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He raised his brows, leant back in his chair and smiled—a slow lazy smile that was so sexy she almost couldn’t breathe—but his next words made that breath catch in her throat. ‘Then we spend the night making love.’
His bluntness shocked her, but she smiled teasingly back at him, enjoying the freedom to be different from normal. It was as if he’d unlocked a new and completely unexpected version of herself, one that lived a carefree and happy existence. ‘Promises, promises.’
‘All night, cara, you will be mine, that I do promise, but first we eat.’ He watched her with a steadfast gaze that dissolved the few remaining doubts which lingered in her mind. He wanted her, she wanted him. Was it so wrong to put aside everything else and enjoy the mutual attraction until it fizzled out?
It was wrong. It went against everything she believed in. She didn’t do affairs and certainly didn’t want a relationship with anyone and definitely not with Alessandro, but the connection between them was impossible to ignore. For the first time in her life she was throwing caution to the wind, almost seeing it being snatched away to float above the blue waters of the lake.
She picked up her glass of wine and lifted it to him. ‘To tonight,’ she toasted, enjoying the smile that tugged at his lips and the hum of anticipation that warmed her body.
‘Salute!’ He raised his glass to her and she watched his eyes become as black as midnight, the desire-laden and smouldering look on his face making her heart constrict and her body heat.
* * *
The ferry from Desenzano to Sirmione offered a cool breeze which was a welcome relief from the heat of the afternoon. Charlie, feeling like a child, wanted to sit at the front of the paddle steamer to gain a prime view of the lake and surrounding countryside and Alessandro seemed happy to indulge her. He made her feel special and cherished with his attention.
Passengers chatted and laughed all around them but still she felt as if she were in a bubble, just the two of them, wrapped up in the attraction which sizzled stronger than ever between them. He put his arm around her as they sat, pulling her close, and the moment took on a magical quality, as if they were in love and not just lovers.
In love.
The words rang in her mind. It couldn’t be possible to be in love so soon. She was just being seduced by the sunshine, the luxury of this life she’d stepped into, but most of all by the man himself. Love didn’t just happen. It grew and flourished within a happy relationship and this wasn’t a relationship. It was an affair.
‘I suppose this is a regular trip for you.’ She tried to quell the unease of her emotions and distract her thoughts. She was probably just one of many. A man like Alessandro would never be short of female company.
‘I bought the villa a year ago but have been too busy with the car to use it.’ He looked ahead of them, the wind playing in his hair, his eyes hidden by dark glasses, then suddenly he turned to look at her. She saw herself reflected in his sunglasses and hated that she couldn’t see the expression in his eyes.
‘Did Seb ever come here?’ The light question made his mouth set in a firm line and she wondered what she’d said wrong.
‘No. It’s why I brought you here. I wanted it to be just the two of us. No memories. There will be enough of those when we return to Milan.’ His voice was hard and the clipped edge to it warned her off further questions.
He had at least confirmed one thing. This was still nothing more than a weekend affair. Once they were back in Milan it would be over and just a few days after she would leave for England and the life she needed to get back together. A brief affair was all she’d wanted, so why did it hurt to know she could so easily be dispensed with?
‘I’m glad you brought me here. It has been a hard year and right now I feel I have a reprieve from thinking about Seb and the accident,’ she said honestly. Certain aspects of her time in Italy had been painful. ‘It’s time to put the past behind me.’
The sound of the ferry’s motor as it manoeuvred towards the shore halted further conversation, something she was grateful for. She didn’t want to admit to him he’d been right, that being at the launch was not just what Seb had wanted but what she’d wanted.
She looked ahead of her as the ferry docked with a bump. The medieval castle dominating the town of Sirmione as it rose up from the blue waters of the lake unleashed a childlike need to explore. She pushed aside all other thoughts, determined to enjoy the day and Alessandro’s company. ‘I can’t believe you’ve never been here or done this,’ she said as she stood up, trying to lighten the mood.
