‘Your life is not on the line, Sandro—don’t be so dramatic. I’ve been trained to the highest level to drive cars just as powerful as this.’ She drove into the next bend, restraining herself from showing him just how capable she was of handling the car.
‘By whom?’ Those two words were curt and heavily accented and she wondered again if he genuinely was afraid.
‘My father. He taught Seb and me everything he’d learnt, so relax and enjoy your car, feel it, be at one with it.’
She pushed the car into another bend, her body infused with adrenaline, something she’d missed when she’d taken up the more genteel pursuit of gardening. It just hadn’t given her the same buzz.
A long straight stretch spread out before her again as she came out of another bend and, forgetting everything, including the hurt and pain of losing Seb, she pushed the car to its limits one last time.
It felt so good. Nothing like it on earth had ever come close. It was exhilarating. The car ate up the tarmac as they sped along the straight stretch.
‘Dio mio, stop!’ The harsh command penetrated the bubble of excitement she’d slipped into and she let her foot off the accelerator, the car slowing.
‘We’re halfway around the track; I can’t just stop!’ she protested, but moderated the speed to a more sensible level.
‘Stop. Right now.’
‘Right now?’ Anger sizzled inside her. Anger because she had to do as he told her. Anger because she’d lost control in front of him but, most of all, anger at him. If things had been different, it might have been Seb at her side.
‘Now, Charlotte.’ His hard tone brooked no argument.
‘Okay, have it your way.’ As the words snapped from her she pressed hard on the brake pedal.
Tyres squealed in protest as the front of the car lowered dramatically to the tarmac, but it was nothing compared to the anger which still hurtled around her. This was all his fault.
‘Are you insane?’ The car jolted to a stop and those words rushed at her.
She couldn’t look at him yet. Her heart thumped so wildly in her chest she was sure he could hear its wild beat. She was mad, yes, she’d lost control. In her bid to forget the real reason she was here she’d been reckless, but it was still his fault.
‘Yes—’ she turned her head sharply to look at him, her breathing coming hard and fast ‘—I was mad to come here with you.’
Before she could think in any kind of rational way, she threw open the door, unclipped the seat belt and bolted—from him and the car. She ran from everything she’d tried to hide from these last twelve months.
‘Charlotte!’ She heard the deep tone of his voice, now edged with exasperation, but she didn’t turn, didn’t stop. She marched off the tarmac and onto the grass without any idea of which way to go. All she wanted was to get away from him, away from the car and away from all the pain which now surged through her.
Pain he’d induced.
As she began to break into a run he reached her, grabbed her arm and pulled her so quickly to a stop that she was turned and jolted against the hardness of his chest. For an instant all the breath seemed to leave her body and she couldn’t speak. All she could do was stand looking into his eyes, glittering with anger as he held her captive with his firm grip. Her breathing was now so rapid she was panting as if she’d just run a hundred-metre sprint.
‘Let me go.’ Her furious demand only made his hand tighten on her arm.
‘Not until you calm down.’ He said the words slowly, but she didn’t miss the glinting edge of steel within them.
‘It shouldn’t have been you.’ A cocktail of emotions rushed to find expression. ‘I should have been here with Seb. Not you.’
‘I should never have brought you here, not after what your father told me.’ Each word was delivered in a cool and calm tone, but there was still that underlying steel.
‘My father?’ She gasped in shock, trying unsuccessfully to release her arm from his grip. ‘What has he said?’
‘That you’ve been hiding from this since the funeral.’ He released her arm but remained excruciatingly close. It was all becoming too much. Memories of Seb entwined with whatever it was between her and this man. She couldn’t deal with either of them at the moment.
‘I have not been hiding from anything—except the cruelty of the media.’ She looked up into his face, so close she could smell his aftershave, but fury kept her expression hard.
He blinked, his head drawing back from her just a fraction. ‘The media?’
She pulled free from him, turned and stalked away, tossing her next words over her shoulder. ‘Yes, the media. You know the ones. They like to dig all the dirt on you and your family when you’re down.’
‘Charlotte, don’t walk away from me.’ His tone was harsh but she carried on walking—or was she running yet again?
‘Just leave me, Alessandro. Take the car back and leave me.’ She stopped and turned to look at him; his strides were so long that he was almost directly behind her and again she found herself against a wall of pure maleness.
‘No, cara.’ He spoke more softly, looking down at her.
Infuriated, a well of exasperation opened deep within her. ‘Worried what everyone will think when you go back alone?’ She couldn’t prevent the tart edge creeping into her words.
‘I don’t give a damn about anyone else. The only thing that matters right now is you.’
She looked up into his eyes; the angry glitter was gone from them now. She resisted the urge to close hers, to give in to the invitation of his words and let him care for her, soothe her. But that hadn’t been what he’d meant.
‘Why? Because of your promise to Seb?’ she retorted, fighting back once more.
His brow furrowed and he shook his head in denial. Guilt niggled at her. She was deliberately provoking him. It’s his fault Seb isn’t here, she reminded herself sharply.
