Ким Лоренс – The Italians: Alessandro, Luca & Dizo: Alessandro's Prize / In a Storm of Scandal / Italian Groom, Princess Bride (страница 10)

‘A party given by one of Sophia’s dearest friends to celebrate her daughter Anabella’s engagement,’ Alessandro revealed.

How could it have slipped her mind? ‘Of course. Sophia mentioned it this morning. Goodnight.’ She moved indoors, locked up and reset the alarm as Sophia had demonstrated, then she crossed the foyer and ascended the stairs to her suite.

A small dinner party with friends to celebrate the host’s daughter’s engagement would make for a pleasant evening, Lily reflected as she ran a last-minute check. Black evening trousers, a stunning red silk chiffon blouse, black cropped jacket, which she’d remove on arrival, evening purse, black stilettos. Hair in an elegant upswept knot, diamond ear-studs, pendant and bracelet.

Good to go, she decided as she exited her suite and descended the stairs to join Sophia in the lobby.

‘Have I kept you waiting?’

‘Not at all,’ Sophia reassured. ‘Alessandro has just arrived. I was about to open the door.’

Which she did, and he stood in the wide aperture, a tall dark-haired figure in an immaculately tailored suit, exuding an overwhelming sense of masculine power.

‘Sophia, Lily.’

‘Caro,’ Sophia greeted with a smile as she accepted the brush of his lips to her cheek, while Lily flashed him a silent please don’t message, which he naturally ignored.

This close, even briefly, he stirred her senses and sent the blood coursing through her veins as she took in the subtle aroma of his cologne, the faint hint of freshly laundered clothing.

For one totally wild moment she had the craziest feeling her body swayed towards his of its own accord, something she immediately corrected, and missed the faint narrowing of his eyes.

Everything took on a different look at night, Lily mused as the car took a route leading towards the hills. Lights sparkled in the distance, providing a delicate tracery against the indigo sky.

Small was a misnomer, Lily decided as she saw the number of cars lining a large circular driveway leading to a magnificent three-storied villa set in beautiful softly illuminated grounds.

They were greeted by their host, then escorted by a staff member to what could only be termed a large ballroom where an impressive number of guests mingled while staff circled offering trays of canapés, champagne and wine.

Lily recognized a few familiar faces, guests she’d met on a few previous occasions over the past week, and during the ensuing half hour she received introductions to those remaining.

As well as the host’s daughter, Anabella, and her fiancé Enrico.

The couple looked so happy, with eyes only for each other, and the secret smile that lovers had, convinced that love alone would surmount whatever life could throw at them.

Had she been that happy on the night of her engagement to James? Content was the word that came to mind. Aware, perhaps, that she had everything she needed, having achieved much, and settling with a good partner was the next step.

At the time she’d thought it was love. How wrong she had been.

Focus, Lily bade silently. You discovered the fallacy and escaped before any real damage was done. Not all men are like James. Yet her confidence in judging men had taken a battering. It was simpler to avoid them, and as for considering a relationship … forget it.

A light touch at her waist brought her sharply back to the present as Alessandro settled his hand at the small of her back, and a slight feathery sensation slid down her spine.

Nerves, she accorded … and knew it was more.

Awareness. Sensual recognition. Sexual chemistry.

All three. And nothing she did, even attempting psychological analysis, and how crazy was that, was successful in diffusing the warmth, the heat, he generated in her body.

Not once in her life had she experienced such a reaction or felt so confused by it.

Hopefully any minute soon Alessandro would choose to mix and mingle, acknowledge friends and she could breathe easily again.

Except he remained at her side … there, almost as if he knew his presence affected her, and determined to press the advantage.

‘Sophia, a moment of your time, if you please.’

‘Of course,’ her aunt granted graciously as she excused herself and moved away a few paces to confer.

‘Nothing to say, Lily?’ Alessandro posed lightly, and she found it remarkably easy to summon a stunning smile.

