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Lindsay concentrated on her food, listening while Alessio dealt with the actor’s questions and then summarised his options.
She didn’t feel the slightest inclination to intervene or even urge him to reconsider. What did she know about relationships? After last night, she’d decided that she knew nothing.
And that, Lindsay thought bleakly, was that.
Another celebrity marriage bit the dust.
The actor sat back in his chair, his eyes on the gentle curve and dip of Lindsay’s cleavage. ‘Well, if we’re done, Alessio, I feel like relaxing. You’ve no idea how amazing it feels to be able to chill out, knowing that for once your evening is not going to be replayed in the morning papers. Can you spare your assistant for the rest of the evening?’
‘I’m afraid not. She has work to do.’ Alessio’s tone was smooth and his eyes blank of expression, but something in his manner delivered his message loud and clear because the actor gave a frown and then shrugged.
‘OK. Some other time.’ His eyes lingered on Lindsay’s mouth. ‘Don’t leave without taking my number.’
‘Your number is in the file.’ Very much the one in control, Alessio rose to his feet and extended a hand. ‘My team will contact you when you’re back in L.A. Enjoy your stay. And try not to marry your next co-star.’
Feeling increasingly awkward, Lindsay stood up as well and stammered a goodnight.
And finally, Alessio looked at her. ‘My villa.’ It was a cool command. ‘I want to work on this straight away.’
And it was obvious that he was annoyed with her, Lindsay thought miserably as she followed him up a path that led to a villa out of sight of the rest of the exclusive resort.
He was going to remind her that it had been just the one night.
He didn’t want to see glamorous red dresses or flowers in her hair.
Too tense even to react to the luxurious villa or the stunning setting, she flinched as he yanked open the sliding doors that led from beach to living room.
‘Nice,’ she muttered timidly and then felt suddenly angry with herself because she’d never allowed herself to be intimidated by him before and she just hated the fact that she felt like that now. By nature honest, she decided that it was best to come clean, however awkward that might be. ‘Look—it was a misunderstanding, all right? When I received your message I thought—’ She broke off and he lifted a brow.
‘You thought what? That this was your chance to join the ranks of Hollywood?’
Taken aback by this unexpected verbal attack, Lindsay just stared at him. ‘What are you talking about?’
Dark colour accentuated his cheekbones and he prowled across to her, his eyes stormy. ‘I’m talking about you flirting with my client. I’m talking about the flower in your hair, the sexy red dress and the killer heels. That’s what I’m talking about, Lindsay.’
Her gaze locked with his, she suddenly couldn’t breathe.
He thought the dress was sexy?
Even though she could feel the atmosphere sparking dangerously, she felt a wild thrill of pleasure.
‘Alessio—’
His hands were on her shoulders, tight bands of steel. ‘I’m talking about the fact that you’re a relationship counsellor, but you didn’t once try and talk him out of his divorce. Not once.’ His handsome face hard and unyielding, he powered her back against the enormous bed that dominated the room until she tumbled backwards onto the silken cover.
‘Alessio—’
He came down on top of her, bronzed, muscular and very much the dominant male. ‘Why didn’t you try and talk him out of divorce?’ One strong hand buried itself in her hair and he kept his gaze locked with hers. ‘Why was that, tesoro? Was it because you were hoping that you might be the next candidate?’
‘Don’t be ridiculous—’ Lindsay stared up at him with huge, shocked eyes. Her heart thudding out of control, explosions of excitement turning her body into a simmering cauldron of dangerous sensation. ‘You were the one who told me that you didn’t want me here in my role as relationship counsellor—’
‘You dressed for sex. What happened to those principles of yours?’ With a decisive movement, he slid a hand under her bottom and hauled her against the thickened ridge of his arousal. ‘What happened, tesoro? You meet a film star and suddenly a relationship based on sex seems like a good idea?’
All she could feel was heat. The heat of his body. The heat of his mouth next to hers. The heat of her own desperate need—
‘Alessio—’ Her words were smothered by the force of his kiss, his mouth taking hers in a punishing, demanding, volcanic assault that tipped her into a sensual world that was entirely new to her.
The hot slide of his tongue in her mouth sent a shaft of excitement shooting from brain to belly and her hands clutched at his shirt, tugging it free from his trousers.
