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Castelli snorted. ‘She got upset,’ he echoed disbelievingly. ‘That does not sound like the woman I know. Cara, Lucia does not get upset. Not unless it is for some purpose of her own.’
‘Well, perhaps she wanted to spend some time alone in the office,’ offered Tess, finding the corkscrew and pulling a rueful face. ‘I—well, I’m not absolutely sure about this, but I think she might have searched Ashley’s desk.’
‘Non credo!’ Castelli was shocked, she could tell. ‘No. Lucia may be many things, cara, but she is not a thief!’
‘I believe you.’ Tess sighed. ‘But I think she was looking for something all the same.’
‘Cosa?’ What?
Tess shrugged, and then, because she’d succeeded in finding the corkscrew, she felt obliged to use it. She was fitting the screw into the cork when Castelli came round the bar and took the implement from her. ‘Let me do that,’ he said, with obvious impatience. ‘Then perhaps you will explain what you are talking about.’
Tess didn’t argue with him. Stepping back, she let him have his way. But the kitchenette was tiny and he was now much too close for comfort. She couldn’t get past him. Not without rubbing up against him. And that was the last thing she wanted to do in her present state of emotional upheaval.
Instead, she kept her gaze riveted on his hands in an effort to distract herself. But she was uncomfortably aware of the strength in his chest and arms, the way his tight shirt outlined the taut muscles of his stomach.
He was all male, all man, and she wouldn’t have been human if she hadn’t responded to it. Particularly after what had happened between them before. Her breasts puckered in anticipation of a caress they were not going to receive, and she crossed her arms across her body in an effort to hide her reaction from him.
Her mouth was dry and, realising he was waiting for an explanation, she said quickly, ‘I think your mother was looking for information about Ashley. Perhaps she thought I’d missed something when I looked through the desk myself.’
Castelli pulled out the cork before replying. Then, setting the bottle down on the counter, he said, ‘So did she find anything?’
‘Not as far as I know.’ Tess was wary. ‘Why? Do you think she did?’
Castelli made a dismissive gesture. ‘Until this moment, I did not even know she had visited the gallery,’ he said drily. He frowned. ‘But I have not seen her today, so who knows?’
Tess’s lips parted. ‘I hope you don’t still think I’ve been keeping Ashley’s whereabouts a secret from you,’ she exclaimed indignantly, and Castelli gave her a speaking look. ‘You needn’t deny it,’ she continued hotly. ‘That’s why you’ve come here, isn’t it? Because your mother’s disappeared and you think I might know where she’s gone?’
‘Do not be so ridiculous,’ he told her impatiently. ‘I have just told you, I did not even know Lucia had been to the gallery when I came here.’
‘So you said.’
‘What is that supposed to mean?’
‘Well, I only have your word that you didn’t know about her visit,’ said Tess challengingly. ‘And you must admit, you haven’t given me a good reason for coming here yet.’
Castelli leaned back against the counter, resting his hands on the worn plastic at either side of him. Then, with gentle irony, he said, ‘Well, obviously I am not here at your invitation. Let us be honest with one another. Do you want me to go?’
Yes!
But she couldn’t say it. Didn’t want to say it, if she was completely truthful with herself.
‘I’m sure you know exactly what I want,’ she said at last, turning away to open the cupboard door above her. But as he’d opened the wine, it would be churlish not to offer him a glass. ‘I think there are some glasses in here somewhere. Why don’t you have some wine before you go?’
‘Do I have a choice?’
She started, almost dropping the two glasses she’d found in the cupboard. The words had been spoken immediately behind her, his warm breath fanning the damp curls that nestled at her nape.
Looking down, she saw he had placed a hand on the unit at either side of her now and she was successfully trapped within the barrier of his arms. If she turned around, her face would only be inches from his. Goodness knew if there’d be room enough to take a breath and she didn’t feel confident enough to try.
‘What are you doing?’ she asked instead, amazed her voice sounded almost normal. ‘Do you want some wine or don’t you?’
