by Jan Moran
Her heart returned to the pit of her stomach, forming a knot of apprehension there that nauseated her. All her plans for that night and Luca were forgotten in the face of sheer panic.
They couldn’t allow such a large portion of the business to go to someone they knew nothing about! For her father to say Bruno’s son seemed like a reasonable young man—what did that mean? People could seem like a great many things and then turn out to be psychopaths! Was he in any way educated on grape yields? Wine viscosity? Production percentages? Statistics? These were things that would take time to teach. That was assuming he wanted to learn at all, and not just take the money and run. Or, worst of all, meddle in a business he knew nothing about.
Taking a deep breath, Alessia tried to get control of her emotions. She now knew why her father had kept the information from her; she could barely draw a breath from the sudden shock. Forcing herself to relax, she eyed her father, finding a matching desperation in his eyes. “When does he get here?”
Now that she had been informed, she would have to jump on the bandwagon to get Bruno’s son to sell. They had to somehow convince him that the winery wasn’t worth his time or effort, that it was a bad investment he was better rid of.
At that moment, a curt knock sounded on the door.
Alessia glanced back at it in surprise before looking to her father in inquiry. His sheepish expression made her eyes widen once more in shock and outrage. “Now?” she hissed, her tone incredulous. “You invited him today? Without telling me?”
“Well, darling, he chose the date himself, actually. But I thought we might as well deal with the problem as soon as we can.”
Alessia’s mind whirled as the knock came again.
She wasn’t prepared for this. Given time, she could have organized something—a presentation, a spreadsheet, information to prove to Bruno’s son that keeping what his father had willed to him would be a mistake. Instead, she was forced to deal with him on the fly, and Alessia wasn’t terribly good at improvising. She was a planner.
Scowling at her father, Alessia turned on her heel and strode to the door, willing her composure to return. She could do this. All she had to do was convince him that he should sell to her father. That the shares he owned would do better in Costa hands. It shouldn’t be too hard. The fact of the matter was that it was entirely true.
Taking a deep, steadying breath, Alessia smoothed the front of her dress before opening the door.
And froze.
Standing on the threshold was none other than the man from the night before.
He looked no less handsome this morning, his hair carefully in place, dressed in a black silk suit that perfectly emphasized his broad shoulders and narrow waist. When his eyes met hers, they registered the same surprise as was surely in her own. Helplessly, Alessia looked at her father, then back at the man before her.
He extended his hand for her to shake, his expression one of confused laughter. “Luca Ferrari.”
“Alessia Costa,” she murmured and stared at the appendage as if it were a poisonous snake. This was the man who had charmed her the previous night, who had left her with a kiss that she’d felt in her toes. Not only that, but he was more than knowledgeable enough about wine to present a real threat to what they had built here. And he might not sell, not after she’d expounded upon the many positive aspects of the winery yesterday.
Alessia’s eyes narrowed. Maybe that had been Luca’s aim all along. He’d snuck in under their radar to get a true feel for the place and draw his own conclusions before meeting with them; which meant that last night had been a ruse. He’d known who she was and had only played to her sense of pride in an attempt to gain valuable knowledge.
He had lied to her.
And she’d fallen for it hook, line, and sinker.
Raising her eyes back to his, Alessia concentrated all the frigidity within her into her expression. “Excuse me.” Her tone was curt as she slid past him, striding into the hallway and making a beeline for the balcony.
She needed some fresh air and a moment alone to think. It was all too clear what Luca Ferrari wanted—what he’d been after all along—and her inability to see through him was like a punch to the gut. She needed to regroup, and she needed to do it fast.
Chapter 6
Antonio looked at the newcomer, who was even more handsome than in his pictures, then to his daughter, who appeared to be frozen on the spot. He might be getting on in years, but he still knew enough to recognize attraction when he saw it, and these two were most definitely attracted to one another. It was evident in the tension of their bodies and the way their eyes tried to devour one another.
Something else was also painfully obvious the moment Luca Ferrari appeared in the doorway: he and Alessia had met before.
Antonio didn’t think he’d ever seen so many contradictory emotions cross his daughter’s face so quickly. There was shock, attraction, confusion, and then, finally, anger. When she ignored Luca’s hand to storm out in a cloud of irritation, both men stared after her. Antonio, for his part, was confused. It had been his intention to set these two up, but there was clearly something afoot here, something that had happened while he hadn’t been paying attention.
If this youngster had hurt his little girl, Antonio Costa would wrap his fingers around the boy’s throat and squeeze the life out of him.
Luca stared after Alessia with equal parts appreciation and confusion before looking back to the older man, his expression puzzled. “I apologize, sir,” he finally managed before peering about the interior of the office. “I think there might have been some sort of misunderstanding. May I come in?”
Misunderstanding? That didn’t sound as if it boded well for Antonio and his plans. Nonetheless, he gestured Luca inside. Luca strode purposefully over to the desk and took a seat in one of the two armchairs before it. He took a breath before fixing Antonio with eyes the exact same hue as his father’s.
“Mr. Costa, please understand that I had no idea Alessia was your daughter.”