‘Not completely.’ He stepped closer, so close she could just reach up and kiss him if she wanted to. Just as she’d done last night.
Mesmerised by his nearness, the heady scent of his aftershave doing strange things to her senses, she remained exactly where she was. Their eyes locked and she was sure he was thinking the same thing, feeling the same hot sizzle arcing between them.
Slowly, maintaining eye contact, she raised her chin up and saw his eyes darken to the blackness of a starless sky. She paused, an unspoken question emanating from her. His answer was to claim her lips with his.
CHAPTER FIVE
CHARLIE CLOSED HER eyes as every limb in her body weakened beneath the power of his hungry kiss. Just when she thought she wouldn’t be able to stand any longer his arms wrapped around her, pulling her so tight against him that she was in no doubt he wanted her.
What was she doing? Kissing this man—and, worse again, wanting so much more?
Although she knew she shouldn’t, she couldn’t help herself and, just as she had done the previous night, she wound her arms about his neck, sliding her fingers into the curls he had tried to disguise.
Adrenaline from the drive still pumped around her, fuelling this new heady passion to heights she’d never before experienced. Every part of her was on fire, burning with desire for the man she supposedly hated above all others.
‘This is...’ she began as his lips left hers, scorching a trail down her throat until she couldn’t utter another word.
‘Amazing, no?’ His husky voice sent a thrill of shivers through her.
No, not amazing. It’s wrong. It shouldn’t be happening.
Inside her head the words formed, but that was where they stayed as he claimed her lips once more, so deeply and passionately she gasped in pleasure against him. She couldn’t think any more. The only thing that mattered was satisfying the hot need which blazed inside her.
‘And this...’ He almost groaned the words out as he lowered his head to kiss down her throat. She arched her back, leaning against the strength of his arm, knowing exactly what he wanted.
A sigh of total contentment slipped from her and she let her head drop back as his kisses moved down her throat until he reached the soft swell of her breasts, visible at the opening of her blouse.
Then passion exploded as he kissed her nipple, dampening the silk of her blouse. Her bra offered little defence against the persuasion of his seduction and she buried her fingers into the thickness of his hair, a soft sigh escaping her lips as she surrendered to the pleasure of his mastery.
‘This is good too, no?’ His accent became heavier with each word as desire engulfed them, wrapping them up together. He nipped at the hard peak of her nipple, sending a spark of urgent need straight to the very core of her.
‘It’s so good, but so wrong.’ Her voice was a throaty whisper as she pushed her fingers deeper into the curls, pressing him against her, even though she knew it was reckless. Each breath she took intensified the sensation until she couldn’t do anything but close her eyes to the pure pleasure of the moment. Wrong or right, she gave herself up to it.
‘Oh, cara, it’s wrong, so, so wrong, but so right.’ He moved his attention to her other breast and she almost sank to the grass beneath her feet as his tongue worked its magic, her breathing ragged and fast.
‘We shouldn’t.’ Barely a whisper now, her voice sounded hoarse as each breath rushed from her.
It was so good she thought she could hear horns—car horns blasting around them, their fast rhythm matching the pulse of desire inside her. The sound became louder and suddenly he straightened, pulling her upright with a jolt.
‘Maledizione. I should have known we’d be seen.’
The sound of horns was very clear now and she realised it wasn’t just horns, but emergency sirens. She jumped back from him as if scalded by his very touch, wanting to put as much distance between them as possible while she fought to regain control over her body, extinguish the heady need he’d ignited. Thankfully, he seemed to want the same and walked abruptly away.
What had she been thinking? Nothing. Absolutely nothing. That was the problem. She hadn’t been thinking at all. She’d allowed her seesawing emotions to get the better of her and when she next spoke to her father she’d find out just what he and Alessandro had discussed. Had her father tried to continue the matchmaking Seb had started?
* * *
Alessandro took in deep breaths, trying to cool the heat in his body as he strode back to the track. The approaching ambulance was almost upon them as he reached the car. He didn’t look back at her, but knew she’d started to follow him. Every nerve in his body responded to each step those lovely long legs took.
After a few quick words with the ambulance crew he sent them back to the workshop, by which time Charlie was at his side. What would have happened if they hadn’t been interrupted? The thought of what he could at this minute be doing sent his pulse sky-high.
‘Get in.’ The command was gruff, but that was the only way to deal with this. Denial wasn’t usually his style, but right now it suited perfectly. He got into the driving seat and waited, his gaze firmly fixed ahead as she got in beside him.
‘Sorry.’ That one word from her was so soft, so quiet he wondered if he’d imagined it.
What was she sorry for? Driving like a maniac or setting light to the fire between them? Either way, he didn’t want her apology. He just wanted to get as far away from her as possible so that he could reassemble the barrier he always kept around him.
He didn’t ever want to be so emotionally exposed with a woman, but Charlie had slipped under his radar, almost destroying the defence he’d erected after his marriage. It had taken just one kiss.
