Oceans Between Us (A Cinderella Romance) (20 page)

As darkness fell, Rob put on some recorded music. Maria sat with Giuliana, laughing while Dino tried to teach his eight-year-old niece to salsa. After they'd had still more to eat and drink, and Maria was feeling warm and tipsy, Dino pulled her up to dance with him. She'd expected to salsa, but even though the music had a lively beat, Dino drew her into his embrace and held her close, whispering to her in Italian as they moved together.

Much later when most people had left, Dino and Maria helped Rob and Carlotta tidy up. Then they wandered back to the harbor hand in hand. Dino ambled, letting his brother and sister-in-law go on ahead. "Did you enjoy the day, Maria?"

"It was lovely. Your family is very friendly. I just wish I could understand them." She laughed.

"I will teach you to speak Italian. It is not so difficult."

"Not for you!"

"I learned English."

"I know. Your English is fantastic. But you get to practice it often. I won't get much chance to practice Italian in England."

"Hmm." Dino looked thoughtful as he led them past his childhood home to the edge of the harbor wall. He stared out over the gently rolling sea and sighed. "I have to complete the rest of my concert tour. Then I should have time to spend a week with you before I travel to Hollywood to start filming."

"I know," she breathed, her voice little more than a whisper. Maria did not want to be parted from him for so long, but the only alternative was to go with him as his family expected. She knew he would look after her better than Tom had, but if he was working he couldn't be with her all the time, and anyway, he hadn't asked her to go.

This week in Italy was another oasis in the desert for them—a time when normal life stopped and they could be together for a short while. Soon Dino would be off to finish his concert tour, traveling all over Europe with Rachel Tanner. That was his real life, not the time Maria spent with him.

"Is Rachel going with you to Hollywood?"

"No, we will not be singing together as much now I have fired Freddy." Dino lifted Maria's hand and kissed her palm. He looked at her from beneath his thick, dark lashes and her heart fluttered. He was so handsome. When he could have his pick of women, she couldn't understand why he was interested in someone ordinary like her.

"I have something for you, my beautiful Maria." He pulled a small jewelry box from his pocket.

"Dino, thank you." Maria took the leather box, eager to open it but also uncertain. She took her time, grabbing a few deep breaths to gain control of her racing pulse.

"You are too slow. I am impatient to see your reaction." He laughed, low and sexy.

Maria eased the lid up and tipped the box so she could see the contents under a street light. The gift wasn't a ring as she had suspected but a bracelet. Her emotions leaped and fell, then leaped again, unable to decide if she was relieved or disappointed. Not that she had any right to expect a ring when they had known each other for such a short time. But stupidly, his relatives' talk of weddings had raised her expectations.

She took out the gold bracelet and spread it on her palm. Dino relieved her of the box so she could use both hands. It was a charm bracelet already full of gold charms. She examined them one by one.

"That is the Calgary coat of arms, this one is a trillium flower from Toronto, this you must recognize." He touched a tiny gold maple leaf. "In every city I visited on my North American tour, I bought a charm of the city's mascot or coat of arms. You could not be with me, but I wanted you to share my journey."

For a moment, Maria couldn't speak, her chest tight with emotion. Far from forgetting her, Dino had thought about her in every place he'd performed. "It's wonderful, Dino. Thank you." She rose up on tiptoes to kiss his cheek.

His arms enfolded her, capturing her against him. "I have waited so long to give you this,
amore,
and there were times I feared I would never get the chance." He stroked her hair, kissed her temple, her cheekbone, the corner of her mouth. He brushed his lips across hers, and her eyelids fell at the blissful rush of sensation.

Maria clutched the bracelet to her heart and looped an arm around his neck, kissing him back, desperate to show him how she felt. With every fiber of her being, she wished Dino would come and live in England so they could be together all the time.

Chapter Thirteen

Dino went to Rob's house and stood at the foot of the stairs, listening for Maria. The silence suggested she was still asleep. All his family had left for La Spezia, but he had decided to stay home so he and Maria had some time alone together.

He trod quietly upstairs. Her door stood ajar and he could see the bed. She lay on her side, her hair fanned across the pillow in a shiny arc. How he longed to run his fingers through that hair, to cradle her in his arms, to kiss her, to show her how much he loved her. He should not have walked out on her without a word the first time they made love. He had been foolish, thoughtless.

He knocked softly. "Maria,
tesoro
, wake up. It is nearly ten o'clock."

She opened her eyes and yawned.

He pushed the door wider and smiled. "Downstairs I have coffee and pastries warm from Mamma's oven."

"Mmm, I can smell them." She stretched out a hand to him. He slipped inside and shut the door. She shuffled back so he could sit on the edge of her bed. He gave in to his need to touch her hair, stroking it back from her face, sliding his fingers through the silky strands.

"I can't believe the time," she said. "Why did I sleep so late?"

"All the
sciacchetrà
you drank yesterday?"

She giggled. "That might have something to do with it."

She lay warm and beautifully sleepy beside him. Dino had longed for an opportunity to get her alone. She filled his dreams, starred in his fantasies. His need for her had crept up on him and taken him over. And she probably had no idea what effect she had on him.

He stroked a finger along her cheekbone, brushed the corner of her mouth. She stilled, her eyes on him, her pupils large and dark in the blue-gray of her irises.

"My family has gone to La Spezia. We are alone,
amore
."

His words hung in the air between them. Her hand settled on his thigh, stroked up to where his shirt was tucked in his jeans. She tugged out the fabric and sensation shot through him as her fingers touched the skin of his belly.

Dino pulled his shirt off over his head and leaned down, capturing her mouth, inhaling her sweet floral fragrance. His hand pushed down beneath the covers and cupped her breast through her silky pink camisole. He groaned. It felt like a lifetime since he'd last touched her this way.

