That stung more than it should. ‘And you do?’
‘Not from personal experience, obviously, but I know that when and if I do marry—really marry—I’ll do so for love.’
She made a face, as if she anticipated my reaction.
‘I’m not pretending I know Mr Right is out there waiting for me, but I still hope one day after our marriage is annulled that I’ll find him. Because the truth is...’ Her voice turned jagged and she took a deep breath to compose herself. ‘The truth is,’ she resumed, ‘I want more than what you can offer me—and I’m not talking about some more stupid euros, or even the baby you’ve guessed I want so much. I want to love someone and be loved, Matteo.’
I must have grimaced without realising it, because she laughed and nodded.
‘Yes, I’m quite sure that horrifies you. Don’t worry—I get that. Your lifestyle has made that abundantly clear. But I’m different from you and I want to know what love feels like, because I never have, and I’m quite sure those concepts are not part of the scenario you’re suggesting.’
I kept my expression composed, although her words had rocketed through me. Love. I’d assumed—erroneously, it seemed—that a woman who had agreed to a convenient marriage, who had lived it out for three years, accepting an outrageous sum of money as her due, would not be so deluded by the whole illusion and mockery of love. Clearly I would have to disabuse her of the notion.
‘So you are refusing my proposal out of hand simply because of a misguided belief you have in the idea of love,’ I stated.
Daisy let out another one of those disconcertingly wild laughs. ‘You’ve got it in one. Although it’s not so much a proposal as a proposition, is it? Since I’ve already accepted your proposal.’
She shook her head, as if at her own folly, and I decided I’d had enough of her scorn, such as it was.
‘I think you’re mistaken, Daisy.’
‘And I think you are, so we’re at an impasse.’
‘Are we?’ I took a step towards her and watched as her pupils flared. An impasse, indeed. ‘I really don’t think we are.’
‘Don’t do that,’ she warned me, her voice wobbling as colour surged into her lovely face.
I raised my eyebrows. ‘Do what?’
‘That...that smoulder. Seriously, I’m warning you.’
‘Smoulder?’ I pretended affront. ‘You make me sound like some cartoon character.’
‘You can’t convince me, Matteo, no matter what you do.’
‘Now, that,’ I murmured, ‘sounds like a challenge...’
Daisy stood stock-still, her bag at her feet, her eyes wide, everything about her waiting. If she’d really been serious about what she’d said she would have left already. Instead she stood right in front of me, her body trembling like a flower in the wind, and didn’t move at all.
‘It wasn’t meant to be a challenge,’ she said, her voice little more than a breathless whisper.
I had her already and I hadn’t even touched her. The knowledge was intoxicating. Electrifying. Because I wanted her as much as she wanted me. Desire pulsed between us like a live wire, connecting us, drawing us closer with a crackle.
‘Matteo...’ She licked her lips and shook her head, but still she didn’t move.
‘This feeling between us is unexpected, isn’t it?’ I murmured as I wrapped a tendril of her hair around my finger and pulled ever so gently. ‘I think it’s taken us both by surprise.’
‘You don’t...’ she began feebly.
I tugged a little harder, drawing her towards me. ‘I think you’ll find that I do.’
Her hips bumped mine and she looked up at me unsteadily. ‘Why are you doing this?’
‘Because I want to. And because you want me to. Do you deny it?’
It felt important that she be honest with me, at least in this.
‘No,’ she whispered brokenly as her eyes fluttered closed.