The Royal Collection. Rebecca Winters

kissed her fingers. “Can you forgive me for staying away from you before the wedding?”

      “We’ve already had this discussion.”

      He slid his hands to her upper arms. “No woman but an angel like you would have sacrificed everything to enter into an engagement that didn’t consider your own personal feelings in any way, shape or form. Forgive me, Christina. I don’t like the man I was. I can only hope to become the man you’re happy to be married to.”

      Her eyes roved over his features. “I liked the man you were. That man loved his sister enough to save her and their family from horrible embarrassment and scandal. She wasn’t just any sister. She was the princess of Halencia, my friend. I loved you for loving her enough to help her.

      “You have no idea what she did for me. She was the only person in my world besides my great-aunt Sofia who was good to me. Elena was the person I cried to every time I was hurt by my parents, especially my father, who wished I’d been born a boy.” The tears trickled down her flushed cheeks.

      Antonio sucked in his breath. “Grazie a Dio, you’re exactly who you are.” He started kissing the tears away. When he reached her mouth he couldn’t stop himself from covering it with his own. The taste of her excited him. Without her wedding dress on, he could draw her close and feel the contours of her beautiful body through the thin fabric of her shirt. Her fragrance worked like an aphrodisiac on his senses, which had come alive.

      “Bellissima.”

       CHAPTER FIVE

      THE FIRST TIME Christina had heard Antonio use the word bellissima, he’d said it in a teasing jest outside the door of the bridal suite. Just now he’d said it because she could sense his physical desire for her. After last night, there was no mistaking their attraction to each other. But she needed to use her head and not get swept away by passion until they’d spent more time together.

      He’d wanted to put off making love to her last night. She was glad of it now. They did need more time to explore each other’s minds first. Antonio might have walked away from the love of his life in San Francisco, but that didn’t mean the memories didn’t linger.

      Christina could make love with him and pretend all was well, but she knew that until she held a place in his heart, then making love wouldn’t have the same meaning for either of them. She wanted their first time to happen when it was right.

      As soon as he lifted his mouth, she eased out of his arms. Avoiding his gaze she said, “I’m going to freshen up before dinner. Where do you want to eat?”

      “How about the other bedroom? There’ll be other films to pick from. Your choice. I’ll tell the steward to bring it in ten minutes.”

      “Good. After our fabulous lunch, I can’t believe I’m hungry again.”

      When he didn’t respond, she left him to use the restroom. Some strands of her hair had come loose. It was smarter to just undo it and brush it out. Before he brought their dinner, she pulled out the pillows and propped them against the headboard. After taking off her sandals, she reached for the remote and got up on the bed. Before long Antonio walked in carrying a tray.

      “Put it here between us.” She patted the center of the bed.

      “The steward still won’t breathe a word of where we’re going.” He put the tray down. Sandwiches and salad.

      “Loyal to the end.” She smiled at him. “In the meantime this looks good.”

      “I think so too.” He joined her on the bed and they began to eat.

      “Do you mind if we talk? We haven’t discussed how we’re going to live. In the fairy tales the prince takes his bride to his kingdom and they live happily ever after, but we never get to see how they live.”

      He smiled. “I have my own home in one wing of the palace. Our bedroom and living room overlook the Mediterranean. It’s totally private and will be our home. My office is on the main floor adjoining my father’s. My parents have their own suite. You’ve already visited Elena in her suite, which is in the other wing. But we’re far enough apart to lead separate lives.”

      She poured them both more coffee, then sat back to drink hers. “Is it going to feel terribly strange bringing a wife into your world?”

      He finished off the rest of his sandwich. “I thought it would. In fact, I couldn’t comprehend it. But after being with you, I’ll feel strange if you’re not with me. I’ve discovered that I’ve slipped into the husband role faster than I would have thought and I’m enjoying every minute of it.”

      Christina studied him for a moment. “Today I feel like we’re beginning to get to know each other and aren’t afraid to be ourselves. That was my greatest fear, that you’d be different from the man I knew as Elena’s brother. I’ve worried that in living with the man you’ve become, I’d feel invisible walls that kept us strangers. But I don’t feel that way at all when I’m around you.”

      “That’s good to hear. I have no idea if I’m easy to live with, Christina, and beg your forgiveness ahead of time.”

      A gentle laugh escaped her lips. “That goes for me too. So far I have no complaints. I hope you don’t mind if I ask you a few more questions.”

      “Why would I mind? This is all new. You can ask me anything.”

      She put down her empty coffee cup. “Is Guido going to be your chief of staff when you take over?”

      “At first, yes. But he’s been loyal to my father for years and when he sees how I intend to rule the country, he may have trouble supporting me.”

      As he was lying in bed, he’d worried about how everything would go while he was away on his honeymoon. If something went wrong before the coronation, he wouldn’t be there to smooth things over. His father’s note said no phone, no TV or internet while they were on vacation. He’d never been without those things and couldn’t comprehend it at the time.

      “I’ll support you, Antonio. I believe in the changes you’re going to make.”

      He heard the fervor in her voice and smiled at her. She was too good to be true. “If things get bad, how would you like to be my new chief of staff?”

      Christina broke into laughter. “Now, there’s a thought. The media will claim that Princess Christina is running the show.”

      “Better you than anyone else I can think of. But seriously, let’s not worry about the future of the monarchy today. Look—” He sat forward. “I know everything will be strange at first.”

      “Elena said your mother has her own personal maid. I don’t want one, Antonio. I find it absurd to ask someone to fetch and carry when I’m perfectly capable of doing those things myself. And I’d like to cook for you, go shopping at the markets. I can balance homemaking with the time spent at the charity foundation office in town.”

      The more she talked, the more he liked the sound of it. “We’re on the same wavelength. All the years I lived in the States I did most things myself and prefer it, so I get where you’re coming from. We’ll make this work.”

      Her silvery eyes glistened with unshed tears. “Thank you for being so understanding.” When she spoke, her heart was in her eyes and it touched a part of his soul.

      “Thank you for marrying me.” He meant it with all his heart.

      A shadow crossed over her face. “Antonio—if I’d told you I didn’t want to get married when you called, what do you think you would have done?”

      “I don’t know. What saddens me is that you weren’t sure I’d follow through and marry you. Christina, I swear not to do anything consciously to hurt you or bring you grief. Do you believe that?”

      “Of course I do,”