She narrowed her gaze. “You’re going to break the contract, aren’t you?”
“Why wouldn’t I? I never agreed to give up two months of my life.”
“But I...I can’t repay the money.”
“What money?”
She glanced away and moved to the window that looked out over the street. “They paid me a portion of the fee up front. And it’s already been spent. I can’t repay them.”
That wasn’t his problem. But his conscience niggled at him. All in all, Lizzie wasn’t bad. In fact, she was smokin’ hot. And when she smiled it was as though a thousand-watt lightbulb had been switched on. But when she opened her mouth—well, that was a different story. She knew instinctively which buttons of his to push.
He wanted to think that she was lying to him just to gain his sympathy, but his gut was telling him that she was being truthful. Those unshed tears in her eyes—those were genuine. There had to be a compromise but he didn’t know what that would be at this point.
Until he figured out what that was, he had to say something to ease her worry. “I can’t promise you this will work out for you. But if you quit worrying while we’re away, I give you my word that I’ll share what my solicitor uncovers before I make any moves.”
She hitched a slender hip and tilted her head to the side. He couldn’t help but smile at the way she was eyeing him, trying to decide if she should trust him. He supposed he deserved it. He had just done the same thing to her.
The strained silence stretched on, making him uncomfortable. “Okay, you’ve made your point. I’ll trust you not to pull the poor pitiful me card around my grandfather, if you’ll trust me not to take any action without consulting you.”
Why did he feel as if he’d just struck up a losing deal? For a man used to getting his way, this was a very unsettling feeling.
CHAPTER SIX
THIS WOULD IMPRESS HER.
Dante maneuvered his low-slung, freshly waxed, candy-apple-red sports car around the street corner and slowed to a crawl as he approached the front of the ristorante. Lizzie stood on the sidewalk with an overnight bag slung over her shoulder and her face lifted toward the sun. She didn’t appear to notice him. The sun’s rays gave her golden mane a shimmery glow. He wondered if she had any clue how her beauty commanded attention. Something told him she didn’t. There was an unassuming air about her.
Without taking time to consider his actions, he tramped the brakes and reached for his smartphone to snap her picture. It wasn’t until he returned it to the dash that he realized how foolish he was acting. Like some schoolkid with a crush on the most popular girl in school.
Back then he’d been so unsure of himself—not knowing how to act smooth around the girls. That all changed after he moved to Rome. Away from his father and brother, he’d grown more confident—more at ease with the ladies.
His older brother, though, always had a way with the women...but Stefano had eyes for only one girl, even back in school. They’d been childhood sweethearts until it came to a devastating end. The jarring memory brought Dante up short.
He eased the car forward and parked next to Lizzie. He jumped out and offered to take her bag, but she didn’t release her hold. In fact, her grip tightened on the straps. What in the world?
“I just want to put it in the boot. There’s no room inside the car. As you can see, it’s rather compact.”
She cast him a hesitant look before handing over the bag. He opened the door for her. Once she was seated, he stowed her bag with his. He was surprised how light she packed. He’d never met a woman who didn’t need everything including the kitchen sink just to go away for the night. Lizzie was different in so many ways.
And now it was his chance to impress her with his pride and joy. Anytime he wanted to make a surefire impression on a woman, he pulled out Red. He’d bestowed the name upon the luxury sports car, not just because of its color but because the name implied an attitude, a fieriness, and that was how he felt when he was in the driver’s seat.
“Ready?” He glanced at her as she perched a pair of dark sunglasses on her face, hiding her expressive eyes.
“Yes. I’m surprised you’d choose to drive.”
“Why wouldn’t I drive?” He revved the engine just because he could, and he loved how the motor roared with power.
Who complained about riding in a fine machine like this one? He’d dreamed about a powerful car like this all of his life, but his father made him wait—made him earn it on his own without dipping into his trust fund. At the time Dante had resented his father for standing in his way. Now Dante found himself grateful for the challenge. He’d learned an important lesson—he could accomplish whatever he set his mind to. Even his father had been impressed with the car, not that he’d said much, but Dante had seen it in his eyes the f
irst time he’d driven up to the villa.
Lizzie adjusted her seat belt. “I thought I read somewhere that people utilize public transportation here.”
He glanced at her as he slowed for a stop sign. Was she serious? She’d prefer the train to his car? Impossible. “I thought the car would be more convenient. We can come and go as we need.”
“Oh. Right. And do you always run stop signs?”
“What?”