She squeezed her hands into fists, quelling the desire to throttle him. ‘I shouldn’t have done that.’
‘It’s okay to lean on someone—’
‘Doyoudo that often?’ She glanced up and challenged directly.
Why should she be more dependent than he?
‘Sure, I have very good staff who help me.’
Staffwasn’t quite what she’d meant. But of course, like her, he had minimal family. He didn’t have any particularlypersonalsupport and it seemed he didn’t want it. He kept his distance from everyone, even Emiliano. The kid had an entourage of experts around him but Massimo wasn’t generally in it. So why on earth would he want to push them both intomarriage?
She couldn’t reconcile the man who’d easily slipped into warm humour and intimacy on the cargo plane, with this one who was so damned bossy and rigidly determined.
‘Everything is going to be okay, Lily.’
She picked up a dumpling, saving herself from having to answer; plus, it gave her something to do with her hands and mouth—because she really wanted to feast on him. Yeah, there was still that problem to be dealt with. He, too, tucked in as if he’d not eaten in days. In time, they demolished almost everything. And then she needed a different distraction so she didn’t have to look into his spellbinding eyes.
‘Shouldn’t we watch the race?’ She nodded towards the large screen.
It would be underway now.
‘There’ll be plenty of other races to watch when we’re married.’
Heat frothed in her blood. ‘We’re not—’ She broke off and inhaled deeply. ‘Youcan’tbe serious about that.’
‘I don’t joke about life-changing decisions.’ He cocked his head. ‘Am I really so unpalatable? Am I the worst man in the world? Or is it that I’m not ordinary enough?’
The bitter edge beneath his light mockery sharpened her senses.
‘That’s right,’ she said. ‘You’re nowherenearnormal enough for a simple girl like me.’
‘You’re not simple, Lily. Nor are you ordinary.’
‘Flattery won’t work.’
‘It might not be so awful. I can give you an amazing lifestyle.’
‘I thought I wasn’t getting millions to live the high life,’ she muttered dryly. ‘For the record I’ve never wanted to be a kept woman, nor do I want my child to become so spoilt he expects to get his own way all the time.’
Massimo’s smile was slow and appreciative. ‘Are you suggesting I’m spoilt?’
She stiffened, trying to stop her heated reaction to that smile. ‘Are you suggesting you aren’t?’
‘You like to be spoilt, too. You like the occasional cherry on top.’
She’d taken theoneonce, and look where it had gotten her.
‘Marry me and I’ll spoil you in ways you’ve never even imagined,’ he coaxed.
That dreadfully inappropriate heat washed over her. He wasn’t talking about sex. Or at least he shouldn’t be.
‘As tempting as that offer undoubtedly is, I’m afraid I’m going to have to pass.’
His smile remained steady. ‘Why are you so determined to reject me?’
‘It’s for your own good,’ she said, time to be serious. ‘I told you I’m not from a suitable background.’
‘You mean because you don’t come from money?’
