Da Silva's Mistress

by Tina Duncan

  Chapter Six

  LUCA INSISTED ON taking her to an Italian restaurant the following evening.

  ‘Have you been here before?’ he asked, after the waiter had seated them at an intimate corner table for two.

  Morgan laughed. ‘I hate to tell you this, Luca, but normal people can’t afford to eat in a place like this.’

  ‘I realise that. I just thought someone might have brought you here.’

  She tensed, angling her chin into the air, their conversation the previous day still fresh in her mind. ’Someone? Someone like Joseph, perhaps? Is that what you’re suggesting?’

  Luca frowned across the table at her. ‘Actually, I wasn’t thinking about Joseph. He wouldn’t bring you here. It’s too high profile. Too public.’

  The implication that Joseph would want to keep their relationship private made the tips of her ears burn. It was obvious Luca still believed she and Joseph were having an affair—despite what she’d told him yesterday.

  Overwhelmed by the impossibility of the situation, Morgan thrust back her chair and rose tautly to her feet. ‘This isn’t going to work. I feel like I’m walking on eggshells all of the time. And all because you’re too stubborn to listen to the truth.’

  His jaw tightened. ‘Sit down, Morgan.’

  It was a command. A command she intended to ignore. She shook her head. ‘No. Remember condition number one? You’re not allowed to tell me what to do!’

  He leaned across the table and gently touched her hand. ‘Please?’

  Morgan stared at the back of his hand. It was covered in scratches. She frowned. ‘What happened to your hand?’

  ‘Baci scratched me.’

  ‘Baci…?’

  ‘My sister’s cat.’

  Her face cleared. Yesterday she’d remained hiding in her bedroom until Luca had finished discussing Joseph before returning to the lounge room. She remembered him telling Stefania he’d check up on her cat for her. ‘Is it in a cattery?’

  He nodded. ‘Yes, I went there this afternoon.’ He held up the backs of both hands for her to see. ‘This is what I got for my trouble!’

  Luca could just as easily have checked on the cat’s welfare by making a simple telephone call. She was impressed that he’d taken the time out of his busy schedule to personally ensure Stefania’s much loved pet was doing OK.

  ‘What did you do? Pull on its tail?’ she asked, looking at the extent of the damage.

  Luca shook his head and grinned at her. It was a very boyish grin. ‘That wasn’t necessary. She took one look at me, arched her spine, and hissed for all she was worth. It was almost as if she knew I was the person responsible for sending her precious mistress away from her.’

  Morgan found herself smiling back. ‘So can I take it she’s not happy where she’s staying?’

  ‘That’s an understatement! Despite the fact Stefania is paying a small fortune for the place, Baci isn’t eating. I tried to coax her into having something but she wasn’t having it. You can see what I got for my efforts. Her constant crying is also upsetting the other cats. In the end I had no choice but to take her home with me.’

  Her eyebrows shot to her hairline. Contrary to what Luca had just told her, he had had a choice. He could have left the cat where it was in the hope the situation would improve. He could even have tried a different cattery.

  But he hadn’t; he’d taken the cat home.

  If she’d wanted evidence of how close Luca was to his sister she’d just received it. And if she’d wanted evidence that Luca was a caring man underneath his arrogant exterior, she’d just received that too.

  She cleared her throat. ‘What does Baci mean?’

  Luca looked from her to her chair and back again. ’Are you going to sit down?’

  She swallowed. The sensible thing to do would be to turn around and leave. But she didn’t feel like being sensible. Slowly, she resumed her seat.

  ‘Thank you.’

  He leaned across the table, his eyes intent on hers. ’I have a suggestion. Let’s pretend we’ve just met. There is no Joseph. Or Stefania. There’s just you and me. A man and a woman who are attracted to each other. Because we are attracted—aren’t we, Morgan?’

  His dark eyes blazed with the truth of that statement. Morgan couldn’t look away. Nor could she lie. ‘Yes. Yes, we are,’ she said, her voice little more than a whisper.

