EPILOGUE

ROMANLETGO of the breath that had been trapped in his lungs for what felt like weeks as he glanced over his shoulder and spotted Milly at the end of the aisle, heading towards him, at last. Her sister walked beside her, their arms linked. But all Roman could see was his bride in a luminous concoction of cream and white silk, accentuating every one of the curves he adored—and worshipped regularly. A light blush added lustre to her skin as her gaze connected with his, full of heat and longing and love.

‘The Devlin women are quite something, aren't they?' his brother murmured next to him, his voice barely audible above the swell of music and the whispered approval of the small crowd they'd invited to witness their marriage.

Roman nodded, because he couldn't speak. The answering heat and longing and love were lodged in his solar plexus, the way they had been ever since the day he'd proposed on Estiva four months ago, while they were hosting Milly's family—or rather their family—for a week-long vacation.

He hadn't wanted to wait four minutes, to actually seal the deal, but Milly had insisted they had to do it ‘right'—which meant in the Cade Chapel in front of all the people who mattered to them. So instead of politicians or celebrities, they had Giovanni and Giuliana in the front row, Milly's friends from Genoa and her previous job as a teaching assistant, the work colleagues he socialised with, and of course Brandon and Lacey—as best man and maid of honour/mother of the bride. As Milly finally reached him and Brandon, he spotted Ruby behind the two sisters, busy trying to rein in her dog, Tinkerbell, who, Roman had been reliably informed, was already a professional when it came to wedding parties.

It didn't look like it to him, from the way the dog was sniffing the back of Milly's gown, but when Ruby sent him a proud grin, he winked at her and grinned back. Because he'd learned to embrace the chaos in the past year.

He directed his attention back to Milly, and his smile spread through his heart. Unable to keep his hands off her, he cradled her cheeks and pulled her in for a kiss. As soon as his lips touched hers though, and he heard her familiar sob of surrender, he began to devour her.

Brandon cleared his throat loudly behind him, forcing Roman to draw back. There would be more than enough time to devour his almost-wife later. He grasped Milly's hand and held on tight while they turned to face the vicar together.

The words swept through him, on a tidal wave of pride and excitement, while he tried to concentrate on the vicar's words, so he didn't miss his cue.

When they finally got to say their ‘I dos', he gripped her fingers a little tighter. And felt her squeeze his hand in return.

My wife.

They had this, he thought, as the vicar finally stopped talking and he got to kiss Milly for real. The swell of applause from the crowd and the sound of their canine bridesmaid going berserk were nothing compared to the cacophony of joy in his heart.

Finally, they could start the rest of their life together.

‘Come here,' Roman demanded. ‘You're too slow,' he added as he dipped and hefted Milly onto his shoulder.

‘For goodness' sake, Roman, put me down, someone will see us,' she said, but she couldn't stop laughing as he marched with singular purpose down the darkened corridor towards the huge guest suite Brandon and Lacey had arranged for them at the Cade estate for their wedding night. And away from the reception in the ballroom below—which they had finally managed to sneak away from...

He ignored her protests—because, of course, he did—but when they finally reached the suite and he deposited her back on her feet, the wicked glint in his eyes faded abruptly.

‘Hey, are you okay?' He cupped her cheek. ‘I totally forgot about your tummy. You still good?' he asked, recalling the time, well over a week ago now, when she'd been violently ill one morning in his New York penthouse.

She smiled, and clasped his fingers.

‘No, I'm all better. And I secretly love it when you go all caveman on me,' she added, but the thickness in her throat made the words come out without the teasing lilt she had intended.

‘Hey...' He cupped her cheek again, his eyes narrowing, the serious expression making her heartbeat tick into her throat. ‘What is it? Is there something you're not telling me?'

Her heart swelled against her throat at the concern in his voice, and the intuition in his gaze. Apparently her new husband could still read her far too easily.

He'd been adorably solicitous while she was puking her guts up. But he'd also been worried about her. She'd passed off the sickness with some white lie about wedding jitters. But she knew she needed to tell him now what was really going on, when he added, ‘You don't regret marrying me, do you, Milly?'

‘Roman, today was the happiest day of my life. Bar none,' she continued, glad when the ticcing muscle in his jaw relaxed. ‘Except maybe that day you seduced me on the beach in Estiva,' she added cheekily, impossibly glad when he choked out a laugh.

‘Thank God,' he murmured, then drew her back into his arms. ‘That goes for both of us,' he said, his voice becoming a husky purr. ‘But I intend to make this day the best yet right now.'

But when he reached for the zip on her dress, she clasped his fingers to halt his progress.

‘But there is something I need to tell you...' She forced the words out, still a little shocked herself at what she and Lacey had discovered that morning. ‘I... I took a pregnancy test before the wedding at Lacey's suggestion.'

‘You... What?' His hand dropped away as his gaze dipped to her waist. He looked shocked, but not panicked. She took that as a good sign. Hopefully.

‘I think the tummy bug must have messed with my contraception...' she added, still not quite able to get the words out. This wasn't planned. They hadn't discussed children. Not yet. Although Roman adored Ruby and Artie. Seeing him develop a relationship with his new niece and nephew in the past year had been one of the most amazing things.

But this was different. Roman had adjusted to a lot in the last twelve months, not just their relationship, but also finding out what it was like to be a part of a family. Brandon and Lacey had been incredible, welcoming him in with open arms, and she thought he'd enjoyed the experience. He certainly seemed to have adapted to it. Even his relationship with Brandon had become a lot less prickly, watching their trust and friendship grow something Milly had also adored observing. But having their own child was huge. And they hadn't even talked about it. Let alone planned for it.

His gaze rose to hers again. But before she could choke the words out, past the ball of anxiety in her throat, he clasped her neck, tugged her forehead to his and said, ‘If you tell me you're pregnant right now, I may actually explode with happiness, fair warning.'

She laughed. The trickle of happy tears reminding her of the day he'd come back to her in Genoa and declared his love.

‘Really?' she said, a tiny part of the insecure girl still there, despite everything.

‘Yeah, really...' He caressed her neck, making the ache in her core join the swell of happiness in her heart. Then he brushed the tears away with his thumbs. ‘Now stop keeping me in suspense, or I may have to seduce the truth out of you.'

She huffed out a breath. And chuckled as the last remnant of that girl finally died inside her. ‘We're going to have a baby, in about eight months' time.'

He roared his approval, then banded his arms around her waist and lifted her up to spin her around.

She clung to his shoulders, sinking into a deep, abiding and unbearably hot kiss when he finally let her down again.

As he scooped her into his arms, and marched towards the bedroom, he added, ‘I hope you know you've made me the happiest guy alive.'

She laughed as he placed her on the bed. ‘I hope you're still saying that when Junior asks for a puppy.'

‘Even then,' he replied, before he began to strip her naked in earnest, and made her forget everything...

Except how much she loved him.

Read on for an extract from ITALIAN'S STOLEN WIFE by Lorraine Hall