Marcello & Grace (Royals of Valleria #2) by Marianne Knightly Page A
Authors: Marianne Knightly
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other for several minutes.
He nuzzled her hair, smelling the soft scent of roses wafting back at him and it comforted him. He did not think he had ever felt more useless in his life than he had while listening to Grace’s story. But this moment wasn’t about him. It was about the woman in his arms that was coming to mean so much to him.
He pressed a kiss against her hair, then her temple and her tear-stained cheek. “Thank you for sharing that with me, fair Grace.”
“I don’t think I had much choice,” she murmured.
He gripped her chin and tilted it upwards. “You always, always have a choice, especially with me. Don’t ever doubt that, or yourself.”
“That sounded like an order,” she said and he was pleased to see a hint of smile on her face.
“So, I might give you an order every once in a while. You still have a choice, Grace. You can tell me to go to hell, if you want. I’ll still care for you. I don’t think I’m able to stop caring for you at this point.”
“Marcello,” she said surprised.
He wrapped his arms tighter around her. “Say my name again.”
“Marcello,” she said as she tried to pull away.
“Just like that, but maybe pretend you like me a little.”
“Marcello,” she said again with a half laugh. “You can’t mean it.”
“Of course I do. They’re my feelings, aren’t they? Aren’t I entitled to them?”
“Well, yes, of course.”
“Then leave them be. I’m afraid nothing you can do will change them.”
“Oh, I’m afraid, all right,” she muttered and leaned her head against his chest. Since she wasn’t wearing heels, her head fit perfectly beneath his chin.
When the clock chimed on her bedside table, she jumped back. “Oh my goodness. I’d forgotten all about the time. Oh, I have so much to see to before dinner,” she said as she tried to pull away. “Marcello, please,” she said as she squirmed in his arms.
“In a minute.” When she stopped fidgeting, he asked, “Are you okay?”
She sighed then nodded. “Dinner will be the perfect thing to distract me today.”
“Trust in me, Grace. Moreso, trust in yourself. You can handle anything.”
“Perhaps you should have gone into a career in therapy or motivational speaking.”
He smiled. “Those words are only for you, fair Grace.” He pressed a soft kiss to her lips, which were softened by the few tears she had shed. “There’s so much waiting for you, Grace, if only you believe you’re worthy of it. You are, in case you’re wondering.”
She stood on her tiptoes and pressed a soft kiss back, then dropped another kiss on his cheek before wrapping her arms around his neck for a hug.
He could feel her small body, particularly her breasts, pressed against him. Her hair tickled his nose, and her lips pressed a final kiss to his neck, which sent his hormones spiking. Who knew the neck was such an erogenous zone?
“Don’t get too buried in work that you’re late for dinner,” she said as she pulled away. She didn’t ask about his mission, nor did offer any information.
“I won’t. I promise.”
She nodded and then started to walk away. Halfway to the door, she stopped and turned back. “Wait a minute. This is my bedroom.”
He smiled broadly. “So it is.” As he walked past her to leave, he dropped a quick kiss to her lips and gave her one last devastating smile before walking out.
Chapter 9
Grace spent the rest of the day distracting herself from her feelings and from Marcello by focusing on the evening ahead. It was just past six in the evening when she finally found time to head to her room to change; it wouldn’t do for the hostess to be late to her own dinner.
She took a quick shower, letting the steaming hot streams of water wash away the day’s hard work and hopefully also calm her nerves. She stepped out and dried herself quickly before
He nuzzled her hair, smelling the soft scent of roses wafting back at him and it comforted him. He did not think he had ever felt more useless in his life than he had while listening to Grace’s story. But this moment wasn’t about him. It was about the woman in his arms that was coming to mean so much to him.
He pressed a kiss against her hair, then her temple and her tear-stained cheek. “Thank you for sharing that with me, fair Grace.”
“I don’t think I had much choice,” she murmured.
He gripped her chin and tilted it upwards. “You always, always have a choice, especially with me. Don’t ever doubt that, or yourself.”
“That sounded like an order,” she said and he was pleased to see a hint of smile on her face.
“So, I might give you an order every once in a while. You still have a choice, Grace. You can tell me to go to hell, if you want. I’ll still care for you. I don’t think I’m able to stop caring for you at this point.”
“Marcello,” she said surprised.
He wrapped his arms tighter around her. “Say my name again.”
“Marcello,” she said as she tried to pull away.
“Just like that, but maybe pretend you like me a little.”
“Marcello,” she said again with a half laugh. “You can’t mean it.”
“Of course I do. They’re my feelings, aren’t they? Aren’t I entitled to them?”
“Well, yes, of course.”
“Then leave them be. I’m afraid nothing you can do will change them.”
“Oh, I’m afraid, all right,” she muttered and leaned her head against his chest. Since she wasn’t wearing heels, her head fit perfectly beneath his chin.
When the clock chimed on her bedside table, she jumped back. “Oh my goodness. I’d forgotten all about the time. Oh, I have so much to see to before dinner,” she said as she tried to pull away. “Marcello, please,” she said as she squirmed in his arms.
“In a minute.” When she stopped fidgeting, he asked, “Are you okay?”
She sighed then nodded. “Dinner will be the perfect thing to distract me today.”
“Trust in me, Grace. Moreso, trust in yourself. You can handle anything.”
“Perhaps you should have gone into a career in therapy or motivational speaking.”
He smiled. “Those words are only for you, fair Grace.” He pressed a soft kiss to her lips, which were softened by the few tears she had shed. “There’s so much waiting for you, Grace, if only you believe you’re worthy of it. You are, in case you’re wondering.”
She stood on her tiptoes and pressed a soft kiss back, then dropped another kiss on his cheek before wrapping her arms around his neck for a hug.
He could feel her small body, particularly her breasts, pressed against him. Her hair tickled his nose, and her lips pressed a final kiss to his neck, which sent his hormones spiking. Who knew the neck was such an erogenous zone?
“Don’t get too buried in work that you’re late for dinner,” she said as she pulled away. She didn’t ask about his mission, nor did offer any information.
“I won’t. I promise.”
She nodded and then started to walk away. Halfway to the door, she stopped and turned back. “Wait a minute. This is my bedroom.”
He smiled broadly. “So it is.” As he walked past her to leave, he dropped a quick kiss to her lips and gave her one last devastating smile before walking out.
Chapter 9
Grace spent the rest of the day distracting herself from her feelings and from Marcello by focusing on the evening ahead. It was just past six in the evening when she finally found time to head to her room to change; it wouldn’t do for the hostess to be late to her own dinner.
She took a quick shower, letting the steaming hot streams of water wash away the day’s hard work and hopefully also calm her nerves. She stepped out and dried herself quickly before
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