by Miranda Lee
‘I’m not the heartless womaniser you think, Paige. The women I’ve had all knew the score. As I said…I don’t make false promises. If you must know, I was in love once too. Not long before I came to work for your father. Lauren didn’t die, but she let me down. Badly. She said she loved me, but she didn’t. Frankly, I still feel pretty bitter over her betrayal.’
Paige heard the hard edge in his voice. This was something she hadn’t envisaged, that Antonio had been suffering from a broken heart all these years.
The savagery of her resentment over this Lauren woman tore into her breast with a dark violence she had trouble hiding. It was as well Antonio was driving, with his eyes straight ahead, and couldn’t see the fire burn momentarily in her own eyes.
‘She must have been very beautiful,’ she heard herself saying in a hard, flat little voice.
‘She was,’ he admitted curtly, then just dropped the subject.
Paige could not find the courage or the will to bring her up again. But Lauren’s shadow moved into the car, drying up any further conversation and dampening Paige’s earlier optimism.
It wasn’t till the city was long left behind and the first glimpse of water came into view on the right that the depressive atmosphere lifted. And it was Antonio’s doing.
‘Nearly there now,’ he announced, the brightness in his voice very welcome.
Paige responded with a blinding smile of relief. ‘Tell me about this houseboat,’ she urged.
‘Seeing will be worth a thousand words.’
‘You don’t sound as though you know what to expect.’
‘I do and I don’t. They featured it briefly on a programme on television I saw once, but I’ve never actually seen one, or been on one before. Still, the man on the phone assured me ours was the latest in luxury, and easier to drive than a shopping trolley. The one I’ve hired is their one and only honeymoon houseboat.’
Paige’s eyes rounded. ‘He thinks we’re on our honeymoon?’
‘No. But the honeymoon houseboat is the most luxurious houseboat they own, and it’s kitted out just for two. Why, would you like people to think we’re on our honeymoon?’
‘No. I don’t like lies.’
‘Neither do I. We’re just lovers, then.’
‘Illicit lovers,’ she suggested mischievously. ‘Sneaking off for a dirty ten days together.’
‘Mmm. I like the sound of that,’ he murmured, and gave her a look which melted every bone in her body. ‘Is being provocative part of your plan not to bore me?’
‘That’s for me to know and you to find out.’
‘I aim to find out everything there is to find out about you during the next ten days, Paige Fortune.’
‘And I you, Antonio Scarlatti,’ she countered, her heart going like a threshing machine.
He stared at her before switching his eyes back onto the road, and the bridge ahead. Once again, Paige was proving a vastly different person from the one he’d always imagined her to be. He’d glimpsed a hint of hidden depths the other night, but today was a real revelation!
What further shocks lay in store for him? What other preconceptions were going to be smashed?
He hadn’t known that her first lover had been tragically killed; he had been taken aback by the news, then startled by the unexpected jab of jealousy which had accompanied Paige’s confession that she’d been heart-broken over him all these years. Maybe that was the reason for her tears on the two occasions that she’d given herself sexually to another man. Maybe she was remembering what it had been like with the only man she’d ever really loved. Antonio conceded Brad must have been a fantastic lover to have taught her so well.
Again, this thought brought more jealousy. Or was it envy?
Envy, Antonio decided sensibly. Jealousy smacked of an emotional involvement, which simply wasn’t the case. Clearly, he envied Paige the experience of making love to a person she’d loved and who’d loved her wholeheartedly in return. In hindsight, it was an experience which had eluded him. And would continue to do so, now that he was no longer capable of contributing his side of such an equation.
Not that he should be complaining. Sex with Paige had been great the other night, the greatest he’d ever had—even better than with Lauren. Frankly, Lauren had been a bit unimaginative in bed. And selfish.
Lauren…
He wished he hadn’t brought the woman up in his mind. He hated thinking about her. When he did, he always felt like a failure. Antonio hated failure.
