Anna was suddenly acutely aware of his masculine presence, only inches away from her. It seemed to envelop her like some mysterious magnetic force. He was so virile, so good looking—and so not her type. But he exuded sex appeal, tonight especially. Maybe it was because he’d been so cold and distant up until now, that this change was having such an effect on her.
“So I’ll see you tomorrow?” Anna clarified, as the rambling rose bushes clinging to the gates of the entrance to the hotel came into view.
“Yes, come to my office around eleven,” confirmed Rafael, turning to face her. “We can do some background checks and try to get some clarity on your position.”
Anna nodded. There was a pause in which he took a hesitant step towards her. Anna froze, her breath catching in her throat. His dark gaze dropped to her mouth.
Oh no, he was going to kiss her.
“I had a great time tonight,” said Anna hurriedly, trying to break the moment. “Thank you for dinner.”
“My pleasure,” said Rafael softly, and took another step forward.
Pulse racing, Anna was about to turn and bolt when she felt his warm hand on her forearm. Her eyes flew to his face. Rafael smiled and pulled her gently towards him. Anna felt she should probably resist but she couldn’t quite remember why. The mixture of the wine, the warm evening and his sensual smile completely overwhelmed her.
Then all rational thought vanished as his lips came down on hers.
Hungrily, Anna kissed Rafael back. All the tension of the last few days, the frustration, the fighting and her botched surveillance attempt—everything was released in her response. Anna couldn’t get enough of him, her hands fisted desperately in his hair and she was consumed by his taste, his scent and his touch.
Rafael matched her sudden frenzied passion by wrapping his arms around her waist and holding her tightly against him. Her breasts crushed against his chest, her pelvis flush against his hips and her thighs pushed against his. He kissed her back hard, delving his tongue into her mouth as if he were devouring her.
After a few long moments, they both suddenly broke away, breathing hard. Anna could feel Rafael’s heart beating like a bongo drum against hers.
They stared at each other with a mixture of surprise and in Anna’s case, uncertainty.
What the hell had just happened?
Somehow she’d completely lost control. Her heart hammered so loudly in her chest she felt at any minute it might jump straight up her throat. Out of nowhere this wave of passion had engulfed them when their lips had touched and she’d totally lost control of her emotions, something that had never happened to her before.
In her previous relationships, of which there had been dismally few, she’d never felt this degree of passion, this wild, uncontrollable emotion.
Her first serious boyfriend had been Andrew, a trainee doctor. He was bright with good earning potential, but not particularly keen on children, which was a huge no-no for her. Then came William, the architect from next door who took her out a few times, but was more interested in his pet gerbil than he was in her. Then came Phillip, the chef, who was sweet, but his gruelling hours would be a problem if she ever wanted to settle down with him and have kids. So she had pretty much decided to quit casual dating until she found someone who was worth the effort, someone who checked all her boxes.
She gazed at Rafael who was trying to compose himself. He ticked none of her boxes—except maybe the stable job one. He certainly had that. By the looks of things he ran the Capri office single-handedly, and judging by his conversation with the Mayor, was a man of some standing.
And he was good looking, make that exceptional looking. Except looks weren’t really one of her criteria. That was more of a nice-to-have, rather than a must-have.
But he was not marriage material. In fact, he was so far from it the concept was unthinkable. He could be cold and unfeeling, not to mention cynical and suspicious. Plus, she barely knew him.
So why had she reacted to him the way she had?
Rafael stared at her with a mixture of surprise and desire. His eyes glittered softly in the moonlight. He seemed to be pondering his next move.
“Sorry, I seem to have gotten a bit carried away. It must be the wine,” she blurted out before he got any ideas about taking their kiss further. That would be a disaster. If this is what a mere kiss could do to her, imagine the rest... she didn’t dare.
So this is what it feels like to be knocked off your feet by a kiss, she mused.
Dangerous.
When Rafael didn’t immediately reply, she added, “Well, thank you for a lovely evening. I’d better go in now, it’s very late and I’ve had a long day.”
