The Vengeful Husband (The Husband Hunters 2)

An hour later, garbed in a figure-hugging sapphire-blue dress and horrendously high stilettos, Darcy bent down with extreme caution to lift Zia up into her arms, and bang— inspiration hit her the same second that her attention fell on the glossy gossip magazine the middle-aged nursemaid had left lying on a nearby chair. Didn't people pay good money for an insight into the lives of the rich and famous? Wasn't Luca both rich and famous? And didn't she have a second cousin who was a secretary on one of those publications?

What would an interview and a few photos of Gianluca Raffacani's bride be worth?

Darcy blinked, cringing from the concept but hardening herself against a sensitivity she could no longer afford. Luca had said that infidelity or desertion would be grounds for ending their marital agreement. But he hadn't men¬tioned publicity...

CHAPTER NINE

HAVING heard the commotion, Darcy rose from her seat in the drawing room and walked to the door that opened onto the vast reception hall. She froze there, taken aback by the scene being enacted before her startled eyes.

On his return home, Luca was being engulfed by his sister's dogs. It was like a rugby scrum. But astonishingly informative. Aristide and Zou Zou adored him, Darcy reg¬istered in surprise. And there he was, fondling shaggy ears and valiantly bearing up to the exuberant welcome he was receiving. Failing to notice her, Luca then took the stairs two at a time, a gift-wrapped package clutched in one hand.

Since Darcy was a very slow mover in the unfamiliar high heels, she didn't catch up with him. And she was perplexed when he strode past their bedroom to turn up the flight of stairs that led to the nursery suite. She came to a halt in the doorway of the playroom. By the time she got there, Zia had already ripped the paper off a box which she was now regarding with enraptured bliss.

'Dolly!' she gasped, squeezing the box so tight in her excitement that it crunched. 'Pretty dolly!'

Peer pressure and television had a lot to answer for, Darcy decided uncomfortably. All the other little girls Zia knew at the playgroup already had that doll, but Darcy had ignored all pleas to make a similar purchase. Why? Because that particular doll had always reminded her of Maxie. Now that seemed so inadequate an excuse when she saw Zia reacting like a deprived child suddenly shot into seventh heaven.

'Shall I take her out of the box?' Luca enquired help¬fully.

While Zia pondered whether or not she could bear to part with her gift even briefly, Darcy studied Luca's hard, classic profile, which showed to even better advantage when he was smiling. She was frankly bewildered by what she was seeing.

Zia extended the box. Hunkering down on a level with the toddler, Luca removed the packaging and finally freed the soft-bodied version of the doll. 'See, Mummy!' her daughter carolled with pride.

As Luca's well-shaped dark head whipped round to fi¬nally note Darcy's silent presence, Darcy reddened with awful self-consciousness beneath his lengthy appraisal. While unnecessarily engaged in smoothing down the skirt of her dress with damp palms, she strove to act uncon¬cerned and evaded his scrutiny. 'Did you say thank you, Zia?'

'Kiss?' Zia proffered instantly, moving forward to land a big splashy kiss on Luca's cheek and then give him an enthusiastic hug.

'Isn't cupboard love great?' Luca mocked his own cal¬culation with an amused smile and vaulted upright again. 'We got off on the wrong foot yesterday. A peace offering was a necessity.'

'It was a kind thought,' Darcy conceded stiltedly.

'I can be very kind, bella mia,' Luca countered huskily.

Darcy collided with his scorching dark stare. And quite without knowing how she knew it, she knew he was think¬ing about sex. That sixth sense awareness spooked her and plunged her into confusion.

As her skin heated her breath caught in her throat, and her heart gave a violent lurch. She couldn't look away from those stunning dark golden eyes. The impact of that look was staggering. She felt dizzy, unsteady on her feet and far, far too hot. The tip of her tongue skimmed along her dry lower lip in a nervous motion.

Luca's intent scrutiny homed in on the soft fullness of her mouth. Something drew tight and twisted, low in her stomach, a sexual response so powerful it terrified her. Mercifully, Zia broke the connection by holding out her new doll for her mother's admiration.

'You haven't much time to say goodnight to her. My sister is joining us for dinner,' Luca advanced as he strode out through the door. 'I need a shower and a change of clothes.'

'Night-night, Luca!' Zia called cheerfully.

Luca paused and glanced back with a raised ebony brow. 'In the right mood, she's really quite sweet, isn't she?' His eyes became shadowed and his wide mouth compressed. 'I had nothing to do with Ilaria when she was that age...I was at boarding school. She was only seven when I went to university. I lived to regret not having a closer bond with her.'