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She went on to the balcony, and of course Sicily’s morning sun was fire...or was it her cheeks?
He followed her out.
‘Leave me alone.’ She tossed the words over her shoulder as she had that first morning and then swept back inside.
‘Hey,’ he warned as she walked off, and not gently, for she brushed past him angrily. ‘This is my home, and in it are my staff,’ he reminded her. ‘I shall go out today and leave you alone with your mood, but I will tell you now—don’t be wearing it tonight.’
She swallowed, trying not to cry. She was just not up to this, and she knew he hated it when she cried.
‘For God’s sake...’ His patience was clearly starting to run out. ‘What the hell did I say wrong?’
‘How shall we say we met?’ she snapped in her hurt.
‘What the hell...?’
‘Are you ashamed to admit to your family that your “designer girlfriend” was raised by nuns?’
‘That’s your hang-up, Alicia, not mine.’
‘You dismiss our friendship so easily.’ She jabbed at his naked chest.
‘Do you really want me to tell them?’ He did not back down; in fact, his face came closer. ‘I was trying to save you any awkwardness. Giustina is like a dog with a bone where my mother is concerned.’
She didn’t believe him. ‘No, you just don’t want to admit how close we once were!’
‘Oh, so you want me to tell them we had sex after my mother’s funeral?’
‘Damn you.’
‘No.’ He took the hand that was still jabbing at his chest. ‘I think you’re upset about the real truth, Alicia.’
Her eyes were wide, and she was suddenly terrified that he knew she loved him. Terrified as she admitted to herself that she absolutely did love him. And had for the whole of her life.
It wasn’t hate that she’d nursed—it was hurt.
Hurt because he was the nicest, kindest, most brutal, direct, sexiest person, and he would never, ever love her in the way she loved him.
But Dante had less trivial things onhismind. ‘You’re upset that I might tell them how you looked me up and found out the hotel I stayed at.’
‘I’m not a stalker.’
‘Perhaps you’re worried I’ll tell them how you walked into my bedroom at dawn... I thinkthat’sthe part you want to erase.’
‘No, no, no.’ She was shaking her head furiously.
‘Yes,’ Dante said. ‘You tried to play me that morning, and you hate it that I called you on it!’
It was Dante who had trapped her in her own lies.
‘No!’ she insisted.
‘No, what?’ he demanded.
‘I didn’t intend...’
‘You justfellon my lap, did you?’
‘It was never my intention to sleep with you,’ she admitted. ‘I just wanted us to go for coffee.’
