“Nice sister. Any ideas about what you’ll do?”
“A government job.” When she waved her hand for further explanation, he added, “I guess you could say it’s in my blood. My parents and siblings are all in public service.”
Oh, he was on fire tonight.
“So it’s family tradition driving you there?”
“It’s a factor.” Understatement of the year. “But my ultimate reason isn’t so different from yours. I want a job where I can improve people’s lives. Working for the government—depending on what I do, of course—means I can finish each day satisfied that I’ve made the world a better place. It sounds trite to say it aloud, but I don’t think I could spend my life pursuing a career that didn’t make a difference.”
He’d never told anyone his feelings on the subject before, probably because they’d have had preconceived ideas about what he should and shouldn’t do. But talking it over with Kelly gave him a sense of relief, like a man who’d been handed a cool drink on a hot day before he’d even realized how much he needed it.
Her face glowed in the reflected light of the sunset as she regarded him. “It’s not trite if it’s true.”
“No, I suppose not.”
At that moment, Giulia appeared with Gaspare at her heels. Two dessert bowls and cups of espresso were expertly balanced in her right hand while in her left, she held a foil box with a plastic lid. “Dessert for you, and a serving of ravioli to take to Princess Sophia.”
Kelly raised an eyebrow. “Princess Sophia? What, do you have a cat, too?”
“No, never,” Massimo gave Giulia a look of mock irritation. “It’s her nickname for my sister. That’s all.”
“Yes, since she was a little girl. She liked to wear pink dresses,” Giulia covered as she set the bowls of ice cream and tiny espresso cups before each of them. “Not so much now. But she does love my ravioli, so be sure she gets it.”
“I will,” he promised.
Kelly closed her eyes and breathed deeply. “This smells absolutely divine.”
“I make the best caffe you’ll have on the island,” she bragged. “But don’t tell anyone. I want them to come for the food first.”
Giulia disappeared through the patio door as quickly as she arrived, clicking on the indoor lights to illuminate the main dining room. A young couple stood near the front door, their expressions lifting when Giulia approached to show them to a table.
“We’re losing our exclusive service,” Massimo said. Soon Giulia would have to turn on the patio lights.
“It’d be selfish to keep her to ourselves anyway.” Kelly glanced down to greet Gaspare, who promptly curled up beside her chair, rather than by Massimo’s.
“Speaking of selfish, you’ve enchanted my dog.”
“I’m a novelty. He’ll be all yours shortly,” she assured him, reminding Massimo that his time with Kelly was coming to an end.
Perhaps she was a novelty for him, too. He hadn’t felt so at ease in a woman’s presence in…well, ever. Given that he hardly knew her, it didn’t seem possible.
Kelly turned to face the last vestiges of the setting sun. “Look at the reds to the north and that stripe of orange just over the purple. Is it always like this here?”
“We have colorful sunsets more often than not, but no,” he admitted, “this is one of a kind.”
“I think I’m in heaven.”
He glanced her way to see her licking the back of her spoon in languid strokes. In other women, he’d think it deliberately erotic, but he doubted Kelly realized what she was doing to him. As she popped the spoon into her mouth then slowly withdrew it, ensuring she’d devoured the entire bite of ice cream, he felt himself growing hard with desire. She let out a low moan of satisfaction that set his body ablaze.
Heaven, indeed.
He ripped his gaze from her before she caught him staring, then took a bite of his own ice cream and nearly moaned in pleasure himself.
“See what I mean? Heaven.”
He nodded as he took another bite and tried to focus on the dessert rather than on what Kelly was doing to her spoon. And what it would feel like if she did that to him.
“So tell me,” she said as she scraped toffee from the side of her bowl, “what made you think to bring me here? There are dozens if not hundreds of restaurants on the island, and my guess is that you know the owners of several, yet you seemed to know exactly where you wanted to go from the moment we left the beach.”
