Giorganni's Proposal

'Hate me as much as you like, but let me finish.' Dex raked a hand through his hair in a frustrated gesture, then hesitated for a moment. 'I overheard you telling Paul you and I dated once. End of story. I take it you do not want your godfather or my sister to know the truth?'

'You've got that right,' she muttered, wondering why the abrupt change of subject but accepting it. 'For some bizarre reason Paul thinks you were entitled to swing a punch at him, so why disillusion him?' Her eyes met his. 'And I'm sure it's what you want as well,' she gibed. 'I can still remember all the out-of-the-way places you took me to. To avoid being seen with me,' she said, bitterness making her voice harsh.

His grey eyes flared briefly, then the heavy lids narrowed, hiding his expression from her. 'Believe what you like, Beth. I am not going to argue with you. I am not trying to make excuses for my behaviour, it was inexcusable, but I want to try and explain.

'I told you once I was illegitimate. In my mother's circumstances it was considered the worst form of shame. Anna is my older sister. I was born eighteen months after my mother was widowed. Here in southern Italy a young, innocent girl making a mistake might eventually have been forgiven, but it wasn't very likely. For a newly widowed lady to have had a child was thought heinous. Even today, in the nineties, a lot of older women still wear black for the rest of their lives after the death of their husband.'

Beth's soft heart squeezed. 'You don't have—'

'I do. I want to,' Dex cut in. 'We lived in a little cottage down at the port. Here on Capri everyone knew of the circumstances of my birth. My mother braved it out for years, until I had made enough money and moved her to Naples.' Dex stared past her as if he was in a world of his own, remembering. 'My mother died two years ago a very bitter woman, still not forgiven by the friends of her youth.'

'Why are you telling me all this?' Beth asked quietly. Her eyes roamed over his darkly attractive face, the rumpled black wavy hair falling on his proud brow, and she could easily imagine him as a young boy, an outcast and vulnerable.

Dex moved closer to her and watched her through narrow intent eyes. 'Because I want you to understand why I behaved as I did. I am breaking a confidence in telling you, but I think you need to know. The reason Paul expected me to hit him is quite simple. He is an honourable man. He understands our Latin code of honour. Anna is pregnant, but not yet married. As her brother, I am entitled to knock the man out,' he declared emphatically.

Beth heard the underlying thread of violence in his tone and winced, but as for the rest she was pleased as punch. 'Pregnant,' she murmured. 'That's marvellous.' She smiled, a beaming grin. 'Paul will make a wonderful father, I know.' She was genuinely delighted.

'Now, yes! But about three months ago Paul and Anna parted. I do not usually involve myself with my sister's affairs, but this time was different. She later came to London to see Paul. She called his housekeeper, who told her where he was eating, and she dragged me along with her.'

Beth knew he was telling her the truth, she had overheard him saying as much, but unthinkingly she confirmed his words. 'That's how I always contact Paul, via Mrs Bewick. She always knows where he is.'

'Yes, well, on this occasion perhaps it would have been better if she had not. I saw you in the restaurant long before Anna did. A beautiful young girl smiling so lovingly at a much older man is always worthy of note. So often money is the incentive,' he drawled derisively.

His natural cynicism surfaced for a moment, and Beth felt a stab of distaste. At least now she could understand his reasoning a bit better, but it did not excuse Dex using her for his own ends. Nothing he said or did could repair the damage he had done to Beth, both mentally and physically.

'The rest, as you say, is history. Anna went crazy, and I got her out of the restaurant. Later, when I saw you again, I thought, why not me instead of Morris? I know what it is to be a bastard, and anything I can do to make sure Anna's child does not suffer the same fate I will do willingly,' Dex declared bluntly, his gaze skimming over her, lingering on the proud thrust of her breasts against the soft fabric of her dress, then moving with a flick of his lashes back to her face.

'And you are a very beautiful woman, Beth. It was no hardship.'

No hardship! Her body froze as the full meaning of his words sank in. 'You swine.' She looked up sharply and was shocked at the sensual light in his eyes. 'You. . .you arrogant creep,' she spluttered. She had almost felt sorry for him, imagining him as a young boy, the other children calling him names. Vulnerable? He was about as vulnerable as a rattlesnake, and twice as deadly.

He smiled, and, reaching out, he ran one long finger down the side of her face.

'Now that is what I wanted to talk about, Beth. Your temper and your obvious aversion to me. We are agreed no one will know of our brief fling. We are casual acquaintances—no more. But if you continue to look daggers at me, as you did tonight at dinner, and flinch every time I come near you, Paul and Anna might get suspicious. So we need a truce between us for the next two days.'

'We need a continent between us,' she prompted bitterly. 'But until I get off this island on Sunday you can have your truce. Î don't want to upset Paul and Anna's wedding any more than it already has been.'

Dex eyed her consideringly. 'You mean that, Beth? Friends for the duration, hmm?'

'Yes.' She tilted her head back and boldly faced him. It would k

ill her, but she would try for Paul.

His hand reached out, catching her wrist. 'Shake on it,' he murmured, looking down into her upturned face. Their eyes met and held. 'Or maybe kiss on it.'

Beth's heart skipped a beat at the look in his eyes, but common sense prevailed. 'Don't push your luck, buster. . . Leave.'

He chuckled under his breath and, lifting her hand to his mouth, pressed a kiss on her knuckles. 'Thank you. Tomorrow is going to be hell. Paul barely tolerates me, and Anna has told me several times I have rained their wedding day. The wedding photograph they keep for their children and their children's children will always show the bridegroom with a black eye.'

'Serves you right,' Beth said bluntly. 'It might teach you not to manipulate everyone you meet.' Beth spoke with more force than she realised, but she could still feel the disturbing warmth of his lips on her hand, and she resented her own weakness.

Abruptly Dex dropped her hand. His face darkened. 'I realise I might seem that way, but let me remind you, Beth,' he prompted, an odd harshness in his voice, 'it didn't work with you. You never called.'

Beth stared at him dumbly. What was he talking about? 'Ah, Mike,' she exclaimed. 'You mean your little attempt at blackmail? Sorry, I overslept.' She told him the truth without thinking.

He chuckled mirthlessly. 'You overslept.' Shaking his head, he gave her a cool smile. 'No matter, Beth. Tomorrow we will behave as friends. Goodnight.' Spinning on his heel, he left, closing the door quietly behind him.

Beth was tired and tormented, and all she wanted to do was shower and crawl into bed. Ten minutes later, her toilet completed and wearing a short white nightie, she climbed into the four-poster bed. Drawing the drapes around the frame, she snuggled down under the covers. The rest of the world was shut out.