The Italian's Ruthless Seduction

‘Sounds good. I’ll eat and drink whatever you put in front of me, Maria. Your food is second to none. And your coffee...’ He kissed the tips of his fingers before flourishing them wide in a very flamboyant gesture. ‘I would come all this way just for some of your coffee.’

Maria gave Bella a droll look that said, See? Some people like real coffee.

Bella sighed, and Maria hurried off, Bella wondering exactly how she was going to explain her presence here at Sergio’s villa. In the end, she decided the truth was a good start, telling him about her attending his father’s funeral last year where Sergio had given her his phone number and said if she ever needed his help, to ring him.

‘I never saw you at his father’s funeral,’ Jeremy said, sounding perplexed.

‘I was in disguise. Wore a dark wig and glasses.’

‘I see,’ he said, nodding. ‘I gather, then, since you’re here, that you ran into some kind of trouble.’

‘Yes. A couple of weeks ago. I was suffering from a case of severe burnout at the time and desperately needed to get away. I remembered Sergio’s offer as well as the wonderful holidays I spent here when our parents were married. So I rang and asked to rent his villa for a holiday.’

‘And this was a couple of weeks ago?’ Jeremy queried, a frown forming on his high forehead.

‘Yes, why?’

‘No particular reason. Just wondering why Sergio didn’t tell me about it. He’s usually not so secretive. But surely he’s not making you pay rent to stay here.’

‘No, no. Of course not. He said that he couldn’t rent the villa to me as he would be here some of the time himself. Instead, he suggested I stay as his guest. I was more than grateful, believe me. Admittedly, he did make me promise not to tell anyone where I was going. He was worried the media might get a hold of where I was and the paparazzi would be hovering over the villa in helicopters to take photos of us together. You know what they’re like.’

‘Not personally. I don’t have your kind of public profile. But Sergio still could have told me. I wouldn’t have told anyone.’ He gave her a long considering look. ‘So how’s the holiday going so far?’

‘Oh...er...it’s been very nice. Very...relaxing.’ What else could she say? If Sergio had wanted Jeremy to know about her staying here he would have told him.

‘You certainly look relaxed,’ Jeremy said, his tone a little dry. ‘Sergio’s obviously been looking after you very well.’

Bella knew exactly what he was implying. But no way was she about to admit to anything with Sergio at this stage other than friendship. It would be up to Sergio to tell him, if he wanted to. Though if he was serious about her, if he loved her the way Maria thought he did, then why wouldn’t he want to tell his friend?

Jeremy wasn’t the only one who was beginning to feel perplexed.

Maria appeared at that moment with a ham and tomato roll for Jeremy and a cup of very strong-looking coffee.

‘Thanks heaps, Maria,’ he said.

‘My pleasure,’ Maria cooed.

Bella was watching Jeremy tuck into the food when she decided that she couldn’t just sit there, wondering. So she came to a decision and stood up. ‘If you’ll excuse me, Jeremy, I’m going to go up to my room and give Sergio a call. Let him know that you’re here.’

‘Good idea. And whilst you’re talking to him, tell him to get himself home, pronto, so that we can have a proper birthday party.’

‘He might not want to do that, Jeremy. He told me last night that he had some very important meetings organised for today.’

Jeremy rolled his eyes. ‘Typical. That man is a workaholic.’

‘Yes,’ Bella said. ‘He is. A bit.’ But she liked that about him. Liked his perfectionism. Liked his intelligence and capacity for hard work. Of course, she would have preferred that he stay home with her all day instead of driving to Milan; that he would devote every hour of the evening to making love instead of chatting with her about the various changes he’d put in place during that particular day.

But she was in no position to complain, or insist. She was just his friend with benefits so far, not even a real girlfriend. She’d been hoping that Sergio would say something about that over the last two weeks. But he hadn’t, despite their many deep and meaningful conversations. Their sex life was also better than ever, and even more intimate. A starkly erotic image sprung to mind of her being bound to that four-poster bed yesterday. Naked, of course. In the afternoon, in the daylight, with everything exposed to those dark smouldering eyes of his, every part of her body accessible to his large knowing hands. But she’d felt no shame, only excitement and the most exquisite of tensions, followed by the most incredible releases. At one stage he’d left her there, alone, whilst he’d gone downstairs for a reviving swim, returning with his body all cold and dripping wet, straddling her straight away and presenting himself to her mouth for her to...