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‘Sure,’ she said casually. ‘I’ll have dinner with you. Text me a time and a place and I’ll meet you there, same as last time.’
He gave a sigh. ‘Must we really go through this cat-and-mouse routine again, Nicola?’
She heard the faint impatience in his voice but had no intention of budging, because she needed to keep fantasy and real life separate. Shehadto. Because what if he wanted to come back to her place after dinner, to stay the night? Could she really imagine the powerful billionaire grappling with her plastic shower curtain? ‘That’s what I want, Alessio,’ she said calmly.
But on Friday, a customer spent so long deliberating over a painting, that it was almost seven by the time Nicola closed up the gallery and she was running late. Casting a frantic look at her watch, she went to find her handbag. It was going to be a rush to get back to Peckham in time to change, but she should just about make it in time. Though, come to think of it...she picked up her phone and stared at the blank screen with a stab of disappointment. Alessio still hadn’t texted her to tell her where to meet him.
And then, in that uncanny way which sometimes happened—of technology echoing your thoughts—a text came pinging through.
I’ve booked the Starlight Room at the Granchester for eight p.m.
Gosh. Nicola blinked. That was a bitpublic, wasn’t it? She’d heard that the famous indigo ceilings studded with twinkling constellations made the lighting subdued, but there were always paparazzi lurking around the entrance, eager to snap the privileged clientele enjoying the hotel restaurant’s exemplary food and wine list. Did he really want to take herthere?
The gallery bell sounded and Nicola paused, rather irritated at someone ringing on the door, when it was obvious they were closed. But she couldn’t just ignore it. The building was secure, but with so many valuable pieces on the premises you could never be too sure. Her finger hovering over the alarm button, she peered out into the golden summer evening, her heart missing a beat when she saw the distinctive figure silhouetted against the plate-glass window.
She darted back out of view, her heart now pounding. What the hell washedoing here?
Her text pinged again and she knew who it was from even before she’d looked at the message.
Open the door, cara. I know you’re in there.
This was unacceptable. Completely and utterly unacceptable. Marching across the gallery, Nicola unlocked the door and stood glaring at him, trying not to be affected by his powerful presence. But the evening sunlight was making the dark gold of his skin seem even more luminescent than usual, contrasting vividly with the coal-dark hair and sapphire gleam of his eyes.
‘What are you doing here?’ she demanded.
‘Isn’t it obvious? I wanted to see you.’
‘But you were going to see me anyway. We have a dinner date in exactly...’ She glanced down at her watch before lifting her gaze again. ‘One hour’s time.’
‘I couldn’t wait that long.’
‘Alessio—’
‘Let me in, Nicola. Please.’
That final sexy plea was her undoing, and even though she despised herself for her acquiescence, Nicola did just that—though her fingers were trembling as she locked the door behind him before studying the arresting beauty of his face. ‘You can’t just...turn up like this, without warning.’
‘I just did.’
‘Why?’
‘Because I want to kiss you.’
‘Well, you can’t.’
‘You don’t want me to?’
‘There’s CCTV.’
‘Everywhere?’
‘Not in the back, no. Alessio...’
‘Shh. Just show me,cara.Showme.’ He linked her fingers with his and she was leading him—she was actuallyleading him—towards the darkened recess at the rear of the gallery. As her footsteps faltered beside the bronze sculpture—which still hadn’t sold—he pulled her into his arms and looked down at her, his bright blue gaze piercing through her rapidly crumbling defences. Could he detect her hunger for him? Was that why his lips grazed hers so lightly that a helpless shudder erupted from her lips, before he covered them with the kind of hard and possessive kiss she’d spent the last week dreaming about?
‘Alessio,’ she gasped, when at last she came up for air.
‘Mmm...?’ His lips were against her neck, his breath warm against her skin as he levered her up against the wall.