  He nodded. ‘So, let’s just forget about everything else and everyone else and enjoy the evening. What do you say?’ he asked, holding his hand out across the table.

  Morgan wanted to say that he was mad. Crazy.

  Make-believe was for children. They were adults.

  But then, if Luca was mad then she was too.

  Because she wanted nothing more than to do exactly what he’d suggested.

  Sucking in a deep breath, she placed her hand in his. The warmth of his fingers closed around hers, strong and somehow reassuring. ‘Yes,’ she whispered. ‘I’d like that.’

  Luca sat back, the smile on his face full of warmth and approval. ‘Excellent! Do you realise that’s the first time we’ve agreed on something without arguing?’

  ‘Oh, I don’t know about that,’ Morgan said, trying not to bask in his appreciation. ‘We’ve agreed on other things, too.’

  ‘Like what?’

  ‘Well, you liked the zoo yesterday, didn’t you?’

  He nodded. ‘I did. Particularly the lions.’

  ‘They’re my favourites, too.’

  He paused for a heartbeat, his eyes locked on her face. ‘What else?’

  She thought for a moment. ‘We both like chocolate. There’s nothing surprising about that in my case. I don’t think there’s a woman alive who doesn’t love chocolate. But a lot of men can take it or leave it.’

  ‘How do you know I like chocolate?’ he asked, clearly puzzled.

  Her lips curved upwards. ‘Don’t you remember? The other day when you came to my apartment you helped yourself to a chocolate.’

  His face cleared. ‘So I did. And why wouldn’t I love chocolate? It engages the senses on every level…in much the same way making love to a woman does.’ His eyes darkened as he captured her hand, smoothing the inside of her wrist with his thumb. ‘For instance, you melt in my arms like pure dark chocolate. And when I kiss you the taste of you lingers on my tongue like the richest caramel-filled chocolate.’

  There was something wickedly hypnotic about the way Luca was talking.

  ‘I’m looking forward to finding out what else we have in common,’ he said huskily.

  Morgan wanted to look away, but she couldn’t. ‘Me too.’

  Luca leaned back in his chair and picked up the leather bound wine list. ‘Would you like a pre dinner drink?’

  ‘Just wine, please.’

  ‘White or red?’

  ‘I’d prefer red—the heavier the better.’

  He raised an eyebrow. ‘Really? You surprise me. Most women seem to prefer white.’

  ‘I’m not “most women.”’

  ‘You most certainly are not.’

  Once again his tone was approving, making her feel warm inside. When he was like this Luca was impossible to resist, Morgan decided, thankful when he turned his attention to the wine list.

  A few moments later Luca gestured for the waiter and ordered a Cabernet Sauvignon. ‘I think you’ll like it.’

  ‘I’m sure I will.’

  He was so confident and sure of himself. It made her wonder whether he’d always been that way or whether it was something he’d acquired with age. ‘How old are you?’ she asked abruptly.

  ‘Thirty-four. And you?’

  ‘Twenty-four.’

  ‘Ten years. That’s quite a difference.’

  ‘I suppose it is.’

  ‘Where were you born?’

  ‘Oxford. And you?’

  ‘Rome. What about family? I know your mother is dead. You mentioned that yesterday. But what about your father? Where does he live?’

&
nbsp; The question sucked the air from Morgan’s lungs. ’My mother never told me who my father was. I believe I’m the product of a one-night stand,’ she said carefully.

  She didn’t want to lie. And she hadn’t. At least not outright. Every word she’d spoken was the truth. She’d just omitted to tell Luca that she’d discovered her father’s identity after her mother died and had subsequently tracked him down.

  ‘I see. That must have been tough.’

  She shrugged. ‘It had its moments.’

  She said it with such feeling Luca raised an eyebrow.

  Even though she felt as though she were tiptoeing on quicksand, Morgan gave in to the temptation to tell Luca about the dream she’d grown up with. ‘My mother said I ruined her life. As a result I spent most of my childhood dreaming that my father would turn up one day and take me away. Only he didn’t, of course.’

  ‘I’m sorry.’

