Page 52 of Unveiled As The Italian's Bride
He needed a breather, by which time everything would have fallen right back into place and this moment would be lost to reality.
‘I think I’ll get Paolo.’
‘Your driver? But I thought you wanted to take your car out for a spin?’ Kate smiled. ‘Weren’t you the guy who made a big deal about never having enough opportunity to drive the cars you own?’
She had turned to look at him and he returned her laughing, open gaze with a shuttered expression.
‘I’ve suddenly remembered I’ve got work to do,’ he said abruptly. He scrolled down his phone without looking at her, butfeeling her,and hating the thought that he might be hurting her with his sudden change of attitude. However, more pressing was his urgency to get back onto solid ground.
When he finally did raise his eyes, something inside him clenched because there was confusion in her gaze, although she was still smiling, her fingers fiddling with the diamond necklace round her neck.
‘Okay.’
‘I’ve taken a hell of a lot of time off.’
‘I know.’
‘Companies don’t run themselves.’
‘You don’t have to justify working in the car, Dante,’ Kate said gently. ‘I don’t expect you to give up the day job because playing truant suddenly looks more appealing. Iknowyou have work to do. Besides, when Angelina gets tired—and I’m sure she will on the trip there—she gets fractious and enjoys playing games and being entertained, so I expect I’ll be busy doing that.’
‘Good.’ He wasn’t sure how much better he felt but so be it. He waited politely by the door, still scrolling through his phone while she hurried to get all her various bits together, and when he did finally rest his dark gaze on her he swiftly stifled the rush of adrenaline at the sight.
She was as dainty as a fairy and as graceful as a ballerina. Expensive clothes suited her, made her look even more feminine and ethereal than she already was. He felt the sluggish heat in his veins and the stirring of a libido he found so hard to keep in check when he was near her.
‘We should get going.’ He turned, opened the bedroom door and stood aside for her to waft past him, brushing against him in a way that was unconsciously provocative.
Then he put distance between them, which was easy, because when they got outside Angelina was skipping and waiting, half-hidden behind a massive bouquet of flowers, while behind her Dante’s head gardener smiled and lifted his shoulders in a resigned, indulgent gesture.
And in the car he sat in the front seat, opened his laptop, closed the partition between front and back and waited for feelings he couldn’t fathom—but needed to banish—to subside.
CHAPTER TEN
WHATWASGOINGON?
Kate wasn’t sure. Dante worked for the duration of the long car trip to Antonio’s palace while she half-focused on an exuberant Angelina, who had an exhaustive supply of car games she wanted to play.
Had she said something? Done something?
Or was it just her imagination playing tricks on her? The truth was that the past few weeks had been utter bliss. She had never thought that they could blend so seamlessly, that their personalities could be so complementary. How could she ever have put him down as someone as chilling as winter sun?
She desperately wanted to find out but it was only after they’d finally arrived, after coats had been removed and discreetly taken away, and Angelina disappeared with Antonio and the flowers, which she insisted required immediate attention, that Kate was able to tug Dante to one side.
‘What’s wrong?’
‘Wrong?’
‘Have I said something?’
Their eyes met, hers anxious, his cool and unreadable.
‘Not that I can think of,’ Dante told her, moving out of the hall and heading for the sitting room, where pre-dinner drinks were being served.
Kate hesitated and tugged him to a stop, and felt the way he stiffened with a sinking heart.
Panic clawed inside her.
And hot on the heels of panic came the appalling realisation that she was hurt. She felt the gentle shove of being pushed aside and thathurt.
