Play with fire and you are likely to get burned, Katie reminded herself, managing to slop her own coffee over the table.
She reached for a wad of paper napkins, but Signor Ruggiero got there first.
‘Allow me,’ he insisted. ‘Tell me, Signorina Bannister,’ he said, angling his stubble-shaded chin to slant a stare directly into her eyes, ‘should I want to employ you, do you think I could trust you to resist the lure of shopping in Rome?’
Was he serious? Did he think she could endure this level of tension every day? ‘If you wanted to employ me, Signor Ruggiero, I should have to warn you, I’m not free—’
‘Rigo,’ he reminded her. ‘Ah, well,’ he murmured, lips pressing down in mock-regret, ‘I shall just have to find a way to live with the disappointment.’ He glanced at his watch. ‘We should be getting back to finish our business. What have you done about your flight?’
‘I’ve bought an open ticket.’
‘Ah, good,’ he said, relaxing back. ‘In that case we’re in no hurry, and you have no excuse not to join me and Antonia for dinner tonight.’
Dinner? Tonight? With Antonia and Rigo? It would take too long to list all her objections. To give herself time to come up with a watertight excuse, she smiled as she pretended to consider the offer. While she was doing that, and with exquisitely bad timing, the same testosterone-fuelled waiter placed an enormous dish of ice cream in front of her.
‘Or perhaps you would prefer to eat something less wholesome tonight?’ Rigo challenged, flashing a vicious stare on the hapless man. ‘Ice cream, for instance?’
This was ridiculous, Katie concluded. Men were ridiculous. The waiter was still pulling those funny faces at her, while Rigo was taking the man’s interest in her for real. And now both men were glaring at each other.
Because of her?
How preposterous!
CHAPTER FIVE
THIS COULD ONLY happen in Rome, Katie concluded. She knew the waiter would run a mile if she so much as showed the slightest interest in him. As far as Rigo was concerned, it was slightly different. He was the leader of the pack and brooked no competition, whether false or genuine. No one looked at a woman when Rigo Ruggiero was with her; that was Rigo’s law. But he had to understand she wasn’t his possession. She was an independent woman of independent means—even if those means were somewhat slim compared to his—and she was trying to enjoy her short time in Rome...or she had been up to a few minutes ago. ‘Thank you for the offer of dinner,’ she said, standing up, ‘but I have decided to have a lazy evening by myself at the hotel—’
‘The Russie?’ Rigo frowned as he mentioned arguably the most exclusive hotel in Rome and probably the only one that registered on his radar.
Katie had to curb her smile when she mentioned the name of the hotel where she was actually staying. ‘I can assure you, it’s perfectly respectable,’ she said, seeing Rigo’s and Antonia’s reaction to the name.
‘I have no doubt,’ Rigo said, looking less than convinced.
When Antonia yawned and said she might as well go home if Rigo was going to ignore her Katie seized the opportunity to suggest they reschedule their meeting for the following morning at nine. There was still plenty of sightseeing she wanted to do. ‘If nine isn’t too early for you?’ She tried very hard not to look at Antonia.
‘Nine o’clock is perfect for me,’ Rigo assured her, ‘but at my penthouse, not your hotel.’
As he stared at her she found the way he had seized back control arousing. But as she had never experienced this sort of power play before...
Slipping on the designer shades, he stood up so that now he was towering over her. ‘And this time you shall have my undivided attention.’
Why did that sound like such a threat?
It took her entirely by surprise when he brought her hand to his lips and kissed the back of it. The touch of those warm, firm lips was an incendiary device sending streams of sensation to invade her body and blank her mind.
‘Before you go, Signorina Bannister—’
She snatched her hand away. ‘Yes?’ She tried prim. She tried haughty. And failed miserably with both. Haughty was so foreign to her and, with those wicked eyes staring deep into her own eyes, how on earth was she supposed to fake prim?
‘This is most remiss of me,’ Rigo said, turning to Antonia and indicating that she should stand up too.
‘What is?’ Katie tensed, immediately on guard.
