Angelo met Ally’s bright eyes and read turbulent emotion there. Another new experience. In the past she’d revealed only what she wanted him to see. Now he sensed she wasn’t even thinking about what she revealed. She was simply dealing with what her disordered mind had thrown up.
He frowned. ‘Surely that’s good? A positive memory about a person and a place? That’s a start.’
She nodded, her lips crimping at the corners as if holding back emotion. ‘You’re right. Of course you’re right.’
‘But it’s not that simple?’
She looked at him with something like gratitude and Angelo felt a chip of the reinforced concrete he’d constructed around his heart crack and fall away.
Ally’s voice dipped low. ‘No, it’s not. The memory itself is nice, comforting even. And the way we spoke, I know we’re very close.’ She shot him a glance then looked away. ‘After what you told me I’d begun to wonder if there was anyone, anywhere who cared when I didn’t come home.’
Another lump of reinforcing sheered away, leaving Angelo feeling scraped raw. He had nothing to be guilty about, he told himself. He’d merely told her the truth about their relationship.
But he’d enjoyed it too much, hadn’t he? The chance to inflict hurt on the woman who’d hurt him years before.
Angelo wasn’t proud of himself in that moment.
‘Now you know there is.’ He squeezed her hand and was relieved when she returned his grip.
‘Yes.’ Yet still she didn’t look happy. ‘The problem is that the memory made me incredibly sad. Which makes me scared of what I’ll discover when I finally remember everything.’ Her hand clutched his. ‘I’m not sure I’m ready to face that.’
CHAPTER EIGHT
‘THISISAMAZING.’ Ally stopped on the last step of the cliff path and took off her sandals, taking in the deserted cove with the deep blue sea sparkling beyond. Stepping onto the unusual pearly pink sand, she wriggled her toes. ‘It’s as soft as icing sugar too.’
Angelo turned and looked over his shoulder, eyebrows lifted at her delighted reaction. The twist of his body accentuated the breadth of his shoulders and the narrowness of his hips.
Instantly she forgot all about the secluded, perfect beach, her gaze feasting instead on him.
He was breathtakingly masculine. In black swim-shorts and a thin T-shirt he looked toned and taut. Ally had to drag her attention away from those heavy thigh muscles and powerful arms.
‘I like it. The private beach was one of the things that attracted me to the villa.’
‘It must be great, having the place to yourself.’
On a public beach Angelo would probably be mobbed by admirers.
Ally swallowed hard, telling herself she was too aware of him as a man. It had grown worse in the last couple of days, since Angelo had dropped his antagonism and wariness.
Yesterday when she’d had her mini meltdown at the lunch table he’d been kind and understanding. He’d drawn her close and let her snuffle out her tears without making her feel in the least foolish that she didn’t even know what she was crying about.
But that sadness had been piercingly raw. It had hit out of nowhere, stealing her breath and her strength and turning the bright day gloomy with despair.
She’d tried to tell herself her brain wasn’t working properly. That she was imagining things. Yet the awful suspicion lingered. That when shedidremember everything she’d wish she’d remained in ignorance. Because something awful had happened.
Since then she’d spent as much time as possible with Angelo. Being with him took her thoughts off the unknown, scary past.
Yeah, because you’re busy lusting after him.
Nonsense. She was justappreciatinghim. Any woman would.
But did other women toss and turn all night, alternately wishing he were with her and dreaming that he was?
Heat scored her cheeks and Ally watched his gaze sharpen. Sometimes it felt as if Angelo read her thoughts, or at least her body’s response to him.
Maybe he could. They’d been lovers.
Ally wrinkled her nose, concentrating on not shifting her weight as that edgy, needy feeling started up again at the apex of her thighs. She mightn’t have any memory but she was pretty certain it was her body’s way of telling her she wanted sex. With Angelo Ricci.