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By the time he raised his head, his expression was once again formidably neutral. ‘My other reasons are private.’
She shook her head. ‘I don’t like surprises. I heard you on the phone yesterday. There was familiarity between you.’
‘And your point is?’
‘I hardly think Papà Nardozzi would be hell-bent on pairing you with his daughter if you two hated each other’s guts.’
His eyes gleamed. ‘I’ve known Carla since she was a teenager.’
‘And...?’ she pressed, disconcerted by the need to probe deeper.
‘And our past bears no relevance to this deal. Your role is to help me convince Nardozzi that I’m already taken.’
Pushing aside the burning need to know more about his past with Carla, she asked instead, ‘Will he sign his daughter with you if you don’t give him what he wants?’
‘He’s on the brink of achieving the biggest endorsement deal any sports personality has ever acquired, through my company,’ he replied. ‘Javier Santino, the sponsor, is growing tired of the unnecessary delays. Nardozzi needs to be made aware of where I stand once and for all.’
‘A simple no to him won’t suffice?’
His eyes turned hard. ‘Some people don’t understand the word. They believe it’s their right to have what they want simply because they want it.’
The direct taunt stabbed her deep, but she managed to keep her composure. Standing, she folded her arms. ‘Okay, I get it. So we’re talking a few outings with me on your arm to convince Papà that he needs to find another suitor for daughter dearest?’
‘It requires a little more than that. Nardozzi is hosting a charity gala in Italy this Sunday. He’s invited me to stay at his Tuscany estate the day before the gala. He’s made it clear he won’t be discussing the deal, which means he intends to push his personal agenda instead.’
‘So I’m expected to come to Tuscany with you this weekend?’ she asked, feeling a curious dredging in her abdomen at the thought of sharing her private time and space with Draco Angelis.
‘Yes. We’ll fly out on Saturday and return on Monday morning.’
Rebel paced the short distance to her window and settled her agitated body against the sill. ‘I still don’t get why you’re humouring him if you don’t think he’ll walk away from a deal he clearly wants.’
Draco remained silent for a full minute, prompting her to think she’d misstepped without knowing. When his face tightened again, she was sure she’d hit a nerve somewhere.
‘I don’t just want to represent Carla for this deal. I want her to change training teams. I want to be in charge of her training.’
The sense that she was missing a key element in this scenario nagged at her. The idea that it might be far from platonic was another notion she couldn’t dismiss. But Draco had made it clear he wasn’t prepared to share that side of his plan with her. ‘I wasn’t aware agents had a say in which training teams their clients took on.’
‘They don’t. Not normally,’ he said abruptly, before rising to his feet.
About to ask him to elaborate, she bit back her words when he swerved towards her. ‘Before we leave for Tuscany, we need to ensure our relationship attracts the appropriate public attention.’
‘Won’t it raise suspicion for us to be suddenly engaged?’ she queried.
‘I’m an intensely private man. I’m not in the habit of broadcasting my liaisons. It won’t be a problem to let slip that we’ve been dating for a while. A few might find it hard to believe that you haven’t publicised our association, but hopefully we’ll convince them that some of my good traits have rubbed off on you.’
She rolled her eyes. ‘If I didn’t know better I’d think you just attempted a joke.’
His grim lips twitched, but his face remained stoic. ‘I’ll have my PA email you a list of restaurants I prefer to dine in. If you have any objections, let her know. Please provide her with your training schedule, and I’ll try and work around it.’
Rebel supposed she ought to be grateful he was accommodating her needs. But having her time monopolised so completely stuck in her craw. ‘You need anything else? Like fingerprints or a sample of DNA?’
His eyes travelled with acute intensity from the top of her head to the tips of her bare toes and back again before he met her gaze with a raised brow. ‘Such invasive procedures won’t be necessary, but perhaps you’ll make an attempt to address your wardrobe issues for the next three months?’
‘What wardrobe issues? I thought you preferred me the way I am?’
