But then Miss Sims had not been a good lawyer. She had barely challenged anything he had said, and had stopped him on the way out to congratulate him, he recalled. Suddenly Dante found himself making excuses for Beth. Had he been too harsh with her? Alone in the world, she might easily have gone off the rails with grief... Not that it mattered. The evidence had been solid and the jury had found her guilty, he reminded himself. But he was a man always supremely confident in his decisions and he never second-guessed himself. The fact that Beth was making him do just that shocked him rigid. It had to stop.
Finally, yesterday morning, after a frustrating weekend, he had rationalised that there was nothing to be gained by waiting with the sword of Damocles hanging over his head. He needed to make sure Beth was definitely n
ot pregnant before he got involved with another woman. His legal team could take care of work. His presence wasn’t essential until a client meeting on Wednesday.
His decision made, he’d taken a flight to London. He’d called Tony, pretty sure he would know where Beth was, but had got no reply. Then he’d called at her old apartment on the off-chance that she had lied about everything and was still living there. Only to be faced by a young man who said he had no idea where the last tenant had gone.
Finally he’d caught up with Tony late afternoon and discovered Beth had been gone for weeks and had set up in business for herself. But as her loyal friend Tony had refused to give Dante her phone number or her address at Beth’s specific request.
After checking the investigator’s report again he had found the address of her cottage and set off at the crack of dawn to drive here, confront her, and dismiss doubt and the woman from his life once and for all and get back to normal.
At least that was what he’d told himself. But now, as he looked at her exquisite profile and the contrast of her red hair against the ever-so-slightly sun-kissed skin of her bare shoulders, a basic, more earthy desire began to heat his blood.
* * *
Beth heard the click of the gate and glanced down to see Dante stalk up the path and leap up the steps to come and stand towering over her. He became a big black shadow against the sun and memories of the past came rushing back. Involuntarily she shivered. Whether it was because of the old dreams or the sex or both, she wasn’t sure. All she was sure of was that his physical presence disturbed her far too much for her peace of mind.
‘Good morning, Beth. Lovely place you have here—though a little hard to find. I’ve been driving since six and could join you in a cup of coffee,’ he declared, glancing at the cup in her hand as he sank down onto another captain’s chair.
‘It’s not coffee, it’s tea. And if you go back the way you came there is a small café next to the shop on the harbour. Try there,’ Beth suggested bluntly. Dante Cannavaro had said he would leave her alone. He had some nerve, turning up here.
‘Oh, come on, Beth. That’s not very hospitable after all we have been to each other....’ he drawled, and removed his sunglasses.
She saw humour in his dark eyes, and more as he let his gaze roam over her, lingering on the swell of her breasts beneath the cotton of her dress with undisguised male lust.
‘No way,’ she snapped, feeling uncomfortably warm. ‘You agreed we would never meet again. I’ve kept my side of the deal, so what’s your excuse for turning up here and breaking it?’ she demanded.
‘Extenuating circumstances—and strictly speaking you’re wrong. I never actually agreed to stay out of your life, only never to reveal...’ He paused, then continued, ‘My inside knowledge of you.’
Beth felt her eyes widen and the colour rise in her face at his choice of words, as she was sure he had meant it to. Without thought, she swung her hand in a swift arc to slap his face, but he caught her wrist.
‘Now, Beth, that is no way to greet an old friend,’ he drawled in a deadly low tone, and lowered her arm down to her thigh.
She tugged her wrist free but had more sense than to try to hit him again.
‘I had a pretty tough job finding you again.’
‘You shouldn’t have bothered. You are not welcome here,’ Beth said bluntly. Leaning forward, before she could stop him, he flicked off her sunglasses and his dark eyes clashed with her angry green.
‘That’s better, Beth. I want to see your reaction when I tell you the reason I am here.’
Beth went very still, her face expressionless, when really she was so mad she wanted to throttle him. But she realised his being here and his last comment sounded like a threat. She looked out to sea for a long moment to regain her composure and reviewed every one of her past encounters with him in her mind. She came to a conclusion. She slowly turned her head to glance up at his harsh, handsome features through the fine curtain of her lashes.
‘There is nothing that you can do or say to me that is worse than you have done already,’ she said with deliberate softness.
Amazingly, dark colour washed up his face and he drew back, his mouth twisting. ‘I sincerely hope not,’ he said cryptically, a frown creasing his broad brow.
Beth had the odd notion he was not only embarrassed, but worried.
‘But get me a coffee and I will tell you.’
His tone was hard and demanding again, and it set Beth’s teeth on edge. For a moment there she had begun to think that Dante was almost human. Big mistake...and not one she intended to repeat.
‘No,’ she said defiantly. ‘I remember what happened the last time you demanded coffee....’ She glanced up and caught the gleam of desire in his dark eyes that the memory of their last meeting had evoked and felt an answering surge of heat spread through her body. Stupid thing to say.... She lowered her eyes to try to gather her wits. But focusing on the open neck of his polo shirt was not helping her....
‘I did not invite you here, but obviously your investigator informed you I own this place,’ she said in a voice that was not quite steady. She ploughed on regardless. ‘I do not want you here. I have absolutely no interest in a single word you say. Is that clear enough for you?’
‘Yes, but it might be difficult,’ Dante said, looking down at Beth.