English Rose for the Sicilian Doc

by Annie Claydon

  ‘Not even close.’

  ‘Good.’ She sat up, astride his hips, and Matteo reached out to steady her.

  ‘Careful...’

  ‘I know. No sudden movements.’ Slowly, very slowly, her hand travelled to the hem of the T-shirt.

  ‘I don’t need you to move. Just take that T-shirt off and tell me you love me...’

  * * *

  This morning had been an earth-moving, soul-shattering experience. Rose knew that Matteo had many, many ways of making her come, but she hadn’t counted on that one. He’d told her how much he loved her, in more ways than she’d thought were possible. Shared his fantasies with her, and then listened to hers. They were just words but they both knew that they were true, and that had given them the power of a physical caress.

  When finally he’d pulled her down into his arms, it had taken only a few moments. They’d come together, already lost in each other’s feelings and fantasies.

  They stayed in the hammock for the rest of the morning, moving only to make coffee and go for a swim. Then they got dressed and drove up into the mountains, seeking both food and company at his uncle’s vineyard.

  It took ten minutes before Matteo’s body language announced to his whole family that they were together. His aunt and uncle kissed her and then Nanna Maria kissed her, and Nannu Alberto swept her away, insisting on cataloguing all Matteo’s faults so that she would be prepared for the future.

  ‘He didn’t manage to change your mind, then?’ They’d spent a couple of hours here, eating and talking in the shade of the trees clustered at the back of the house. Normally that would be considered a flying visit, but no one stopped them when Matteo insisted it was time for them to leave and Rose followed him through to the front hall.

  ‘No. I rather like a man who doesn’t know when to give up.’

  ‘What did he tell you?’

  ‘None of your business.’ Rose laughed as he turned the sides of his mouth down. ‘I don’t suppose you fancy coming back to London with me, do you? You could spend time with your sister and we can both bring William back here with us. If it’s not too many air miles in one week...’

  ‘Yeah? I’ve still got a return ticket at the end of the week.’ He grinned at her. ‘If you don’t mind... As soon as Andrea gets to meet you and William, she’ll forgive me.’

  ‘We’ll do that. I’d like to meet her.’

  ‘Okay. Not tomorrow, though. Tomorrow we’ll cook. Food for love...’

  ‘That sounds good to me. Particularly the love part.’

  He chuckled, picking up his car keys. ‘You want to go to the hot springs on the way back?’

  ‘Yes, that would be nice. I’ve a few stubborn aches.’ Who wouldn’t, after last night?

  ‘Yeah, me too. You’ll have to be a lot gentler with me tonight.’ He whispered the words, grinning at her. ‘I won’t be a minute. I’ll get a bottle of red and a couple of glasses from the cellar to take with us.’

  * * *

  They drove through the vines, parking as close as they could to the spring, and Matteo held her hand as they climbed the ridge. As well as the bottle, he’d collected a couple of hurricane lamps, which seemed like a good idea as dusk was approaching.

  He lit the lamps, placing them by the pool so that their light reflected on the water. Then he undressed, throwing his clothes in an untidy pile with hers. Together they slipped into the water, drifting together at the end of a night and day that had changed everything.

  Rose splashed the warm water over her shoulders. ‘I’m going to have to live to be a hundred just to have another day with you. Do you think you can make a hundred and six?’

  ‘If it means another day with you, I’ll live to two hundred and six.’ He curled his arms around her and they floated together as the red rays of sunset started to spread across the sky.

  ‘This isn’t too fast for you, is it?’ He kissed her forehead.

  ‘No. You?’ It was just right. No expectations, just taking the best out of every moment as it presented itself.

  ‘No. I said we’d go slowly, though.’

  ‘You said we’d go as slowly as I wanted. Which is as fast as you want.’

  He smiled. ‘One more thing, then?’

  ‘One more thing is fine. Before the sun sets.’

  He looked up at the darkening sky. ‘I’d better be quick.’

  He levered himself out of the water, reaching for the glasses. Pouring a splash of wine into each, he handed one down to her and got back into the pool.

  He bumped his glass against hers. ‘A toast to today. And tomorrow.’

  They drank together, each locked in the other’s gaze.

  ‘Rose, will you marry me?’ He blurted the words out, and they echoed slightly in the silence.

  ‘What?’ For a moment she was dumbfounded. Too thrilled to speak.

  ‘If it’s too soon...’

  ‘No...’ His face fell and suddenly she had the words. ‘I mean, no, it’s not too soon. And, yes, I’ll marry you, Matteo.’

  He smiled. ‘You don’t want to talk about it a bit? I can be very persuasive...’

  ‘I know you can. But you don’t need to persuade me. Yes.’ Pure joy was welling up inside her, and she threw out her arms, dropping her glass in the water where it bobbed unheeded. ‘Yes.’ She flung her arms around his neck, kissing him.

  ‘Thank you. Thank you...’ He held her tight, whispering the words against her neck. ‘I promise you won’t regret it.’