‘I should have introduced you two to each other—’
‘Which I made impossible,’ Antonia cut across him to Katie’s surprise, ‘because I had to guzzle that delicious cake before I did another thing.’
Cake she could understand, but introductions?
‘Indeed,’ Rigo agreed patiently, brushing a strand of errant blonde hair out of Antonia’s eyes. ‘Signorina Bannister, I would like to introduce you to my spoiled little sister, Antonia...’
Losing her pout, the girl bounded round the table to give Katie a hug. ‘Welcome to Rome, Signorina Bannister.’ And then she found her pout again. ‘Rigo never lets me meet anyone interesting.’
Interesting? Katie was so shocked she remained unresponsive for a moment. Well, this was something to report back to the girls in the office, as was the hug, and the kiss on both cheeks from Antonia. Having hugged the young girl back, she thought this had to be the perfect example of the attraction of opposites. Katie couldn’t imagine there were many quiet, country secretaries in the world Antonia inhabited, and there certainly weren’t any vivacious little pop-star lookalikes in hers.
Now that the barrier of believing Antonia was Rigo’s girlfriend had been removed, Katie was surprised to find that conversation between them flowed easily and Antonia soon persuaded her to sit down again. Being a willowy blonde, Antonia didn’t look a bit like her tough, dark-haired brother, which meant she must be the child born when Rigo’s father had married Carlo’s mother. He had no trouble with this relationship, so why did he hate his stepbrother? She really should pay more attention to the editorial in gossip magazines.
‘So, do you really have everything you need?’ Antonia prompted, giving Katie a meaningful look. ‘Now that my wicked brother has kept you here in Rome, you must need to go shopping. It never occurs to you, Rigo,’ she added, turning to him, ‘that other people don’t have a home in every city.’ And when he shrugged carelessly, Antonia added, ‘I bet poor Katie doesn’t even have a decent toothbrush with her—’
‘Well, as it happens,’ Katie interrupted wryly, getting the gist of this conversation, ‘I do need to do some shopping for...essentials.’
‘Lucky for you, then, that you have an expert on hand!’ Antonia exclaimed, satisfied that her ruse had worked. ‘You’ll definitely need toothpaste and a hairbrush, and all sorts of boring stuff...’
Katie was relieved Rigo hadn’t seen Antonia’s theatrical wink.
‘Are you offering to take Katie shopping?’ he said, frowning.
‘Could you spare your sister?’ Katie suggested, thinking what fun it could be.
‘Anyone who can keep Antonia entertained for an hour or two...’ His voice faded when he noticed Antonia looking at him and Katie thought Antonia’s smile had faded too. ‘I’d love to go shopping with you,’ she said, taking pity on the young girl, at which point Antonia quickly brightened.
‘But don’t forget—dinner at eight,’ Rigo reminded them as the two girls collected up their things.
‘Really, I’m perfectly happy eating in my room at the hotel,’ Katie assured him, sending an apologetic smile Antonia’s way.
‘I wouldn’t hear of it,’ Rigo insisted with a decisive shake of his head. ‘Antonia is right. You must allow me to make up for leaving you so abruptly this afternoon—’
‘I must?’ The challenge flew from Katie’s blunt mouth bef
ore she could stop it, which made Antonia laugh.
‘It seems to me, you have met your match, Rigo,’ she told her brother in Italian.
Rigo didn’t look nearly so pleased and Katie took note of the cold look in his eyes. Fortunately, she had the perfect excuse. ‘It’s very kind of you, but I don’t have anything to wear.’
‘Antonia is taking you shopping.’
‘Yes, for a toothbrush.’
And now Antonia was looking at her as if she had gone completely mad.
‘I really don’t need anything special to wear for a night in at my hotel...’ Seeing Antonia’s disappointment, Katie knew she had to backtrack. ‘But I do need a really good toothbrush...’
‘And I know every toothbrush shop in Rome,’ Antonia assured her, smiling again now she had got her shopping companion back onto the right track.
It was easy to see why Antonia was spoiled, Katie concluded. Antonia had her brother’s charm, only with Antonia that charm didn’t have an off switch. But there was another look in Antonia’s eyes—a defensive look, almost as if the young girl was used to being let down.
