He hated the answer he was going to have to give. ‘The day before the accident.’ It took huge effort to keep his voice calm, to keep it steady, but even to his ears each word he’d just said sounded cold. He’d studied the photo since then, shocked to see a hint of trouble in Seb’s eyes. Would she notice too?
She looked up at him and tears filled her eyes, making them shine like gemstones. Before he’d thought about the consequences, he moved around the desk and took her in his arms. Without hesitation, she sought the comfort he offered and pressed her face in her hands, her forehead on his chest as sobs racked her body.
‘Dio mio. This is too much for you.’ He wanted to clench his fists in anger but instead spread them over her back as the sobs continued, smoothing them over her and pulling her closer against him.
‘No, it’s not.’ The strangled words came out in a rush, muffled by her hands and his body.
‘It is, cara, it is,’ he soothed, just as he’d done for his sister many times as they’d grown up, but this wasn’t his sister. This was a woman he desired with every nerve in his body.
‘I should, I should.’ Sobs prevented her words from coming out and, without thinking, he lowered his head, pressing his lips into her hair. She stilled in his arms momentarily and he closed his eyes against the memories of when he’d thought his life was complete. He pushed back the knowledge that he’d failed to be the man his wife had wanted, lifted his chin and took in a deep breath.
It seemed like for ever that he held Charlie as she cried, each sob transferring her pain to him, increasing his guilt for not having been there the night Seb had decided to take the car out again. He would have seen the drink-and drugs-induced euphoria and could have stopped him. The discovery still shocked him now. How had they worked so closely together for all those months without him noticing Seb had such a problem?
He lowered his head, once more pressing his lips against her hair, his aim to soothe both of them. But, as he held her tighter, uttering words of comfort in Italian, he knew he had to stop, had to let her go. It shocked him to admit he wanted to be more than just a shoulder to cry on.
Thankfully the tears subsided and a huge sob shuddered through her. She looked up at him and they were so close they could have been lovers. Without any effort at all he would be able to press his lips to hers, but her tear-stained cheeks reminded him they were not lovers and exactly why they were here.
‘I should have done this a long time ago.’ Finally she spoke a little more calmly, her words slightly wobbly after crying.
‘This is the first time you have cried?’ Incredulity made him pull back slightly as he watched her expression change, become softer, less pained.
She smiled up at him, nodding. ‘Thank you.’ Her voice was barely above a whisper and she blinked as tears escaped her eyes. She rubbed one cheek roughly with her fingers but, before she could reach the other cheek and before he could think about what he was doing, he gently wiped the tears away.
Everything changed in that second. They became cocooned in a bubble of sizzling tension. Unable to stop himself, he held her face in his hands, her skin warm and damp from crying. Her green eyes locked with his, sadness and grief swirling with something quite different and completely inappropriate.
‘Prego.’ His natural response sprang to his lips but his voice was husky and deep. He couldn’t take his gaze from hers, couldn’t break that tenuous contact which held them together.
She closed her eyes and leant her cheek against his hand. Instinct took over and he caressed her face then pushed his fingers into her hair, the silky softness of it almost irresistible. He wanted to kiss her, to lower his head and taste the fullness of her lips.
He moved towards her and she opened her eyes. For what seemed like an eternity she looked up at him, her breathing fast and shallow. His heartbeat sounded so loud in his ears as he watched the green of her eyes change until they swirled with browns, like trees as autumn approached.
He wanted her. That was all he could think of at that moment. Nothing else was important. Nothing else mattered.
She moved nearer, her eyes closing, spreading her long damp lashes on her cheeks, and then her lips met his. It was a gentle kiss, full of hesitancy at first, but, as he pulled her close, one hand buried in her long hair, it deepened, became something much more. He shouldn’t be doing this, not now, not ever.
* * *
Charlie’s head spun and she knew she shouldn’t be kissing him like this, knew it would only mean complications, but the need to feel his lips against hers was overwhelming. Her senses were on overdrive, every nerve in her body responding to him. Heat exploded deep inside her and she pressed herself against him. His arm tightened around her back, pulling her closer, and his fingers scrunched in her hair, holding her head at just the right angle as his tongue moved between her lips, entwining with hers.
Her arms slipped up around his neck, pulling him closer, deepening the kiss until she could hardly stand, her knees were so weak. Never had a kiss felt like this, so electrifying, so right.
With a force and suddenness that nearly knocked her backwards he released his hold on her and pushed his hands against her shoulders, forcing her back and away from him. She was so shocked she didn’t know what to say, even if her laboured breathing had allowed her to speak. After a few seconds he let go of her, stepping backwards, a wary look in his eyes and a furious rush of Italian sprang from his lips.
Her grasp on the language was slight and she had no idea what he’d said, but his body language left her in no doubt. He had not enjoyed or wanted that kiss. So why had he encouraged her? Was this some kind of game?
‘That shouldn’t have happened.’ She forced herself to stand as tall as possible, even though her knees were so weak they might crumple beneath her and a fire of heady need still raged inside her.
