‘No drama on my front,’ he said, though his mind flew to a certain brunette who was definitely giving him grief. ‘I’ve just been talking to Sergio. Hell, Jeremy, the poor man is seriously infatuated, isn’t he?’
‘Seriously in love, more like it. And Bella is, too, so you can stop worrying about their marriage. I’m beginning to think that it just might work.’
‘How can you be sure? About her feelings, that is?’
‘I can just tell. The way they look at each other and speak about each other. It’s positively sickening. If I ever act like that around a woman, I want you to shoot me.’
Alex laughed. ‘I don’t have a gun.’
‘I’ll give you one. We have several in the gun room at the family’s country estate.’
‘Remind me not to go there with you any more.’
‘Don’t be ridiculous, you love it there. What say we pop down together for a few days after the wedding? It’s lovely in Cornwall in the summer.’
At any other time, he would have said yes. But as much as he loved Jeremy’s excellent company, it could not compare with being in Venice with Harriet. Not that he could say that.
‘Sorry. No can do. I have to get back here ASAP. I’m up to my ears in work.’
Jeremy sighed. ‘Truly, Alex, someone is going to have to take you in hand one day and teach you how to relax.’
Alex smiled as he thought about where Harry’s hand had been earlier today. Not that he’d felt in any way relaxed at the time.
‘Well, if anyone could teach me how to relax, it would be you,’ he said. ‘If R and R was a sport, you’d win the gold medal every four years.’
Jeremy chuckled. ‘I’ll take that as a compliment. But honestly, dear friend, all work and no play makes Alex a dull boy.’
‘In that case, you’ll be pleased to know I’ve been playing all weekend.’ As soon as the bragging words were out of his mouth, he regretted them.
‘Really? Do tell.’
‘Sorry, mate, I’m not a kiss-and-tell kind of guy.’
‘So, how old is this latest bimbo of yours?’
‘I’ll have you know she’s in her late twenties. And no bimbo.’
‘I’m impressed. What does she do for a crust?’
Alex had to think quickly. He could hardly say she was his PA. ‘She’s in real estate,’ he said.
‘Even better. Nothing worse than dating someone with very little between her ears.’
Alex had noticed over the years that Jeremy preferred intelligent girls, provided they were beautiful as well as brainy.
‘So, who did you bring to Paris?’ Alex asked.
‘No one. Marlee lives in Paris. She’s an editor. I’m going to put her in charge of my French office.’
‘Combining business and pleasure is never a good idea,’ Alex said with considerable irony.
‘What rubbish. I’ve had some of my best sex by doing just that. Look, something’s just come up. So I should go. Text me the details of your flight and I’ll meet you at Milan airport. Au revoir.’
Alex had no time to open his mouth before Jeremy hung up. Smiling wryly over what it was that had come up, Alex put down his phone, then made his way out to the kitchen, where he poured himself a large glass of Scotch, added a few ice cubes, then returned to the living room, sipping slowly. Calling his two best friends hadn’t helped all that much. He still missed Harriet and she’d been gone only an hour or so. The thought that he might be falling in love with her started worrying him. He didn’t want to fall for her any more than she wanted to fall for him. They had different goals in life. Vastly different.
It was still just lust, he reassured himself. On both their parts. Still, to take her to Italy with him and romance her in Venice was playing with fire, especially when it came to her feelings. Women loved that kind of thing.
But it was no use. He wanted to do it. Wanted to see the pleasure in her eyes.
So he ignored the risk and sent her a text telling her to cancel his original first-class booking ASAP and to book two business-class seats for them on the same flight, or an equivalent one.
Will do, she texted back.
Ten minutes later, she texted him the details of their flight, at which point he gave in and rang her.
They talked for close to an hour.
Chapter Eighteen
‘OH, THIS IS HEAVENLY!’ Harriet exclaimed once they settled into their business-class seats, Alex insisting Harriet have the window seat, with him right beside her.
It was early evening on the Monday, take-off in ten minutes. Only one brief stopover, in Dubai, then straight on to Malpensa airport, where they would arrive on Tuesday midmorning, Milan time.