‘And if we should see some lovely dresses on the way?’ Antonia pressed, glancing anxiously at her brother.
Katie tensed. Shopping for clothes was an absolute no. What if Antonia saw her scars? What if, in her enthusiasm, Antonia burst into the changing room and screamed? She couldn’t do that to such a vulnerable young girl. She couldn’t risk it. She had to renege on her promise, even with Antonia smiling hopefully at her.
She would have to tread very carefully here, Katie realised with concern.
She was barely given time to worry before Rigo offered her a way out. ‘Buy something nice for both of you,’ he said, glancing at Katie as he pressed a pile of money into Antonia’s hand.
‘Oh, no.’ Katie held up her hands. This was something she drew the line at. ‘I couldn’t possibly accept your money—’
‘But I can,’ Antonia said, quickly securing the wad in her super-sized handbag.
‘Please,’ Rigo insisted. ‘It’s the very least I can do after treating you so badly, Signorina Bannister—’
‘The very least,’ Antonia assured him with a frown.
‘So...dinner at eight?’ he said, turning to Katie. ‘Don’t forget—I’ll pick you up at your hotel.’
This was a man to whom no one had ever dared to say no, Katie concluded. ‘I’ll be eating in my room tonight,’ she reminded him pleasantly.
‘After you go shopping with me,’ Antonia insisted.
‘Of course,’ Katie reassured Antonia with a smile. She was beginning to feel like the bland filling in a particularly glamorous sandwich. ‘I can’t wait to go shopping...for a really good toothbrush,’ she added for Rigo’s benefit, ‘and I look forward to concluding our business tomorrow morning,’ she finished with absolute honesty. How much more of this high-octane challenge could she take? To make the point that she wasn’t the type to take advantage, as the waiter threaded nimbly past she picked up their bill from his tray.
Which Rigo stole from her hand with a warning glance.
* * *
The shopping trip with Antonia exceeded Katie’s wildest expectations.
Did it come any wilder? She had no idea how to rein in Antonia’s enthusiasm—this was shopping on a heroic scale. Just as she had anticipated, Antonia ignored her insistence that Katie only needed a toothbrush and, as everything in the shops was so stylishly arranged...
But Katie knew she’d reached her boundary when Antonia called her over to look in one particular window. Katie had never seen so many exclusive boutiques in one place and had been lagging behind. The specialist shops they were browsing now sold everything under the sun and more besides—things that should only come out at night, like garments of a frilly nature, for example...
Katie stood awestruck, taking in the breathtaking display. Cobweb-fine lace and slinky satin vied with cotton so delicate you could see through it—and many of the items were trimmed with eye-catching diamanté and pearl. ‘Oh, no, I couldn’t,’ she said when Antonia tried to persuade her to go with her into the shop. ‘You go in if you want to,’ Katie said, hanging back.
‘Not without you,’ Antonia insisted, taking hold of Katie’s arm. And before Katie knew what was happening Antonia had marched her into the shop, announcing, ‘It’s time you spoiled yourself.’
Antonia immediately summoned assistants over to help them. ‘Not with Rigo’s money,’ Katie said, determined to resist Antonia’s enthusiasm.
‘But you’ve got your own money, haven’t you?’
How to say, yes, but I need it for bills? Though she could do with some pyjamas for tonight, Katie conceded, mouth agape as she stared around. Did people wear these things?
‘Well, that’s a start,’ Antonia approved when Katie suggested that perhaps pyjama trousers and a vest to sleep in that night might be a good idea.
What the assistants brought them was the furthest thing from Katie’s mind, but as she handled the delicate garments her longing for them grew. They were in such glorious colours—turquoise, cerise, lemon and lavender trimmed with baby-pink. It went without saying that she would never find anything like this at home.
Did she have to wear winceyette all the time? Katie wondered, staring at her plain face in the mirror. As no one else was going to see the satin shorts and revealing strappy top she liked, surely it wouldn’t hurt to buy a set...or two?
Giving herself the excuse she wouldn’t risk offending Antonia, she asked the assistant to wrap them up.