He shrugged. He had known where he’d wanted to go the instant the invitation left his mouth. Perhaps it was the food, perhaps it was the romantic atmosphere—if one wanted to put a woman into a passionate frame of mind, Giulia's was certainly the place—or perhaps it was something else entirely. “I suppose I missed it while I was away and assumed you’d enjoy the food as much as I do.”
“Good assumption.”
Now that he thought about it, he realized Kelly was right. There were dozens of other restaurants in Sarcaccia that served spectacular meals using local ingredients. Restaurants that would’ve been closer to her villa. Restaurants that wouldn’t have felt so personal, given that this was a first—and perhaps only—date, since Kelly was a tourist. But Giulia’s felt safe. Secure. Comfortable.
That he craved comfort was a thought that left him decidedly uncomfortable.
Soon, the uppermost rim of the sun’s fiery outline met the horizon, replacing the sky’s orange hues with purples and grays. They watched the darkening sky in silence as they finished their desserts and sipped their espresso. Much as he wanted to linger over the finished meal, he knew they had to go.
“Ready for the ride down the mountain?” he asked.
“Not really. But it’ll get cool soon, so I suppose we should go.”
He walked around the table to pull out her chair for her, but she frowned as she stood. “Shouldn’t we wait for Giulia to settle the bill?”
“Already settled.” Surprise registered on her face, but he explained, “I have an account with her.”
Kelly’s gratitude for the dinner was evident in her voice as she thanked him. She turned to head through the patio door, but he hooked her elbow first. “There are steps over here, to the side. We can go directly to the parking lot.”
“You don’t want to say goodbye?”
Typically he would, but doing so wouldn’t be simple now that there were diners in the restaurant. Giulia would understand. “She and Guillermo have other customers. I’ll give them a call later.”
Kelly’s expression made it plain she wanted to thank them herself, but she said, “Please let them know how much I enjoyed meeting them,” then waited while he corked the leftover wine to bring home. Gaspare, true to form, kept to her heel as she climbed the stairs, though the dog did spare Massimo a brief look. At the end of the day, he knew who filled his bowl.
The ride back to town was quiet as they took in the sights and sounds of the evening: roadside fruit stands closing for the day, lights flickering to life in the town below, church bells ringing to signal the evening service. Even the birds circling the hillsides gave the impression they were on their final patrols before nesting for the night.
Once Massimo made the final turn that brought them to the edge of town, where Kelly’s villa occupied a coveted spot between the main road and the beach, she pointed to a narrow driveway under an arched branch of wisteria vines. “It’s just there. You can pull in.”
He slid a her sideways glance before signaling the turn. “Dare I ask if I’m invited in, or is this goodbye? If it’s goodbye, there may be an argument over who gets the leftover wine.”
Laughter spilled from her. “You’re forward, aren’t you?”
“Not usually.” Not when it came to women. They were forward enough with him he had no need.
“Well…I don’t usually ask men into my home on a first date.”
“Usually,” he repeated as he guided the Jeep to a stop and put the gearshift into park. “Though you have to admit, thi
s has been an unusual day.”
“That it has.”
He studied the villa, taking in the whitewashed exterior and tiled steps leading to the front door. It appeared to have been recently renovated, likely due to the income its location generated. The lights were off inside, preventing him from seeing if anyone was about. For all he knew, she had a house full of roommates sitting on the back deck, lingering over drinks while they waited for her to come home.
He wasn’t ready to send her in to them and say goodbye. Not yet.
Taking a chance, he turned and looped his arm over the back of Kelly’s seat. “What about tonight?”
Chapter Five
The man was unbelievably direct. He also smelled unbelievably good.
The soft fabric of his shirt tickled the bare skin of Kelly’s back in the sensitive spot just below the tie of her sundress. As if linked by a direct connection, the skin on her arms pricked to gooseflesh.
She imagined he didn’t suffer rejection often.
