“Didn’t you always say you only dated blonde princesses? What changed? Who is this with you?”

 

Gaby tried not to cry as they finally reached the end of the red carpet. What she had imagined would be a magical experience had been nothing more than an invasive evaluation by a bunch of strangers with cameras.

 

When they got inside, Luca breathed a sigh of relief. “It’s always nice to get that part over with,” he said, not quite looking at Gaby.

 

She was livid.

 

“Why didn’t you tell me what it would be like?” she demanded, and Luca looked at her then, his expression surprised. “Why were they asking all those horrible questions?”

 

Gaby could just wring his royal neck.

 

“You’re a New Yorker, Gabriella. You’re telling me you aren’t used to people jostling you around, being rude? Isn’t that what being in that city is like all the time?”

 

Gaby found a side door and opened it. It led to a small projection room that was, for the moment, empty. She pulled Luca inside it, and turned to face him with wild eyes.

 

“Yes, New Yorkers can be rude, but that’s not what I’m upset about. You have a reputation as a womanizer, Luca. That was clear enough to see, but now I’m hearing that you only ever date royals? Is that really why I’m here? So you could have another royal conquest?”

 

Gaby stared at Luca, searching for his lie. His shoulders slumped as he faced her.

 

“All right, it may have started out that way, but…”

 

“But nothing. I’m leaving,” Gaby said, turning to make a quick escape.

 

Luca grabbed her hand, and his expression was fiery as she looked back at him. “Gabriella, please. It may have started out that way, but when I got to know you, who you are on the inside—”

 

“Stop,” Gaby said, fighting the tears that threatened to stream down her face.

 

A face that had taken hours to mold and shape to perfection—all of it was a ruse, wasn’t it? That thought led to another, and Gaby threw another glare at Luca.

 

“Was the plane really broken down?”

 

“What?” Luca asked, still holding onto Gaby’s wrist.

 

“Your private plane, the one I had to wait for before I could head home. Was it really broken, or did you just make that up to keep me here so you could seduce me?”

 

Luca was silent. It was all the answer she needed.

 

“You’re a monster,” she hissed, ripping her wrist from his hand and slamming the door in his face.

 

She strode past a lot of very beautiful, probably famous people until she reached a back door and flew through it. Lines of limos were parked in the lot at the back, but she was able to track down the one they had arrived in and ask the driver to take her back to the Prince’s estate. Since he was unable to speak English, she didn’t have to explain herself beyond that.

 

The ride home was one of the longest in her life. Back at the villa, Gaby made quick work of tossing her dress on the floor and changing into a pair of jeans and a regular old shirt before she had the limo take her straight to the airport. There, sitting in perfect condition, was the private jet.

 

Gaby hesitated. She should have just gone to a commercial airport. She should have bought herself a ticket home. But at the same time, a commercial flight wouldn’t get her out of the country fast enough, and Gaby needed to go home, now.

 

A pilot was called to fly her out, one she hadn’t met before, and she found herself missing the pilot she had flown in with. What was his name again? Gaby felt sad that she couldn’t remember.

 

As she sat in her lush airplane seat, she uncurled her hair until she could toss it into a serviceable bun, and called her parents. It would be a little while yet before the dinner rush, so she wouldn’t be too much of a burden.

 

“Hello, Il Lupo, this is Rosalie,” the voice on the other end of the line came on.

 

Gaby choked back a sob. “Rosalie!”

 

“Gaby? What’s happened? What’s wrong?”

 

“Nothing’s wrong—I’m fine. I’m just…I’m coming home. I’m on the plane now. I’ll see you guys in the morning.”

 

“Gaby, for real, what’s happened?”

 

“I’ll tell you when I get back,” she said, not wanting to get into it.

 

Rosalie reluctantly ended the call, and Gaby turned her phone off for the flight. She realized, then, that she had never given Luca her phone number, so he couldn’t even call her if he wanted to. Never mind, it would save her the effort of rejecting his calls, she thought bitterly.

BOOK: I Want You for Christmas: The Prince's Lost Princess - a Heartwarming Snow-Capped Holiday Romance
8.28Mb size Format: txt, pdf, ePub
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