Propositioning the Rich Italian (21 page)

BOOK: Propositioning the Rich Italian
13.76Mb size Format: txt, pdf, ePub
ads

She retaliated before she could stop herself. “Are you certain?”

She groaned inwardly when she realized she’d just given him the confirmation to the fear she tried to hide. Antonio cupped her face between his hands. The emotion she read in his eyes spoke of a love she’d never seen in Quincy’s.

“I’m positive. As long as you are yourself, Tierra, you will be the woman I fell in love with. The woman I want to make my wife.”

Tears sprang to her eyes. She’d heard those words once before, but it had been a promise broken. It hurt when Quincy cast her aside, but it would be devastating if it happened with Antonio.

“Are you sure?” she whispered.

He nodded. “I love you,
cara
. How could I not?” He smiled. “We both know Quincy is a complete idiot. One who didn’t know what he had right in front of him.
I do.
I have from day one.”

He tightened his hold on her as tears began to make their way down her cheeks at his heartfelt words.

“Close your eyes.”

She did as he asked.

“Now compare the first week of your relationship with Quincy to ours…now the second.”

She didn’t have to have a good imagination to spot the differences right away.

“Now open your eyes.”

She did, and the love in his eyes was still there, seeming to shine even brighter than it had before she closed her eyes. Somehow she knew it would never fade. She never wanted it to.

“This next question will require some imagination on your part, but I believe you can do it.”

She nodded. “I’m ready.”


Buon
. Now compare the life you think you would have had with Quincy to the one you can have with me.”

It didn’t take her long to imagine the outlook of what he asked. A slow smile appeared on her face.

“How does a lifetime of love with me look?”

She replied without hesitation. “Perfect.”

He started to pull away from her. This time she tightened her grip. He chuckled in response.

“Hold on a second,
cara
. I have another question to ask you.”

She let him go with obvious reluctance. Now that she had Antonio back by her side, she didn’t want him to leave her. She gasped when he went down on one knee, producing a diamond ring that left her speechless.

“Tierra, I can’t imagine my life without you in it. I want you by my side now, forever. Will you marry me?”

“Yes,” she replied, without hesitation.

He slid the ring on her finger, then stood back up. She was back in his embrace, before either of them could take their next breath.

“I love you, Antonio.”

“I love you, too,
cara
.”

She turned to see what her parents thought about the news. Interestingly, they had left the kitchen, and she didn’t know when because her focus on Antonio hadn’t wavered.

“I guess we should go and tell my parents the good news.”

He nodded. “It sounds like a good idea to me,
cara
, although they already knew I planned to propose. I asked your father for your hand before you arrived.”

She chuckled. “Is what he meant by you letting them know what your intentions were toward me?”

He nodded, and she laughed. “I’m so glad you’re old fashioned. My dad loves a gentleman.”

His gaze darkened slightly, and she instantly thought of satin sheets.

“Only when I need to be,” he murmured.

She couldn’t wait until later, because she was definitely going back to his hotel with him. Somehow she didn’t think he would complain at all. The corners of her mouth tilted upward as she took his hand in hers and led him toward the living room. She stopped when a random thought entered her mind. He shot her a curios look when she turned back to him.

“Antonio, do you want children?”

He chuckled. “
Cara
, I am the oldest of six, Catholic, and Italian. Yes, I want children.”

She laughed when he pointed out what should have been obvious, but she’d learned it was never safe to assume. “Then I guess we better get married right away, because as patient as you are about some things, I know you aren’t patient about everything.”

He smiled. “Sounds like a perfect idea to me,
cara
.”

THE END

http://www.stephaniemorris.webs.com

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Stephanie Morris resides in Fort Worth, Texas. In her spare time, she enjoys reading, traveling, dancing, cooking, and spending time with her friends and family. In Stephanie’s opinion, there is nothing like curling up with a good book that you can’t put down, and she is addicted to writing them.

www.BookStrand.com

BOOK: Propositioning the Rich Italian
13.76Mb size Format: txt, pdf, ePub
ads

Other books

Night Shade by Helen Harper
A Reason to Love by Alexis Morgan
Depth of Despair by Bill Kitson
Cicero by Anthony Everitt
Captive Ride by Ella Goode
Ravage Me by Ryan Michele
Secrets of the Lighthouse by Santa Montefiore
Vegas Miracle by Crowe, Liz