‘If it is anything like your coffee, perhaps I will pass,’ he chided lightly. And then, with sudden passion, ‘Dio, Tess, are you ever going to forgive me for what happened yesterday? I know I hurt you. Do not bother to deny it. And I want you to know I have suffered for it ever since.’
Chapter Ten
SHE didn’t believe him.
‘You flatter yourself,’ Tess said now, taking a shaky breath. She despised the feelings of weakness his lying words evoked. ‘I’ve forgotten all about it.’
‘I do not think so.’ He was inflexible. ‘If you had forgotten all about it, cara, you would not be standing here, afraid to turn and face me.’ He paused, blowing on her neck. ‘Non abbia paura. Do not be afraid of me, cara. I will do nothing you do not want me to do.’
Tess felt a momentary twinge of cynicism. He could say that because he thought he knew what she was thinking, what she was feeling. And perhaps he did, but he would never know it. She had no intention of letting him make a fool of her again.
Steeling herself against his flagrant magnetism, she put the glass down and forced herself to turn then. But she pressed her hips against the unit behind her, taking shallow little breaths to avoid the inevitable brush of her breasts against his chest. Fixing her gaze on some point beyond his right ear, she said stiffly, ‘And if I want you to go?’
His sigh was heartfelt. ‘Then I will do as you wish,’ he said heavily, his hands falling to his sides. ‘But before I do, there is something I have to say to you.’
‘What?’ Tess was uneasy, not least because she was still trapped by his powerful frame.
‘You asked why I had come here,’ he answered her softly. ‘Will you believe me if I say that my only reason for doing so was because I wanted to see you again?’
‘No!’ The word burst from her lips and this time she had no compunction about pushing him aside and escaping across the room. She should have known better, she thought. He would use any means to get his own way and she was making it easy for him. It seemed tonight that he’d decided to take her up on her oh-so-unsubtle advances and she’d almost given in. ‘I think you’d better go, signore. Before I call the custode and have you thrown out!’
Which was ridiculous considering the old caretaker was seventy if he was a day.
He shook his head now. ‘I do not think you will do that, cara,’ he said flatly. ‘You would not wish to make a scene.’
‘Don’t bet on it.’ Tess hated it that he could read her so easily. ‘I know you think that because Ashley appears not to have any scruples, I’m the same. But I’m not. What happened on the beach was a mistake. It was sensible to stop it as you did.’
He sighed. ‘You may be right,’ he said wearily, raking a resigned hand through his hair. ‘And it was probably a mistake to come here. Put it down to a moment of weakness. I wanted to see you and I did not stop to think how it might look to you.’
‘Oh, please.’ Tess had heard enough. ‘We both know why you came here and it wasn’t to beg my forgiveness or anything as high-minded as that. You were at a loose end and you remembered how easy I’d been to seduce. I can’t exactly blame you for that but I don’t have to prove it.’
Castelli gave a harsh exclamation. ‘You are so wrong,’ he said vehemently. ‘Wrong about the reasons I came here and wrong about what happened on the beach.’
‘I don’t think so,’ she began, but her words were overridden by his.
‘What?’ he demanded bitterly. ‘Do you think if I was the kind of man you seem to think I am, I would have been so galante? And by the way, I did not seduce you, cara. I wanted to. Ah, sì, I admit I wanted to. Why not? You are a very desirable woman. But, contrary to your beliefs, I do not make love with women who are only a few years older than my own daughter. I have standards, too, and I know I am too old for you.’ He shrugged. ‘That is all I wanted to tell you.’
Tess stared at him. ‘So why come here? Why make a special journey just to tell me something I don’t believe and which I don’t think you believe either.’
Castelli’s lips twisted. ‘You are a hard woman, Tess,’ he said heavily. ‘And perhaps you are right. Perhaps I did come here hoping you might be glad to see me. I like you. I like being with you. And if you think I wanted to let you go the other afternoon…’ He sighed. ‘Dio, I do not think even you can be that insensitive.’
