Italian Boss, Proud Miss Prim

To her surprise Rigo didn’t respond to her attack, and instead granted her a mocking bow. ‘I can assure you my wonderful staff has already told me what you did here yesterday.’

‘They did most of it—’

‘You claim no credit?’

‘Why should I?’

He gave her a look. ‘Why didn’t you ask me to help?’

Her only thought had been to start getting things in a better state for him. ‘I didn’t want to trouble you last night.’ Blushing now, she quickly changed the subject, having convinced herself she neither needed nor wanted Rigo’s praise. ‘You were upset and so—’

‘You’re making excuses for me?’ he suggested mildly.

There was that flash of humour again in his intense green gaze and she hungered for more of it. There was silence while they studied each other’s faces with new understanding. It was no longer Rigo Ruggiero, infamous playboy confronting Katie Bannister, poorly paid messenger girl with a hopeless taste in suits, but a man and a woman who each had the same goal.

But don’t get too carried away, Katie warned herself, breaking eye contact first. A leopard doesn’t change its spots that easily. A maxim that could apply to both of them, she conceded as Rigo resumed his inspection.

‘This room will have to be gutted…’

And with that the spell that had so briefly held them was broken.

‘In fact,’ he added, ‘all the rooms will have to be gutted—make a note.’

She did so, but this time there was a smile hovering round her lips. No wonder he couldn’t keep his staff. ‘It’s only cleaning and redecoration,’ she pointed out, but by the time she looked up from her notebook Rigo was out of sight.

Had he forgotten she was with him? Katie wondered when she found Rigo examining an electrical circuit box. ‘Electrician?’

‘Full check,’ he confirmed. ‘Our first goal must be safety for everyone, and then we must concentrate on bringing the palazzo back to its authentic state.’

‘No earth closets, I hope?’ she couldn’t resist murmuring as he cast an eye over her notes.

‘State-of-the-art plumbing. There’s nothing better than a long, hot shower.’

As he looked to her for agreement she blushed again.

Opening a door at the far end of the corridor, he stepped outside. She followed, desperate to be free of all the conflicting emotions bottled up indoors. Gulping in the fresh, clean air, she exclaimed with pleasure and relief.

Rigo turned to look at her. ‘How do you like the job so far?’ he demanded.

She saw the irony in his eyes. ‘I’m only here until you find a replacement.’

‘Or I sack you.’

There was another of those long moments where they stared into each other’s eyes. A breeze had whipped Rigo’s hair into a fury, but his eyes were full of laughter as he raked it back.

She’d asked for this and she’d got it. Mad for him or not, she was under no illusion: Rigo wanted someone with an organised mind to take notes for him, just as he said. He needed her—not for all the reasons she’d like, but because she could keep life organised. She was a convenient choice, Katie reasoned as he dropped onto one hip. ‘Are you coming or not?’ he said.

‘I’m right here.’

‘Of course, you do realise if you prove satisfactory this could become a permanent position.’

‘If I decide I want it.’ She looked away so he didn’t see her disappointment. Her dreams extended further than being his PA in a suit.

They spent the rest of the morning checking and discussing and formulating an initial plan of action, while she filled her notebook with notes. By lunchtime Katie could only conclude Rigo had some magic dust that had wiped the previous night’s debacle from her mind. The incident at the pool also appeared to have been forgotten. It was better this way for both of them, Katie concluded; no tension, no agenda, purely business.

They joined the staff for lunch, all of whom were keen to put Rigo’s plan for them into action right away. ‘But run everything past me,’ Rigo reminded Katie as he left her in charge. ‘I’ve had enough surprises for one visit.’

She didn’t doubt it.

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

KATIE’S face burned as she saw knowing smiles exchanged between the staff. Rigo had come back into the kitchen to tell her that two teams of men were waiting and he needed her right away.

‘To take notes?’ she suggested, avoiding his gaze.

‘You’re quick,’ he murmured, ushering her out. ‘One team is here to start work on the heavy cleaning,’ he explained, ‘so we don’t put unnecessary pressure on the staff.’

‘Good idea. And the other?’

‘They’re here to sort you out—’

‘Sort me out?’ Katie exclaimed.

Taking the pad from her hand, Rigo stuck it in the back pocket of his jeans. ‘You won’t need to take notes for this.’

‘For what?’ Katie’s heart leaped into her throat as Rigo took her by the hand.

‘If you’re going to be working for me you’ll need a new wardrobe of clothes—’

‘To go rooting round the cellars with mice and spiders?’

‘Your clothes are giving me eye-ache.’

‘Well, I’m sorry if I—’

‘You might be in Italy, but you don’t have to dress like a nonna.’

Katie was too shocked to speak. A maiden aunt was one thing, but a grannie? Freeing her hand, she stood her ground. ‘I’m hardly on show. And as I’m only here until you find a—’

‘Think of it as your uniform,’ Rigo interrupted, ‘though, of course, I expect you to set a good example to the servants when you’re off duty too—’

‘And will you be buying them clothes?’

‘I will, as it happens. It’s about time they had something new, don’t you think?’

He’d put her in an impossible position, but then Rigo was good at that.

‘Rigo, wait—’

He stopped suddenly in the middle of the hall. Catching hold of her, he steadied her on her feet and stood back. Two groups of men were waiting at the far end of the hall—one team wearing overalls, the other in flamboyant suits. The overalls looked more appealing right now. She freed herself as discreetly as she could, conscious that even in a space as big as this sound travelled. As did sexual chemistry between two people. ‘Even if I did work for you on a permanent basis, which I don’t,’ she told Rigo in an impassioned whisper, ‘I have a perfectly serviceable suit—’

‘That brown thing? Chuck it. Or, if I find it first, I’ll chuck it out.’

‘Fortunately it’s already packed in my suitcase.’

‘So you’ve decided not to stay?’

‘I was ready to leave last night,’ she admitted. ‘I asked your driver if he would take me to the airport today.’

‘Well, lucky for you I spoke to him too. And next time please do me the courtesy of speaking to me before you instruct my staff. Now, let’s get on. None of these people want to be kept waiting. I can’t think of a woman in the world who would turn down the chance to have the designers I have chosen create a look for her.’

‘A mistress in the world, maybe.’

It was only a mutter but he heard her.

‘Don’t flatter yourself.’