No idea. The elder man’s eyes narrowed. That did not sound good. “What are you trying to imply, Ferrari?”
Luca tented his fingers before him, resting his elbows on his knees and appearing to be lost in thought for a moment. When he spoke, it was in a tone that held genuine surprise. “I came to the winery last night; I wanted to take a look at the place before we met. I met Alessia at the bar and ended up having a drink with her. She was…”
Antonio watched Luca struggle for words to describe his only daughter and fought to stop the slow smile curving his lips. So that was what had happened. These two had met without knowing one another’s identity, and without that little detail in the way, there had clearly been chemistry.
This was good. Very good. As long as there’d been no infringement upon his daughter’s honor, he wanted nothing more than to foster any hint of affection between them. It could only be good for the company, especially if Luca wasn’t willing to sell. But they hadn’t quite gotten to that conversation yet.
They were still on Alessia. “She’s…?” he baited Luca with an arched brow, trying to hide his grin.
“Interesting,” Luca finally finished, his eyes reflecting both dread and intrigue. He shook his head slightly, as if emerging from a trance, before he met the older man’s gaze. “I’m sorry, isn’t she supposed to be in this meeting?”
“Supposed to be. She seems upset about something.” Antonio’s words made Luca redden slightly. It was obvious the boy knew exactly what his daughter was upset about.
With an apologetic look, Luca rose from his chair. “Excuse me for just a moment.” With that, he hurried from the office after Alessia, and Antonio patted himself on the back. He hadn’t even had to become personally involved for the first stage in his plan to come off without a hitch.
Antonio gazed fondly at the door that had just swung shut behind Ferrari, wondering if Bruno was watching their antics from the afterlife. Like him, his partner had always enjoyed
a good show.
Chapter 7
Luca was confused.
He’d spent the previous night imagining exactly what Alessia was doing and how she was spending the rest of the night. There hadn’t been a single moment that he wasn’t cursing himself for being a gentlemen. Alessia Costa had brought out his carnal side.
Luca cursed as he hurried down the hallway, peeking through various doorways in an attempt to locate the one through which Alessia had fled. The fact that she was Antonio’s daughter changed a whole hell of a lot between them, but he didn’t want her to have the wrong impression. She was angry with him for some reason, and if they were going to be in business together, they couldn’t operate in this manner.
Everyone would need a level head, himself included. He would be the first to admit that it was hard keeping his wits about him when he was near her, but that was what he’d have to do when they came face to face.
He came to a halt just beyond an alcove that extended onto a small balcony overlooking the property. The door was open, and beyond, clinging to the railing as she stared at the acres and acres of lush grapes, was Alessia.
Luca allowed himself a moment to absorb the sight of her. Today she wore a figure-hugging black suit. He knew the garment was probably intended to be modest, but it outlined every curve, tantalizing him with hints of how her naked body might look beneath the fabric.
He had to be out of his mind. Just last night, he’d been so intrigued with this woman that he’d believed her presence was enough to tip the scales in favor of keeping the half of the winery his father had willed to him. Now he knew that a dalliance with her would make everything a hundred times more complicated.
Taking a deep breath, he stepped out onto the balcony, inhaling the fresh California air. Sweet as it was, it did little to calm his nerves.
Not for the first time, he cursed his father. If it weren’t for Bruno Ferrari, he wouldn’t be here. He wouldn’t have met Alessia Costa, and he wouldn’t be faced with a decision far more emotional than he’d like to admit.
At the sound of his footsteps, Alessia whirled to face him. The moment her eyes fell on him, they narrowed to irritated slits. Alessia took a deep breath, visibly attempting to compose herself, before she spoke. “Don’t you have a meeting with my father?” Her tone was harsh and accusatory.
Luca winced. “Well… I assumed that, as manager of the vineyard, you’d want to be included in such a meeting. Which is why I came to find you.”
“So now you’re pretending to care what I think?” Alessia scoffed, her eyes flashing as she turned away from him to stare out over the balcony once more. “It’s a bit late for that, don’t you think?”
Luca’s brows shot towards his hairline. What on earth was she talking about? “Excuse me?”
“Don’t act innocent. I know exactly what you’re planning, and it won’t work.”
Her imperious tone made him bristle slightly. Where was the lovely, demure creature he’d met the previous evening? Now the tension crackling in the air had less to do with the attraction humming between them and more with Alessia’s anger.
“I have to admit,” he began, as diplomatically as he could, “that I’m not quite sure why you’re upset.”
The mistress of the winery stared him down as if he’d grown two heads, and he flinched slightly. As captivating as the desire in her gaze the previous night had been, it was just as intimidating to see the dismissal there now. Once he regained his composure, Luca found the wherewithal to clarify his intentions.
“Look, I think we can agree that last night caught us both off guard. But please believe me when I say I had no idea that you were Antonio’s daughter.”
At his words, Alessia whipped around again, hands on her hips as she gazed up at him. “Do you really expect me to believe that? We just ran into one another by some coincidence?”
