‘Very well.’
‘You didn’t even stir when I checked on you around midnight.’
Lydia stiffened and her chin tilted. ‘Why did you feel the need to check on met?’
‘You were upset. l wanted to be sure that you were all right-‘
‘Well there was no need. I wasn’t upset, just tired !
‘ ‘Okay… ‘ Cristiano dragged the word out with amazing expressiveness.
‘I’m not being unreasonable! ‘Lydia snapped defensively.
‘1 didn’t say anything. ‘
‘It was the way you said okay”,’ she mumbled in the silence that he allowed to stretch until she was forced to make a response.
‘It sounded long-suffering.’
‘Why would I sound like that?’ Cristiano chided silkily, and she almost threw the phone across the room.
He made her so angry-yet she had never before had a problem with her temper. At least not until she had loved and lost Cristiano Andreotti. Until he had yanked her back to him, handcuffed to a contract that made self-respect a desperate challenge. Nonetheless yesterday she had acted the part of mistress to the manner born.
Worrying at the underside of her lower lip, she glanced in the mirror. The blue silk organza dress hung like the exclusive garment it was clinging to her slender figure where it should skimming where it should not.
She saw the view from the terrace before she saw Cristiano and it was so spectacular that she walked straight over to the stone wall to gaze in wonder. Lowlying clouds wreathed a village on the far side of the valley with a misty haze that lent the ancient ring of stone medieval buildings on the hill a fair,ytale quality.
‘It’s so beautifulj’ she murmured when she heard steps behind her.
‘Not quite as beautiful as you, bella mia’
Cristiano remarked for she looked dazzling in a dress
that reflected the sapphire-blue of her eyes, with her abundant hair simply styled to fall round her shoulders. After the restive night he had passed striving to come to terms with the concept of giving up his freedom, he was finally willing to acknowledge that there would be one very obvious reward.
Lydia spun round and momentarily allowed herself to take her visual fill of his extreme impact in a formal dark suit. Even that elongated glance proved to be a mistake. As she looked her fingertips tingled with the memory of the warmth of his bronzed skin and the silky feel of his hair. Ready colour rose in her cheeks and she moved hurriedly towards the table that sat in the cool shade of towering chestnut trees.
Wine was poured and antipasto was served. The golden liquid was dry on her tongue. She didn’t much like wine but having recognised the world-famous label on the bottle she persevered. The first course arrived and she asked Cristiano how long he had owned the palazzo.
‘lt’s been in the family for a while ‘ Cristiano revealed.
Lydia gave her wine another valiant tasting.
‘How long is a while’?’
‘A couple of hundred years.’ His tiny shrug said the subject as of no import, and he signalled the hovering manservant to pass on some instruction.
‘I really know next to nothing about your background. You’re an only child aren’t you’?’
she pressed, determined to keep the dialogue on lines that she could handle.
A fresh glass was set in front of her and another bottle uncorked with Italian ceremony.
‘What’s this’?’ she asked.
Cristiano laughed.
‘You are drinking what you’ve got as though it’ s cough medicine. I requested something sweet’
His acute observation powers mortified her but he made light conversation with enviable ease and the food was fabulous. Slowly she began to relax.
‘I have something important to say to you’
he murmured gravely at the end of the meal.
Her blood ran cold.
‘You’ve had enough of me already and you’re sending me home?’
‘No, I don’t want to let you go’ Cristiano confessed without apology.
She felt almost light-headed at that news and the realization shook her. Was that relief she was feeling? Surely not? Bewilderment and shame threatened her composure, for she was finding it increasingly hard to comprehend her own reactions around Cristiano.
His crystal glass casually cupped in one lean brown hand Cristiano rose and strolled across the terrace into the hot sunlight before looking back at her.
‘I reached certain conclusions last night’ he admitted flatly.
‘I have treated you in a way l have treated no other woman.’
‘How nice to be singled out as unique! ‘
But although she tried to sound insouciant she was dry-mouthed with stress at the prospect of what he might be about to say next-His stunning eyes were pure lethal gold.
‘It’ s not a joking matter. I will be frank…from the hour you took off with Stevens I thought of you as a total slapper.’
That was frank indeed and she reddened.
‘And l was wrong. You’re the exact opposite. You on the other hand thought I was real bastard and you were right to think that ‘ he spelt out with sardonic cool.
‘The business with the bet was indefensible and the contract was designed to entrap and demean.’
She gripped her fine porcelain coffee cup so hard she was surprised that the handle didn’t break off. She stared at the immaculate white linen tablecloth her heart beating very fast.
‘I owe you…1 owe you big-time. ‘ Cristiano breathed hard and low, as if the very words were being forced from him.
Lydia glanced up in surprise.
His lean strong face was sombre.
‘1 do have honour l do have standards I can’t change the past though. It seems that you’ve won this round hands down…I am willing to marry you.’
CHAPTERSEVEN
LYDIA stared at Cristiano unable to credit what he had said and scarcely daring to breathe in the hot still air.
‘M-marry me’?’
she stammered shakily.
‘You’re willing to marry me?’
Cristiano tossed back the contents of his wine glass with seemingly little appreciation for the vintage. ‘There will be some consolations. l find you incredibly desirable, ‘gioia mia. ‘
very different emotions assailed her. Hurt pride disappointment and pain combined inside her in a volatile mix. Once a proposal of marriage from Cristiano would have been her every dream come true. But his ambivalence his reluctance to marry her was almost comically obvious. Dully she wondered why she wasn’t laughing.
Cristiano dealt her a brooding look of dark cynicism. ‘Of course you are’
She wanted to hit him. He knew what a rich prize he was in terms of looks status and wealth. It did not seem to occur to him that a woman might expect something more than those superficial attributes from him. Or that he might meet with a refusal.
‘How do you feel about me’?’
Cristiano shot her a frowning appraisal his stubborn jawline clenching.
‘What’s that supposed to mean’?’
Lydia was as pale as death her fingers knotted below the level of the table and then frantically crossing for luck. ‘You’re not stupid. You know.’
‘I don’t do love-just sex ‘ he asserted very drily.
To force a laugh that was convincing enough at least not to shatter the glass in her vicinity but deep down inside she felt as if a steamroller had gone over her vital organs. The crazy wheeling and dipping of her thoughts bewildered her as much as the distinct downward plunge of her spirits.
Cristiano rested unamused night-dark eyes on her.
‘I appreciate that l’ve taken you very much by surprise.’
A tremor ran through her taut length. She was in a state of shock and almost pointed out that an announcement of his nuptial plans could make headlines round the world.