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'Don't be so silly—you know you aren't that.' It was a fait accompli, wasn't it? Claire thought numbly. Why, oh, why, hadn't Grace asked her about all this first? And why hadn't she hinted to Grace that she didn't like Romano, that she found him difficult to be with—something, anything to have prevented this sort of situation arising?
She hadn't wanted to worry Grace by suggesting that her closest friend didn't get on with her husband's closest friend, that was the main crux of the matter, added to which she had never dreamt, in her wildest dreams, that Grace would organise something like this. Grace wasn't an organiser, she never had been. Until now.
'Does nine suit?' Romano's deep, silky voice was bland, but the dark eyes were wicked as he looked straight at her, the wry twist to his mouth informing her that he was aware of exactly what she was thinking. 'Or perhaps you would prefer to leave a little later?'
'No, nine will be…' She took a deep breath and then ground out, 'That will be fine, thank you.'
'Good, good.' Was she the only one who could hear the smooth mockery in that velvety tone? Claire asked herself incredulously. From the contented and maternal smile on Grace's face, it would appear so. 'Then until tomorrow…' He had stood up as she entered the room, his manners as impeccable as always, and now, as he took her hand and raised it to his lips in polite farewell, she jumped as though she had received an electric shock, snatching her hand away as she took a step backwards.
Mercifully his big frame had hidden her from Grace's sight, but his eyes were lethal as she raised her shocked gaze to his face. She hadn't meant to react like that, she hadn't, but her skin was tingling where his warm firm lips had caressed it, heat sending little jumping sensations up her arm.
And then he had turned, ma
king his goodbyes to Grace in a pleasant, easy tone that told her he was far more adept at hiding his feelings than she was, before leaving the room with swift, purposeful footsteps.
That was a good omen for the next day. She plopped down beside Grace, making her time in the pool her excuse for the weakness in her legs. It was clearly going to be a bundle of laughs. He had been coerced into escorting a female he actively disliked to some old friends for the day, and the very nature of the exercise made it embarrassing for both of them. They were going to have to pretend to get on at least, and although she would have Lorenzo to ease some of the tension on the way there, on the way home it would be just her and Romano. Oh, help…
'I worry about him sometimes.'
'What?' Grace's soft voice had only just penetrated the whirling vortex of her mind, and now she forced herself to concentrate on her friend. 'Sorry, I was miles away. What did you say?'
'Romano.' Grace's beautiful blue eyes were cloudy. 'I worry about him living all alone in that great big house without even a cat or a dog for company. It's too solitary a life, even if—' She stopped abruptly.
'Even if what?' Claire asked curiously, feeling, as she had done more than once when she and Grace were alone, that she didn't know the whole story about Romano. But then, did she want to?
'Even if he wants it that way,' Grace said quietly.
'Perhaps he'll change one day.' Claire tried to be comforting. 'When he meets someone else he can love like Bianca.'
'Bianca?' For a moment Claire thought there had been hostility in Grace's voice, but she told herself she must be mistaken.
'Yes, she was so beautiful, wasn't she? And they hadn't been married many years.' Her heart gave a funny little kick and she suddenly found she couldn't go on.
'Oh, Claire, I wish I could tell you.' Grace looked at her almost desperately. 'But I made a promise.'
'I… You made a promise?' There was something more to all this, Claire thought bemusedly, but she couldn't even begin to think what. 'I don't understand.'
'I can't… Oh, forget it. I'm talking out of turn. Please, forget it,' Grace said awkwardly.
'It's forgotten.' Claire smiled, changing the subject to one that never failed these days—that of possible baby names. But even as they talked and laughed over the next hour or two she knew that it wasn't forgotten and, more unsettling still, that Romano Bellini had the power to disturb her more than any other man she had met in her life.
CHAPTER FIVE
'Was it as bad as you expected?' The dark voice was so soft Claire thought she had misheard for a moment. 'Well?' Romano prompted when she still didn't speak.
They were in his Ferrari travelling back along the coastal road from Amalfi after a very pleasant day with Anna and Alessandro—a day when Romano had been the perfect companion, without a frown or taunt in sight, and a day which she had to admit she had enjoyed every minute of.
'I don't understand what you mean,' she prevaricated carefully. 'I was looking forward to meeting Anna and Alessandro, and to seeing the children. Grace had told me what a darling Emanuele is—'
'I meant being with me.'
Yes, she had known that was what he meant, but she had hoped that the uneasy truce might have continued until she was safely back at Casa Pontina. Here, in the close confines of the powerful car, he was too big, too threatening, too… too much of everything, she concluded weakly. 'I…why do you think I expected that to be bad?' she asked quietly, throwing the ball back into his court.
'Didn't you?' he asked sardonically, the cool black gaze raking over her face for a brief moment before he concentrated on the road again, his mouth set in a wry twist.
'No, not really,' she lied politely, her composure slipping a little as he laughed with husky disbelief.
'Oh, I like this demure little English girl image,' he said mockingly, 'it is more restful than the fire-and-brimstone virago I have grown to expect. I thought it was merely for Anna and Alessandro's benefit, or perhaps so you did not frighten the children—'