His eyes slid over to the beautiful, sexy girl sitting beside him and his resolve strengthened. He wasn’t going to fail this time. He was determined to win, not only Paige’s hand in marriage, but her heart as well. He was going to have it all this time. The job and the woman.
‘You’re not watching the road,’ Paige chided.
‘I can’t help it,’ came his rueful confession. ‘I can’t take my eyes off you.’
‘Well, I suggest you do,’ she pointed out drily. ‘Because the turn-off to Brooklyn’s coming up fast.’
Antonio swore, then expertly weaved his way over to take the turn-off, a surge of adrenalin kicking in, as well as a surge of something else.
‘I hope you’ve brought that gold dress,’ he said.
‘What gold dress?’
His head whipped round to find she was laughing at him, those big blue eyes of hers dancing with devil lights.
Incredible eyes, those eyes. They could look oh, so innocent and vulnerable one moment, then oh, so sexy and knowing the next. At that moment they glittered and gleamed, taunting and teasing him with the promise of erotic delights he’d only glimpsed the other night.
He was almost grateful to dear old Brad. The man had obviously introduced her to sex with a joy and lack of inhibition which could only be praised in his absence. Even his untimely passing was a source of gratitude to Antonio, because it had kept Paige’s natural sexuality bottled up for years in her grief, all the stronger now that it had been released. That idiot Waltham could have been Paige’s sexual genie, but he’d been a fool. His failure had become Antonio’s gain.
‘Just you wait,’ he told her with feigned displeasure. ‘Teases get their comeuppance.’
‘Promises, promises,’ she said, with a toss of her gorgeous golden hair.
‘No false promises from me, honey. When I say something, I mean it.’
‘Really! So what form does a comeuppance take?’
‘I think the word speaks for itself,’ he quipped, enjoying himself enormously. ‘When it comes up, you’ll be the first to know!’
CHAPTER TWELVE
AN HOUR had passed after their arrival at the Marina at Brooklyn, and now they were ready to start cruising the river in the incredibly compact yet truly luxurious houseboat. Twenty minutes had been spent watching a howto video, which had covered everything navigational and operational they might want to know, and the rest of the time had been taken in being shown through the houseboat itself, with all its fittings and fixtures, storage spaces and supplies. The controls had had to be explained, plus all the other simple yet important workings.
Finally, with their luggage aboard, and a brochure and map in Paige’s hand, Antonio had started the incredibly quiet engine, and angled them safely away from the dock.
Paige could not believe the feeling of exhilaration which swept through her as they headed for open waters. Putting the map and brochure down, she went out on the front deck for a while, to admire the beauty and breadth of the river, before returning inside to where Antonio was standing at the wheel, one of those rare but truly happy smiles on his face.
‘This is so much more fun than I thought it would be!’ she exclaimed, combing her wind-blown hair back from her face with her fingers. ‘I feel like we’re going on an adventure together!’
Antonio was amazed to find he felt the same away. There again, going anywhere with Paige, he suspected, would be an adventure. She was so full of life and the unexpected. She was constantly surprising him.
T
he houseboat had surprised him as well. In all honesty, he hadn’t expected to like it as much as he did. He’d come up with the houseboat idea on the spur of the moment, because he’d wanted to take Paige somewhere right away from everyone. He’d seen a programme on TV about cruising the Hawkesbury in various craft some time back, and been awed by the untamed majesty of the river, with its wide waterways, interesting inlets and large unspoiled surrounds.
Apparently, it hadn’t changed much since the days of the early explorers, when aborigines had inhabited the caves in the rugged hills through which the river wound its leisurely way in scenic splendour. There were some houses dotted along the more habitable sections of riverbank, and the occasional restaurant and supply stop to cater for the holidaymakers, but on the whole the river remained as it had been for hundreds of years. With its proximity to Sydney another attractive facet—no plane flight necessary to get there—Antonio had filed it away in his mind as a possible idea for a relaxing holiday.
