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‘I wouldn’t have dreamt of doing that even if I had been dating someone.’
‘Why not? It’s an enormous house. You could have had your own separate quarters.’
Curiosity dug its claws into her. She had seen pictures of Alessio and the revolving door of gorgeous blondes he dated, and she wondered how it was that none of them ever stayed the course. Did he work so hard that he didn’t give any thought to settling down?
‘I don’t share my space with anyone,’ Alessio said abruptly, and Sophie’s eyes widened.
‘Okay,’ she said hurriedly.
‘Do you?’
‘I beg your pardon?’
‘Share your space...?’
Alessio glanced around him just as she had done, putting the same question to her with a single inquisitive look that was tinged with wicked amusement.
‘I’m sure my father wouldn’t have a problem with you bringing your partner here to live in with you, as long as it didn’t distract you from your duties. Or has there been no partner to distract you for the past couple of years?’ He grinned and waved his hand in a dismissive manner. ‘I sense you’re about to make an objection to that line of questioning, so before you can do that I withdraw the question.’ He looked at her seriously. ‘But we’re going to be in one another’s company, so perhaps we can have some kind of informal arrangement worked out?’
‘Good idea.’
‘Tell me how you spend your day and what sort of time my father retires to bed.’ He glanced at his watch. ‘Very early, you’ve told me. Would that be every night?’
‘Recently, yes. In the past, less so.’
‘His health problems leave him tired?’
‘And everything that’s been on his mind as well,’ Sophie said pensively, sliding her eyes away from Alessio’s mesmeric stare, which made it easier for her to collate her thoughts. ‘It can be exhausting when your brain is churning over things, worrying away at problems. It can keep you up at night, and then insomnia becomes a habit that’s difficult to shake.’
‘Is that a fact...?’ Alessio said softly.
Sophie blinked and reddened.
‘Are you speaking from experience?’ Alessio asked.
Their eyes met.
Sophie felt the rebuff dry up in her throat, because the eyes that collided with hers were oddly encouraging. How was that possible? How could she disapprove of someone, feel unsettled by them, and yet be drawn to confide, which was how she felt now?
Was it because he was a stranger? Because confidences were more easily shared with someone you didn’t personally know?
Or was it just part of his enormous magnetism that he fascinated, attracted and repelled in equal measure...?
Her mouth was dry and her breathing shallow as she was pinned into silence by his eyes.
‘Well? Tell me...’
‘I... I’ve had my fair share of problems,’ Sophie heard herself admit shakily. ‘My father died when I was young, and my mother fell apart. I have a kid sister... Adelaide. And for a little while—well, quite a long while, as it happens—I had to look after both of them because my mum couldn’t cope. I had to deal with...a lot. Social workers...the council... I grew up fast, and it was a very anxious time, so, yes, I know what it’s like to lose sleep. And once you’ve lost it, it’s very difficult to find it again.’
She offered a watery, apologetic smile, but Alessio didn’t smile back. His dark eyes were serious and concerned.
‘You took this job because it paid so well, didn’t you?’
‘What makes you say that?’
‘Nursing in a hospital is a busy job. You’re surrounded by people and there’s a lot going on. That’s a far cry from what you have here.’
‘I love working for your father.’
