‘Too late,’ he said softly, stepping forward so he was back in front of her. ‘I’m already bothered.’
His tone put her on edge.
‘Where are you from?’ he asked. ‘Why are you here?’
‘I’ve already told you.’
‘You’ve talked a lot but told me almost nothing.’
Ignoring the way he was standing too close, Gracie slid down from the kitchen table and gingerly tested her knee. To her relief, it wasn’t too bad. ‘Look, I’m fine. I’ll get going now.’
‘No.’ He didn’t walk any closer, but somehow seemed to block her escape route.
‘Why not?’ To avoid ogling his bare chest, she had no choice but to look up into his damnably handsome face.
A speculative light had entered his eyes. It was fascinating the way it warmed their colour.
‘I’m late for the party,’ he said. ‘I’m going to need a good reason for why I’m so late.’
‘Tell them the truth.’ She shrugged. ‘It’s the easiest way.’
‘You advise honesty?’ His gaze narrowed on her.
‘Always.’ She made herself maintain eye contact despite the way just looking at him made her pulse skip like a schoolgirl’s.
‘You’re always honest?’
Could he sound any more sardonic?
She folded her arms across her chest. ‘Absolutely.’
He actually laughed. ‘No one is ever absolutely honest.’
‘Well, I am.’ She’d vowed never to lie again. She’d had to do so far too much in the past.
‘People lie all the time. For good reasons and for bad.’ The corners of his mouth quirked up into that unbearably gorgeous smile. ‘But seeing you’re so good at being honest, you can come with me and tell them the truth.’
CHAPTER TWO
GRACIE BLINKED AT HIM, not sure she’d heard him correctly. ‘I’m not coming with you.’
‘It’s at the Palazzo Chiara,’ he added, as if she’d not spoken. ‘Have you seen the palazzo? It makes this place look minuscule.’
She’d seen Palazzo Chiara from a tourist launch on the lake when she’d first arrived. The humongous estate had been converted into an exclusive luxury hotel. The playpen of real silver screen heroes and beyond wealthy sheiks and oligarchs who paid literally thousands of dollars to stay for just one night. Villa Rosetta was the palazzo’s ‘little sister’, though frankly Gracie thought the villa held more charm. Apparently she wasn’t the only one—it was even harder to book a week here than a suite at the palazzo.
‘I believe it has an amazing view of the fireworks and the lanterns,’ he added softly.
She narrowed her eyes. He had listened in to her conversation with Alex. He’d been watching her for a while.
‘I can see the fireworks from the village,’ she said stiffly.
He might be the most handsome man she’d ever seen, but he had the inevitable flaw that came with such good looks and money—he was used to getting everything his own way. But this one time he wasn’t getting it. Even if there was that secret part of her that wanted him to.
‘You’re a tourist. Don’t you want to see what an elite party at a place like that is like?’
‘Full of “elite” people such as your arrogant self?’ she challenged bluntly. ‘It doesn’t sound all that.’
‘None are as arrogant as I am.’ His mouth curved and he put his hands on his hips.
Gracie narrowed her gaze. He was shameless at using his smile to his advantage. And his bare chest.
‘Think of it as another experience for your travels,’ he added.
She didn’t bother correcting his assumption that she wasn’t local. ‘So I should feel grateful for the opportunity?’
‘Most people would,’ he said, apparently without a hint of irony.
‘Unfortunately for you, I’m not most people,’ she said haughtily. ‘And I don’t want any other “experience” with you either. My mother warned me about getting into cars with strangers.’
Literally every day of her childhood her mother had warned her. She’d been so afraid they’d be caught. That Gracie would be kidnapped and taken from her.
‘But I’m no longer a stranger. You know who I am. I’ve even taken care of your bruised knee for you.’
‘What I know gives me all the more reason to say no.’
His eyebrows shot up. ‘Does my reputation precede me? What’s the worst I could do?’ His smile was so wicked. ‘I don’t think it would be that dreadful.’
The shift in him was like night from day. Suddenly he was charming and, darn it all, even more riveting. ‘Why on earth do you want me going along with you?’
‘Because it’s going to be boring. Having you there might make it less so.’
So she was to be light relief for him? ‘You want me to be your court jester? Or your pet Chihuahua?’ She rolled her eyes. ‘That’s not going to be a thing.’
‘Did you just refer to yourself as a dog?’
Her jaw dropped—then she snapped it shut. ‘I have a job to finish here.’
‘I think we both know your job here is done.’
‘For today,’ she said pointedly, lifting her chin. ‘I promised Alex. He’s old and he doesn’t deserve to worry.’
‘If he’s that old, doesn’t he deserve the freedom of his retirement?’
‘He loves these roses. Don’t you have something you love more than anything?’
There was a moment when a shadow crossed his face. ‘I’m not welded to one place, one thing and certainly not one person.’
She only just refrained from rolling her eyes again. ‘Well, lots of people are and what’s more they actually like to be. Alex has ha
nded over the rest of the grounds to your new garden maintenance company who come from stupidly far away, but the rose garden was his design, his planting, all his work. It’s his treasure. He planted them for his late wife.’
‘On someone else’s property,’ Rafael growled.
How could he be so uncaring?
He watched her through narrowed eyes. Then spoke again. ‘If you don’t come with me, you can go and tell your Alex that he’s no longer needed to work here.’
Gracie gasped. ‘Are you holding his job over me to make me go to your stupid party?’
He smiled, tightly.
‘Wow. You must really be afraid of going by yourself if you’re resorting to threats.’
Now he actually laughed. ‘I’m not afraid to fight for what I want.’
‘And you’re not afraid to fight dirty.’ She gritted her teeth in the face of his partial nudity. ‘So you think the end justifies the means?’
‘Not always. But often.’
‘And you “often” bully your way into getting what you want?’
‘Usually I buy what I want,’ he replied carelessly. ‘But I didn’t want to offend you by offering you money.’
She flashed a filthy look at him. Of all the pompous things to say. ‘Why not just ask nicely?’
He sighed deeply. ‘Would you please go to the party with me? I’m new in town and I don’t want to walk in alone.’
She didn’t believe he was insecure for a second.
‘You want me to go with you, dressed in my wet skirt and bruised knee?’ She shook her head. ‘I’m going into Bellezzo to watch the festival on the waterfront.’
‘I can take care of your outfit,’ he said softly.
‘Excuse me?’
His grin was positively wicked and he leaned forward and scooped her into his arms again.
‘This is assault,’ she choked as she was pressed against all his hot naked skin. And muscles.
‘What? This is gentlemanly behaviour. I’ve rescued a damsel in distress,’ he countered as he marched through to a large living room. ‘The least you can do in return is gift me a few hours of your precious time. Now...’ He deposited her in a plush armchair and pointed to the corner. ‘What do you think of these?’