Becoming the Prince's Wife (Princes of Europe) by Rebecca Winters Page A

Until then we’ll set this aside and concentrate on our mission to put Gemelli and Arancia on the world map agriculturally.”
    “How can we possibly do that? You’ve done a lot more than proposition me. I can hardly take it in.”
    “That’s why I’m giving you all night to think about it. I want a relationship with you, Carolena. I’m willing to break my long-standing engagement to Princess Alexandra in order to be with you. In the end she’ll thank me for it. Gemelli doesn’t need a king yet.”
    “You can’t mean it!”
    “Had I not told you of my engagement, we would have spent that night on the yacht together. But the fact that I did tell you proved how important you were to me. I realized I wanted much more from you than one night of passion beneath the stars. Sleeping together to slake our desire could never be the same thing as having a full relationship.”
    His logic made so much sense she was in utter turmoil.
    “However, there is one thing I need to know up front. If your love for Berto is too all consuming and he’s the one standing in the way of letting me into your life, just tell me the truth right now. If the answer is yes, then I swear that once this video is made, I’ll see you off on the jet tomorrow night and our paths will never cross again.”
    She knew Valentino meant what he said with every fiber of his being. He’d been so honest with her, it hurt. If she told him anything less she’d be a hypocrite.
    “I would never have wanted to sleep with you if I hadn’t already put Berto away in my heart.”
    “That’s what I thought,” he murmured in satisfaction.
    “But when you speak of a relationship, we’re talking long-distance. With you up on the volcano while I’m in court in a different country... How long could it last before you’re forced to give me up and find a royal bride in order to be king? Your mother would despise me. Abby would never approve, nor would Vincenzo. The pressure would build until I couldn’t stand the shame of it.”
    His eyes became slits. “Do you love me? That’s all I want to know.”
    Carolena loved him, all right. But when he ended it—and he’d be the one to do it—she’d want to die. “Love isn’t everything, Val.”
    “That’s not what I wanted to hear, Carolena.”
    “I thought you gave me until tomorrow evening for my answer.”
    “I made you a promise and I’ll keep it. Now it’s getting late. I’ll say good-night here and see you at eight in the morning in this very spot. Buona notte, Carolena.”
    * * *
    Valentino was headed for his suite in the palace when his brother came out of the shadows at the top of the stairs wearing jeans and a sport shirt instead of his uniform. “Vito? What are you doing here? I didn’t know you were coming!”
    They gave each other a hug. “I’ve been waiting for you.”
    Together they entered his apartment. “I take it you’ve been with mother.”
    “ Sí. She phoned me last week and asked me to come ASAP.” Valentino had a strong hunch why she’d sent for her second son. “I arranged for my furlough early and got here this afternoon.”
    “It’s good to see you.” They sat down in the chairs placed around the coffee table. “How long will you be here?”
    “Long enough for me to find out why our mother is so worried about you. Why don’t you tell me about the woman you took up on the volcano last week before you spent part of the night dancing with her on the yacht. And all this happening after you’d set the date for your marriage to Alexandra.”
    Valentino couldn’t stay seated and got out of the chair. “Do you want a beer?”
    “Sure.”
    He went in the kitchen and pulled two bottles out of the fridge. After they’d both taken a few swallows, Vito said, “I’m waiting.”
    “I’m aware of that. My problem is finding a way to tell you something that’s going to shock the daylights out of you.”
    With a teasing smile, Vito sat back in the chair and put his feet up