She couldn’t shake it off because she didn’t know how. She wasn’t casual enough when it came to men. Would she ever be able to shake it off? Alessandro was right, wasn’t he? She’d buried herself here and she wondered, in a sudden surge of panic, whether she would remain buried. Would she ever venture out into the big, bad world again? Dip her feet back into the water?
Or would that prospect seem scarier and scarier the more time passed by? The only interaction with guys she had here was with the partners of the friends she had grown up with, who had left and returned or else had never left. She would end up batty and alone and talking to herself at inappropriate times in public places.
‘You’re not going to cry on me, are you?’
‘No, I’m not!’ Laura snapped fiercely. ‘And, yes, I did have a situation with someone I worked with. Satisfied? He strung me along and then I found out that he was married!’
‘He was just another bastard.’
‘You don’t understand! I really trusted Colin Scott. I thought he was a decent kind of guy but it turned out that he was a liar without any morals. So, yes, I came back here. Go on, say it... I’m a loser and an idiot.’
‘Is that what you think?’
‘What else?’ she asked bitterly.
‘You were blindsided by a creep but you don’t have to bury yourself and lick your wounds.’
‘No? What would you suggest?’ she muttered. ‘I’m not licking my wounds. I’m just...taking time out...’
‘Well, there is one thing I would suggest.’
‘What’s that? I’m all ears, as you would say.’
‘Step back into those muddy waters.’ He stood up and flexed his muscles. It had been a while since he had done any chasing. He wondered whether he was rusty but, no, she was looking up at him with dawning comprehension. He wondered whether it was a good idea to go there but, then, they were both adults, weren’t they? And once the ground rules were laid...
‘Only next time round,’ he said softly, ‘make sure you know exactly what you’re dealing with. I find that works for me. I’m honest upfront. Sex with no strings attached. No future plans made. No promises to be broken.’ He smiled crookedly and stroked a stray tendril of hair away from her face, felt her breathing quicken, saw the way her pupils dilated.
‘From where I’m standing, that’s the way forward. The waters might still be a little muddy but they’d be a hell of a lot safer than quicksand...’
CHAPTER FOUR
HEART BEATING SO hard she felt as though she might pass out, Laura inched back in the chair but she couldn’t peel her eyes away from his face.
‘I should be leaving,’ she managed to croak. ‘I don’t...don’t want to be driving late at night.’
‘Why? The only thing you’re likely to pass are a couple of stray sheep. If you like, I can drive back to your house with you, make sure you get home safe and sound.’
Laura wildly thought that safe and sound were not words that she would naturally associate with being in his presence. Unsafe and at risk would have been nearer the mark, as far as her pulse rate and blood pressure were concerned, at any rate.
‘And how would you get back here?’ She did her best to get her breathing under control, knowing that he was picking up on her flustered behaviour and drawing his own conclusions.
‘Walk.’ Alessandro shrugged.
‘Hand-made Italian leather shoes aren’t made for walking miles on country lanes.’ She stood up, legs feeling like jelly, and with some alarm she watched as he followed suit, standing up as well and crowding her with his towering presence.
‘These shoes would do what I tell them to,’ Alessandro murmured.
Laura gripped the back of the chair and drew in a deep, steadying breath. ‘Is that how it works for you?’
‘What are you talking about?’ He frowned, perched once more on the table so that they were now eyeball to eyeball. She had the most expressive face of any woman he had ever seen. Her eyes were wide and clear and her freckles were standing out against the waxy pallor of her skin. She was hot and bothered and there was no way she could hide it. He liked that. It made all those cool, ultra-beautiful models he had dated in the past seem like plastic dolls in comparison.