A massive mistake.
Maybe once Susan was settled and Katie was away from the horror foster father Alessandro could indulge in a liaison with her, but until then it was too complicated.
‘Do you want to head up to the suite or shall we take a look around first?’ He offered her the choice to check how she was feeling.
She eagerly accepted the safe option. ‘Let’s look around.’
He grimaced wryly. Yeah, she didn’t want to be alone with him. To her he was the big, bad wolf. And she was right to be wary. He did want to eat her. He’d pounce the second she suggested it.
Instead he followed her into the bar, abandoning any idea of a rational discussion until morning. They were both too tired and tense. Having a moment to lighten up would be good for them. But there was no reason why he couldn’t keep teasing her—just a little. To deny himself that last little pleasure with her would be a step too far, and Alessandro wasn’t accustomed to self-denial.
The bar was three-quarters full already—people were out to enjoy themselves in all the ways they could in this town.
‘Look at the colours in that cocktail.’ Katie’s colourful eyes gleamed as they passed a table full of laughing women. ‘It’s beautiful.’
She sounded almost wistful as they took their seats in an intimate alcove with a view across the bar.
‘You don’t want to know what’s in it?’ Alessandro asked dryly, sinking into a seat that he knew was going to be far too comfortable.
‘Something that beautiful is bound to taste good, don’t you think?’ she smiled.
Her words struck home if he applied them to her. ‘You can have one,’ he growled.
Her gaze widened, then narrowed. ‘I asked you to marry me—not turn into my mother.’
The temptation to kiss her almost overwhelmed him and he grasped for self-control. ‘When did you last have an alcoholic drink?’
Her chin lifted higher and a mutinous look sharpened her eyes. But she didn’t reply.
Yeah, she’d never drunk alcohol...she’d never travelled. What else had she never done? Because there’d been inexperience in her kiss. Sweet, shy, hot, totally tempting inexperience.
There’d also been a burst of fire.
‘One,’ he reiterated unapologetically, and nodded to the waiter. Neither of them needed anything to fan the flames.
The waiter returned shortly, bearing a tray with the most outrageous cocktail Alessandro had ever seen. Given that he’d spent a large chunk of his adult life building hospitality venues, he’d pretty much seen every cocktail there was. This one featured bright green and orange layers of pure alcohol and vaguely resembled a vibrant parrot. Too late he realised that if Katie were to have more than two mouthfuls things might veer off course.
‘I’m not sure that—’
Too late. She’d already sipped.
‘Oh...’ She swallowed and sucked in a breath. Surprise widened her eyes. ‘It’s even more delicious than I imagined.’
Was this a thirst to drown her sorrows? Or cool her down?
Alessandro swiftly reached across and picked up her glass before she had the chance to lift it again. He was saving her from herself, he thought morosely. He swallowed the vile sweet liquid with an appalled grimace.
‘Whisky, please,’ he wheezed to the waiter, who hadn’t had a chance to get more than five feet away. ‘Double.’
‘You didn’t like it?’ Katie enquired meekly, but that tiny twinkle in her eyes gave her away.
He laughed, enjoying her flash of attitude. It was so much better than that cowed, fearful look he’d seen on her in his office. Now she had some sparkle.
‘You know I didn’t.’
He watched as she pushed back the sleeves of her schoolgirlish white blouse. He glanced around at the glittering interior of the bar and sternly told himself not to stare at the tiny amount of skin the action exposed. Since when was he fascinated by less than a square inch of skin? When his dates usually wore so much less?
Alessandro took a sip as soon as his whisky arrived, and cursed his inner devil who’d thought this was a good idea. Desperate for distraction, he pulled out his phone and realised he’d neglected to switch it on after the flight. He frowned as multiple messages from Dominque pinged. All asking him to call her urgently.
Before he could, the phone buzzed in his hand.
‘What is it?’ he asked tersely. Dominique wouldn’t bother him unless it was important.
‘Alessandro, I’ve been trying to get hold of you.’ Dominque sounded concerned. ‘Something’s come up in our research on White Oaks,’ she continued crisply. ‘Katie Collins’s engagement to Carl Westin was announced in the papers today.’