  ‘Don’t be. It wasn’t so bad.’

  Morgan wanted to share the rest of the story with him. Finding her father had been a special moment in her life. But she swallowed the words back.

  She’d wanted to enjoy the evening for what it was, but she was just fooling herself. They could pretend all they liked, but the past wouldn’t just go away…

  Was that why she’d got involved with Joseph? Luca asked himself. Doing the calculations in his head, he realised that Morgan couldn’t have been much more than nineteen or twenty when her mother died.

  He remembered feeling lost and alone after the accident. So much so he’d felt quite disorientated.

  Had it been the same for Morgan?

  Had she been seeking some kind of father figure in Joseph? It was not an unreasonable question, given that he was almost twice her age.

  It was tempting to tell himself that that was what had happened. Tempting to forgive her for what she’d done.

  But he couldn’t afford to start thinking like that. Couldn’t afford to let sympathy for her situation soften his attitude.

  Not if he wanted to protect Stefania.

  Just then the waiter arrived with their wine. Luca welcomed the interruption. He’d meant it when he’d suggested they pretend they’d only just met. He didn’t want their situation to constantly intrude on their enjoyment of each other.

  After presenting the label for his inspection, the waiter made a production of removing the cork and pouring a small amount into the bottom of Luca’s glass for him to try.

  Luca swirled the wine around the sides of the glass before lifting it to his nose. He inhaled the full bodied aroma before taking a sip. He savoured the flavour on his tongue before nodding his approval.

  He waited for the waiter to fill both of their glasses and depart before raising his glass. ’Salute.’

  Morgan clinked her glass against the side of his. ’Cheers.’

  Luca waited while she took a sip. ‘What do you think?’

  She took her time before answering. ‘Hmm. It’s nice. It leaves an almost chocolaty taste on the palate.’

  He nodded. ‘It does. You sound quite knowledgeable.’

  She shook her head. ‘I’m not. I went to a wine tasting with a group of friends once. They asked questions about each of the wines we tried. The guy from the vineyard labelled me Little Miss Average because most of my answers were wrong.’

  Luca liked the fact that Morgan wasn’t embarrassed to admit she wasn’t an expert, and was even prepared to poke fun at herself. ‘The man obviously didn’t know what he was talking about. There’s nothing average about you. Not a single damned thing.’

  She beamed him a smile that made him blink.

  A smile should not have that much power, he decided.

  A smile like that could turn a man on his head and turn his resolve to water.

  After dinner, Luca took her to a fashionable nightclub where he had promised the new owner, a powerful business contact, that he’d make a brief appearance to garner the interest of the A-list-hungry paparazzi.

  They didn’t linger at the table the waiter miraculously found for them. Luca swept her on to the dance floor with a look that made her mouth run dry.

  Morgan went willingly, even eagerly, into his arms.

  ‘Do you like dancing?’ he asked huskily, swinging her around on his arm.

  ‘Yes,’ she replied breathlessly.

  ‘You see,’ he teased, moving effortlessly to the beat, ’we have more in common than you think.’

  Luca pulled her closer. Her head tucked neatly under his chin, her cheek turned so that she could hear the not-so-steady beat of his heart.

  His mouth feathered a kiss across the crown of her head. She closed her eyes, wrapped her arms around his waist and surrendered to the music.

  And to Luca.

  Their bodies moved against one another, not so much dancing as making love to a rhythm only they could hear. Luca’s body stirred against hers. Hardened. Heat radiated through the clothing separating them, burning into her flesh and triggering an answering response.

  Her thighs trembled.

  Her nipples tightened into stinging peaks in the confines of her bra.

  Heat was drip-fed into her blood stream, warming her from the inside out.

  This time his lips brushed across her temple as he put his mouth to her ear. ‘Maybe this wasn’t such a good idea, after all.’

  Feeling his growing arousal against her, Morgan suspected he was right. She looked up, met his eyes, felt the sizzle of desire burn between them. ‘You’re right,’ she whispered. ‘I don’t think it’s a good idea at all.’

  But neither of them moved away.