"Get in bed," she whispered, kissing his face.

He stood, toed off his boots and shucked his jeans. He slid beneath the covers into the blissful softness of her welcoming embrace. This was his idea of heaven, spending time with Maria in bed every morning. He would take her to America with him when he started filming. He would not be without her again.

***

With a little sigh of bliss, Maria lost herself in the sensation of Dino's lips and hands, drawing tingling lines of pleasure across her skin. He had been so restrained with his family watching them, she'd wondered if they would have any intimate time alone.

"Much as I like this, I want it off," he said, pulling her silky top over her head. His hands smoothed over her breasts and he dipped to kiss her skin, nipping, making her giggle. He grinned. They tussled and laughed, sharing teasing touches and kisses until they were both hot and bothered. Then Dino snagged his jeans from the floor and dug a condom packet from his pocket.

"You planned this."

He dropped a kiss on her belly. "I worked hard to persuade everyone to go out today."

She let her fingers play over his thigh as he tore open the foil and protected himself. Then she pulled him down, welcomed the weight of his body over hers. All those years with Tom and it had never felt like this. Joining with Dino was almost a spiritual experience.

They cuddled for a long time afterwards, talking, remembering things they had done together in Cornwall. Maria admitted she had been at the O2 Arena in London and seen Dino sing "Maria
.
"
He actually blushed, his olive skin turning a flattering shade of copper.

They showered together, fooling around like teenagers splashing water and laughing, until the playful touches grew passionate as they smoothed their soapy hands over each other. Then they discovered they had half flooded Rob's bathroom and spent ages mopping it up. "How are we going to explain all the wet towels to your brother?" Maria asked.

"I will tell him the truth."

"Don't you dare!"

"He will guess,
cara
. My brothers and sisters are not stupid, they know why we wanted to stay here alone."

Maria pulled a face. "As long as your mother doesn't find out."

"Mamma thinks you are a good girl."

"I am!"

He slipped his arms around her from behind, pulling her back against his naked body. "I know," he whispered against her ear.

Eventually, they managed to dress, although Maria kept tickling Dino as he tried to pull on his jeans. It was difficult to keep her hands off him. She wanted to be touching him all the time.

After a late breakfast, Dino showed her around Riomaggiore. It might be a seaside fishing village like Porthale, but there the similarity ended. The village was crammed into a narrow valley, the tall houses perched almost one atop the other up the steep hills on either side. Because of the geography, there was only one main street and few vehicles. Most of the houses could only be reached by foot, following narrow walkways that twisted and turned. She had never climbed so many steps. Although she thought she was fit, her legs ached. She hung on Dino's arm and let him pull her up the hills.

Every corner revealed a new delight. Potted plants adorned nooks and ledges, adding welcome splashes of color. She took off her coat and carried it, the sleeves of her blouse pushed up to the elbows. By midday, the temperature was as warm as a British summer's day.

The place was a wonderland of curiosities. Tiny windows and crooked stairs, old metal gates up narrow side alleys, overgrown and mysterious. She snapped photos on her camera to show her family. They reached a viewpoint outside a church, and she stared over the higgledy-piggledy roofs at the sparkling water in the bay below.

Dino stood behind her, enclosing her in his arms. "Now I show you where I played as a boy."

He took her to a tiny house with peeling paint. Dino smiled wistfully. "My best friend Romeo lived here with his
nonna,
his grandmother. He and I would ride down the streets on a wooden cart we made from driftwood and crash into the walls. Mamma did not approve of Romeo." They walked down the gray paved main street, mingling with the locals and a few early tourists. Maria browsed the windows of gift shops.

Dino led her past the houses, up a steep path, and out onto the rocks. They stood high on a cliff looking down at the sea, and Dino held her hand tightly. "Romeo and I stood here and shouted our dreams to the wind." He laughed. "We would spread our arms like wings and try to fly, but when we jumped off, we always fell into the sea."

"Goodness!" Maria leaned out and peered over at the white-capped waves rolling against the cliffs. "You were either very brave or a little mad."

"Back then, Romeo and I thought we were invincible,
cara.
"

He led her back towards the houses and along a path by the edge of the sea. They passed through a metal gateway with two entwined hearts above. "Now we will walk the
Via dell' Amore,
Lover's Lane."

He put his arm around her waist and cuddled her close as they strolled. The views were fantastic, the steep rocky cliffs hollowed out by a succession of small coves. Above them the cliff was home to plants and flowers while at the top she caught glimpses of vineyards and olive groves. The soothing sound of the sea accompanied them, reminding Maria of Porthale. After a time they came to a place where the path cut through the cliff face. One wall was decorated with romantic graffiti, heartfelt words left by decades of lovers. On the other side, the Mediterranean was visible through arches cut in the rock.

Dino smiled and pointed at a strange sight. In the center of one of the arches was a statue of a kissing couple with a bench below. On either side, the railings were adorned with padlocks of every shape and size. "What on earth is that about?" Maria asked.

"The padlocks symbolize eternal love and commitment. Boys and girls from Riomaggiore and the next village, Manarola, have met here for decades. Couples come to attach padlocks to show their love is forever." He pulled a brass padlock from his jacket pocket with their names written on it. Maria gave a soft gasp at the significance.

"Maria,
amore mio.
" He drew her down on the loveseat beside him. "I know I did not start this well, walking out and leaving you without a goodbye, but please believe that you mean everything to me. To prove this, I attach this padlock here." He snapped the metal device in amongst the mass of others and tossed the key into the sea. "Now our love is locked in forever and can never be undone."