A Pawn in the Playboy's Game

Laura’s brain was lagging behind. Who did he have in mind to show him around?

As if she couldn’t guess. She felt a frisson of excitement ripple through her. He was so close to her that she had to look up at him and when she dipped her eyes...

Her mouth went dry.

‘You should have,’ she said faintly. ‘It’s worth exploring. Maybe we should return to the sitting room.’ She pushed back her chair and managed to squirm out of it without coming into contact with his far-too-big, far-too-dominant and far-too-powerful body. ‘Roberto has very strict eating times. In a second, my grandmother will fly in here and start fussing over the food.’

‘Maybe she could transform it into something edible.’ Alessandro stood aside, allowing her the distracted change of topic, because sooner rather than later he would return to the matter in hand. ‘Although that might require a skilled magician.’

They returned to the sitting room to find Edith and Roberto poring over an illustrated gardening book that she had brought back from Glasgow as a present, and there was a jaunty tie resting on the coffee table next to him.

Alessandro looked at the tie, caught his father’s eye and was gratified when his father reddened.

‘Silly woman insisted on bringing me back this tie,’ he muttered while Edith looked at him with open affection. ‘Can’t imagine where an old man like me is going with a yellow tie with red birds on it!’ He picked it up and absently placed it over the navy blue tie he was currently wearing, and Edith beamed.

‘And now...’ she slapped her thighs briskly ‘...that everything is sorted and this stubborn father of yours has seen the sense in downsizing, it’s time to feed him!’

* * *

It was a little after nine-thirty when Alessandro delivered both Laura and Edith back to their house and it had been, for the first time in living memory, a rewarding evening.

At least insofar as the downsizing decision went. Roberto had capitulated to his fate in style. He now knew exactly the sort of place he was looking for and unless the Saunders place filled each and every single requirement, they could damn well go jump.

Alessandro was quietly determined that it would, whatever the cost. Speed was of the essence and he would move quickly. Money talked and he had a lot of it.

‘So...’ That was his opening word, when Edith had finally retired to bed and Laura was showing him to the door as though she couldn’t get there fast enough. ‘You never answered my question.’ Alessandro leaned against the door frame and looked at her.

Her heart fluttered. ‘What question?’

‘I’m going to be here for the next few weekends at the very least. I might even split my time until this whole house business has been sorted out. Are you going to be my tour guide while I’m here?’

Laura glanced over her shoulder towards the staircase. Her grandmother had retired with her cup of hot chocolate but there was no telling whether she would reappear without warning and she didn’t want Edith’s curiosity aroused.

Because there was nothing to be curious about.

Yet...

That treacherous thought slipped into her head without warning and she shivered with forbidden excitement.

‘You don’t need a tour guide, Alessandro,’ she replied, buying time, hating herself for being tempted. ‘You’ve got a car. You can drive yourself around and take in all the sights...’

‘But it wouldn’t be nearly as much fun, would it?’ he said softly.

Their eyes tangled and slow, burning colour crawled into her cheeks.

‘What are you so scared of?’ he asked. He could see the little pulse beating in the side of her neck, an indication that the cool, composed voice did not reflect what was going on inside her. But he knew what was going on inside...he had felt it in that sizzling, shared kiss.

‘I’m not scared!’

‘And you keep glancing up the stairs. Do you think your grandmother is pressed to the floor of the bedroom with a glass so that she can eavesdrop on whatever we might be saying?’

‘Of course not,’ she said uncomfortably. But who knew when it came to her grandmother?

‘I’m attracted to you.’ Alessandro didn’t move an inch closer to her but it felt as though he had. It felt as though he had caressed her and left a scorching trail behind on her skin. ‘And you’re attracted to me...’