‘Damn right it shouldn’t have.’ He flung his hand up in agitation, turned and marched across the office to the doorway. ‘That can never happen between us, ever.’
Hurt scolded her but she kept her eyes firmly fixed on him, refusing to be intimidated. He didn’t want her kisses—so what? ‘I didn’t think...’ she stammered the words out ‘...I didn’t know what I was doing.’
His eyes narrowed but he remained at the far side of the office. ‘Apparently not. It’s time we left here.’
‘No—’ she panicked, her embarrassment at his obvious dislike of her evaporating ‘—I haven’t seen nearly enough.’
‘Enough for tonight.’ His voice was deep and hard, the complete opposite to the husky tones that had soothed her just moments before. ‘You will stay with me tonight.’
‘You?’ The question shot from her lips before she could think.
‘You are upset, acting irrationally. I cannot leave you in a hotel alone, not tonight.’
The firm words brooked no argument and if she was honest she had little fight left in her. The last twelve hours had been nothing short of shock after shock. From the moment he’d arrived in her garden she’d been on a roller coaster ride of emotions.
‘Just call me a taxi to take me to a hotel in the city.’ With bravado she was far from feeling, she walked towards him but he didn’t move aside for her to leave the office. Instead, he looked at her, his brown eyes cold and remote.
‘Seb was right.’ The firmness of his voice caught her attention and she looked up at him, her gaze locking with his.
Angered at the mention of her brother, she glared at him. ‘And what is that supposed to mean?’
A hint of a smile lingered at the edges of his mouth then he pressed them into a tight line of exasperation. ‘I know more about you than you might think, Charlotte Warrington.’
‘You’ve got a nerve,’ she said as her own expression mirrored his.
‘Sì.’ He shrugged casually and turned away from her, leaving her
wide-eyed with shock.
If she was sensible she’d just walk out of here, get a taxi to the airport and go home. But right now she wasn’t sensible and she wanted this chance to get answers to questions that would otherwise niggle at her for the rest of her life.
The only problem was these answers were tied up with the man she blamed for Seb’s death, the very same man she’d just thrown herself at, kissing him with a passion she’d never known before.
‘I’m not going anywhere with you, especially after what just happened.’
He turned round so swiftly she almost walked straight into him, leaving her perilously close to him again. ‘Do I need to remind you, cara, you kissed me?’
Her cheeks burned as the sexy depth of his voice practically caressed her body, reigniting the heat that had flared between them earlier. ‘That,’ she hissed at him, ‘was a big mistake. One that won’t be happening again.’
‘Va bene!’ His gaze searched her face, resting briefly on her lips. ‘In that case, there is no danger in you staying at my apartment tonight.’
‘Danger? You make me sound like some sort of predatory female.’ She was becoming more and more infuriated by him. Maybe a hotel would be the best option, but as that thought settled in her mind she knew she didn’t want to be alone right now. Not after all she’d been through in the short space of time since he’d forged into her life, but her only choice of company was Alessandro Roselli.
He just quirked his brows at her, the humiliating spark in his eyes clear. She held his gaze, refusing to back down.
‘Why do you want to do this? Why is it so important I’m at the launch?’ She gestured around the room, glancing back at the drawing on the wall.
‘As I explained, I made a promise to your brother. One I intend to keep.’ He walked through to the large office they’d entered earlier and across to the lift. ‘This way, cara.’
Charlie couldn’t shake off the feeling that he’d won. What he’d won she didn’t quite know, but he had. One night in his apartment wouldn’t be that hard, would it? First thing, she’d arrange a hotel in Milan and as soon as the launch was over she could go back to her cottage and get on with her life. The quiet life she’d led since Seb’s accident; the one that kept her safe.
* * *
Alessandro shut the door of his apartment and watched Charlie as she walked into the open-plan living area. She hadn’t said a word since they’d left his office but, despite that, the tension between them had increased. So much that he now questioned his sanity in bringing her here.
‘The guest suite is ready for you,’ he said sternly, eager to create some boundaries because if there was one woman who needed to be behind them it was this one.
‘Thank you,’ she said so softly it was almost a whisper.
He watched her as she walked around the apartment, judging the artwork he’d collected over recent years, taking in just about every detail with a hint of suspicion on her face. There was nothing modern about the apartment, from the grand façade of the old building to the ornate interior. It was a complete contrast to the office they’d just left—exactly what he’d wanted it to be. It was a showcase for the real Alessandro.
She wandered over to the balcony doors and looked down onto the busy streets of Milan. He used that time to rein in the hot lust which pumped around his body after the journey back from his office. Since the moment her lips had touched his something had changed and he feared it might be irreversible.
‘Would you like anything to eat or drink?’ The polite question gave him just that bit more time to regain control and bring normality to the evening.
She turned and looked back at him. ‘No, thank you. I’m tired. It’s been an unexpectedly busy day and I need to be fresh tomorrow.’
‘Fresh?’ The word sprang from him, a frown furrowing his brow, but she kept her gaze on him.
‘Yes, there is a lot to do before the launch, lots I need to know.’ She looked completely focused but the gritty determination in her voice rang alarm bells in his head.
