Married By Christmas Bundle: Anthology

by Carol Marinelli

  ‘Alessandro, wait—’ Emily’s heart gave a sickening lurch as she rushed towards the door. Swinging it open, she stared both ways down the corridor. But everything was silent. He was nowhere to be seen. Coming back into the room, she closed the door behind her. Biting her lip, she snatched up the sheet of paper and began to read.

  Alessandro’s bold pen-work leaped off the page at her, his blue ink resonating purposefully against the thick ivory-coloured sheet.

  ‘Come live with me, and be my Love, And we will all the pleasures prove…

  If these delights thy mind may move! Then live with me, and be my Love.

  Two minds with but a single thought…When would she ever learn to trust him?

  ‘Alessandro—’ She whirled round as he came back into the room. ‘I read the poem.’

  ‘Did you like it?’

  The confidence in his eyes thrilled her. ‘Of course.’ She wondered if they would ever make it down for dinner…

  ‘So, I chose well?’

  ‘How can you ask?’

  ‘I apologise for leaving you so abruptly,’ he said, crossing to her side. ‘I just wanted to check everything was ready.’

  ‘Ready?’ The restaurant table, she surmised, imagining how busy the hotel would be on Christmas Eve.

  ‘Yes. We have to go out onto the balcony.’

  ‘The balcony?’

  ‘Do you have a wrap? Here, take this.’

  Before she could stop him, Alessandro had shrugged off his own jacket and was wrapping it around her shoulders.

  ‘You’ll freeze,’ Emily said, looking at him with concern. ‘And why the balcony?’

  ‘Stop asking questions,’ Alessandro said, snatching up another jacket from the chair. ‘We’ll miss everything.’

  ‘What?’

  But Alessandro was in no mood for conversation as he hurried her outside.

  The balcony overlooking the immense, mountain peaks in front of them was beautifully lit, and there were heaters, strategically placed by the hotel, so that instead of feeling cold, as she had expected to, Emily felt positively cosy as she sank into the comforting warmth of Alessandro’s jacket.

  The particular balcony on which they were standing went right around the hotel, and more people were joining them, Emily noticed, trickling out of their rooms in twos and—

  ‘Mum? Dad!’ she gasped, seeing who it was. Bolting towards them, she gave them each a hug, laughing with surprise. Then, at her father’s gentle prompting, she turned. ‘Your Royal Highness—’ Turning to Alessandro, she could only shake her head in speechless delight.

  ‘Happy Christmas, my darling,’ he whispered, drawing her close to plant a tender kiss on her lips. ‘Look—’ he said, including everyone as he gestured towards the mountain. ‘They’re about to start.’

  ‘What…what’s happening?’ Emily demanded softly, looking for answers to Alessandro.

  ‘Watch the top of the mountain,’ Alessandro instructed, holding her in front of him as everyone else gathered round.

  At first all Emily could see was a cluster of light, right at the top of the tallest peak. ‘Where’s Miranda?’ she whispered, as her mother came to stand next to her at the front rail of the balcony.

  ‘Listen,’ Alessandro commanded, silencing everyone.

  As she waited, Emily noticed that the whole village seemed to be out on the streets; people were standing on the wall by the river and on the parapet of the bridge to get a better look. But the silence was absolute as they all stood staring at the top of the mountain.

  Emily jumped closer to Alessandro when she heard a cannon being fired, somewhere far away. The loud report echoed several times, fading with each repetition as the shots bounced off each majestic rockface in turn. As it fell completely silent again a haunting melody shimmered through the crisp mountain air.

  ‘Miranda!’ Her sister’s playing was uniquely beautiful and Emily would have known it anywhere. Alessandro’s hold around her waist tightened a little as he burrowed his face into her neck to give her a kiss of confirmation.

  The limpid sound of the solo violin was completely suited to the magical occasion, and as the sound rose through the speakers judicially placed throughout the village a murmur arose from the crowds on the streets, and then applause.