And without waiting for him to speak, she retreated hastily inside the protective walls of the hotel.
Rafael could hardly think straight he had such a raging hard-on. That kiss had blown him away.
Out of nowhere he’d felt this surge of adrenalin and the urge to consume her, body and soul, had overwhelmed him. Her taste, her smell, the softness of her skin all contributed to a sensory overload of mammoth proportions and Rafael had lost complete control over his thoughts. He’d acted purely on instinct. For a minute there he’d felt like he couldn’t get enough of her. His heart was still thumping like a jack-hammer.
“Of course,” he said but there was nobody to hear him. Anna had disappeared into the hotel, leaving only her floral scent behind to tantalise him.
He considered going after her, but then decided against it. He was still reeling and felt very much off guard—which was unusual for him.
His plan to illicit information out of her had backfired. He’d learned nothing he could use against her. She hadn’t given him anything that supported or refuted her claim. They’d somehow steered clear of anything personal, yet Rafael had so enjoyed himself that he’d completely forgotten to press her for information.
She was certainly bewitching with her white-blonde hair and violet eyes. He frowned, remembering how he’d done most of the talking himself tonight. Ironically, he’d set out to break down her defences and instead he’d been driven by a primal need to impress her, to make her laugh.
He gave a self-deprecating chortle. If he wasn’t careful she’d have him under her spell in no time at all. If that kiss was anything to go by...
“Bella e pericolosa donna”, he whispered as he propelled himself along the tiny pathway towards his villa in Annacapri, on the other side of the island.
“Come in, Anna,” beckoned Rafael from the doorway.
Anna nodded at Christina, who was looking perfectly voluptuous in a tight dress suit cut just below the knee and two inch heels, as she walked towards Rafael’s office. Entering, she smiled a greeting at the man whose kiss had plagued her thoughts for the last ten hours. Even now glancing at his full lips set in that sardonic half-smile made her pulse flutter.
“Did you sleep well?” he asked.
“Perfectly, thank you,” she lied, flicking her hair over one shoulder. No way would she ever admit she’d tossed and turned for hours, hot with desire, before falling into a torturous sleep. Even then her dreams were plagued by images of Rafael kissing her... Rafael undressing her... Dreams in which she writhed in frustration, desperate to feel his hands on her body.
Anna wore a summery sleeveless dress she had bought in Ibiza a few years ago which showed off her slender waist and smooth skin which was already turning golden brown after only a few days in the sun.
“And you?”
Rafael nodded, avoiding her gaze. “Your letter.” He handed her the folded piece of paper from the safety of behind his desk.
Anna took it, careful not to touch him. The memories of last night’s kiss were too vivid. To feel the warmth of his skin against her own, even accidental, might unleash a desire that she didn’t know whether she was equipped to handle. She was venturing into unknown territory here. Never before had she been so stunned by a mere kiss.
Previous kisses had been tentative, explo
ratory at best. A kiss was like a test, she used it to judge how compatible she was with a man. It was always controlled, measured. Never wild and passionate like with Rafael. Kissing him made her feel vulnerable and out of control. She wasn’t sure she liked it. Sometimes feelings were better left in check. It was safer that way.
“Shall we get down to business?” suggested Rafael, indicating Anna sit in the leather chair opposite him.
Anna nodded and sat down. With the big mahogany desk between them acting as a barrier the situation seemed under control. Rafael’s businesslike air also intimated that there would be no returning to the dalliances of the night before.
Anna was relieved. “Sure. Let’s get this over with. I thought I might head down to the beach after this and catch up on some reading.”
Looking at him sitting stiffly behind his desk, a laptop open in front of him and various files scattered around, the events of last night were feeling more and more surreal.
“I’ll try my best not to keep you longer than necessary,” drawled Rafael, not without a hint of sarcasm. “After all, it’s only ten million dollars we’re talking about here.”
