‘I'm sorry, amore mia.' He folded gentle arms around her and splayed his fingers in her silky blonde hair as he drew her head against his heart. ‘If I could have spared you any of this I would have done. You are naturally worried for her future welfare ' he soothed. 'And for your sake I promise to find her more salubrious employment provided she agrees that her lifestyle must change.'
He held her a little away from his body, 'And now I suggest you shower and change. I will order from room service and we will have a night of such pleasure that you will forget your anxieties over tomorrow. Yes'?' His dark eyes were brimming with tenderness and her love for him overflowed making it difficult to breathe.
He was such an intrinsically good man. She adored him so much it hurt! For her sake he was willing to put his previously driven need to see Jilly clapped in irons behind him even to the extent of offering her a way out of the present seemingly dodgy career she had embarked upon.
So for his sake she would put her twin right out of her head. Tomorrow morning would come soon enough .
‘I love you,' she breathed, distinctly disinclined to part from him even for the space of time she would need to take a swift shower and gained herself a fleeting kiss a mere butterfly brush of his lips against hers and a husky command to ‘Go now. Before you wreck my plans for a night to remember'
And as she headed for the sumptuous bedroom and the luxurious en suite bathroom the blood fizzing in her veins over that promise of a night to remember he called softly, ‘Don't spend ages dressing up for me cara. I am not a patient maul' Patience was a virtue in short supply as Milly showered in record time and not even bothering to slip into the complimentary bathrobe sped to the bedroom to fling open her suitcase. As her fingers encountered cool silk a Mona Lisa smile curved her full lips.
Perfect!
The black silk nightie she'd been completely unable to resist when she'd laid eyes on it in a stylish London boutique had been earmarked for their wedding night. But what the heck! There was nothing to stop her wearing it for him now! It was an impractical confection of whispering sheer silk that had had Cleo breathing, 'Wow! Sinful, or what? Sure there isn't a man in your life-and I don't mean the stodgy Bruce either'?' Explosive heat erupted deep in her pelvis as she slipped into it her breasts tingling as they peaked against the cool fabric and her tummy fluttered as she encountered her image in one of the full length mirrors.
The silk clung everywhere. It subtly moulded every last intimate contour of her body, only t
he just-above-the-knee length side split allowing the wearer to walk.
The words brazen and siren slipped into her mind so she roughly pushed them out again. Cesare was her future husband.
But he'd said that he'd found Jilly's in-your-face-sexy choice of apparel to be a total turn-off. Diving back into her suitcase she pulled out the matching negligee and slipped it on and if she still looked too come-and-grab-me she'd just have to start over dig out a dress and fresh underwear.
An agitated appraisal did something to settle her nerves. Dressing like a vamp didn't come naturally to her-hadn't she loathed wearing her twin's cast-offs? The negligee helped. Sleeveless too it was generously cut, falling in graceful folds to her ankles, the edges banded with delicate silk ruffles.
A little sigh of relief quivered on her soft mouth. Better. And anyway, what was wrong with a woman looking willing when she was about to spend the night with her soon-to-be husband? On a wave of renewed confidence she opened the door to the living area.
Cesare was standing at the huge window looking down at the teeming city, his hands thrust deep into the pockets of his chinos. He looked so commanding, so gorgeous that she just stopped breathing. And as she swayed towards him-it was the only form of locomotion she could manage because of the tight cut of the nightie-he turned and watched her a smile of all-male appreciation wreathing his stunning features.
He strode forward to meet her necessarily slinky approach taking both her hands holding her a little away from him and his gleaming dark eyes swept slowly over her from head to toe with hot appreciation making her cheeks glow and her heart beat like a steam hammer.
Lean hands slid to her slender waist, tugging her closer to the hard perfection of his body. ‘I just lost my appetite for food ' he confided in a husky undertone. His lips found her earlobe. 'However we will both make an effort.' His mouth moved to the sensitive hollow beneath her jaw and Milly's knees immediately turned to water. 'Anticipation adds spice, don't you think'?' His accent had never been so pronounced Milly decided completely intoxicated by him as he led her to the alcove where a low table fronted a voguish deeply upholstered sofa.
White linen napkins heavy silver flatware elegant crystal glasses champagne on ice and a mouthwatering array of seafood salad and pasta dishes. Milly couldn't imagine eating any of it she thought as she slid on to the sofa. Sexual tension was closing her throat up. Impossible to swallow the smallest morsel.
But when Cesare handed her a glass of the foaming liquid and angled his lean muscular body on to the sofa beside her she relaxed just a little until his knee touched hers and sheet lightning shot from that heated spot right into the private pulsating heart of her.
Her need for him was driving her crazy! Shakily, she put the glass down on the table just as Cesare angled his hips to extract a small velvet-covered box from a side pocket.
He put it into her nerveless fingers. ’For you, amore mia. Open it.'
For a long moment her eyes meshed with his. He had never said he loved her but his eyes said it for him. Her heart full to bursting point, she lifted the lid. And gasped.
The square cut emerald in its simple gold setting was spectacular. Tanned lean fingers extracted the ring from its velvet nest and slipped it on her finger.
‘For me' Eyes as deeply green as the magnificent stone lifted to him watched his mouth curve.
‘I don't recall asking anyone else to marry me. And this. . . ' He took a fine gold chain she'd been too dazzled by the emerald to notice from the velvet box and dangled it from his fingers. 'With this you can wear my ring around your neck until we are together to tell Nonna of our wedding plans when she is stronger. But wear it now wear it for me.'
Still too dazzled by the brilliance of the exquisite gem to grasp his meaning, she tipped her head on one side. ‘I don't understand. We'II both be returning to the villa after-after tomorrow, won't we'?'
'Alas no. As I said I broke into my itinerary to bring you here. Tomorrow afternoon you will fly to Pisa, where Stefano will meet you. And I go to London for a series of crucial meetings with the CEO of the fine gems offshoot and the top two designers.'
Disappointment hit Milly hard. She had so hoped-believed-that they would return together to break the wonderful news to Filomena begin to organize their wedding.
Thankfully, common sense came to her rescue and stopped her whining like a child deprived of a favourite toy. Cesare had a huge world-spanning business empire to run and he was the sort of guy who firmly believed in the hands-on approach. And of course Filomena needed to get her strength back before she threw herself into wedding plans as Cesare had warned she would.
She lifted her glass and raised it to him, her eyes glinting with teasing laughter now she'd got her priorities straightened out. ‘To the longest secret engagement on record' 'Not that long, I promise.' His response was sombre and she didn't quite know what to read into that change of mood then thought nothing more of it when he selected a fork and began to feed her delicious morsels. Reciprocating, she fed him and the mood was good again. Close. Warm. Until reaching forward to spear a yummy-looking piece of lobster for him she noted that the edges of her robe had parted, displaying full breasts lovingly moulded by wispy black silk, and noticed with a shock of pleasure that his eyes were riveted.