Italian Boss, Proud Miss Prim

He missed a beat. ‘Why, Signorina Bannister, I think you just revealed another side to your character.’

‘Really?’

‘PA—’

‘Oh, no.’ Shaking her head, she laughed at the thought of him offering her a job.

‘Pain in the ass?’

She stared at him and then laughed again. ‘For a moment there I thought you were offering me a job—’

‘Do you think I’m mad?’ he teased her, watching closely for a reaction. Then he told himself the idea of employing her was mad; a momentary lapse of judgement. Did he want a woman who cared so much around him?

His phone rang, bringing these thoughts to an end.

He had a brief conversation before cutting the line.

He swung around, elated. ‘Now I could kiss you—’

‘Let’s not get carried away,’ she said awkwardly, losing no time putting the desk between them. ‘I don’t like to rush you, but my flight leaves at four o’ clock. You’ve had good news, I take it?’

‘The best—’

It must have been one heck of a deal, Katie concluded. ‘Congratulations—’

‘Congratulate the doctors, not me—’

‘The doctors?’

‘A friend of mine has had an operation,’ Rigo told her vaguely, ruffling his thick black hair. His glance was evasive and he gave her the impression that he thought he’d said too much already.

‘I hope your friend’s okay?’

‘The operation went really well, apparently.’

‘Then that’s the best news you could have.’

‘And it frees me to go to Tuscany right away.’

‘Don’t let me keep you. I can take a cab—’

‘I wouldn’t hear of it. I’ll arrange a driver—’

And that would be the end of everything.

Katie froze as Rigo continued chatting about flight schedules. He’d been equally matter-of-fact when they had returned from their amazing evening together, when she’d felt anything but matter-of-fact. She’d been frightened by the strength of her feelings for him—out of her depth and bewildered that feelings could be so one-sided. She had longed to return to her safe, quiet life in Yorkshire, but now the opportunity to do so had arrived she didn’t want the adventure to end. She wanted to stay until she knew the secret of Carlo’s will, because something told her the contents would hurt Rigo. She had to be there for him, because she cared for him, she cared for him desperately.

There was an alternative, Katie’s inner voice suggested—if she was brave enough.

‘I could go back now,’ she blurted, clumsily interrupting him, ‘or…’

‘Or?’ Rigo echoed.

Would her mind re-engage in time to speak with clarity, when all this man had to do to melt every bone in her body was to turn and give her that look? ‘Or I could come with you…’ By now she was hyperventilating to the point where she thought she might faint.

‘Come with me? I thought you couldn’t wait to leave Rome?’

She would have to share at least part of her reason for wanting this, Katie realised. ‘Can I tell you the truth?’

‘I would expect nothing less of a lawyer,’ Rigo responded dryly.

‘I’m not even sure I’ll have a job when I get home. You see, my firm’s cutting back—’

‘A failing firm doesn’t mean you can’t get a job elsewhere.’

‘I’d take my chances,’ she agreed, ‘but I’m not sure I even want to be a lawyer.’

Rigo’s brows shot up.

‘I get too involved,’ she explained. ‘Everyone has to constantly remind me I’m not a social worker and should concentrate on the facts—’

‘But you still care.’

‘Yes, I do.’

‘Is that something to be ashamed of?’

‘No, but it might mean I’m in the wrong job.’

He laughed. It was a short, very masculine sound. ‘And you think you’d be happier working for me? I don’t think so, Signorina Bannister.’

‘Oh, well…’ Raising her arms a little, she dropped them to her sides. Of course Rigo didn’t want her working for him. He wanted someone slick and polished at his side. But a longing inside her stirred—a longing so strong she couldn’t ignore it. This might be her one chance to embrace change and adventure and, yes, see him sometimes. She drew a deep breath. ‘You can’t keep a PA—’

‘That’s true.’

‘I might not have the makings of a good lawyer, but I am incredibly organized.’

‘And you care too much about people—’

‘Not you,’ she quickly assured him.

Pressing his hand against his chest, he gave her a mock-serious look. ‘Of course not.’

‘How about you take me on for a trial period?’

‘Are you serious?’

‘Absolutely.’ She held his gaze. ‘Your stepbrother has left you the family estate in Tuscany, but you haven’t been there since you were a boy and you don’t know what to expect when you get there. I could come with you and take notes—make suggestions. I have a passion for historical design—only a hobby,’ she added quickly, cheeks flushing, knowing she was the last person on earth Rigo would turn to for advice. ‘And I speak fluent Italian.’ Her trump card.

‘OK, OK,’ he said, halting the flow of her enthusiasm with raised hands. ‘Let’s stop this fantasy right now. Do you have any idea what the drop-out rate is for my staff?’

‘No, but I can imagine. Maybe you need an office manager too.’

‘Are you creating a role for yourself, Signorina Bannister?’

‘No, I’m identifying a need,’ Katie argued. ‘A mutual need.’ She bit her lip as she came to the crux of it all. ‘I need a change and you need a second string.’

‘A second string?’ Rigo’s face creased in his trademark smile, but his eyes were steadily assessing her. ‘Do you really think you can walk in here and, after five minutes’ exposure to my world, be ready to work alongside me and understand my business? I don’t think so—’

‘No, of course I don’t think that, but we’d both be new to this project—’

‘Tuscany is not a project,’ Rigo cut across her. ‘The Palazzo Farnese is the past and, though I loved it once, I intend to

sell it on. There are too many unhappy memories—’

‘Good ones too—’

‘Leave it,’ he warned. ‘You don’t know me that well.’

Katie braced herself. ‘But you are going to see it before you sell it on?’

‘I said so, didn’t I?’

‘That’s good.’ She believed it was crucial he did. She’d seen the mixture of emotions pass behind Rigo’s eyes when he realised Carlo had left him the palazzo—elation being one of them. ‘Remedial work might be necessary before the palazzo goes on the market. You should make time—’

‘Oh, should I?’ His gaze turned cold. ‘You’re an expert, suddenly?’

No, but she knew one thing—Rigo mustn’t treat this bequest like a cold-blooded business deal or he would regret it all his life. She knew it would be a difficult pilgrimage for him to make and his look warned her to drop it, but she couldn’t; she’d gone too far. ‘I wouldn’t get in your way. I’d just be there to take notes—act as your go-between. I could even help you source people to handle any necessary restoration work. You wouldn’t have time for all that with all your other interests.’

‘You seem to know a lot about me, Signorina Bannister.’

‘I know you don’t have a PA right now.’

Everything inside her tensed as Rigo went silent. The road out of her small town in Yorkshire was littered with returnees who had tried the big city and hurried back to the safety of home. Perhaps she should be doing that too, but she’d tried the big city—admittedly Rome with Rigo Ruggiero in it—and was in no hurry to return home.

‘And you’re telling me you can start immediately—without giving notice to anyone?’

Yes, she was burning her bridges. ‘I have called the office and warned them I might not be back right away.’

‘That’s not a very good recommendation to a prospective employer, is it?’ The look in Rigo’s eyes told her how crazy this idea was, but then he added, ‘I guess neither of us comes highly recommended where longevity of employment is concerned.’