As if Anna didn’t know that. “Yes, I was wondering about that,” she remarked casually, causing him to raise an eyebrow. “What happens if Giovanni’s heir is never found?”
“Are you admitting you’re not Giovanni’s heir?” Rafael looked at her quizzically.
“Crumbs, you’re suspicious. No, I’m just asking, hypothetically-speaking. What happens to the money if the heir is not found?”
Rafael blinked. “It remains in a trust.”
“Run by you?”
“That’s right.”
“So you would be the sole beneficiary too, right?”
“What are you implying?” he said sharply, eyes boring into her.
Anna was not deterred. The thought had been plaguing her since yesterday morning. She may as well get it off her chest and out into the open. “Well, it struck me that it might be in your best interests not to find Giovanni’s daughter. You’d be quite a bit richer if she were never found, wouldn’t you?” She paused. “Hypothetically-speaking, of course.”
“I don’t need Giovanni’s illegitimate daughter’s inheritance, for your information.”
“Is that because you get the money if you don’t find his heir?” The question hung in the air like a poisoned arrow.
Eventually Rafael said, “That is none of your business. Like I said before, I don’t need Giovanni’s money. I haven’t done too badly on my own.”
Anna’s gaze dropped to the Rolex. “But it’s true, isn’t it? Giovanni left the other half to you. I bet you would have gotten it all too, if I hadn’t come along.”
“Don’t flatter yourself. You’re not in the clear yet.”
“Will I ever be?” she asked, eyebrows raised. “Ten million dollars is a lot of money.”
“I don’t like what you’re insinuating,” snapped Rafael, leaning forward in his chair and glaring at her. “It’s my job to vet every person that claims to be Giovanni’s heir, however unlikely that person may seem.”
“Or likely, as in my case.”
Rafael shrugged. “That remains to be seen.”
“And when my details check out, then what are you going to do? Because they will, you know. I am who I claim to be. I’m not a fraud like those other women. I’m not here under false pretences to steal Giovanni’s inheritance, despite what you may think.”
“How would you feel about a DNA test?”
Anna answered without hesitation. “Sure, why not? I’ve tried every other scenario to get you to believe me. If that’s what needs to be done, then fine. At least it would be ‘concrete proof’, right?”
Rafael nodded. “You can’t get more concrete than DNA.”
A DNA test would solve everything. The only problem was this was Capri. These things took time. Anna would have to give a sample. That sample would have to be analysed, then compared to Giovanni’s and finally, a result delivered. They were looking at a minimum of one week.
Rafael studied Anna who was sitting bolt upright in the leather chair, her clear blue eyes fixed on his face. They didn’t waver.
Was she a fake? He wished he knew for sure. Not only had she not let anything slip last night, but she was willing to do a DNA test so she must really believe she was Giovanni’s daughter. Rafael knew there was no way one could fake a paternity test.
He couldn’t discount the fact that she may truly be Giovanni’s legitimate heir. The consequences of that was something he didn’t want to think about just yet.
Last night had been an emotional wake-up call. Rafael couldn’t remember when last he’d felt so alive. That kiss! Where had all that passion had come from? She’d certainly surprised him. The problem was, now all he could think about was kissing her again.
If he hadn’t been so floored by what had happened, he would have taken her straight upstairs to her hotel room. But such was his astonishment—and hers—that they’d simply stared at each other until Anna had cut the night short, saving them both from their confusion.
Even now, right here in his office, he wanted to peel off that flimsy dress and feel her soft skin and taste her luscious lips once again. Except this time it wouldn’t stop there. Rafael knew instinctively that making love to Anna would be an experience like none other. If that kiss was anything to go by... But he couldn’t think like that right now. He had a job to do and he needed to be focused. Giovanni’s legacy was at stake.
“How did you become so jaded anyway?” asked Anna catching him unawares.
“What do you mean?” Rafael dragged his thoughts back to reality.
“You’re so cynical? It’s not normal to question everything and everyone all the time. Don’t you trust anyone at all?”