‘Pardon?’ He stilled, unsure he’d heard correctly.
He glanced at Katie. She was watching him, her hand tightening around her lurid drink, her eyes widening with fear as microseconds passed.
‘Katie’s engagement,’ Dominique repeated. ‘It only went online an hour ago—that’s why I missed it earlier.’
‘Where?’
Dominique told him the newspaper’s name.
‘I’ll call you back,’ he said briskly.
He reached out and took the glass from Katie’s hand.
‘What’s wrong?’ Her voice sounded thin and shadows had dimmed that earlier sparkle.
‘Have you checked your phone for messages?’
She rummaged in her bag and hauled out her phone. ‘Is it Susan?’ Tears sprang to her eyes. ‘I shouldn’t have left her. Not even for a day.’
She was actually shaking, and as she fumbled with her phone she dropped it.
‘It’s not Susan,’ he said quietly, scooping up the phone from the floor for her. ‘Breathe.’ His chest tightened at the concern in her expression. ‘It appears that your engagement to Carl was announced this afternoon.’
‘That’s not possible.’ Katie froze, her shocked gaze fixed on him. ‘I didn’t agree. I said no. I’d never agree.’
Yeah, Little Miss Bigamist she was not—but Brian had gone ahead and announced it anyway.
‘He can’t actually make me, can he?’ She snatched her phone from him and switched it on. ‘I’ve got lots of missed calls.’ She stared at it in horror. ‘Brian, mostly.’ She paled even more as she held the phone to her ear.
He could hear the berating tone of Brian’s message even from across the table. And he could also hear Katie’s breathing quicken.
His own anger pounded in his ears. Brian the bully was ramping up the attack, telling her the engagement was now public knowledge so she couldn’t bring shame on the family, couldn’t embarrass Susan. Susan who’d gone to bed, so distressed that Katie had left...
Alessandro reached out and took the phone from Katie, turning it off before tossing it onto the table between them. He rubbed his forehead, struggling to think clearly. He regretted the long flight and that one whisky, and all the hours in the last fortnight during which he’d worked and not slept. But he had to do something—anything to help ease Katie’s anxiety.
The obvious solution stared him in the face. They’d come this far so they might as well complete the picture. Right now it felt like the fastest, easiest option. The decision was easy.
He’d be the villain of the piece. The scoundrel who had seduced some other man’s fiancée away from him...
With the added scandalous frisson of the family connection between them, people were going to love the gossip. But Alessandro didn’t care about his own reputation. Right now all he cared about was clearing the panic from Katie’s face and stopping Brian from browbeating her into something she didn’t want.
They’d forced him out all those years ago, but Alessandro had his own resources now, and he had no one else to worry about. Katie had Susan, and without some extra support she’d be trapped.
‘Sho
uld I call him back?’ Katie asked in a horrified whisper.
‘No,’ he growled, but then softened his tone. Brian’s greed was coming to an end. ‘Not yet.’
She swayed a little as she stood. He put his hands on her shoulders to steady her and looked into her eyes.
‘You came to me for help, Katie. That’s what you want, right?’ he asked.
‘I want to know that Susan—’
‘I’ll ensure she’s okay. Trust me.’
The sooner Katie was tied to him, the more freedom he’d have to act on her behalf.
She stared up at him, the myriad of colours in her eyes reflecting a myriad of conflicting emotions—fear, mostly, but also hope, and a last hint of awareness.
‘Are you sure, Katie?’ he asked harshly. ‘You really want to do this?’
She looked exhausted and terrified and too damn trusting. All he wanted was her smile and those flashing little sparks in her eyes to come back.
She nodded. ‘Yes. Please.’
* * *
Katie stood still, her face cupped in strong but gentle hands. The lips moving over hers were warm and assured and teasing, sending flickers of temptation along her veins, stirring the yearning that ran so deep.
She moaned, her lips parting, seeking the slide of his tongue. She liked it when he—Yes... The trickle of sensation became a torrent within her and she moaned again. Like that. She liked it when he kissed her like that. Deep and gentle and powerful.
‘Katie...’