Tess felt the force of his words deep in the pit of her stomach. Her body hummed with the sexual energy he was generating and, although she was trying so very hard to remain unmoved by his appeal, there was something disturbingly vulnerable in his face.
‘So—so what are you saying?’ she asked, despising herself for giving him an opening. ‘That the only reason you let me go was because you believe you’re too old for me?’
‘Not entirely.’ His response flattened a momentary spurt of excitement. ‘I was thinking of myself, too.’
‘Why am I not surprised?’ Tess shook her head. And then caught her breath when he strode forward and grabbed her wrist.
‘Stammi a sentire!’ he commanded harshly. ‘Listen to me!’ His thumb pressed hard on the fine veins on the inner side of her wrist. ‘You think you are the only one with something to lose here, but you are wrong. And I am not willing to provide a romantic diversion for someone who is only looking for a holiday affair.’
Tess swallowed. ‘I—I see.’
‘Do you?’ He was sardonic. ‘And do you also see that touching you like this is a mistake?’
Tess quivered. ‘Then let me go.’
‘To do what?’ He arched his dark brows, his eyes insistent, disturbing, intent. ‘Leave you with the impression that I am not strong enough to control my own feelings? Dio, Tess, this was not meant to happen. You are my connection to my son. That was supposed to be the only reason why we spent any time together.’
‘And it was,’ said Tess breathlessly, intensely aware of the sinuous yet immensely strong hold he had on her wrist. The heat from his fingers enveloped her arm, spread unchecked into her shoulder. She licked her dry lips, hardly aware of what she was doing. Then, persuasively, ‘Why don’t we have a glass of wine? I think we both need some time to cool off.’
‘Do we?’ With a twist of his wrist, he pulled her towards him, taking her wrist behind his back, pressing it into the taut curve of his spine. Then, exerting an increasing pressure, he bent his head and covered her lips with his.
His kiss was electric. As soon as their mouths fused, a devastating weakness almost buckled her knees beneath her. A frisson of alarm slid down her spine, a warning that she had no defences where he was concerned. But then his tongue slid between her teeth and she couldn’t bear to pull away.
Her lips parted beneath that sensual assault, and it was incredibly difficult to keep her eyes open when all she wanted to do was close them against the searching hunger in his. He was watching her, she thought fancifully, watching how easy it was for him to subdue her. But his predator’s eyes were also hot and mesmerising, causing goose-bumps to shiver over her flesh.
His mouth hardened, grew more demanding, and he released her wrist to place possessive hands on her hips. He drew her against him, letting her feel his heavy arousal throbbing against her stomach, leaving her in no doubt that, whatever his misgivings, he was as aroused as she was herself.
Tess’s hands fisted at her sides for a moment, but the desire to touch him became irresistible. With a little moan of submission, she lifted her arms and linked them behind his neck.
His response was to urge her even closer, their bodies melding together from chest to hip. His hands burned on her thighs as he cupped her buttocks and lifted her against him, and she wound one leg about his calf as he rubbed himself against her.
The effect of that sexual abrasion was incredible. Tiny synapses of energy fused her nerves, ran unchecked under her skin. Her breasts felt tight and a tiny trickle of sweat ran down between them. She wasn’t wearing a bra and she knew the dampness must be moistening the thin chemise top.
‘Tu voglio,’ he whispered unevenly, the roughening stubble on his jawline scratching her chin. His teeth fastened on the tender curve of her nape. She felt his suckling tongue right down to her core. ‘I want you,’ he repeated harshly, lifting his head to look down at her, his eyes darker now and strangely guarded as he met her startled gaze. ‘And I am just crazy enough tonight to cast caution to the winds. So—if you have any doubts about this, stop me now.’
As if she could, Tess thought weakly. Her own needs were like a consuming fire inside her. She knew what he was saying, that he was taking all and promising nothing. But she doubted she had the will to resist him when this might be the only chance with him she had.
‘I’m not a child,’ she said, trying to sound blasé and failing dismally. ‘I’m not a virgin either,’ she added, as if he cared. ‘You needn’t worry about me. I—I know what I’m doing.’
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