A Pawn in the Playboy's Game

Her breasts, pushing against his chest, were soft, abundant, begging to be touched. If they’d had guaranteed privacy, he wouldn’t have hesitated to rip off her clothes, because he ached to feel her naked skin against his.

She had a body a man could get lost in and the beauty of it was that she wasn’t even aware of her powerful sex appeal. The catwalk models he had always dated knew the power of their physical appeal and utilised it. No one was ever allowed to bypass them or to forget that they were stunning. They maximised their assets.

Laura Reid downplayed hers. She did her utmost to blend into the background. She hid her bountiful breasts and camouflaged the lush sexiness of her hips and legs.

He curved his hand over her bottom and massaged its fullness, then he swept the same hand between her legs and pressed hard so that his knuckles were kneading her, seeking to find that throbbing little bud underneath the thick denim.

It took them both a couple of seconds before they recognised the sharp rap of a walking stick on the floor, and as if one sharp rap wasn’t enough Roberto kept on rapping until they snapped apart and turned to look at him.

Laura felt the hot burn of embarrassment flood her. She was twelve years old again and her grandmother was ticking her off because she had sneaked downstairs to snitch a bar of chocolate in the middle of the night. She ran her trembling fingers through her hair but she couldn’t say anything because her vocal cords seemed to have seized up.

Roberto looked absolutely furious.

‘This will never do!’ His attention was not on her. It was on Alessandro, who, likewise, was temporarily lost for words as his father angrily tapped his way into the kitchen and stood in front of them like a judge about to sentence a couple of criminals.

‘What are you talking about?’

‘I know what you’re like with the women, my boy, and Laura isn’t one of those strumpets you take to bed and then discard like a pair of old shoes!’

Alessandro raked his fingers through his hair and glared at his father. ‘I don’t know what you’re talking about.’

‘You know exactly what I’m talking about!’ He slumped into one of the kitchen chairs and glared balefully at his son. ‘I really thought we were beginning to go somewhere with our relationship, son. But straight away I see that I’m never going to understand you.’ He fluttered his hand and looked defeated.

‘You’ve got it all wrong,’ Alessandro said, and Roberto eyed his son with a glimmer of doubt.

‘I come in here and you’re making a pass at this young girl!’

‘I’m here, Roberto.’ Laura finally found her voice and interrupted him before he could resume his attack on Alessandro. ‘And it...er...takes two to...er...tango...’

‘Nonsense!’ Roberto swept aside the interruption while keeping his eyes firmly fixed on his son. ‘You don’t know Alessandro like I do,’ he declared, his voice rising along with his colour.

‘Please, Roberto...’ She rested her hand anxiously on his shoulder and looked at Alessandro. ‘Have you forgotten that you’ve recently had a stroke?’

‘Not likely to when I’m packing up to move because I’m too infirm to stay anywhere that has more than three bedrooms!’ He was still staring at Alessandro and he finally said, ‘What do you mean when you tell me that I’ve got it all wrong? Fancy explaining yourself, lad?’

‘You think you know me,’ Alessandro said quietly, defusing the heated atmosphere in a way that Laura could only admire because she had a feeling that giving way like this was just not his style. His physical stillness permeated the room, calming the situation. ‘And I admit that my behaviour with women might have seemed a little on the cavalier side...’

Roberto snorted and raised his eyebrows with open cynicism. ‘Seemed? Seemed?’

‘But I realise that Laura isn’t—’

‘One of those fly-by-night trollops you have one-night stands with? Might be old, son, but I ain’t stupid!’

‘I never thought you were. What I’m saying...’ He had managed to get himself back in order while, standing to one side, Laura felt as dishevelled as she had fifteen minutes earlier when Roberto had walked in on them.