Rafael shrugged. “No. Not many people are worthy of my trust. You have to earn trust. It takes time.”
Anna cocked her head to the side. “Can’t be much fun being you. Not everyone is out to deceive you, you know. There are honest people in the world.”
Rafael laughed. A dry, humourless sound. “You wouldn’t say that if you grew up where I did.”
She looked at him contemplatively. “How about Giovanni? Did you trust him?”
Rafael only hesitated for a second. “Yes,” he said. “Giovanni was an honourable man.”
“I’m glad he was there for you,” she said quietly.
“Why did you ask me that?” enquired Rafael curiously.
“Obviously you have... had a special bond with him. I’m not sure how, but there was some sort of relationship between you two, and I don’t mean lawyer and client.”
Rafael frowned. “I told you, he was my mentor.”
“Yes. Yes, you did,” Anna acknowledged, chewing on her lip. “Except he left you ten million dollars which suggests something more... fatherly?”
At Rafael’s surprised expression Anna knew she’d hit the nail on the head. “He’s your father too, isn’t he?”
Then a disastrous thought struck her. She gasped, hands flying to her face. “Oh, my God! That means... I kissed my half-brother!” She peeked at him through her fingers, afraid to look at him in the face.
“Adopted brother,” cut in Rafael, his eyes glowing softly. “You don’t need to panic. Giovanni adopted me when I was nine years old. He took me in, educated me and got me off the streets. Everything I am today I owe to that man. He was not only a mentor; he was a father to me.”
The relief was instantaneous. “Oh, thank heavens for that,” she whispered. “For a moment there I thought...”
Rafael shook his head. “No, it’s nothing like that.”
Anna composed herself and then glanced at Rafael who was watching her speculatively.
“So you were an orphan?”
He nodded and said abruptly. “Yes, but luckily Giovanni changed all that. He showed me how to make a success of my life.”
Anna studied him curiously. So he had been an orpha
n, too, like her. Until Giovanni had adopted him. She looked at the expensive suit and the watch. He’d certainly done well for himself if that was the case. Obviously her first impression of him had been incorrect. When she’d assumed he hadn’t experienced hard times, she couldn’t have been more wrong. He must have known loss and abandonment too—and growing up on the streets, that was rough. At least she’d had her mother and a comfortable house, until she was twelve, anyway.
The new developments painted him in an entirely different light. Anna felt a bit bewildered. She wasn’t sure what to make of it all. For a moment there she’d been horrified at the thought of kissing her brother—especially since it felt as amazing as it did.
It was all too much. Giovanni dead, DNA tests, the inheritance, her attraction to Rafael, the fact that he was also Giovanni’s son, his orphaned past...
Anna felt like her senses were in overdrive. The need to get away suddenly overwhelmed her. She had to process all the conflicting thoughts and emotions flying through her mind.
“I...I think I need to be alone for a while,” she stammered, jumping out of the chair and reaching for her tote bag. At his surprised look she added. “It’s a lot to take in.”
“Where will you be?” Rafael asked quickly then added, “In case I need you for anything.”
“I don’t know. Probably on the beach.”
Throwing her bag over her shoulder, Anna said a brief goodbye and hurried out of the office. She made a beeline for the steep rocky steps that lead down the cliff face to the little marina and the beach. The urge to feel the sand between her toes and to take deep fortifying breaths of salty sea air was almost desperate.
Her mind raced.
So, Rafael still suspected her of being a fraud. After all she’d told him. Unbelievable. But at least he had brought up the DNA test. That was the most sensible suggestion he’d had since they’d first met. A paternity test was a sure-fire way of discovering the truth.
And there was the small issue of the money. Ten million dollars. If she inherited, Rafael would lose that money. Would he be bitter? Men had murdered for less. The thought made her pause and she glanced up and out over the steep cliff. The Bay of Naples stretched as far as the eye could see, impossibly blue and still. Nothing like the tumultuous feelings crashing around inside of her.
The Italian Inheritance Page 6