‘What would you like to discuss? Fiscal affairs, the current oil spill? That should fill a void.’

He lifted a hand and trailed light fingers down her cheek, caught a glimpse of fleeting emotion in her eyes before it was quickly masked. Pain? Vulnerability? Perhaps both … and wondered why it should matter so much. ‘You have no need to feel nervous,’ Alessandro said gently.

She didn’t want gentle. Dammit, she didn’t want to play the musing conversational game—light innocuous words without substance that meant little.

‘Why should I be nervous?’ For a moment she held his gaze, and his soft laughter curled round her nerve-ends. Not the most comfortable sensation, Lily admitted as she held up a hand and began ticking off each finger.

‘Today I’ve had breakfast with Sophia, a sojourn in Como, shopping, followed by lunch, and more shopping.’

‘That is all?’

No, it wasn’t. Except she had no intention of revealing another email from James had appeared in her inbox, a further missive citing remorse, empty promises and begging for another chance. Another email she’d chosen to ignore.

She tilted her head a little and regarded him with deliberate solemnity. ‘Why don’t you tell me about your day?’

Alessandro’s eyes gleamed with humour. ‘Corporate meetings, a linked video conference, lunch with an associate.’

‘And now you’re here, socializing and doing duty with Sophia’s niece.’

‘Is that how you perceive my presence?’

‘It’s not?’

‘No.’

For a few brief seconds she became lost for words, unable to summon any that made sense, and the sassy response that rose to her lips remained unsaid.

At that moment their host announced dinner was due to be served, and requested the guests be seated.

Name cards designated placings, and Lily felt her stomach execute a slow somersault as she realized she was seated at Alessandro’s right, with Sophia to his left.

The arrangement would offer no respite from his presence for an hour, two hours, she eventually amended, and they were yet to raise a toast to the newly engaged couple.

Alessandro proved to be an attentive male companion, maybe a little too attentive as he appeared to regard her with a degree of affection, ensuring her glass was filled, solicitously abiding by her request for mineral water after the initial flute of champagne. There, adding supposition to innuendo that she was more than merely Sophia’s niece. The light brush of his hand, the warm smile.

Charm, he possessed it in spades. Although only a fool would fail to detect the ruthless edge beneath his sophisticated persona.

It was a combination that appeared to fascinate, Lily perceived, as she noted covert glances from, not one, but three attractive women seated at the table … not that she was counting, of course.

A subtle invitation in the soft parting of perfectly glossed lips and a slow delicate sweep of the tongue.

Was it his expertise between the sheets that attracted these women or the fortune he’d managed to amass?

Inevitably both, she decided with unaccustomed cynicism.

Hadn’t it been James’s modus operandi to act a part, then offer he needed a real woman prepared to meet all his sexual needs as his excuse for maintaining an affair?

‘Attenzione.’

This was the moment to fill flutes with champagne and toast the newly engaged couple, something which was achieved with voiced enthusiasm.

Lily banked down the faint stirring of envy as she took in the radiant Anabella and the equally enamoured Enrico.

Had she been so enchanting, and glowing with love on the evening she’d accepted James’s ring?

There had been pleasure, certainly, and contentment … but glowing?

Not really. And there was the thing: what had felt sensible at the time, hadn’t been right from the beginning.

A slight shiver slid down her spine as Alessandro stretched a casual arm across the back of her chair and leaned towards her to quietly offer, ‘Beautiful, is she not?’

This close she was aware of the warmth from his body, the intense masculinity he projected with effortless ease.

‘Stunning,’ Lily conceded as she met his gaze with what she hoped was polite indifference, and felt betrayed by an increased beat of the pulse at the base of her throat.

It was a relief when dinner concluded and their hosts encouraged guests to move into the adjoining ballroom where a DJ began to play so the guests could dance.

Mood music alternated with upbeat modern, and Lily deliberately sought to mingle a little, aware Alessandro rarely moved from her side.