‘And what about these?’ Antonia cut in, pointing out some racy underwear.
‘Oh, no...’ Shaking her head, Katie blushed furiously, knowing she would never have the opportunity to wear it. She had only seen underwear like that in magazines before.
‘You can’t wear white cotton all your life,’ Antonia observed, staring frankly into Katie’s eyes.
‘How do you...’ Katie’s words froze on her lips. Was she that obvious?
‘They are expensive,’ Antonia continued thoughtfully as she studied the set, ‘so you really should try them on before you buy them.’
Alarm bells rang in Katie’s head. She had pushed all her hang-ups to the back of her mind, she realised as Antonia waited for her to do the obvious and ask to use the changing room. ‘No,’ she said firmly, knowing she had to get out of this somehow. She’d say she’d changed her mind. ‘There’s no need...’
‘Oh, well, if you’re sure,’ Antonia said, completely misunderstanding her. ‘We’ll take these too, please—’
Katie didn’t speak up quickly enough and as she watched Antonia handing the racy garments to the assistant they were being wrapped up before she knew it.
She could have stopped this at any time, Katie admitted to herself, but the bare truth was, she didn’t want to stop it. She wanted to take the underwear back to her hotel where she could try it on with no one seeing her scars, and pretend.
To make matters worse, the assistant, having secured Katie’s purchases in fuchsia-pink tissue paper, was lowering them reverently into a pale pink carrier bag decorated with the logo of a naked woman seated in a champagne glass. ‘Very subtle,’ Katie commented wryly as the two girls left the shop. She loved the bag, but part of her wished the logo didn’t have to be on both sides.
Linking arms with her, Antonia gave Katie a squeeze. ‘We’re going to buy a few more things for you, and then I’m under strict instructions from Rigo to put you in a taxi back to your hotel— Oh, look,’ she broke off excitedly, ‘there he is now...’
Katie gasped to see Rigo coming out of a menswear shop across the street. He was just pushing his sunglasses back on his nose and spotted them right away. He came over. How could she hide the carrier bag?
He stood in front of them, making every p
art of her sing with awareness. But worst of all he was staring at the brazen proof that her latest purchase had not been a toothbrush.
‘I trust you girls found everything you needed in the shops?’ he said, straight-faced.
She could read the subtext and blushed violently. ‘Yes, thank you,’ she said, raising her head to meet his gaze. ‘And, as you can see, I’m carrying some of Antonia’s bags for her.’
Rigo’s amused stare called her a liar.
CHAPTER SIX
WHEN RIGO LEFT them Katie and Antonia continued their shopping, but there was a frisson of understanding between them now. Neither girl commented on the change Rigo had made to their day, but they were aware of how profoundly he affected them, each in their own way. It brought them closer, though it took a little time when he’d gone to recapture the rhythm of easy friendship they had established. When they did Katie almost forgot to buy her toothbrush.
The fun of being with someone as non-judgemental and as warm as Antonia was so unexpected Katie threw herself into the expedition with enthusiasm, and by the time she returned to her small hotel room there were lots more packages. Antonia had shown Katie the best shopping in Rome—small boutiques hidden in side-streets around the Piazza Navona and Campo di Fiori, and other places that were well off the regular tourist beat, and when they both finally admitted defeat, they had more coffee and ice cream at a café on Via Acaia, where Katie thought the lemon cream or crema al limone and the scrunchy chocolate stracciatella were to die for. She insisted before they parted on buying Antonia a special little gift to say thank-you to Rigo’s sister for being so kind to her.
It was obvious Antonia adored her brother. To hear Antonia talk you would think Rigo was a saint—but, as Antonia appeared to be the chief recipient of Rigo’s generosity, Antonia could hardly be called impartial.
Katie smiled, remembering Antonia’s pleasure when Katie bought her a small aqua leather-backed journal. To prove the point, Antonia had started scribbling in it right away, and when she secured the small gilt lock she had exclaimed, ‘Thank you so much for today, Katie...’
Taming the Last AcostaItalian Boss, Proud Miss Prim Page 22