‘I can’t believe you’d drive like that. What would Seb say?’ He clutched at the first thing that came to mind to use as a weapon against the hum of desire threatening to rise once more, just from being close to her. He could still smell her scent, still taste her and his body craved more, wanting absolute satisfaction.
‘Seb would be pleased. He taught me to drive like that but, judging by your reaction, I guess he didn’t tell you that I am a test driver for the team. I can drive as fast and as safely as any racing driver.’
‘That may be so, but he wouldn’t have wanted you to risk your life.’ Angrily, he rebuffed her explanation.
A heavy silence filled the car and he wished the words unsaid. When she didn’t say anything else he started the car and gently moved off, keeping the speed to a sensible level.
‘Did I scare you?’ The question flew out and he gripped the steering wheel, the muscles of his forearms flexing.
She had scared him, but he wasn’t about to admit that to anyone. As the speed had increased all he’d been able to think of was Seb, lying in the hospital bed in pain, and the way he’d forced him into a promise he now had serious doubts he could keep. How could he look after Charlie as if she were his sister when all he could think of was taking her to his bed?
‘Yes, damn it, you scared me. You knew I had to deal with my sister after she’d had an accident.’ He wasn’t about to confide in her the real cause of his fear. That would mean looking deeper at what had just happened between them. Accepting that there even was something there, some undeniable attraction that was so powerful it took over, given the slightest opportunity.
‘I don’t see how me driving on a test track has any connection with your sister having a bump on the road.’ He could hear the irritation in every word and was relieved to see the workshop coming into view.
‘That bump, as you put it, caused her to defer her last year at university and all because she couldn’t slow down, as I’d asked her to do.’ His mind began to tie in knots, talking on one subject, trying to rationalise another and fighting the need to pull over and finish what he’d started back there.
He’d never been this off-kilter before. Shock and the unrelenting need to regain control had unbalanced his emotions, but he couldn’t let her know that.
‘What happened?’ Curiosity filled her voice and it was all he could do not to look at her. The heat of her gaze burned into him.
He drove back into the workshop, switching the engine off. Silence settled around them and he looked about the workshop, thankful the mechanics had had the presence of mind to make themselves scarce. He’d have some smart talking to do with them later; of that he was sure.
He threw his hands up in frustration. ‘She drove too fast. That’s it. Just as you did out there.’
He didn’t need this conversation right now. It wasn’t what they should be discussing, even though it went part way towards his reasons for demanding she stop.
He could feel her watching him and turned to look at her, instilling as much control as he possibly could into his voice. ‘She took a bend too fast, hit the wall and ended up in hospital. All because she couldn’t slow down.’
‘But I’m a skilled driver; I test drive for Seb’s team.’ Her expression served only to exasperate him further. Couldn’t she see the similarities between her and Seb? He was a skilled driver too and now he was dead.
‘Skill isn’t everything, cara. Seb was incredibly skilled.’ Her eyes widened and he had the strangest sensation that he’d walked into a trap. One of his own making.
‘Seb went out in a car that should never have been on the test track. Is that what you are saying?’ The accusation was hurled at him, but he knew it was the driver that shouldn’t have been out on the track that night. If he hadn’t been meeting with potential customers, maybe he would have seen the state Seb was in. Stopped him from taking the car out to the test track.
‘Nobody knew he was here, Charlotte. He took it upon himself to take the car out.’ He desperately tried to instil patience
into each word. She was hurting and this was the moment he’d been dreading, the moment she’d accuse him of negligence and he wouldn’t be able to deny it. Not if he kept the horrible truth from her.
‘I thought he was staying with you. Surely you knew he’d gone to the test track?’ Her eyes narrowed and he knew for certain she blamed him.
‘He was staying with me, but he also did his own thing. I thought he was on a date that night.’
‘And you just happened to be at the track within minutes of the accident.’
‘Am I on trial here?’
‘By me, yes.’
‘Va bene. For the record, I was on my way back from a meeting and called in to collect paperwork. I wanted to go over the problem we had with the first prototype. The second had just come out of the workshop so I wanted to talk to Seb about it.’
Her face watched his expectantly and he wondered if she’d already heard this from her father, or read about it in the press. It had been a tough few months after the accident and he’d had to deal with the guilt he felt, even though no blame had been apportioned to him or his company.
‘But Seb was out in the car?’ she asked, pre-empting him.
‘I’d seen Seb’s car outside when I parked, but thought he’d gone out with one of the mechanics. When I noticed the test car gone, I knew he was out in it and jumped into the pickup. That’s how I was able to be there just minutes after it happened.’
He could still hear the sickening thud and scrunch of metal, then the protest of the engine before the ominous silence. He’d known instantly it wasn’t going to be good and was on his phone, calling for the emergency services as he’d pulled up alongside the twisted wreck.
‘Thank you,’ she whispered, her gaze lowering so that her thick long lashes brushed against her cheeks and he had to fight hard not to reach out to hold her or offer her comfort. He just didn’t trust himself, he wanted her so fiercely.
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