‘You’re right,’ he said and turned from her, picking up her small overnight bag before heading towards the guest suite. A good night’s sleep would be beneficial to him too, but somehow he doubted he’d get it. His body still craved hers, still yearned for her touch, her kiss.
He crunched his hand tightly around the handle of the bag. He’d made a promise to Seb and he would keep that promise, no matter what. The thought of his friend, who had also been a partner in the business venture, reminded him that Seb had been the last person to stay in the guest suite.
He pushed aside the guilt. Seb had been staying with him. He should have seen the signs, spotted the problem. He couldn’t change that now, but he could keep the painful truth from Seb’s beloved sister.
He paused outside the door and turned to look at her. ‘Your brother stayed here too. Did you know that?’
‘No.’ A startled whisper formed the word and she looked at him, confusion marring the beauty of her face. ‘I don’t understand. He was looking for somewhere to rent.’
‘That is true.’ He opened the door to the suite and walked in and she followed him, looking around her. There wasn’t any evidence that anyone had ever stayed here. ‘It was a sensible option. We were both working on the same project.’
‘Did he find somewhere to move to, or was this the last place he stayed?’
The very question he’d dreaded had just been delivered with clear words. ‘This was the last place.’
‘But his things?’
‘I sent them on to your father.’
She looked around the room, from the large bed to the dark wardrobe and drawers, as if she didn’t quite believe him. ‘I see.’
Silence floated down around them, a silence so heavy he wanted to break it, to say something. But what else could he say? Everything so far had caused hurt and pain. ‘There is another room. Much smaller, but if you would prefer it...’
She shook her head, the light above them catching the darkness of her hair, making the brown tones glow and come alive. ‘I’d like to stay here, please.’
Now he really did question his sanity. Not only had he kissed her, responded to the invitation her lips had made, but now he’d put her in the very same room Seb had last stayed in. The promise he’d made to his friend to look after Charlie, to involve her in the project was becoming more difficult to keep by the minute. As was concealing the truth.
CHAPTER FOUR
‘DID YOU SLEEP WELL?’ Alessandro’s polite enquiry pulled Charlie from her thoughts as they sat having breakfast together in the tranquillity of his apartment. The jeans and shirt he wore hugged his body to perfection and she fought hard to keep her mind where it should be—on her brother and the car she was here to help promote. Thinking about the handsome Italian she’d kissed last night wasn’t going to help her at all and she forced herself to be as rational and in control as he appeared.
‘Yes, thanks,’ she replied, taking a sip of freshly squeezed orange juice. Sleeping in the room Seb had used should have helped her, but it hadn’t. It had had the opposite effect. She’d wept silent tears for her brother, finally finding release from the grief she’d kept locked away, but little comfort. It hadn’t banished the idea that Alessandro was to blame for the accident or that he was hiding something from her.
He looked at her, his keen gaze lingering on her face just a little too long. She was aware the dark circles beneath her eyes would tell him she hadn’t slept well at all. Thankfully, he had the good grace to let it go.
‘There are a few things I need to do this afternoon in preparation for the launch, but we can either go to the office or to the test track this morning.’
Test track. Those words careered into her, dragging her back to a time when she’d always been at the test track, her father and brothe
r at her side. It was where she’d learnt to drive, really drive, much to her mother’s disgust.
‘I’d like to see the car,’ she said thoughtfully. ‘It feels as if I haven’t been at a track for a long time.’ She’d missed the thrill and excitement of the place. Her garden, whilst a safe sanctuary she’d been happy in, suddenly seemed tame.
‘Sì,’ he said as he sat forward, placing his now empty cup back on the table. ‘Seb told me it was a big part of your childhood too.’
She looked into her juice, not able to meet the intensity in his eyes. They made her feel vulnerable and she didn’t do vulnerable. ‘I spent a lot of my time there. I loved it.’
‘What did your mother think of that?’ His question nudged at issues which had erupted often when she was a teenager.
‘She didn’t have any objection to Seb being there.’ Charlie hesitated and looked up into his handsome face and instantly wished she hadn’t.
He appeared relaxed as he sat back in his seat again, but something wasn’t quite right. He reminded her of a big cat, lulling its quarry into a false sense of security. Any moment he would pounce, strike out and get exactly what he wanted with unnerving accuracy.
‘I sense a but.’ He spoke softly, then waited, the silence hanging expectantly between them.
Before she could think, his question had thrown open things she’d do better to keep to herself—because it was a very big but. How much had Seb told him? Did he know of her mother’s disapproval of her involvement in the racing world? Did he know she’d hated the lifestyle, hated the way her husband had flirted with all the women. Her mother had resented being second best so much she’d left the family home, deserting her teenage children.
‘My mother didn’t like me being there. She didn’t think I should be driving those cars and certainly not working on them. She thought I should behave more like a lady instead of a tomboy and it became a constant battleground as I grew up.’ She wasn’t bitter any more. In fact she could now see why her mother had been so against the racing world, why she’d wanted her daughter as far away from it as possible. But she wasn’t about to go into all that now, especially not with Alessandro.
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