The Count's Prize (13 page)

‘Arietta didn’t leave you, she died.’

It was cruel, but Josie had long since stopped feeling kind when it came to Dario’s relationships with other women.

‘Yes.’ He gazed at her with naked anguish. ‘And I killed her. For years I’ve been telling myself I sent her car into that ditch as surely as if I had been driving it myself. I chased her away, Josie.’

‘But it didn’t stop you racing after me,’ she said slowly.

She saw the colour drain away from his golden skin. He nodded.

‘It was a risk I had to take. I couldn’t bear the thought of you boarding that plane and flying out of my life. It wiped every other thought clean from my mind.’

He slumped down in the seat beside hers. Once again she saw him rub at his face as though trying to erase all his bad memories. Knowing what he must be going through but feeling powerless to help, Josie waited.

‘When you first walked into my life, it brought back memories of how happy I had been—and how devastated I was when Arietta died,’ he said eventually. ‘I couldn’t bear to lay myself open to that torture again. That’s why, when Fabio was born, I made him my heir. I couldn’t imagine letting any woman so far into my life that there could ever be the possibility of children. Until a few weeks ago it simply wasn’t an option. Like you, I had learned that it was less painful to keep everyone at arm’s length. That was why, when you stormed out on me this morning, I pretended I could leave you to come to your senses. I thought it was your loss, and that I didn’t care. But it wasn’t true. An awful fear began to crawl over me that one day I would forget you, the way I’ve forgotten Arietta. I don’t want to do that, Josie. Not ever.’

It was too much. In the face of his confession, Josie’s own injured feelings meant nothing. Forgetting all her resolutions, good and bad, she reached out and gently slipped her arms around him as he sat beside her. When he didn’t resist, she leaned against him and laid her head against his chest.

‘Does this mean you understand?’

‘Maybe.’ She nodded, and then felt him swallow hard.

Josie closed her eyes. Tears were very close, and she didn’t want to weaken.

‘I love you, Dario—more than you could ever imagine … but it won’t work. I can’t hope to compete for your love on the same level with Arietta. Don’t you see? I’ve got all sorts of human failings, but she’s an angel—
your
angel.’

‘That’s got nothing to do with the way I feel about you, Josie,’ he said quietly. ‘The pain of losing Arietta will never go away, but I don’t feel the same about it now. My father was right when he asked me at the time what I knew about love. My answer then was “everything”, but in truth it was less than nothing.
At the time
.’

‘You weren’t likely to learn much about love from him, by the sound of it,’ Josie muttered, half to herself. She felt Dario’s hand run over her back until it came to rest lightly on her shoulder.

‘And it’s why I think you should reconsider your proposal very carefully, Dario,’ she continued with a sudden return of common sense. ‘You’ve told me that the pain of losing Arietta stopped you risking your heart again, but falling in love is never going to be easy. Sometimes you just have to take a chance. I’ve been here before, so it’s a scary place for me, too. I need to know I’ll be getting all of you, not just tantalising glimpses of the loving, caring man you really are, deep down inside. How can you promise me this is for ever and not just until you get scared and back off?’

It was a long time before Dario could answer. ‘A di Sirena is never scared.’

Josie lifted her chin and met his glittering black gaze with defiance. ‘Then prove it to me.’

‘No. I don’t need to.’ His voice rose dangerously, attracting the attention of everyone in the building. ‘I’ve already done everything I can to prove how much I need you. There’s only one thing left to say: Josie Street, I love you. I want you, body, heart, soul and spirit for as long as I live. Nothing else matters,’ he said in a crescendo of passion that left her speechless and wide-eyed with wonder.

Their audience of ground crew erupted in noisy excitement, but Josie hardly noticed. She was at the still, small centre of a universe that consisted only of Dario. He was looking down at her with such intensity that nothing else mattered to her. Josie knew she wanted him more than any other man in the world, and always would. It was madness to hesitate even for a second, but she wanted to be too sensible to be bounced into a quick answer.

Suddenly it was all too much. The arguments, the worry, all the uncertainty … Her eyes filled with tears. That only added anger to her maelstrom of emotions. This was what she had wanted all along, wasn’t it? For Dario to put her first and show that he loved her? Well, statements didn’t come much more explicit than a public proposal of marriage.

‘Dario, I’m scared …’ she began, then saw he looked as stricken as she was. She wanted him with all her heart, but didn’t know if she was brave enough to accept the challenge.

‘This is all wrong! You told me you don’t do meaningful
relationships, and now I know why. You might think you want me now, but it won’t last,’ she said slowly, reliving the darkest days of her last betrayal.