  ‘I promise you won’t regret it either.’

  ‘I have a ring...’

  ‘You do? Where?’ One of his hands was fisted against her back, and he brushed his knuckles against her spine. Rose ducked out of his embrace and twisted to grab his arm, slipping under the water, and when her head broke the surface again he was laughing.

  ‘You want to see it?’ He brushed her wet hair out of her eyes with his free hand.

  ‘Of course I do.’ She tried to prise his fingers open and for a moment he teased, and resisted her. Then he let her open his hand.

  The ring lay sparkling in his palm. One diamond, square cut and surrounded by a rim of gold filigree. Rose gasped.

  ‘It was my great-grandmother’s. My great-grandfather gave it to her when Nannu Alberto was born, and he gave it to me. He said that his mother was very beautiful and much loved, and that I should find someone like her to give it to.’

  ‘It’s beautiful, Matteo.’ Rose hardly dared touch it. This was so precious. ‘It looks almost new. She must have hardly worn it.’

  ‘She wore it all the time. I had it cleaned and mended.’ He ran his thumb along the filigree, but Rose couldn’t see any signs of it having been broken or mended. It must have been done very skilfully.

  ‘And you just happened to have it in your pocket?’ She smiled up at him.

  ‘It’s been there...for a while. But now was the time.’

  She could ask how long later, this moment wasn’t about the past. She kissed him, holding out her hand, and he slipped the ring onto her finger, pushing a little to get it past the knuckle.

  ‘Too small?’

  ‘No, it’s just right. Any looser and it might fall off.’

  He grinned, reaching for his glass, which he’d propped against the rocks at the side of the pool. ‘A toast, bellissima. Now and for ever.’ He took a sip, handing the glass to her.

  ‘Now and for ever.’

  EPILOGUE

  Two years later

  ROSE WHEELED HER cases through the barrier and out into the main concourse of the airport. Matteo was there, waiting for her, one hand holding William’s and the other arm holding their baby girl to his chest.

  She’d had a wonderful two weeks in London, catching up with friends, working an
d making time for a couple of theatre visits. But she was home now.

  ‘Papà...’ William tugged at Matteo’s hand. ‘There she is...’

  ‘I see her.’ Matteo’s face broke into a bright smile.

  She hurried to them as fast as her cases would allow, and bent to kiss William, lifting him up so that the hug could be shared with Matteo and little Andrea, the dark-haired, dark-eyed child who had made Matteo so happy.

  ‘Papà and me made sorbeto di limoncello for you.’ William had no qualms about using Italian and English together in one sentence. And he’d called Matteo Papà ever since their wedding day.

  They’d explained it all to William together and William had run to Matteo, hugging him tightly. They’d written his promises to William into their wedding vows—both sets, since they’d had one ceremony in England and a second in Sicily—and on the same day that Rose had gained a husband, William had gained a father.

  ‘That’s wonderful. I can’t wait to get home.’ But there was something very important to be done first.

  ‘Where are your students?’ Matteo looked around, obviously as keen to be home as Rose was.

  ‘They’re coming. They’ll be staying at a hotel for the week...’

  ‘Not with us?’ Matteo had become used to archaeology students camping out on the patio from time to time.

  ‘I thought it was best to give them a bit of space. They might want to do some sightseeing.’

  His eyebrow quirked questioningly. ‘Okay, so you’re busy with the vistors’ centre, you’ve got two summer students, neither of whom study archaeology and who might want to go sightseeing instead of digging. What’s going on?’

  In ten minutes, Reba and her boyfriend Sam were going to be coming through the gates and he’d know. She had to explain quickly. She took Andrea from his arms and grabbed William’s hand.

  ‘Reba’s real name is Rebecca. Rebecca Walters.’

  Shock registered on his face. Rose knew that Matteo had never given up caring about Rebecca and her brother Joe, but he’d accepted that he wouldn’t see either of them again. But Rebecca was eighteen now, and she could choose for herself.

  ‘I found her, Matteo. She’s studying medicine at Leicester University. I wrote to her and gave her my email address, and she contacted me immediately. She remembered you, and she asked whether she could see you. We met up, and I said that she and her boyfriend could come back here with me.’

  ‘Did...did you tell her?’

  ‘I told her.’ The one thing that had always hurt Matteo more than anything was that he didn’t know whether Rebecca and her brother felt that he had abandoned them. ‘They knew you cared about them. Their mother threw away your cards and letters, but on the first Christmas after you left, Reba happened to get to the post first. She found your letter and kept it. She still has it and she showed it to me.’

  ‘And she’s here?’ For once, the man who always lived so splendidly in the moment seemed to be having trouble processing this one.

  ‘Yes.’ Rose began to wonder whether she should have given Matteo a little more warning. Then suddenly he smiled.

  ‘I love you so much, Rose.’ He wrapped his arms around her and Andrea and kissed her.

