An Invitation to Sin

Her lips were soft and sweet under his and he took his time, kissing her slowly and deliberately until she pulled back with a frown. ‘OK, enough already.’

Luca, who was unsettled to discover he’d had nowhere near enough of her, reached into the back of the car and put a baseball cap on her head.

‘Ugh—you’ll ruin my hair!’ She lifted her hand to remove it but he stopped her.

‘Wear it,’ he ordered softly. ‘Put on your sunglasses. And for once in your life, don’t argue with me.’

She was still staring at him when one journalist, braver than the others, approached the car. ‘Taylor, do you have a statement on the fact that Rafaele has been replaced as director?’

‘No, she doesn’t.’ Luca settled his own sunglasses over his eyes, started the engine and rammed the car into gear but the journalist persisted.

‘Any plans for tonight? Where will the two of you be spending the evening?’

‘In bed.’ With a dangerous smile, Luca pulled away and Taylor groaned.

‘Thanks so much. Now the headline will be Taylor Carmichael, Sex Addict. Couldn’t you have said something else? You could have told them we’re going out to dinner. Why would you let them think we’re going home to bed?’

‘Because that’s what I want them to think. I don’t want them to follow us.’

‘They always follow us. And you don’t care.’

‘Tonight, I care.’

‘Why?’

‘Because tonight, Cinderella Carmichael,’ he drawled, ‘I’m making your dreams come true.’

‘My dream is to get on with my life without being bothered and you’ve just—’

‘I’ve just made that happen.’ Glancing in the rearview mirror, he took a sharp right and ducked into the private underground car park reserved for the executive team of the hotel.

He parked the Ferrari next to a battered, ancient car.

‘What on earth…?’

‘Move.’

And she did. But being Taylor She didn’t do it without demanding answers.

‘Where are we and what are you—?’ She broke off and stared at the couple that had just climbed out of the battered, ancient car parked next to them.

‘Give her your jacket, your sunglasses and the baseball cap.’

‘But—’

‘Accidenti, do you ever do anything without arguing? You are enough to drive a man to an early grave.’

‘I’d haunt you.’ Visibly confused, she pulled off the hat, the glasses and her jacket and handed it to the woman, who immediately put them on.

Luca narrowed his eyes. ‘Not bad. From the back she could be you.’

‘I know. It’s seriously freaky. How did you do it?’

‘I found a Taylor Carmichael double. She earns her living being you so she owes you a few favours.’ He took off his own jacket and sunglasses and handed them to the man. ‘Remember what I said. Straight home. Follow my security guards. You don’t stop. Don’t look at anyone. And drive too fast—that’s what I’d do. You’re sure you can handle the car?’

The man nodded and Luca sighed and reluctantly handed over the keys to his precious Ferrari. ‘This had better be worth it. Is everything in the back?’

‘Just as you instructed.’

‘Then go.’

The couple drove off in the Ferrari and Luca yanked open the door of the battered car. ‘Maledezione, is this piece of junk even roadworthy? I’ve owned toothbrushes with more impressive engineering.’ He hauled a bag out of the back of the car and thrust it at her. ‘Put this on. And do it quickly before someone drives into this garage.’

Taylor opened the bag gingerly. ‘A wig?’

Busy pulling on his own wig, Luca ignored her. ‘I hope you appreciate the lengths I’m going to for you. Do I look hot as a blond?’

She glanced at him and gave a choked laugh. ‘You look…unbelievably weird. the hair doesn’t match the suit.’

‘The suit! I have to get rid of the suit.’ Reluctantly, Luca stripped off the exquisite Italian suit he’d changed into following his altercation with Rafaele. ‘I can’t believe I’m doing this for you.’

‘Why are you doing this for me?’

‘Because you said it’s what you want more than anything and I wanted to make that happen for you. I wanted you to have fun.’ His eyes met hers and he saw the shock there and he knew she was seeing the same thing in his eyes because the only fun he was usually interested in having with a woman involved getting naked. ‘Cristo, you ask too many questions. Can’t you just enjoy an evening out without dissecting it?’