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But tonight definitely wasn’t a date and it was perfectly okay to be nervous about what to wear, because she’d never been out with a man like Alessio before. In the end she had opted for an old but much-loved dress, which she had carefully maintained over the years. It had been very expensive and she had spent a long time saving up for it—but it was considered a ‘classic’, which wouldn’t look out of place in even the fanciest of settings, and she’d certainly got a lot of wear out of it. Though judging by the rustic simplicity of the place she needn’t have bothered—jeans would have fitted in much better.
Why was she even here, she thought crossly as she sat down, angsting about what to wear and wondering if she looked okay? Why had she docilely agreed to his request, instead of turning him down and calling his bluff? But as she placed her bag on the banquette she knew why—and it wasn’t just because the Italian billionaire had discovered one of her secrets. Wasn’t the truth a little more complicated? Hadn’t the sheer force of his personality flattened her like a steamroller, so that she’d been unable to turn him down? And that was dangerous.Hewas dangerous.
‘Nicola,’ he said as he sat down opposite her. ‘Thank you for coming.’
‘I don’t think I had a choice, do you?’ she challenged pleasantly.
‘I think we both know that’s not true.’
‘Whatever,’ she said, with a careless shrug. But although this whole situation might not be to her liking, she couldn’t deny the satisfaction she derived from this newfound freedom to speak to him exactly as she pleased.
In a rapid stream of Italian, he spoke to the maître d’, who was hovering by his side, and, once the man had hurried away, he studied her from across the table. ‘I’ve ordered for you. I hope you don’t mind?’
She raised her brows. ‘Why did you do that?’
‘I didn’t want to waste any time with protracted decision-making and I trust the staff’s advice about what’s the best thing on the menu.’ He glittered her a look. ‘Unless you have any allergies?’
‘Only to arrogant men making decisions for me.’
‘I can always call him back if you’d prefer something different.’
Nicola shook her head, though she wasn’t quite as indignant as she would have him believe. Because she wasn’t supposed tolikea man behaving in such an outrageously masterful way. She was proud of her hard-won independence and his approach was so last century. So why was an unfamiliar softness beginning to unfurl deep inside her? Because it made a change to have someone else making a decision, or because his easy confidence made him seem even sexier?
She shook her head, sitting back against the banquette and looking around the room, which was preferable to losing herself in the brilliance of Alessio’s electric-blue eyes. The place was almost full—mostly with young families—though there were several couples of differing ages. It was an understated place. Relaxed. People looked happy, she thought—as if they didn’t have a care in the world—and suddenly she felt wistful. But she couldn’t spend the whole evening looking everywhere except at Alessio and so, as the waiter poured wine and water, Nicola directed her gaze towards the carved contours of his beautiful face.
‘This isn’t a bit what I expected,’ she said.
‘No? Let me guess.’ His hard blue gaze raked over her. ‘Chandeliers and a hushed atmosphere? Waiters dressed like penguins and food which has been messed around with so much that it’s unrecognisable?’
Biting back a reluctant smile, she shrugged. ‘Something like that.’
‘Formality and luxury have their place but so does this. They make the best home-made pasta outside Italy, which is why it’s always full.’ He lifted his glass, surveying her mockingly over its rim. ‘Are you disappointed I didn’t treat you to an evening of five-star excellence, Nicola?’
She watched him take a sip of wine, unwillingly fascinated by the gleam which highlighted his bottom lip, despairing at her sudden urge to drink in all his golden dark, masculine beauty. Because this wasn’t why she was here. She wasn’t supposed to beflirting. She shook her head. ‘Not disappointed at all. I think it’s a lovely place and very unpretentious.’ She drew in a deep breath. ‘But why don’t we just cut to the chase? You obviously don’t want to waste any time and neither do I. The venue is irrelevant. You still haven’t told me why I’m here.’
‘You don’t think it has anything to do with your wit and your beauty?’
‘Please don’t insult me with sarcasm.’
‘You don’t like compliments?’
‘I don’t like prevarication, which you seem a master of.’
‘I am a master of many things,cara.’
‘As well as boasting, you mean?’
‘Why is it considered a flaw to simply state facts?’ He gave the flicker of a smile. ‘Very well. Since last night I’ve been more than a littlepuzzledby your behaviour,Nicola.’
‘Oh?’
‘Mmm... Usually you come over as one of the most buttoned-up women I’ve ever met—an attitude which is not without appeal.’
‘Appealing to you has never been my intention.’
‘And then I run into you,’ he said, completely ignoring her intervention, ‘working in a nightclub, looking—’
‘Different?’ she supplied, using the most innocuous word she could think of.