Once Paige had agreed to come, however, he’d had to set about making his proposed holiday real. He’d spent a good hour yesterday morning on the phone, negotiating. It had still cost him a small fortune, first to hire the honeymoon version, then to have the darned thing fully equipped with everything from food and wine to extra linen and towels. He’d had to offer a bonus to have it all done for him that same day.
Late last night he’d been thinking he could have taken Paige to the honeymoon suite in the most exclusive hotel in Sydney for the same price. But once he saw what he’d paid for—including Paige’s reaction—he felt certain he’d done the right thing.
Her beautiful blue eyes had shone as brightly as the sky overhead, and she’d fairy gushed with delight over everything, from the weather to the river to the houseboat. Especially the houseboat. Antonio had been more than impressed himself, both by the furnishings and the design.
Divided into three living areas, it had a stylish sitting room up front, nautical in flavour to complement the wheel, a dining area in the middle, with rich pine cupboards and green granite tops, and a master bedroom at the back, all blue, complete with a cleverly compact en suite bathroom. The sky-blue quilted bed was very wide, and there were porthole windows above the built-in pine bedhead, and a massive skylight in the ceiling above. Outside, there was a sundeck up top, and decks front and back. A small dinghy was tied up at the back steps—useful, they’d been told, for rowing ashore, either for fresh supplies or maybe a picnic at any of the small coves and beaches which lined the river.
Antonio wasn’t so sure about picnics, but he intended taking Paige to dinner to at least one of the excellent restaurants dotted along the river. He was looking forward to seeing her in that saucy little gold dress again.
And to seeing her out of it.
Such thinking sent his eyes sliding over to where Paige was standing at the viewing window, a metre or so away. She’d finally taken off that black jacket, but she’d pulled the white shirt out from her waist and it was hanging loosely over her hips, hiding her figure from his gaze.
Suddenly, he wanted her closer. Much closer.
‘Come here,’ he commanded softly, and took one hand off the wheel to beckon her to join him.
Paige only hesitated a second before moving into the gap he’d made between his body and the wheel, her back against his stomach and chest. His hand returned to the wheel, completing the circle his body created around her. With a contented sigh, she leant back against him, her eyes closing.
It wasn’t a sexual moment for Paige—though perhaps Antonio might have thought differently. The feelings which flooded through her were ones of peace, not passion. It felt as if she’d finally come home, finally found where she belonged.
With Antonio.
‘Better not relax too much,’ he advised drily. ‘You’re supposed to be watching the waterways, as well as telling me things I’m already beginning to forget.’
‘Such as what?’ she murmured, her eyes half opening to glance upwards into his.
‘Such as what side is port and what’s starboard. And which side we were supposed to pass other craft on. You see, there’s this big boat coming straight for us, and I think it’s time for evasive action.’
She cried out in fright, her eyes snapping forward. There was indeed a huge yacht coming towards them, and it wasn’t making any attempt to shift course. Fortunately, Paige had concentrated on that part of the video which explained the basic rules of right of way.
‘Right!’ she ordered. ‘You must always pass on the right. And always give way to sail.’
‘Aye-aye!’ Antonio returned, already turning the wheel.
The yacht was finally doing the same, and they passed with plenty of room to spare.
‘Congratulations,’ Antonio praised, and bent to kiss the top of her head. ‘You just passed your first test as first mate with flying colours.’
Ridiculous to feel so pleased. But she hadn’t been on the end of much praise in her life.
‘This is going to be such fun!’
‘Mmm. Now that we’re almost in the middle of the river, we have to make a vital decision. Should we turn left, and head up-river under the bridge? Or right, and go down-river towards Broken Bay?’
‘I’ll have to consult the map again,’ Paige said. ‘I left it over there on the coffee table. Excuse me. You’ll have to let me out.’
‘No, don’t worry about it. I’ve decided to go down-river for today.’ And he turned the wheel to the right.
‘Why?’
‘There’s more water that way. And it doesn’t look as crowded. I’d like to find us a nice private mooring as soon as possible and drop anchor for the afternoon. It’s such a lovely day. We could have lunch, then loll round on the top deck for a while.’
