The Cost of Her Innocence

‘You know the alternative. Is that what you want?’

‘No, definitely not,’ Beth said. She could see no other way out....

Dante caught her shoulders and stared grimly down at her.

‘Then make up your mind. What is it to be? Yes or no?’

‘Then yes, I suppose,’ she said fatalistically. ‘But I want an iron-clad pre—’

A voice cut her off.

‘Hey, Beth—that is some car outside. Do you know whose it is?’ Janet asked as she walked into the kitchen with Annie. She stopped dead, her gaze settling on Dante, still holding Beth.

‘No,’ Beth said quickly. ‘Yes, I mean. This is...’

She stopped as Dante dropped a swift kiss on her lips, let go of her and moved to Janet.

‘Allow me to introduce myself. I’m Dante, a very close friend of Beth’s, hoping soon to be much more. You must be Janet,’ Dante said smoothly, and Beth stared open-mouthed with shock as he smiled and took her friend’s hand. ‘Beth has told me so much about you. It is a pleasure to finally meet you and your adorable little girl, Annie.’

‘Oh...oh, hello,’ Janet stuttered. Overawed by his formidable presence she turned huge blue eyes on Beth. ‘You dark horse, Beth. I didn’t know you had a boyfriend.’

‘We met years ago and renewed our relationship earlier this year, but Beth likes to keep me hidden,’ Dante declared outrageously. ‘While I want her to come to Italy for a holiday to show her my world and persuade her to marry me.’

Beth could not believe the glib devil, and watched as he bestowed a megawatt smile on Janet the like of which she had never seen before.

‘Ah, a Latin lover—I should have guessed.’ Janet turned to her, and much to Beth’s chagrin she blushed. ‘Beth, I can’t believe you never once mentioned this gorgeous man. I can’t say I blame you. If he was mine I’d keep him to myself as well.’ She grinned and glanced admiringly back up at Dante.

Beth silently groaned. Janet was a great friend, but hopelessly outspoken. ‘You don’t understand...’ she began.

‘What’s to understand? A holiday in Italy sounds great to me—and the man hopes to marry you! Accept quickly, before he changes his mind.’

‘I can’t just take off to Italy. I can’t leave Binkie, and the builders are going to start on the conversion soon.’

‘Don’t worry. I’ll take care of Binkie. And as for the conversion—you can have at least two weeks holiday before it starts.’

Somehow, ten minutes later, Beth found herself standing by the Bentley with Dante, her future more or less decided.

He kissed her—for Janet’s benefit, she guessed—then told her he would call her the next day to confirm arrangements. He already had her house phone number, and he gave her his card with a list of numbers where she could contact him. She supposed she should be grateful he did not whisk her away there and then. At least she had a couple of days to think of an alternative.

By the time Beth went to bed that night she was exhausted, but her head was filled with the events of the day and she could not sleep. Janet had asked her umpteen questions but Beth hadn’t had the heart to tell her that she was pregnant. In fact she was having a hard time accepting it herself. As for Dante saying he was hoping to persuade her to marry him—she didn’t know why he bothered prevaricating.... He had left her no choice but to marry him.

Beth called Clive the next day and told him she was going on holiday to Italy for two weeks. She hadn’t the nerve to tell him the truth, and was still hoping it would all miraculously go away. She told him she would ring him when she got back, but he said he was going away himself on a three-month lecture tour around the universities in Australia, and somehow Beth felt more alone than ever.

* * *

It was two o’clock on Friday afternoon when Beth stepped off the plane in Rome. She was met by a uniformed gentleman who whisked her through Customs, telling her that her baggage would be taken care of, and ushered her into a VIP lounge, informing her that Signor Cannavaro was to meet her there.

Beth had never flown first-class before—in fact she had only ever flown four times. Nervously she smoothed the oatmeal cashmere dress she wore down over her hips and looked around. There were a few business types, but no sign of Dante. With a bit of luck he might have changed his mind and she could go back to England straight away, instead of in two weeks’ time as Dante had agreed.

* * *

Dante’s meeting had run on for longer than he’d expected, and the traffic to the airport was horrendous. He stopped at the open door of the lounge at the sight of Beth, walking down the room. She was wearing a long-sleeved sweater dress that followed every seductive line of her body to end above her knees, and high-heeled shoes accentuated her fabulous legs. She looked sensational, and a vivid image of those legs wrapped around his waist, his body buried to the hilt in hers, filled his mind.

He took a deep, steadying breath to control his raging libido and moved forward, noticing that every other man in the place was watching her. For a moment he saw red....

* * *

Beth was beginning to wonder if Dante really had changed his mind. There was still no sign of him and she looked again at her wristwatch.