  And when his head descended towards hers Morgan did nothing to stop him, instead lifting her mouth to meet the crush of his.

  She was lost from the moment his lips claimed hers.

  He dominated her senses to the exclusion of everything else. She was aware of nothing but Luca.

  His heat.

  His hardness.

  The way his mouth moved on hers.

  The way his arms held her close.

  She clutched his shoulders, her knees so weak she feared they wouldn’t support her.

  Luca pulled back just far enough to rest his forehead against hers. He was breathing heavily. ‘We’d better get out of here before we’re arrested.’

  ‘Yes,’ she whispered, not thinking about anything but how Luca made her feel.

  Alive.

  Aroused.

  All woman.

  And still they didn’t move.

  Morgan stared deep into Luca’s eyes. The gold flecks were burning with heat.

  An emotion she didn’t recognise stirred inside her. Without thinking, she reached up onto her toes and pressed her mouth against his. It was the first time she’d initiated a kiss between them.

  ‘Luca!’

  The voice came from right beside them. Morgan jumped back as if she’d been burned, her face flaming when she saw who it was.

  ‘Olivia,’ Luca said. ‘What a surprise!’

  Morgan glanced sharply at him. There was an edge to his voice. It was subtle, but it was there. It was as if his words were forced in some way.

  At first she thought it was because he was uncomfortable having someone from Da Silva Chocolate witness him in a serious clinch.

  But then she remembered who she was thinking about.

  Luca was confident and assured; he would not be embarrassed so easily.

  He met her look with a bland expression, and just like that she knew. Knew that he’d set this up.

  Olivia glanced backwards and forwards between them. ‘Isn’t it?’ She spoke pleasantly enough, but there was a hard look in her eyes. ‘I didn’t expect to see you here, either. And with Morgan. I didn’t know the two of you were seeing each other. I thought—’ She broke off and issued a false laugh. ‘Well, I guess it doesn’t matter what I thought.’

  As soon as the other woman spoke it dawned on Morgan that Olivia was Luca’s mysterious source. She was surprised she hadn�
�t thought of it before.

  Olivia was ambitious. She’d suggested to Joseph several times that he bring the marketing function back in-house for her to manage. Joseph had always vetoed the idea.

  With Joseph temporarily out of the picture had Olivia seen another way of attaining her goal?

  Morgan didn’t want to think badly of anyone, but her gut instinct warned her that that was exactly what had happened.

  She inclined her head. ‘No, Olivia. It doesn’t matter what you thought.’

  She didn’t wait for a reply, spinning on her heel and storming off the dance floor. As she departed, she vaguely heard Oliva say, ‘Well! What on earth is wrong with Morgan?’

  Morgan paused beside their table only long enough to scoop up her handbag. As she pushed through the crowd towards the exit she thought she heard Luca shout her name, but ignored him.

  Tears pricked the backs of her eyes.

  Of all the stupid things to do.

  Somewhere along the line she’d let herself be seduced into believing the fantasy was real.

  Only it wasn’t…and never would be.

  The scene Luca had just orchestrated proved it!

  Luca tried to follow Morgan, but Olivia grabbed hold of his arm. ‘If you’ve got a minute, Luca, I’d like a word with you.’

  ‘Not now.’ He didn’t even spare her a glance, his eyes focussed on the pitch-black crown of Morgan’s head as she wound her way through the crowd towards the door.

  The fingers curled like talons around his arm didn’t let go. ‘It will only take a minute.’

  ‘I said no.’

  Without another word, Luca pulled out of her grasp.

  He had to follow Morgan.

  He’d seen the look on her face.

  She knew what he’d done…and she despised him for it.

  At that very moment Luca despised himself.

  Which was quite patently ridiculous, of course.

  His family had to come first. He had to protect them—no matter what the cost.

  Except, he realised, heart twisting, that he wasn’t prepared to accept the cost of Morgan running out on their arrangement!

  Morgan didn’t get far. She was no more than five paces from the red rope that cordoned off the entrance to the club when a hard hand curled around her shoulder from behind.