“I’m not sure it’d be wise,” she said, using the excuse in order to gauge his intentions. She had no idea if asking a man into one’s home after a date carried the same implication in Sarcaccia it sometimes had in the States. It was obvious he wanted to carry on their flirtation; how much further he wanted to carry it was the question. Let alone how much further she wanted to carry it. “Is it safe?”
“Safe as you were on the patio at Giulia’s.”
“We weren’t exactly alone on the patio.”
“We won’t be alone now, either. Gaspare is here.”
“He is a good chaperone.” She flicked a look at the dog, whose ears perked up at the mention of his name though he didn’t stir from his sprawl across the back seat. “Of course, you realize that I don’t know the most basic things about you. For instance, what’s your last name?”
His eyes crinkled at the corners, as if the question intrigued him. “Barrali.”
“Massimo Barrali. I like it. It’s strong.” Just like the man. Forceful, yet somehow elegant. Hearing the name from her own lips pricked a memory. “Is Barrali a common name here? Isn’t that the name of the royal family?”
“It is, and it’s common enough. Lots of Barralis in Sarcaccia. But no one with the last name Chase, I don’t believe.” When she smiled at that, he continued, “What else do you want to know?”
“Hmmm…” She took a moment, enjoying their banter. “What color would you call your eyes?”
His look of amusement made her stomach do a flip-flop. “My sister calls them mud. But I’d say brown.”
“Some sister. There’s green there, too. A lot of green.”
“If you say so. I don’t make it a habit to stare at my own eyes in the mirror.” His fingers grazed her shoulder, the touch warming places far more intimate. He appeared ignorant of the chain reaction he set off within her, which made her all the more certain he knew very well what he was doing. “Anything else?”
Oh, how she loved this game. It felt daring. Liberating. “How tall are you?”
“I’m 192 centimeters.” At her blink of surprise, he added, “I think that’s six-two or six-three.”
“Six-three. Almost six-four.”
This time, he was the one to look incredulous.
“I do closets, remember? Or at least I did. I’m quick with conversion.” She’d guessed him to be well over six feet, but given the assurance with which he carried himself, she was afraid she might be overestimating his height. Apparently not.
“So it’s my height that has you worried about your safety?”
“That’s exactly it,” she teased. She loved that he was able to poke fun at himself. He looked, smelled, and sounded so different from Ted. Ted had always been so serious, so careful about every word he uttered and move he made. Being wealthy and in the public eye did that to a person. She’d sworn the day she left him never to date a rich man again. Money mangled one’s sense of self. At least, it had in the case of Ted and his friends.
“Does that mean I’ve addressed your concerns?”
Oh, he knew he was coming inside. She could see it in his eyes, read it in the relaxed manner in which he lounged against his seat.
“One last question. Do you end all your first dates by asking to be invited inside?”
“No.” His lower lip thinned and his eyes widened fractionally before he added, “In fact, I believe this is a first.”
The note of realization in his tone made her believe him, which sent another wave of arousal rippling through her.
An unusual night, indeed.
A little over two weeks ago she’d been certain she’d spend the rest of her life with Ted. Now she felt as if she’d tossed off shackles and stepped into the light. The fact she could experience such desire for a man she’d only known for a few hours cemented her confidence in calling off the wedding. Screw what her friends said. Screw what her parents said. The decision was hers and hers alone, just as taking this trip was her decision. Both had been the right call.
“So what do you think, Kelly Chase of Dallas?” He reached into the space between them and raised the corked wine bottle. “If nothing else, it would be a tragedy not to finish this. Giulia would be disappointed if she discovered it went to waste.”
“First off, Giulia wouldn’t know unless you told her.”
“She’ll ask—”
“And second, I’m sure it won’t go to waste. But there’s still half a bottle and eventually you have to drive home, so it might not be wise to drink it—”
One side of his mouth hitched up on the word eventually. She knew in that moment she’d been caught. He leaned forward, ever so slightly closing the gap between them. “I’m not in a rush. Are you?”
