Barely containable excitement rippled down the length of her narrow spine and heat pooled wildly between her thighs as she willed with everything she had for his hands to move that fraction higher.
Then his voice oddly hoarse he promised ‘I will teach you my language. It will be a pleasure for b0th of us.'
At mind-blowing speed Milly came crashing to her senses straight back down to earth.
What was he talking about? And what on earth did she think she was doing? Teach her his language? When? Did he expect her to stay on? As Filomena's companion even though that dear old lady would surely despise her for her deceit? Or because he fancied her as he had briefly fancied Jilly, so she would be handy whenever he got the impulse to invite her to share his bed? Pushing small hands against the hard breadth of his chest she swung away.
Wrapping her arms around her midriff to stop herself from trembling, she clenched her teeth and gritted, ‘We need to talk about my sister remember'?'
‘We do'?' He sounded lightly amused as he positioned himself to stand behind her, his hands on her shoulders fingers touching the bare flesh of her upper arms.
He touched his long sensual mouth to the pale hollow where her neck met her shoulder and she shuddered with forbidden delight and made herself resist the febrile temptation to turn, wrap her arms around his neck and beg for his kiss.
'You hurt her badly,' she pronounced baldly. She paced a step away from him away from the danger of him. 'That's my educated guess.'
‘TeII me about it.' He sounded genuinely perplexed. He was one class act Milly reminded herself he was a twenty-four carat womanizer. If she'd been weak enough to join in his no doubt standard seduction routine then by now he would have been undressing her and she would have been helping him, destination that handy big bed with no thought of future heartbreak, no thought except her consuming need for him .
Would it have given him a kick to notch up b0th twins? Would she have welcomed his love-making because she loved him? The thought appalled her made her speechless so that Cesare had to prompt 6So tell me about your educated guess.'
The arrival of room service gave her breathing space, allowing her to piece together her fragmented wits while the slim young waiter whisked the trolley through tall windows that led out to a balcony .
‘We can talk while we eat.' A hand in the small of her back propelled her over the sea of jade green and out on to the balcony that overlooked secluded gardens that gave up the heady perfume of jasmine into the dusky air.
Holding out a chair for her at the small round table he promised huskily, 'And after talking, who knows'?' Milly closed her ears to that! And shivered slightly despite the warmth of the evening air. At his invitation, she helped herself to a little of this, a little of that, of what exactly she couldn't have said because she was far too wound up to even think of eating.
A healthy gulp of the crisp, sparkling and delicious champagne gave her the impetus to state, stilly isn't a thief. My guess is she only disappeared because you'd hurt her so badly. The last time we heard from her was when she wrote and told us she was leaving her job as a receptionist-at least I think it was a receptionist, I don't remember exactly-at a high class nightclub here in Florence. She didn't say where she was going or what she'd be doing, only that she would soon be able to pay back every penny she owed our mother.'
She levelled an accusing glance at him and stabbed a prawn as if she were wishing she could stab the fork into him. 'she obviously believed everything was coming good. We had no idea she'd moved in with you, acting as your grandmother's companion. She must have met you before here in Florence I would imagine. You were lovers and I guess she believed you and she would be married.'
Another throat cooling draught of champagne, then 'When she realized that wasn't going to happen she left, broken-hearted.' She shot him a darkly glittering look. ‘I know she'd never been in love before. She'd had loads of boyfriends. They didn't seem able to resist her, from what she told us. But never anyone serious for her. Except you, apparently. And you only wanted one thing. And that was sex,' she spelled out with brutal frankness.
She set the glass down with a mini crash. 'There has to be some misunderstanding about the theft. And I want you to undo some of the damage and help me find her.' Her mouth wobbled. ‘I'm getting really worried about her. And she doesn't even knew-' the wobble got serious a-that Ma died .
' Cara. ' Cesare leaned across the table his eyes intent on her troubled features. ‘I hate to see you upset. We will find her I promise you. Already the search is well in hand.'
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sp; ‘It is'?' A slight frown appeared between her eyes.
‘But of course.' He leaned back again relaxed exuding male confidence.
‘But of course ' she parroted as the penny dropped with a decided clang, an edge of bitterness in her tone. 6Oh, silly me! You know, I only decided to step into Jilly's shoes to stop you hounding her, to give her time to get over the way you must have treated her let her get her act together so she'd be fit to speak in her own defence. But the moment you knew I wasn't who I was pretending to be the search was back on.'
Across the table the slight elevation of one ebony brow infuriated her. She shot to her feet. ''Take me back to the villa. It's getting late.' Her chin came up, her deep green eyes glinting with intent. ‘I will stay with Filomena until she's back to normal-provided she wants me to when she learns who I really am-and then I'm off and you can hire another companion.' It was the only way. She was really stupid and in grave danger of falling for a serial womanizer. Stay around him and she'd end up as broken-headed as her twin.
‘Nonna doesn't expect us to return tonight.'
The bald statement stopped her in her tracks. Oh, the rat! He had brought her here, had supplied her with a whole wardrobe of lovely new clothes, a fancy meal which she'd hardly touched, plied her with champagne, all with the intention of seducing her! Her face burned hot as a furnace.
He had stationed himself in the doorway to the interior of the suite, blocking her way. She faced him. 6 Is this your normal routine? Shower your prey with pretty gifts promise marriage and access to untold wealth then walk away when you get bored' She took a deep breath her tone as icy as she could make it. ‘Let me pass.'
Dusk was deepening to night but she could see the slight flare of his nostrils denoting anger.
Well tough. No man-especially a man as all-fired self confident and proud as Cesare Saracino-liked to have his faults rammed down his throat.
‘I don't need a routine and I don't recall asking you to marry me,' he sliced back at her. His hands shot out to fasten on her forearms. 'And there are a few things we ought to straighten out as it seems I'm to be cast as the bad guy,' he announced grimly.
‘First and foremost since it seems to be your priority, your twin was traced to a nightclub in this city. Where she worked as a so-called hostess not a receptionist-no mention of that dubious occupation was made in her CV. No one had heard from her since she left and the consensus was that no one cared. She was not well liked. Enquiries were made at the London store-supposedly the last full time job she held before she came to Italy-and again blanks were drawn. Her former colleagues hadn't cared enough about her to want to keep in touch. Since then the investigation has returned to Italy. I'm sorry,' he added more temperately as he felt the fight drain out of her. ‘Jilly may attract a certain type of man but among women she is far from Popular. '