‘Do you think I care about other women, now I’ve met you?’

At the harsh sound of his words her thoughts fled and all she could do was gaze at him. The suave, sophisticated man who had charmed her from the instant they’d met had vanished. Dario was streaked with sweat from his desperate ride across country. He wouldn’t have done that for any of the fragile beauties who had drifted around the
castello
at his last party—but he had done it for her.

‘I … I don’t know,’ she said cautiously.

‘No—and neither did I until the moment you tried to run out of my life, Josie. When Arietta died, it ripped all the heart from me. For years I managed to live without it. I simply existed, passing time. You changed all that. For the first time since losing Arietta, I started to enjoy the world around me. I began to anticipate the future, instead of merely looking forward to the next party. Isn’t that enough? What we’ve found in each other is really good.’

‘I know!’ she burst out, unable to keep silent.

He pressed his lips together, trying to hold back the ultimate confession. ‘I’ve given you far more of myself over these past few weeks than I’ve offered any other woman,’ he admitted in a low voice. ‘A little of me was more than enough for them.’

‘Yes, but it isn’t enough for me!’ she blazed. ‘I’m worth more than all of your other women put together!’

Horrified at her own outburst, she slapped her hands over her mouth, but it was too late. Stricken, she gazed at him.

He gave a silent whistle. ‘That’s quite an admission, coming from you. Shy, self-effacing Dr Josie Street.’

‘I know. I’m sorry,’ she said in a small voice.

‘I didn’t mean it as criticism. It was a compliment.’

Josie blinked. The effect was like rubbing sandpaper over her eyes. That could be the only reason her eyes started watering again.

‘You were right about me, too, Josie. I’ve spent too long wallpapering over the cracks in my life. It took you to show me there’s more to life than shallow pleasures. Without you, I’m nothing but an empty shell. I love you. Marry me. Will you?’

‘Oh, Dario,’ she breathed. ‘Don’t you know the answer?’

‘I will never get used to this,’ Josie murmured a few days later, as they watched workmen clambering over scaffolding set up along the lime avenue. The boughs of each tree were being spangled with fairy lights, ready for the grand party Dario had arranged to announce their engagement. Guests visiting the
castello
would have the best of both worlds. During the day, their arrival would be serenaded by bees and golden orioles. When they left, their way would be lit by a million coloured stars.

‘Oh, I’m sure you will.’ Dario’s arm circled her waist and he drew her close to kiss her hair. It was flowing loose around her shoulders today, exactly as he liked it.
He enjoyed its clean, sweet fragrance for a while, then added, ‘But just in case you need a little help, I’ve arranged something special for you. Your mother is coming over for our party this weekend.’

Josie looked up at him, her eyes alight.

‘Dario, that’s fantastic—but how did you manage that? I tried so hard to convince her, but she’s always been too nervous to travel abroad before!’

He squeezed her playfully. ‘I’ve arranged everything for her, from passport to transport, door to door. All she has to do is pack.’

‘You really have thought of everything,’ Josie said in wonder. ‘And you did all this … for me?’ It was impossible to keep a note of disbelief out of her voice.

‘Of course. If it makes you happy,
cara
, then nothing is impossible. I would move the stars in the sky for you,’ he said softly, and then kissed her until all her thoughts flew away.

All the characters in this book have no existence outside the imagination of the author, and have no relation whatsoever to anyone bearing the same name or names. They are not even distantly inspired by any individual known or unknown to the author, and all the incidents are pure invention.

All Rights Reserved including the right of reproduction in whole or in part in any form. This edition is published by arrangement with Harlequin Enterprises II BV/S.à.r.l. The text of this publication or any part thereof may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, storage in an information retrieval system, or otherwise, without the written permission of the publisher.

This book is sold subject to the condition that it shall not, by way of trade or otherwise, be lent, resold, hired out or otherwise circulated without the prior consent of the publisher in any form of binding or cover other than that in which it is published and without a similar condition including this condition being imposed on the subsequent purchaser.

^®
and TM are trademarks owned and used by the trademark owner and/or its licensee. Trademarks marked with
^®
are registered with the United Kingdom Patent Office and/or the Office for Harmonisation in the Internal Market and in other countries.

First published in Great Britain 2012
by Mills & Boon, an imprint of Harlequin (UK) Limited.
Harlequin (UK) Limited, Eton House, 18-24 Paradise Road,
Richmond, Surrey TW9 1SR

© Christina Hollis 2012

ISBN: 978-1-408-97424-7