The wash of his breath against her cheek sent adrenaline pumping through her body. She shook her head just before his lips met hers. His kiss was gentle, soft, testing. He tasted of wine and Mediterranean sunshine. Warmth spread through her as his arm slipped from the back of the seat to her shoulders. Though the easy spread of his fingers over her bare skin and the dim lights of the driveway made the moment romantic, his kiss left no doubt in her mind what would happen if she invited him inside. They’d share far more than a bottle of wine if she decided it was what she wanted.
He tilted his head, deepening their kiss as his hand came up to cradle the back of her head. The rough scrape of his chin against hers sent her reeling. There was no denying the attraction between them. She’d felt it the moment he’d stood at the foot of her lounger inquiring about his dog in that commanding tone, but checking out her bikini-clad body with his eyes.
She could get drunk on this feeling far faster than on the wine.
A sigh bubbled up inside her, threatening to escape and embarrass her to no end, but at that very moment he pulled back. It was all she could do to keep her breathing steady as he captured her chin in his hand.
“I see two options here. First, I kiss you goodnight now and let you go. Second, we go inside, share the wine and kiss goodnight afterward. Either way, it ensures that kiss” —his mouth curved into a devious smile— “wasn’t the last.”
He eased back a few more inches, his fingers still cradling her chin but giving her the space and ability to call it a night without awkwardness. Yet she sensed he was playing with her, too, enjoying their flirtation as much—maybe more—than she was. He’d ended the kiss deliberately, leaving her wanting more.
She took a slow, deep breath, weighing his words. She hadn’t made the best choices lately, not until she’d made the ultimate decision to dump Ted. Those errors in judgment made a mess of both her personal life and her professional life. On the other hand, what harm could come from having a night of adventure with such a devastatingly handsome man? If his kiss was any indication, it’d be mind-blowing enough to wipe away her recent history and give her a mental clean slate.
She pulled away from him and opened the car door, but not before she caught the look of surprise on his face.
&nb
sp; “There’s always option three, where I simply walk inside,” she said as she climbed out of the Jeep. She hesitated, allowing his disappointment to sink in before she turned back. She doubted her smile was as wickedly sensuous as his, but she hoped so. “But I prefer option two, so don’t forget the wine.”
* * *
“You have this whole place to yourself?”
He shouldn’t have said it. Massimo realized his error immediately from the defensive flash in Kelly’s eyes, despite her attempt to cover her initial reaction with a shrug of indifference. But when she flipped the switch inside the villa’s front door, illuminating the open living area with its view to the sea, he’d been surprised to see no evidence of other occupants. No shoes near the front door, no other sets of keys on the counter of the small kitchen, no notes from roommates about where they’d gone for the evening. When he’d put his sister’s ravioli in the fridge and saw it was empty, he was certain. He’d turned and asked the question without thinking about it first.
Now he’d likely made her feel a pariah. If there was anything he should’ve learned from years of etiquette training, it was to think before speaking. You never knew when you might hit upon a sensitive topic, as he’d obviously done.
She leaned one shoulder against the wall near the kitchen entry, the action pushing up the bodice of her sundress in a rather tantalizing fashion. “I know Sarcaccia is a rather traditional country, but surely you don’t believe it’s taboo for a woman to vacation alone?”
He pounced on the opportunity to save himself. “Not at all. If anything, traveling alone is a sign of being comfortable in one’s own skin. I’d simply assumed that you’d come with friends.” Though most who rented on this strip of beach were lovers, and with good reason. The idyllic surroundings, unobstructed sea views, and the easy access to the cobblestoned section of Cateri’s old town made it a wonderful hideaway.
“Nope. This was a reward to myself.”
For selling her business, he supposed. Well, Kelly’s reward was to his benefit. No roommates who might recognize him, no one to intrude upon their conversation…or anything else, should he get so lucky.
Honeymoon With a Prince (Royal Scandals) Page 5