Paige laughed. ‘I can’t imagine you lolling around anywhere.’
‘I have to admit I haven’t done a lot of lolling lately. Wow, now that’s a tongue-twister! Still, I’m very much in need of some serious lolling. You know what they say. All work and no play makes Antonio a dull boy.’
‘You? Dull? Never!’
‘I have my dull moments, believe me,’ he drawled. ‘But now is not going to be one of them. So turn round and kiss me.’
‘What?’ Paige gasped.
‘You heard what I said. Do as your captain tells you. Mutiny will not be tolerated. It requires the same punishment as teasing.’
Paige gulped, her peaceful, platonic pleasure giving way to passion with an astonishing speed. Her heart began to pound and a wild heat ignited deep inside her body, showing her how swiftly Antonio could change her mood from one of fun and friendship to one of wildly driven desire.
Slowly, she turned in his arms, fearful of seeming too easy, yet compelled to do whatever he wanted. Because she wanted it too. Instantly. Intensely.
Kiss me, he commanded. Oh, God…
Her eyes lifted at the same time as her body, widening as her lips moved closer, then squeezing tightly shut when contact was made.
She began kissing him, softly at first, then with more pressure, urging him to open his mouth, dying for the feel of his tongue.
She moaned when his lips remained firmly shut, her mouth finally lifting, her eyes fluttering open with dismay and reproach.
‘I don’t think this was a very wise idea,’ was all he said, his own eyes narrowed and glittering.
Paige had a pretty good idea what he meant. She could feel it, pressing hard into her belly. Yet with her blood pounding and her head whirling she wasn’t thinking about wisdom. She was wanting him far too much.
‘I think perhaps you should go unpack,’ he advised drily.
She didn’t want to go anywhere. She wanted to stay here in his arms. But she gradually saw that that would be very cruel. It wasn’t as though they could do anything right then and there, other than make the situation worse.
‘I’ll go change, shall I?’ she said sensibly, but with a little sigh in her voice. ‘Then see about putting somet
hing together for our lunch.’ The kitchen cupboards were full of supplies, with fresh food in the gas-operated fridge.
‘Good thinking,’ he said crisply. ‘Put a bottle of white wine in to chill as well. Oh, and hand me that map of the river before you go. I’ll look for a suitable mooring.’
‘Right,’ she returned, just as crisply, and ducked under his arms. But as she handed him the map and hurried off Paige’s main feeling was frustration. She hadn’t wanted to go. She’d wanted to keep kissing him, wanted to touch him, wanted to…
Her face flushed as the thought hit, her stomach tightening as she realised Antonio could have asked her to do that, and she would have. When Jed had tried to force her head down there, she’d been so revolted she’d cried out like a banshee and flown from his bed.
It wasn’t revulsion which flooded her when she thought of doing that to Antonio, but excitement.
Yet she was grateful he hadn’t asked, in a way. It showed he respected her feelings, and that his interest in her wasn’t solely sexual.
Paige threw her suitcase onto the high wide bed and began to unpack. When she came to the pink bikini, she didn’t hesitate for long. As much as she liked Antonio feeling other things for her than sexual ones, she didn’t want his taking this new respect too far.
Alone at the wheel, Antonio let out a long shuddering breath. What in hell had he thought he was doing, asking her to kiss him? He was in the middle of a damned river, steering a damned houseboat, hardly the best place for a romantic interlude.
Although it hadn’t been romance he’d been thinking of once she’d kissed him so eagerly, had it? The moment her lips had met his, a black lust had invaded his veins with the speed of a lethal injection. Thank God he’d kept his stupid damned mouth shut, because if he hadn’t all would have been lost!
Oh, he had no doubt he could have coerced Paige into ridding him of his instant and very painful erection. It had been obvious she was very turned on. But neither method which came to mind would have endeared him to her afterwards. There was a time and place for such selfishness, and this wasn’t it. His mission over the next ten days wasn’t solely sex and seduction, but the making of a real relationship.