The Sicilian's Bought Cinderella

Her laugh was morose. ‘You reckon? Look,’ she continued, not giving him time to respond, ‘I’m not saying I want anything more than this. You and I are never going to be love’s young dream; we’re just too different, never mind the family thing and all the complications that brings, and the fact neither of us wants a relationship, but I have to tell you... I’ve never had an affair before.’ Suddenly realising the absurdity of the situation, she put her forehead to his and gave a genuine laugh. ‘What I’m trying to tell you in my roundabout way is that I don’t know the etiquette for this or how I’m expected to behave now that we’ve actually done the deed.’

Dante brushed his lips over hers. ‘If there is accepted etiquette then no one has told me.’

‘How do your lovers normally behave after you’ve made love?’

‘Don’t think about them. They are not you. You wouldn’t be here if you were.’

She winced.

‘Aislin, stop comparing yourself to other women.’

‘But I’ve seen pictures of your other lovers. They’re all so...glamourous!’

‘Maybe, but none of them has turned me on the way you do.’

Her cheeks pinked and a spark flared in her eyes. ‘Really? You’re not just saying that?’

He traced a finger over her soft lips. ‘You do something to me, dolcezza, and I am not going to apologise or feel regrets, because what we shared was incredible.’

The spark deepened into a glow and she skimmed his finger with her pink tongue. ‘It was, wasn’t it? I think that’s what’s thrown me. I didn’t know it could be so good.’

And neither had he.

Feeling a fresh stiffening in his trousers, Dante groaned and clasped her cheeks in his hands. ‘I want to make love to you again.’

She slid her arm around his neck, pupils dilating. ‘What’s stopping you?’

‘The time.’

‘What...?’ She jerked out of his hold to look at her watch and gave a squeal of dismay. ‘Dante, we’re going to be late! The champagne reception’s about to start.’

‘That’s what I meant about the time,’ he said with pained dryness. He stood up and winced at the ache that had set off again in his loins.

Aislin jumped to her feet and caught sight of her reflection in the full-length mirror by the bathroom door. ‘Look at the state of me!’

Her unkempt hair could just about be tamed with a brush, and she could redo her make-up, but her dress was all crumpled.

‘Do they have a laundry service here?’ She flew to the wardrobe and wrenched the door open. ‘I’m going to have to wear the evening dress I got for tomorrow night’s wedding reception.’

She could scream with frustration. Tomorrow night’s dress was much flashier than the one she had selected for tonight, which she had chosen figuring she should ease herself into this world gently. The only solace she could find was that, having seen Cristina’s glamorous dress, tomorrow night’s dress would be more fitting.

‘What are you talking about?’

‘I bought outfits to match the itinerary but I didn’t make any allowances for the clothes being crumpled up by having sex in them.’ She thought quickly as she pulled out the dress she’d bought for the wedding reception. ‘How do people in your world cope with all these outfits? Why can’t they just have an outfit for the wedding ceremony that they keep on for the evening party like normal people?’

‘Do that, then.’

‘But you said everyone will change into party wear for the evening bash.’

‘No one will care if you keep the same outfit on.’

‘I guarantee you, every woman will be examining my outfits as carefully as their own. I’ve supposedly bagged Sicily’s most eligible bachelor so they’re going to be extra curious about me. The clothes I wear will reflect on you.’

‘I’ll give the personal shopper I hired for you a call and ask her to send more dresses over.’

She pulled a face, torn between not wanting him to waste more money on her and not wanting to show him up by wearing the same evening dress twice. Aislin wanted to fit into this world for the weekend for his sake.

‘I’ll call her now,’ he said while she stood there arguing with herself, strolling over to stand behind her and wrap his arms around her stomach. ‘And don’t feel guilty.’ He kissed the top of her head. ‘I’m the one responsible for ruining your dress and, unless you want us to be seriously late, I suggest you take your new outfit and lock yourself in the bathroom before I ruin that one too.’