  ‘And I love you too. But she’ll be coming through those doors in a minute...’

  His gaze flipped anxiously to the swing doors, opening and closing automatically as passengers from the plane straggled through with their luggage. Then he bent down towards William.

  ‘Mummy’s brought a friend home with her. I haven’t seen her in a while and I’m a bit nervous. Will you come with me?’

  It was just like Matteo to include William, even when all he wanted to do was to go and meet Rebecca. William nodded gravely.

  ‘Don’t be afraid, Papà. I’ll come with you.’

  ‘Thank you.’ Matteo took William’s hand, and gave Rose one last kiss. Then he walked forward towards the doors.

  Rose had shown Rebecca photographs of Matteo and their family, and she wondered whether Matteo would recognise her after all this time. But as soon as the red-haired young woman walked through the doors, her boyfriend walking behind her with their bags, he started forward.

  She could see Rebecca’s smile. Matteo had his back to her and he seemed to be saying something. Reba was a sensible, confident young woman, who was genuinely fond of Matteo, and Rose had no doubts about Matteo’s wish to see Reba. There was just the small matter of breaking through their years of separation.

  Matteo held his hand out, a little awkwardly, and Reba shook it. Then William did the same, and she bent to shake his hand. A little more conversation, and she stepped forward and flung her arms around Matteo’s neck, and he hugged her tight.

  Rose puffed out a sigh of relief. ‘There. Papà did it, Andrea.’

  Someone elbowed past him, and Matteo seemed to realise that they were in the way and ushered Reba to one side. He shook Sam’s hand, and then began to walk towards Rose, Reba clinging to him, chattering excitedly.

  ‘They’re staying in a hotel?’ Matteo grinned at her.

  ‘Back-up plan.’ Rose smiled at him. She’d wanted both him and Reba to have a little space to get to know each other again, but it didn’t look as if they needed it.

  ‘But Reba wants to spend as much time with you as she can,’ Sam interjected quietly.

  ‘So how about we take you to the hotel now and get you checked in. Then we can all go back to ours. We’ve a hammock on the patio if you want to spend the night.’ Matteo grinned at Sam.

  ‘A hammock?’ Sam grinned back.

  ‘Yeah. Takes a bit of getting used to, but it’s a great way to keep cool at night.’

  ‘We’ll stay...’ Reba was unable to control her excitement any more and was shifting from one leg to another as if she couldn’t wait for them to get on their way.

  ‘And play football?’ William asked.

  ‘Yes. Sam’s pretty good, but you’ll have to help me out.’ Reba grinned at William.

  ‘Well, what are we waiting for?’ Matteo grabbed Rose’s cases and started to walk. Their extended family, which was comprised of uncles, aunts, cousins and quite a few people who might be related and might not, from both Sicily and England, had just grown a little.

  * * *

  It wasn’t easy, squashing three sets of luggage, two children and four adults into the car, but they managed it. Rose and Matteo waited downstairs, in the hotel lobby, while Sam and Reba went up to their room.

  ‘So how’s the visitors’ centre going?’ The Roman villa up in the mountains had continued to yield important finds, which included one of the best mosaic floors on the island, and raising funds to preserve and display the antiquities had been easier than anyone had imagined.

  ‘It looks great. It’s come together a lot in the last two weeks. I went up there yesterday, and the concept of being able to walk around the site and see a lot of the finds in situ works really well.’ Matteo grinned. ‘And Aemilia’s model looks fantastic. Pride of place in the new museum.’

  ‘Good. I can’t wait to see it.’

  ‘We can take Reba and Sam up there tomorrow if you like. Show them around.’ Matteo curled his arm around her shoulders. ‘Thank you, sweetheart. You know how much this means to me.’

  ‘I know. It means a lot to Reba, too. We’ve talked quite a bit in the last couple of weeks.’

  ‘What did I do to deserve you, Rose?’ He kissed her forehead.

  ‘I have a list. We’ll go through it later.’

  * * * * *

  If you enjoyed this story, check out these other great reads from Annie Claydon

  THE DOCTOR’S DIAMOND PROPOSAL

  RESCUED BY DR. RAFE

  SAVED BY THE SINGLE DAD

  DISCOVERING DR. RILEY

  All available no
w!

  Keep reading for an excerpt from ENGAGED TO THE DOCTOR SHEIKH by Meredith Webber.

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  Engaged to the Doctor Sheikh

  by Meredith Webber

  CHAPTER ONE

  LILA SAT IN the huge jet, surrounded by strangers, all intent on their own lives. Did they all know where they’re going or, like her, were they travelling into the unknown?

  A shiver started in her stomach at the thought of just how unfamiliar her destination might be, and to divert her mind before she became terrified of what lay ahead, she thought of the family, her family, all gathered at the airport to wish her well.

  Hallie and Pop, her foster parents, and the gaggle of loved ones she’d grown up with, bonded into sisters and brothers by the love of two wonderful people. There were in-laws now, and nieces and nephews...