  As Alessandro pointed up towards the jagged peak again Emily could see that the tiny cluster of light at the top of the mountain had split up to form a chain, and was now beginning to stream down the slopes in a long, curling ribbon of light.

  ‘The ski instructors—each holding a torch,’ Alessandro explained, and the shimmering line took its cue from the waltz Miranda was playing and swung in giant rhythmical loops across the mountainside as they came down towards the village.

  ‘It’s magical!’ Emily murmured, leaning back into Alessandro. ‘The best…the very best Christmas present I could ever have.’

  ‘Don’t speak too soon,’ Alessandro murmured close to her ear, so that her whole body ached for him.

  After the display they ate a light meal together. Miranda joined them, flushed and happy with success, and accompanied by a rather striking-looking man who, Emily learned, having won a gold medal in the downhill ski race at the Winter Olympics, had been granted the honour of leading the torchlight procession of skiers down the mountain.

  When they had finished eating Alessandro led everyone back onto the balcony, to see a barrage of fireworks screaming into the night sky, illuminating the inky blackness with endless plumes of exploding light.

  ‘Happy Christmas, belissima,’ he murmured, as every clock in the village struck midnight.

  ‘Happy Christmas, Alessandro,’ Emily whispered in return, wondering if anyone in the world had ever been as happy as she was.

  ‘Alessandro! Emily!’

  Releasing their hold on each other, they turned to share their happiness with Alessandro’s father.

  ‘Tonight you have made an old man very happy,’ he said, opening his arms wide to embrace them both. ‘This—this is what I have wished for since our first meeting in the garden,’ he added, turning to address Emily. ‘I would gladly cede all the privileges life has granted me to see my son Alessandro as happy as he is now—with you, Emily. And to know,’ he added archly, ‘that for the very first time in his life he has met his match.’

  Was that a wink? Emily wondered, laughing back. She was so happy. ‘I will do my best to keep things that way,’ she promised, matching his conspiratorial tone.

  ‘I know you will,’ the elderly Prince declared confidently. ‘And as for you, Alessandro—’ He turned to face his son. ‘You are a very lucky man. And now…’ He turned around to draw Emily’s family into the conversation. ‘I think it’s time we left these two lovebirds alone. I would be honoured if you would all join me in my suite for a nightcap before we retire to bed.’

  Giving her mother and father a warm kiss each, Emily saved a special hug for Miranda, taking the chance to murmur, ‘I like him,’ when she sensed Miranda’s handsome new conquest was uppermost in her twin’s mind. Embracing Alessandro’s father, she kissed him on both cheeks and whispered, ‘Thank you for everything…and thank you especially for Alessandro.’

  With a last squeeze, he released her back into the arms of her husband.

  ‘Goodnight to you both, and a happy Christmas to everyone.’ With one last expansive gesture he led Emily’s family away.

  Under protection of the darkness Alessandro’s lips brushed lightly against Emily’s neck, and then moved on to her cheek, her mouth, always light, almost testing—as if they were on a first date. The thought excited her, and she turned her face up to him to whisper, ‘Don’t stop.’

  ‘You’re very forward, Principessa,’ he growled softly. ‘Do you think we had better go inside?’

  Emily’s limbs felt as if they had turned into molten honey as he swept her into his arms and carried her back into their suite.

  Glimpsing her reflection in the mirror at the side of the bed, she watc
hed Alessandro release the hooks on the back of her dress. As his hands moved lower he began to kiss the back of her neck and her shoulders, until she was leaning into him, sighing with pleasure. The jewelled pins in her hair made it seem scattered with stars, and he released them so that the ebony waves tumbled over her shoulders. Her breasts were creamy against the crimson silk bodice, the shadow of her cleavage deep and dark—

  ‘Stop looking in the mirror,’ he murmured. ‘I want all your attention on me.’

  ‘That’s not so hard,’ Emily admitted softly as the dress fell away and he eased it over her hips.

  ‘Beautiful,’ he murmured, looking at her admiringly as his hands moved to cup her breasts. ‘I should like to keep you here for ever.’

