Surprisingly, when he looked at her there was laughter in his eyes. ‘Has anyone ever told you you’d make an excellent torture weapon? You go on and on until a guy is ready to surrender.’
‘It’s just jolly hard to talk to people if you don’t have all the information, and I don’t happen to think silence is healthy,’ Holly mumbled, and Casper gave a shake of his head.
‘Fine. Tonight over dinner, I will outline the highlights of my life so far. And it’s only fair to warn you that you’ll be bored out of your mind.’
‘We’re having dinner? Don’t tell me, there will be seven hundred other people there.’
‘Just the two of us.’
‘Just us?’ A dark, dangerous thrill cramped her stomach. Perhaps finally, they’d have the opportunity to deepen their relationship. And she knew she wouldn’t be bored hearing about his past. She was fast discovering that nothing about him bored her.
‘Just us, Holly.’ His voice was soft and his eyes lingered on her mouth. ‘Late dinner. After our trip to the opera.’
‘You’re taking me to the opera? Seriously?’
‘Given that you sing all the time, I thought you might enjoy it.’
In the darkened auditorium, Casper found himself focusing on Holly’s face rather than the opera.
He could see the glisten of tears in her eyes as she responded to the emotional story being played out on the stage in front of them, and marvelled at how open she was with her feelings.
Since the curtain had risen, she’d appeared to have forgotten his existence, so lost was she in Mozart’s score and the beauty of the singing.
Casper’s eyes rested on the seductive curve of her shoulders, bared by the exquisite sequinned dress that appeared to be superglued to her exotic curves. Around the slender column of her neck were the pink diamonds, glittering against her smooth, pale skin.
From the tip of her simple satin shoes to the elegant coil of her newly straightened hair, she’d slipped into the role of princess with astonishing ease.
Their trip had somehow become public knowledge and, when their limousine had pulled up outside the opera house, a crowd had gathered hoping to see them.
But far from being daunted, or even disappointed that their ‘private’ evening had become public, she’d spent several minutes chatting, smiling and charming both the crowd and the photographers, until Casper had pointed out that they were going to miss the opera.
And when they’d walked into their box there had been no privacy because every head in the opera house had turned to gaze. Even now he was sure that half the audience were straining to catch a glimpse of his wife, rather than the soprano currently giving her all on the stage.
But Holly wasn’t bothered.
He’d misjudged her, he admitted to himself, studying her profile in the darkness.
He’d thought that she would struggle with her new life.
But her only complaint was that he didn’t spend enough time with her.
In the grip of a sudden surge of lust, Casper contemplated suggesting that they cut out during the interval, but he couldn’t bring himself to do that because she was so obviously enjoying herself.
She was so enthusiastic about everything—meeting people, opera—even rugby.
Casper frowned slightly, admitting to himself that she’d surprised him. Over and over again. He’d expected her to struggle with the crowds and the attention but she’d responded like a professional. He’d thought she’d be tongue tied at official functions, but she was so warm and friendly that everyone was keen to engage her in conversation. He’d expected her to snap at him for dragging her to the rugby, but after the initial humour she’d shown as much interest and energy in that as she did with everything.
He remembered her comment about being lonely and his mind wandered back to the newspaper article that had revealed her pregnancy. At the time he’d been so angry, he hadn’t paid attention.
But hadn’t there been some revelation about her father?
‘So this palazzo is owned by one of your friends?’ Holly wandered onto the roof terrace, which felt like a slice of paradise in the centre of such a busy city. A profusion of exotic plants and flowers twisted around the ornate iron balustrade, and in the distance she could see the floodlit Colosseum. ‘You certainly have influential friends.’
‘It is more private than staying in a hotel, or as the guest of the President.’
For once they were guaranteed complete privacy, and that fact alone somehow increased the feeling of intimacy.
She’d wanted to be alone, but now that they were, she felt ridiculously self-conscious.
‘I love the diamonds.’ She touched her necklace and he smiled.
‘They look good on you. I’m glad you didn’t change.’
Aware that Casper had watched her more than the opera, Holly had opted to wear the same dress for dinner. The fact that he hadn’t been able to take his eyes off her had been a heady experience.
‘You like my dress?’ Smoothing her hands over her hips in a typically feminine gesture, she glanced down at herself. ‘It’s not too clingy?’
‘It’s you I like,’ he murmured, ‘not the dress.’ He stroked a hand over her shoulder and Holly decided that she might wear the dress for ever.
‘All right, now this feels like being on a date,’ she said, laughing nervously as she took the glass of champagne he was offering her. ‘The weather is gorgeous. It’s really warm, considering it’s only March.’
‘You finally have me alone, and our topic of conversation is going to be the weather?’ Casper trailed appreciative dark eyes down her body. ‘Has today tired you out?’
‘No.’ Her nerves on fire, she walked to the edge of the balcony and stared at the ruins of the Colosseum, reminding herself to be careful what she said. ‘It’s been fun. Thank you.’
‘It’s probably less tiring than the visits you’ve been doing. You’re in the early stages of pregnancy. Your doctor told me that it can be an exhausting time. Most women in your position would have been lying in the sun with a book.’
‘If I wasn’t married to you, I’d be waiting tables, pregnant or not,’ Holly said dryly, glancing at her luxurious, privileged surroundings with something close to disbelief. ‘Being married to you isn’t exactly tiring. Someone else makes all the arrangements and tells me where I need to be and when. I even have someone who suggests what I wear. Someone does my hair and make-up. I just turn up and chat to people.’
‘And chatting is your favourite occupation. Are you hungry?’ Amusement shimmered in his eyes as he steered her towards the table. Silver glinted and candles flickered, and the air was filled with the scent of flowers. ‘I must admit I hadn’t expected you to cope so well with all the attention. When I first met you, you seemed very insecure. I hadn’t factored in how warm and friendly you are. You have a real talent with people.’
‘I do?’ Warmed by his unexpectedly generous praise, Holly glowed, smiling her thanks at a member of staff who discreetly placed a napkin on her lap. ‘That’s a nice thing to say.’
‘Why were you a waitress?’
‘What’s wrong with being a waitress?’
‘Don’t be defensive.’ He waited while a team of staff served their food and then dismissed them with a discreet glance towards the door. ‘There’s nothing wrong with being a waitress, but you could have done a great deal more. You’re obviously very bright—even if maths isn’t “your thing”.’