‘I—I’m pleased that you have faith in my abilities,’ Kate stammered. ‘But...’ She sighed. ‘We don’t know what will happen about George. We haven’t...you know...heard what he has to say yet...’
‘Don’t really have to,’ Alessandro told her gently. ‘I could humour you by pretending that I give a damn about his explanation, but in my book theft is theft. My only concern is how he will be rewarded for his misdoings...’
‘So this trip is...pointless...?’
‘This trip is about you being on an essential learning curve when it comes to handling awkward situations. There’s no room for grey areas or indecision. And whether you accept the promotion I’m offering you or allow your guilt to get the better of your good sense, you should know one thing: the higher up the ladder you climb, the more important it is for you to know how to do that.’
‘In other words I have to become as ruthless as...as...?’
‘As me?’
‘I guess I believe there are other ways of...of...’
‘There aren’t.’
‘You’re so cut-throat...’
‘Life has a curious way of shaping our responses.’
Kate looked at him and wondered what he meant by that. Was it just a general remark, or were there factors in his life that had made him the way he was? He was beyond rich, beyond powerful and beyond good-looking—and yet he moved from woman to woman with no intention of settling down. Why was that?
What it was, she told herself sternly, was none of her business.
‘Of course...’ Alessandro moved on smoothly. ‘Before you accept your brand-new shiny job promotion—and I know you will because it would be stupid not to, and you’re not stupid—there’s something I should ask you...’
‘What’s that?’
‘How reliable do you think you will be in this new role? You don’t seem to object to putting in overtime in the steady climb upwards, but will that become difficult for you when and if you’re given extra responsibilities and overtime ceases to be a choice and becomes a necessity? No, don’t answer that. But think about it and we will discuss it over dinner. The back of a cab—even a very long cab—is no place to have this conversation.’
‘Dinner?’
What dinner? What was wrong with room service in their separate rooms and a career discussion over a cup of coffee in the morning?
‘It’s all we’ll be able to do with what remains of the day.’ Alessandro was irked at the look of horror that had flashed across her face. ‘We both do have to eat,’ he said coolly.
‘Yes, but I thought that I might just grab something in my room and hit the sack early. It’s been a long day.’
‘Well, you’ll have to rethink your plans.’
‘Of course.’
‘And I trust your entire wardrobe isn’t comprised of a selection of starchy suits...?’
‘What difference does it make?’ Kate asked tightly.
‘It’s not a working meal.’
Control. Yes, he understood. You didn’t have to be a genius to join the dots. Her background had made her the sort of woman who felt a driving need to impose control in every aspect of her life. She controlled her appearance, she controlled her hair, she controlled her reactions, controlled her emotions. She was so serious that it was sometimes hard to believe that she was actually in her twenties. All over the world there were grannies out and about having more fun than her. And he wasn’t used to women looking appalled at the thought of spending five minutes in his company.
‘You can relax in my company for five seconds, Kate.’
Frankly, she thought she already had—and it hadn’t been a good idea. ‘Right...’
‘You could sound more convinced.’ Irritation had crept into his voice. ‘We’re here.’
She hadn’t even noticed the stretch limo slowing. She had missed most of the trip because her attention had been exclusively focused on the man sitting next to her. So much for dispelling the intruder by getting a grip.
She looked around her and saw a city that was like any other—although there was something more peaceful and less frantic about it than London. The hotel they were approaching was, as she might have expected, the last word in expensive, from its imposing facade to the doormen waiting to relieve the wealthy visitors of their baggage, eager to make sure that they did absolutely nothing for themselves if it could be helped.
The foyer was bustling with visitors, coming and going. Next to them Kate felt the inadequacy of her carefully chosen but now creased outfit. She didn’t blend in. Even some of the younger people in jeans and tee shirts managed to look staggeringly designer-casual, as though they had randomly plucked something out of the wardrobe and yet succeeded in looking effortlessly cool.
For a few rebellious seconds she wished that she hadn’t tied her hair back—wished that she hadn’t worn a knee-length drab skirt and a sensible blouse. She wished, for the first time in her life, that she had taken a page out of her mother’s book and made the most of her assets.
She frowned. Alessandro had accused her of being a hypocrite and she had predictably reacted by hitting the roof—because who was he to pass judgement on her? Yet, wasn’t she?
If she’d seen life in exactly the same black-and-white way that he did wouldn’t she have worn more comfortable clothes for the flight over? Brought more to wear than stuff that could only be labelled as excruciatingly businesslike...? Had a wardrobe that actually contained clothes a girl her age would wear? She was so scared of emulating her mother that she had veered off in completely the opposite direction, ignoring the fact that there was always a middle ground.
No wonder he was so entertained by her! No wonder he got a kick out of winding her up! She played straight into his hands by trying to control everything she said and did—way more than the occasion demanded.
Yet he had seen her in relaxed mode, she thought with a twinge of discomfort. And whilst that would have been nothing for him, because he was used to seeing far more beautiful women wearing a lot less, it had been something for her. She had felt exposed and vulnerable. Stupid.
She surfaced to find that she was being led out of the foyer and towards a bank of lifts up to her hotel room—which would give her welcome relief from her thoughts.
She was a lot less relieved when they were shown to the same door, which was flung open to reveal an absolutely enormous suite. She stared at it in horror.
‘What’s this?’ She remained firmly planted in the doorway, only shifting to allow the porter inside, watching with her arms folded until he was dispatched and the only occupants of the vast room were Alessandro and herself.
Alessandro looked around, as though noticing his surroundings for the first time.
She was so predictable in her reactions. Dismay at the prospect of being in his company, horror at imagining dinner with him, and now downright shrieking tension, barely kept in check, at the idea that this vast suite might be a shared situation.
Was it any wonder that he couldn’t seem to stop himself from goading her?
Especially when, as it was now, the colour staining her cheeks looked just so unbelievably appealing?
As was her half-opened mouth, her flashing eyes, and the way her pink tongue had sneaked out to moisten her lips...
‘It’s a room, Kate,’ he said, in the patient voice of someone explaining the obvious. ‘Hotels tend to have them. It’s a must when it comes to attracting potential guests.’
‘Ha-ha.’ She wasn’t budging. She could feel her pulse racing as she craned her neck from her position by the door to try and ascertain just what the situation was regarding sleeping arrangements.
He couldn’t possibly expect them to share a bedroom, could he? No. No way.
As if reading her thoughts, and reluctantly deciding to put her out of her misery, he said without looking at her, strolling towards the huge bay window to gaze idly outside, ‘No need to panic. This is where I’ll be staying.’
He turned to face her and saw her visibly relax.
‘I asked my secretary to book two adjoining rooms. It wasn’t a necessity, but I thought it might be more convenient if this deal kicks off and we find ourselves having to work late. I only realized when I read through the confirmation that my instructions were taken a little too literally...’
He took his time walking towards a door which she hadn’t noticed and flung it open.
‘You’re in there... Actually, if you’d looked at the bedroom you would have noticed that your case is nowhere in evidence. You could have spared yourself your giddy meltdown.’
‘I was not having a giddy meltdown... I was just curious as to... Well...’
‘You may have your opinions on my relationships with women...’ Alessandro’s voice was cool and hard ‘...but I draw the line at sharing a bedroom with one of my employees when we’re on business...’
And when we’re not?
Kate shoved aside the immediate thought that sprang into her head on the back of his remark. She walked towards the door and peered into a suite that was almost as big as the one in which she was standing.
‘And, before you ask, yes, there’s a lock on the interconnecting door—so you’ll be quite safe should I find myself accidentally trying to sleepwalk into your bedroom.’