The corners of his mouth tipped up slightly and for the first time he felt the urge to laugh. It was enough to stop him for a moment, before he caught himself. He’d had a hard time too, he reminded himself. Maybe they both deserved to feel a little freedom while they were here.
‘You’re starting to look serious again,’ she commented, one brow raised.
‘I was just thinking...maybe it’s time we called a truce. Let’s enjoy a few days off the grid, so to speak. No arguments or work. No serious talk.’
A simple handshake sealed the deal and they entered into a pleasant flow of conversation until their food arrived then drifted into companionable silence as the delicious food and great music added to their lighter mood.
Their waiter was a kind-faced older man, who saw the ring on Daniela’s finger and insisted that the band play a slow number for them to dance to.
Valerio stood, extending his hand to her and forcing a smile as she stood up and moved close. The music had a soft, seductive rhythm, and he found himself forgetting all the reasons why he shouldn’t be enjoying this, why he shouldn’t pull her close and pretend they were just another couple on an island adventure.
He breathed in the scent of her hair and heard the softest sigh escape her lips.
‘I didn’t expect you to be a good dancer.’ She spoke near his ear, her breath fanning his skin. ‘I should have known you’d be good at everything.’
‘You think I find everything easy?’ He subtly moved even closer, moving his hand on her back and leaning forward. ‘I stepped on every dance partner’s toes at events when I was a teenager. My mother made me go to dance lessons twice a week for six months. I was an embarrassment.’
She laughed deep in her throat as he dipped her into a flamenco-style twirl, tipping her back over his arm. ‘Well, you certainly overcame your awkward phase.’
Their eyes met for a long moment, their breath coming a little faster from their exertions. Valerio found himself wondering if he should suggest they kiss, to maintain the appearance of being a happily engaged couple. But really he just wanted to kiss her again. Wanted to see if it was his sex-starved brain that had elicited that first reaction from him after their first kiss or...if it was just simply her.
As he began tipping his head down towards her, a shout from behind them caught his attention.
They both turned and watched as one of the security guards ran down the beach and into the water towards a small boat. A single man was in the vessel, a black boxlike item in his hands. Valerio turned himself in front of Dani, shielding her with his body as he shouted for the other guard to follow.
After a few tense moments of shouting and confusion, it was revealed that the man was just a local fisherman who hadn’t been told of the restaurant’s private hire. The guards and Valerio quickly apologised to the man, and to the restaurant owner, who had been quite distressed by the commotion.
‘Get back to the car,’ Valerio growled, guiding her away from the dance floor by the elbow.
‘Valerio, it’s okay. It was just a mistake.’
‘This entire impulsive evening out was a mistake.’ He shook his head. ‘I can’t even keep you safe for one day. I need to get you back to the house now. Just...please don’t fight me on this.’
Dani didn’t fight him. She barely even spoke on the drive back to the villa, knowing that Valerio needed time to cool down after the adrenaline rush of the false alarm. She had been scared too, but he had moved swiftly from fear and protective mode to anger towards himself. She was beginning to see a pattern with him. Did he have a hero complex? Or was he hiding something about himself?
An email on her phone caught her attention as they entered the large open-plan living area of the villa.
‘The board have accepted my plans for Nettuno and the charities.’ She frowned. ‘But I never got the chance to send them my files before you asked me to step back.’
‘I sent them.’ He turned to her, both hands in his pockets. ‘I looked into your plans further after the meeting and I knew they were the best course of action. You’ll get full credit, and I’ll keep you in the loop on everything regarding Duarte’s projects.’
‘Valerio...that means more than you know—thank you.’
‘You don’t need to thank me. I should be thanking you for being so good at what you do. I’m being honest when I say I wouldn’t ask you to take this step back if it wasn’t important.’
She nodded once. ‘And you still won’t tell me exactly why?’
Valerio’s gaze became instantly defensive and he prepared to turn away.
‘No arguments, remember?’ she said quickly, knowing that she needed to take a different tack. This was a business deal, after all—why shouldn’t she employ one of her oldest moves? Entertain the opposition...keep them close. ‘I’m not going to launch into a fight, if that’s what you’re thinking. I want us to keep to our deal. A weekend of fun, starting now.’
She moved to one of the sideboards she’d investigated earlier, returning with a deck of cards. ‘How do you fancy your odds?’
‘Poker?’ He raised one brow, picking up the deck and shuffling the cards with seasoned practice. ‘You sure you’re up to playing me?’
‘You forget that I’ve been schmoozing your clientele in Monte Carlo these past few months. I’ve become quite a pro.’
‘We don’t have any chips.’