CHAPTER NINE
‘SO, WHATIS the cover story?’
‘Cover story?’
‘I mean, what is the press office going to release, or are you keeping me undercover for the time being?’
‘I have a cupboard you would fit right in.’
His wilful imagination conjured a scenario where she was not alone in that space, their bodies pressed against—
He sucked in sense-sustaining air through flared nostrils and tried to halt the heat building inside him before it reached the critical point of no return.
His flippancy caused her frown to deepen. ‘You know what I mean. I am assuming you want me to keep a low profile.’
‘The press office will not be briefing.’
She stared. ‘But that’s—’
‘The way it is. If asked directly the response will be the family is happy to have you back.’
‘Irony, that’s a change.’
‘I am happy to have you back.’
‘Oh!’ She faintly willed herself not to read too much into his words, or the expression in his eyes.
‘Is anyone going to believe that?’
It was clear to him that she didn’t, and Dante realised that her belief was all that mattered to him. He wanted to be the father of their child; he wanted to be half the man she deserved.
‘I thought you weren’t a fan of the spin doctors. Would you prefer to be in their hands or mine?’
She stared at the long brown tapering fingers extended for her scrutiny and felt her stomach muscles dissolve as she remembered how they felt on her skin, stroking…touching…
‘Spin…you mean I don’t like being patronised, manipulated and talked over? Yes, I am a bit odd that way.’
‘Welcome to my world.’
The world she had been glad to leave. ‘Nobody would dare patronise you—and as for talk over you!’ She gave a hoot of laughter.
‘Present company excepted?’
She fought off a smile in response to the gleam in his eyes, a gleam that held enough warmth to make her oversensitive stomach flip dangerously.
‘I hate them, but they were right, weren’t they?’
Despite her misgivings the supercilious suits had been right: nothing had leaked about the divorce proceedings. Certainly not to the journalists and opportunistic paparazzi who had dogged her steps for the first few weeks, along with the security detail that she had decided not to confront Dante about. They were discreet, which was a plus—there were days that she’d forgotten they were there.
The press pack had gradually lost interest when she hadn’t been seen doing anything even vaguely newsworthy; she never reacted to questions and had no social media presence. A nun had a more interesting life, someone had written, and there were only so many times they could report on the length of her legs.
Beatrice had concluded being boring had its plus points.
‘Did they fly back with us?’
He shook his head. ‘They?’
‘Seb, Roberto, Luis and the one with the really nicely trimmed beard. The security detail—my minders.’ Did he really think she wouldn’t notice just because she hadn’t kicked up a fuss?