That was exactly what he expected her to believe because it was the truth. However, it was apparent from the look in her eyes that she believed something quite different. When the full magnitude of what she was implying hit him, his eyes widened. It was on the tip of his tongue to deny her accusation when Luca realized that it would be pretty hard to defend himself.
He had come to Costa and Ferrari early to scope the place out, with every intention of getting inside information before he made a decision. Even if he hadn’t specifically intended to deceive Alessia to get it, that was exactly what had happened. Damn.
“Alessia, I swear, I never intended for this to happen.”
When she leaned in close to him, her perfume enveloped him and, despite the seriousness of the situation, made him want to do something incredibly stupid—like grab her and kiss her on the spot.
He’d wanted nothing more all morning than to find her and remind himself exactly what her mouth tasted like. He had enough sense not to attempt something so foolish at the moment, however. Business relations were now hanging in the balance, and he had to forfeit any and all feelings he might have for Alessia, as much as it pained him.
“If you really didn’t want any of this to happen, “Alessia murmured, her expression serious, “then sell. This place means a lot to my father, and to me. Make amends by doing the right thing.”
Her eyes met his, and he half-smiled as the sun glinted off her dark, burnished locks. A strand of hair had escaped her artfully crafted twist and swayed about her face in the breeze.
Never in his life had Luca envied an inanimate object more.
He didn’t have time to dwell on the heat clenching his gut for long, however, as Alessia left him again, striding back towards her father’s office in a cloud of righteous feminine rage.
Staring after her, Luca shook his head slowly.
When it came to protecting her pride and joy, the winery, Alessia transformed into another person entirely. Gone was the docile, shy siren who had entranced him the night before. She’d been replaced by a clever, protective mother bear, who desired nothing more than for him to butt out of a situation she clearly believed he had no true stake in.
But that was where she was wrong.
Luca hadn’t spent the last forty-eight hours fighting an inner battle with himself over his father’s legacy to let it go that easily. Though his old man and he may have had problems—a multitude of them—coming to the winery had only convinced Luca that he should linger and see if he could discover anything about the man who’d all but abandoned him for the land upon which he now stood.
He wanted answers, and he wouldn’t get them if he merely signed his half of the vineyard away. He’d even thought that Alessia might be able to help him find what he sought, but that was, of course, before he’d known she was a Costa.
Now, he realized, he would have to anger her even further.
Back in Antonio’s office, after a short, informative explanation by Costa himself about the good Luca would be doing by selling his half of the winery to him, the younger man drove the nail into his own coffin. “No.”
Alessia gazed at him with distrustful, incredulous eyes. “What do you mean, ‘no’?” Her toe tapped nervously against the carpeted floor as she eyed him, anxiety plain on her face.
“Exactly what I said.” Luca leaned forward in his chair to address both father and daughter. “I’m not sure I want to sell.”
“Why not?” The words burst from Alessia in an angry demand.
He eyed her warily. It wasn’t his aim to upset her, but ultimately, he wasn’t there to appease her either. This was a business investment, as well as the only thing his father had ever given him. Though he was sorely tempted to give her and her father what they wanted out of sheer spite towards the dead man, he knew better. “I’d like to stay here a few weeks to get to know the business and explore my options a bit. As well learn more about my father.”
Alessia opened her mouth to protest, only to be cut off by her father.
“I understand completely.”
Both Luca and Alessia looked at the older man in surprise
as he puffed on the cigar between his teeth. Antonio’s eyes gleamed with an unreadable emotion as he rounded his desk to face the two of them, cutting the tension somewhat. He spoke to his daughter first, softly and with affection. “Alessia, darling, you can’t expect Luca to make an educated decision before he sees more of the vineyard. We’re a business, and he’s a businessman.”
The statement was surprising coming from the man who had just offered to buy him out.
“Let’s give him some time here. He can stay at the hotel for a while, and you can show him around in your free time. Then, in a month, we can come back together to make a decision, hmm?” Antonio turned to Luca, blowing a ring of smoke above his own head thoughtfully. “What do you say?”
Well, if Antonio Costa was willing to be so generous, Luca could hardly find fault with what he was offering. He nodded once, curtly, before extending his hand. “One month, then.”
“One month.” Weathered fingers enveloped his in a surprisingly strong grip, and for a moment, Luca thought he might have caught a conspiratorial glimmer in the older man’s eye. However, it was gone just as quickly as it had appeared, and he decided he might have just imagined it.
When he turned to Alessia, however, she eyed him stiffly for a moment before reluctantly stepping forward to offer her hand. The contact between them was brief, but still powerful enough to heat his blood as Luca enveloped her soft hand with his. Alessia pulled back after only an instant and, without a word, left the room in a huff.
It was clear she was nowhere near as enthusiastic as her father about showing him the winery.
“Give her time.”
His attention was jerked back to Antonio, who had retreated behind his desk to pour himself another small snifter of brandy. At ten o’clock in the morning. Luca only wished he had such fortitude.
“She’ll come around.”
Somehow, Luca doubted it. However, it looked like Alessia was now the only one who could broaden his knowledge about the property he now owned a large share of. Additionally, if he was looking for answers about his father, she might have information that could prove useful.