The Italian's New-Year Marriage Wish by Sarah Morgan

puppy, Alfie watched. ‘Wow!’ His voice was awed, concern for his little brother momentarily for got ten. ‘That’s so cool!’
    Marco pulled on his jumper. ‘It’s definitely cool,’ he murmured, helping the boy to his feet as the paramedic returned, ready to take his second patient.
    â€˜I’m going up there, too? Just wait until they hear about this at school.’
    â€˜Maybe he would have been safer on the computer,’ Marco murmured, watching as the second child was safely winched into the helicopter. Then he lifted his hand in acknowledgement and the helicopter soared away on the short journey to hospital.
    Around them the sea thrashed and boiled like a wild beast, angered that its prey had been snatched from its jaws.
    Amy was shivering uncontrollably. ‘Let’s get moving,’ she muttered, and was suddenly enveloped in warmth as Marco wrapped his coat around her.
    â€˜Wear this.’
    â€˜You can’t give me your coat!’ Protesting, she tried to shrug her way out of it but he was stronger than her and more determined.
    â€˜Put it on.’ His voice rough, he fastened the coat as if she were a child and then gave a faint smile. ‘It swamps you.’
    â€˜Well, you’re bigger than me.’
    His eyes darkened and she flushed and turned away, picking her way across the rocks back towards the path. She knew that he was bigger than her. She’d always been aware of his physical strength. It was one of the things that drew women to him.
    At the top of the path a little crowd was waiting, including the boys’ mother, Mary.
    â€˜I sent them to play in the garden because they’ve been on those wretched game machines all holiday and then when I went to call them for lunch, there was no sign of them.’ She covered her mouth with her hand but the sobs still came. ‘I guessed they’d gone to the beach and that Eddie had followed them. Everyone’s saying that he’s badly hurt—’
    Without hesitation, Marco stepped forward and slid an arm around her shoulders. ‘They are boys and they were playing,’ he said, his accent thicker than usual. ‘Alfie has a cut on hishead, but nothing that a few stitches won’t sort out. Eddie also banged his head…’ He paused. ‘From Alfie’s description it sounds as though he might have been knocked out when he fell on the rocks. But he was starting to regain consciousness when we got to him and they’ve taken him to the hospital.’
    â€˜I need to get up there right away. I need to call my husband so that we can go to the hospital.’ Trying to hold herself together, Mary fumbled in her bag for her phone, her hands shaking so much she dropped the bag twice. ‘He’s gone to help my brother take down a shed in his garden. It will take him ages to get back with the way the roads are.’
    Marco stooped, picked up her bag and handed it to her. ‘I’ll take you in the Maserati.’ He looked at his watch. ‘I’ve got time to drive you and still be back in time for afternoon surgery. Tell your husband you’ll meet him up there.’
    Mary looked at him, her eyes swimming with tears. ‘You’d do that for me?’ She bit her lip. ‘But there must be other more urgent things you should be doing.’
    Marco looked directly at Amy and she knew what he was thinking. That the thing he should be doing was giving her the conversation she’d demanded.
    So it was up to her, then, to decide. He was giving her the choice. She could insist that he stay and finish the conversation they’d started or she could let him take this frantic mother to her children.
    â€˜We can talk later,’ she said quietly, slipping off his coat and handing it to him. ‘My train doesn’t leave until four.’
    With only the briefest hesitation Marco reached into his pocket and gave his car keys to Mary.