Rebecca Winters - The Magnate's Holiday Proposal

Can he find his son a mommy for Christmas?

Ever since Italian CEO Luca Berettini tragically lost his wife, he’s been dedicated to keeping his sick son happy and healthy. But when Dino asks a charity to grant him a wish, Luca’s Christmas is turned on its head!

Gabi Parisi is moved by Dino’s letter and desperate to help the boy, whose experience reminds her of her childhood. She’s swept away by Dino and his handsome, loving single dad but has no idea how to grant Dino’s wish—until Luca makes her a very special Christmas proposal...

Euphoric that she had the freedom to touch and feel him, she pushed her fears aside and gave in to her desires.

They came together in an explosion of need that rocked her world.

“You don’t know what meeting you has done to me.” Luca kissed every centimeter of her face and throat. “I could eat you alive. Don’t ask me to stop because I can’t, bellissima.”

“I don’t want you to stop. Surely you know that by now? Why else do I keep finding excuses to stay?”

“I love you, Gabriella Parisi. I’m so in love with you I can’t think about anything else. Don’t say it’s too soon, or that we barely know each other. None of that matters because we know how we feel.”

The Magnate’s Holiday Proposal

Rebecca Winters

www.millsandboon.co.uk

REBECCA WINTERSlives in Salt Lake City, Utah. With canyons and high alpine meadows full of wildflowers, she never runs out of places to explore. They, plus her favourite vacation spots in Europe, often end up as backgrounds for her romance novels—because writing is her passion, along with her family and church. Rebecca loves to hear from readers. If you wish to email her, please visit her website at www.cleanromances.com.

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Contents

Cover

Back Cover Text Can he find his son a mommy for Christmas? Ever since Italian CEO Luca Berettini tragically lost his wife, he’s been dedicated to keeping his sick son happy and healthy. But when Dino asks a charity to grant him a wish, Luca’s Christmas is turned on its head! Gabi Parisi is moved by Dino’s letter and desperate to help the boy, whose experience reminds her of her childhood. She’s swept away by Dino and his handsome, loving single dad but has no idea how to grant Dino’s wish—until Luca makes her a very special Christmas proposal...

Introduction Euphoric that she had the freedom to touch and feel him, she pushed her fears aside and gave in to her desires. They came together in an explosion of need that rocked her world. “You don’t know what meeting you has done to me.” Luca kissed every centimeter of her face and throat. “I could eat you alive. Don’t ask me to stop because I can’t, bellissima.” “I don’t want you to stop. Surely you know that by now? Why else do I keep finding excuses to stay?” “I love you, Gabriella Parisi. I’m so in love with you I can’t think about anything else. Don’t say it’s too soon, or that we barely know each other. None of that matters because we know how we feel.”

Title Page The Magnate’s Holiday Proposal Rebecca Winters www.millsandboon.co.uk

About the Author REBECCA WINTERS lives in Salt Lake City, Utah. With canyons and high alpine meadows full of wildflowers, she never runs out of places to explore. They, plus her favourite vacation spots in Europe, often end up as backgrounds for her romance novels—because writing is her passion, along with her family and church. Rebecca loves to hear from readers. If you wish to email her, please visit her website at www.cleanromances.com .

CHAPTER ONE

CHAPTER TWO

CHAPTER THREE

CHAPTER FOUR

CHAPTER FIVE

CHAPTER SIX

CHAPTER SEVEN

CHAPTER EIGHT

CHAPTER NINE

CHAPTER TEN

CHAPTER ELEVEN

Extract

Copyright

CHAPTER ONE

November, two years earlier.

Piancavallo, the Italian Dolomites, Italy

“PAPÀ? IS THIS where you skied when you were my age?”

“Yes. I’d practice right here whenever my parents would let me.”

“I want to be an Olympic champion like you.”

“I have no doubts you will be one day, Dino,” his mamma said. “But it’s getting cold and time to go back to our chalet. We’ll come again tomorrow, darling.”

“Urra!”

Suddenly the three of them heard a loud crack higher up the mountain.

“What was that, Papà?”

“We have to get off the mountain, now!”

November 29, present day

On Thursday morning Luca Berettini left his villa for work later than usual and got in the car to drive to Spilimbergo in Northeast Italy. It took only a few minutes from Luca’s home in Maniago, Italy, eleven miles away.

For the last year and a half, Luca had been acting CEO of Berettini Plastics, their hundred-year-old family business, while his father, Fabrizo Berettini, had been recovering from a heart attack. The position was one he’d never wanted or sought. But both the board and his mother had pressured him to do it. She’d done everything in the world for him all her life, and he couldn’t turn her down.

Since the avalanche that had robbed Luca of his wife and Dino’s mother, Luca had run a business of his own on the side, all to do with the manufacture of Italian skis and boots. His venture had proved lucrative. If the gods were kind, the day might come when Luca could say goodbye to the job of CEO and be fully involved with his interest in the ski industry.

The horrendous avalanche that had changed his world and had kept him away from the ski slopes hadn’t altered his love for the sport. What a joy it would be to walk away and have the freedom to do what he really wanted, but he couldn’t do that until he knew the outcome of his father’s health.

As for Dino, until Luca knew what kind of life was in store for his son after the impending operation to remove a benign brain tumor, it was difficult to think about anything else. The boy meant more to him than life itself.

Luca parked his car and nodded to several of the employees before taking the private elevator to his suite on the third floor. As he entered, his secretary, Sofia, got up from her desk and hurried over to him. Something was going on. In a hushed voice she said, “Before you go in, I wanted to warn you that your father is here. He’s been waiting several hours for you.”

Anger swamped Luca. The doctor had ordered his father to stay home and continue to work with his various therapists until he was given permission to put in part-time work again. But that hadn’t stopped him from crossing the threshold today. It was so like him to intrude on Luca’s private life without warning. In the past he’d tried to sabotage several of Luca’s relationships with women by making demands and criticisms.

Today was all Luca needed after having to console Dino following one of his nightmares this morning, but he knew exactly why his father had shown up and shouldn’t have been surprised. When he hadn’t gotten satisfaction after a fiery exchange on the phone with Luca last night, he’d decided to barge in on him.