I Want You for Christmas: The Prince's Lost Princess - a Heartwarming Snow-Capped Holiday Romance Read Online Free Page B
Author: Holly Rayner, Lara Hunter
Tags: Suspense, Romance, Literature & Fiction, Genre Fiction, romantic suspense, Holidays, Mystery & Suspense
dinner this evening.”
Luca tried not to wince again. He wasn’t sure if it was the Tuscan light streaming through his windows or the thought of spending the evening with his angry parents that made his head throb, but either way it didn’t feel good.
“There’s one more thing, Your Highness,” Rinaldo said as he approached Luca’s closet and pulled out his polo gear.
“Yes?” Luca said, slowly rising from his king-sized bed and taking the proffered garment from Rinaldo’s hand.
“Giorgio has called. The girl should arrive tomorrow afternoon, if she decides to get on the plane.”
This got Luca’s attention.
“He managed to get her to agree? Fantastic!”
Luca’s plan to find a lost royal had started out almost as a personal conquest. He was angry that no one would associate with him anymore, and it had occurred to him that he might be able to find someone of royal blood who wasn’t yet aware of his reputation. That person might be someone he could enjoy some time with…for a while, anyway. That’s when he found out about the lost house of Galtieri, a long deposed noble bloodline, gone, but evidently not quite forgotten…
“And she bought the whole international relations bit?” Luca asked.
Rinaldo nodded. “She did. The email logo was a nice touch, if I do say so myself, sir.”
Luca grinned. “Gabriella Galtieri. My God, she has no idea who she might really be. And she’s an American!”
The thought of spending time with an American was an appealing one to Luca. The Americans he had met during his university years had been boisterous and noisy and fun. He had liked them a lot. They didn’t care about status or titles—to them, everyone was equal. It was an interesting concept to Luca, coming from a world of hierarchies and status. The Americans did still value wealth, however, and he had found that many of his ‘friends’ disappeared the minute he stopped offering to buy all the drinks or fly them out to exotic locales.
Such was life.
But this Gabriella. She was the only Galtieri he could find that wasn’t ancient or already married. She was younger than him by four years, but that didn’t matter. He was sure she would be interesting company, and he was intrigued to learn more about this possible royal, who likely had no idea who she could be. His research was still inconclusive there.
Yes, mother. I can do research. Perhaps I’m not that much of a fool after all, Luca thought as he pulled his polo pants up and wriggled into black riding boots.
His olive skin was a little pale from his hangover, but it in no way detracted from his strong physique and confident posture. Luca could wear a hangover as good as any other noble, and he would do so today.
“Rinaldo, tell Giorgio he has my thanks, and that a large bonus will be on the table if he is able to get her on a plane out to me.”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
Luca took one last gulp of water before exiting his room. Tomorrow he would meet Gabriella Galtieri. What an interesting day that would be!
FIVE
Gaby
Gaby lay in her single bed, her eyes wide open despite the lateness of the hour.
Since going to bed, she had wavered between going to Florence and staying at home at least six times each. It was an impossible decision, and one she had no time to think about. What if she was kidnapped? What if this was all an elaborate ruse? Gaby read the news. She knew how scary the world really was.
Was it worth the risk?
On the other hand, it was the opportunity of a lifetime. A free trip to Florence, all expenses paid? Who got an offer like that and turned it down? Was she being foolish? Sheltered? All she ever talked about was getting out and seeing the world. Was she really just going to let herself talk, and take no action?
Gaby leapt from her bed, her bare feet padding along the cold wooden floors. She would do this. She would
Luca tried not to wince again. He wasn’t sure if it was the Tuscan light streaming through his windows or the thought of spending the evening with his angry parents that made his head throb, but either way it didn’t feel good.
“There’s one more thing, Your Highness,” Rinaldo said as he approached Luca’s closet and pulled out his polo gear.
“Yes?” Luca said, slowly rising from his king-sized bed and taking the proffered garment from Rinaldo’s hand.
“Giorgio has called. The girl should arrive tomorrow afternoon, if she decides to get on the plane.”
This got Luca’s attention.
“He managed to get her to agree? Fantastic!”
Luca’s plan to find a lost royal had started out almost as a personal conquest. He was angry that no one would associate with him anymore, and it had occurred to him that he might be able to find someone of royal blood who wasn’t yet aware of his reputation. That person might be someone he could enjoy some time with…for a while, anyway. That’s when he found out about the lost house of Galtieri, a long deposed noble bloodline, gone, but evidently not quite forgotten…
“And she bought the whole international relations bit?” Luca asked.
Rinaldo nodded. “She did. The email logo was a nice touch, if I do say so myself, sir.”
Luca grinned. “Gabriella Galtieri. My God, she has no idea who she might really be. And she’s an American!”
The thought of spending time with an American was an appealing one to Luca. The Americans he had met during his university years had been boisterous and noisy and fun. He had liked them a lot. They didn’t care about status or titles—to them, everyone was equal. It was an interesting concept to Luca, coming from a world of hierarchies and status. The Americans did still value wealth, however, and he had found that many of his ‘friends’ disappeared the minute he stopped offering to buy all the drinks or fly them out to exotic locales.
Such was life.
But this Gabriella. She was the only Galtieri he could find that wasn’t ancient or already married. She was younger than him by four years, but that didn’t matter. He was sure she would be interesting company, and he was intrigued to learn more about this possible royal, who likely had no idea who she could be. His research was still inconclusive there.
Yes, mother. I can do research. Perhaps I’m not that much of a fool after all, Luca thought as he pulled his polo pants up and wriggled into black riding boots.
His olive skin was a little pale from his hangover, but it in no way detracted from his strong physique and confident posture. Luca could wear a hangover as good as any other noble, and he would do so today.
“Rinaldo, tell Giorgio he has my thanks, and that a large bonus will be on the table if he is able to get her on a plane out to me.”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
Luca took one last gulp of water before exiting his room. Tomorrow he would meet Gabriella Galtieri. What an interesting day that would be!
FIVE
Gaby
Gaby lay in her single bed, her eyes wide open despite the lateness of the hour.
Since going to bed, she had wavered between going to Florence and staying at home at least six times each. It was an impossible decision, and one she had no time to think about. What if she was kidnapped? What if this was all an elaborate ruse? Gaby read the news. She knew how scary the world really was.
Was it worth the risk?
On the other hand, it was the opportunity of a lifetime. A free trip to Florence, all expenses paid? Who got an offer like that and turned it down? Was she being foolish? Sheltered? All she ever talked about was getting out and seeing the world. Was she really just going to let herself talk, and take no action?
Gaby leapt from her bed, her bare feet padding along the cold wooden floors. She would do this. She would
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