  ‘I should have to leave the bedroom some time,’ Emily teased, but she gasped as his thumb-pads stroked firmly against her nipples.

  ‘Don’t worry, I would never stop my wife doing the job she loves,’ he insisted, his gold eyes darkening to sepia as he observed her arousal. ‘But not tonight,’ he continued softly, sternly. ‘I have never wished to narrow your horizons, Emily…only to broaden them.’ And then, allowing her to sink back onto the soft pillows, he stood up and pulled off his clothes.

  She was definitely ready to have her horizons broadened again, Emily thought, watching him strip. A familiar lethargy was already invading her limbs, and before he even touched her shafts of sensation were streaming through her body. As he lay down beside her she feared she was about to discover if it was possible to climax from anticipation alone.

  Coming closer, he caressed her ear with his lips, moving on to nibble the tender lobe. And all the while his warm breath fanned her pulse, making her long for the firmer touch of his hands, a touch he knew just how long to deny her. Then his weight was controlling her, his hands positioning her, until she could do no more than submit—a licence he made full use of until she lay calm and sated in his arms once again.

  And later, much later, when Alessandro was tracing the gently curving swell of her belly with awe, he murmured, ‘No more separation for us, Emily—ever. When you have a case in London we will move Court over there, so that I can be with you…the baby, too, of course,’ he said, a smile coming to his face as he looked at her. ‘We will buy a suitable property. I don’t see a problem.’

  ‘I’m sure you don’t,’ Emily said, smiling as she ran her nail-tips gently through his tousled hair, making him gasp aloud with pleasure at her touch. ‘But when have you ever seen a problem that you couldn’t solve, Alessandro? I don’t believe a problem ever existed that could defeat you.’

  ‘I almost met my match with you, Emily,’ he admitted wryly. ‘That is, of course, until I found the perfect way of dealing with you…’

  She sucked in a swift breath as he entered her again, smoothly and firmly, filling her completely.

  ‘I can’t argue—’ She couldn’t speak. Pleasure had stolen her words away. And then his lips and tongue claimed her mouth, finally completing the task.

  Could there be more happiness in all the world than this? Emily wondered late on Christmas morning, when Alessandro swung out of bed and left her briefly.

  ‘Another Christmas present,’ he explained, coming back to her side. ‘And this time it’s for both of us.’

  ‘What is it?’ she said excitedly.

  ‘This,’ Alessandro said, as he held out an official-looking document.

  When she went to take it from him he only shook his head, and then, very slowly and deliberately, began to tear it into tiny pieces.

  ‘What are you doing?’ she asked in surprise.

  ‘Something I should have done months ago. That is what I think of our contract.’ Turning around, he dropped the tiny scraps of paper into the wastebin by the side of the bed. ‘Now it can never come between us again,’ he said, coming back to stretch out beside her. Drawing her into his arms, he murmured, ‘I love you, Emily—my wife, my only love, mother of my child—my children,’ he corrected himself with a long, lazy smile.’

  ‘And I love you, too, Alessandro,’ Emily said as she wrapped her arms around him and snuggled into his chest. ‘With all my heart.’

  ‘So,’ he murmured slumberously, ‘will you live with me and be my love, Emily?’

  ‘I will,’ she whispered, taking hold of his hand and placing it against her belly to feel their baby’s first forceful kicks.

  ISBN: 978-1-4268-2478-4

  Copyright © 2008 Harlequin Books S.A.

  The publisher acknowledges the copyright holders of the individual works as follows:

  Hired: The Italian’s Convenient Mistress

  Copyright © 2008 Carol Marinelli

  The Spanish Billionaire’s Christmas Bride

  Copyright © 2008 Maggie Cox

  Claimed for the Italian’s Revenge

  Copyright © 2008 Natalie Rivers

  The Prince’s Arranged Bride

  Copyright © 2008 Susan Stephens

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  All 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 incidents are pure invention.

  This edition published by arrangement with Harlequin Books S.A.

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