A Moment on the Lips - By Kate Hardy Page 0,62

or the restaurant. We’re getting a proper house.’

‘Merger.’ She blinked, as if she couldn’t quite take it in.

‘Marriage,’ he said.

Her eyes went wide. ‘You want to marry me?’

‘Yes.’

She coughed. ‘You once told me that you were the one who asked the questions. Isn’t that one meant to be a question, not a statement of fact?’

‘I guess so.’ He dropped down onto one knee. ‘Carenza Tonielli, I love you and I want to spend the rest of my life with you. Will you marry me?’

‘I have conditions.’

‘Conditions.’ That was definitely the princess talking. He hid a smile. ‘Do they involve high-end designer shoes and wedding dresses?’

She pulled a face at him. ‘Much more serious than that.’

‘Hit me with them.’

‘After Paris. When you said it was for the best that my period started.’ She bit her lip. ‘It wasn’t. Because that’s when I realised that I want babies. Your babies.’

‘A family. Yeah. That works for me, Princess.’ And they were both going to have what they hadn’t had when they grew up. The parent-child bond, in her case, and a happy home without violence, in his. ‘And maybe we can have a dog. I always wanted a dog when I was a kid.’

He didn’t explain why he hadn’t had one, but she clearly guessed, because she stroked his face. ‘You’re not your father,’ she said again. ‘I saw you with Fiorella. You’re putty in her hands. You’d do anything to protect her. And that’s what you’ll be like with our children. And the dog. And me.’

‘Especially you. But do you have any idea how uncomfortable it is, resting on one knee?’

She spread her hands. ‘I’ve never gone down on one knee to propose to anyone, so no.’

He rolled his eyes. ‘Cut to the chase, Princess. Tell me the rest of the conditions.’

‘You’re so impatient.’ She rolled her eyes. ‘That was it. I want your babies.’

‘That’s what I want, too.’ He paused. ‘So do I get an answer to my question?’

‘Yes.’

‘Yes, what?’

She smiled. ‘Yes, Dante, I’ll marry you.’

He whooped, scrambled to his feet, picked her up and whirled her round. And then he sobered. ‘I’ve done this completely the wrong way round. I should’ve asked your grandfather’s permission, first.’

‘He likes you. He’ll say yes, as long as you make me happy.’

He stole a kiss. ‘That’s a definite.’

‘We’ve got an awful lot to talk to my grandparents about tomorrow,’ she said, biting her lip.

‘And not all of it good, I know. It’s going to be hard for them, accepting that they trusted someone who let them down.’ He sat down, settling her on his lap. ‘But we’ll get through it, because we’ll be together.’

‘Always. And that’s my business plan.’

‘Seconded by me. So it’s a deal?’

‘It’s a deal.’

‘Good. And now,’ Dante said, ‘I vote we seal the deal properly. With a kiss.’

She laughed. ‘I thought you’d never ask …’

ISBN: 9781408919989

A Moment on the Lips

First Published in Great Britain in 2011

Harlequin (UK) Limited

Eton House, 18-24 Paradise Road, Richmond, Surrey TW9 1SR

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Table of Contents

Cover

Praise for Kate Hardy

About the Author

Also by Kate Hardy

Title Page

Dedication

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Fourteen