The pulse at the base of her throat jumped before speeding up even more. ‘Of course I can do that.’ She gave him a smile that didn’t quite reach her eyes. ‘One ready-made, non-adoring, fake girlfriend to go.’
‘Good.’ He let out a calming breath and ignored the tightness in his chest.
* * *
Of course she couldn’t do that, Sebastiano thought two hours later as frustration turned his muscles hard. The woman was a law unto herself and she didn’t even seem to know it. A human wrecking ball. Not that she had spilt anything on him this time. No, she was just playing havoc with his senses: brushing up against him every time she shifted in her seat; stroking her fingers across his forearm every time she needed something. Water. Salt. Sugar. The last time she’d leant into him, he’d nearly dumped the entire contents of the table in front of her so she wouldn’t have to ask for anything else.
And all the while she was completely charming, regaling his family with stories about working for his company, and how she had accidentally thrown coffee over him when they had met—leading Giulietta to ask if it had been love at first sight.
Poppy had thrown to him for that one, nibbling on her plump lower lip as if she wasn’t sure how to respond. And how was he supposed to answer, other than to say yes?
Che palle! His family would have him setting a wedding date if he wasn’t careful!
She had also talked about how she wanted to help those less fortunate than she was when she finished law, and all the while she hadn’t revealed any real details about her past, always managing to draw his family’s interest back onto more present day issues. She was slick, he’d give her that, but little did she realise that, the less she revealed about herself, the more he wanted to know.
Who was he kidding? he thought as she murmured another apology after her leg brushed his; the only thing he wanted to know about her was how she would taste if he kissed her.
Right now she’d taste of Riesling, heat and passion. A passion he suspected she would try to deny before it even bloomed, but one he was starting to crave to draw out of her.
His hands clenched into fists at his sides. His body ached to find out if he was right, if she was as responsive as he’d imagined she would be that morning she had knotted his tie.
He warned himself to give it a rest because the more he thought about her in that way the more he wanted her. And, apart from the fact that he didn’t want to lead her on, there was something about her that was dangerous to his equilibrium. Something that warned all his instincts to back away and keep going.
‘Sebastiano,’ she murmured beside him. ‘Is everything okay?’
And that was another annoying habit she had. She seemed to be able to read him better than anyone else he knew. ‘Of course, bella,’ he said smoothly. ‘Why do you ask?’
‘Well...’ She gave him a worried sideways look. ‘You’re very tense again.’
‘I’m tired,’ he excused. Which wasn’t an actual lie; it just wasn’t whole truth.
Before she could rebuke his assertion, her mobile phone started ringing. He had noticed her texting on it throughout the day, and again when she’d been waiting on him to bring her downstairs. The damned thing never seemed to be far from her side, and for some reason that annoyed him about her too.
‘Excuse me,’ she murmured softly, sliding her chair back. ‘I have to take this.’
‘Va bene, va bene,’ his grandfather said indulgently, even though he was a tough old bird who banned mobile phones from his dinner table.
Scowling, Sebastiano watched a tender smile flit across Poppy’s lips before she stepped outside the French doors onto the balcony that led to the pool pavilion and beach beyond.
Who was she talking to? Simon?
He had no idea who the man was but it grated that he’d overheard her tell him that she loved him when he’d arrived to collect her. It might not have mattered if she hadn’t been so evasive when he’d asked about it, but she had been, piquing his interest even more.
‘Sebastiano?’
Was he a boyfriend? A lover? And if so what did he think of her coming to Italy with him? Did the poor sod even know?
‘Sebastiano, dove hai la testa?’ his grandfather asked with a soft chuckle.
Where was his head? Good question. Not where it should be. About to shove back his chair and go after Poppy, he was foiled when Nicolette did it first. ‘It’s cute to see you worrying about your new girlfriend,’ she said, completely misinterpreting his distractedness. ‘But you relax. I’ll go find her and make sure she doesn’t get lost.’
Foiled by yet another irritating female, Sebastiano subsided back in his chair and wondered if he would look too ‘focused’ if he started talking business with his grandfather...
* * *
A smiling Nicole came over to join Poppy, who noticed Sebastiano had come outside and was speaking with his grandfather. Hopefully they were finalising the business Sebastiano had come here to do so that they could leave early. It would be much better for her strained nerves if he did. Though even as she had the thought she knew there was no way Sebastiano could miss his grandparents’ wedding anniversary tomorrow night.
‘Gorgeous view, no?’