His fingers brushed against her cheek as his eyes held hers. ‘I overstepped the mark. I take full responsibility for it. I broke the rules we set down. It was a mistake I promise won’t be repeated, not unless it’s what you want. If you want a six-month affair, then, of course, I would consider it.’
Of course, Sienna thought cynically. She would be a convenient plaything to pass the time, just like her mother had been for his father. He would walk away when the time was up and leave her without a flicker of regret. Within months, if not weeks, he would go on to marry some other beautiful woman with a blue blood pedigree and fill his precious villas with his gorgeous little black-haired heirs.
How would she cope with it?
The same way she coped with everything else. She would put on a brave face. She would show him she could play him at his own game. She could be just as ruthless and mercenary as him. When the time was up she would walk away without a single regret, or at least none that he could see. ‘I don’t think an affair between us would work out,’ she said. ‘I think it’s best if we stick to our original agreement.’
If he was surprised or disappointed by her response he showed no sign of it on his face. ‘Very well,’ he said, rising from where he had perched on the edge of the bed. ‘I have some business to go over with Jean-Claude. I probably won’t see you until this evening.’
‘I’m sure I’ll find something to amuse myself with,’ Sienna said. ‘Maybe I’ll find a wolf or a wild boar in the woods to tame.’
His lips twitched as he looked down at her. ‘I noticed your camera the other day,’ he said after a moment. ‘I thought you liked being in front of the lens, not behind it.’
‘Yes, well, that just goes to show how little you know me, doesn’t it?’ she said.
His eyes held hers in a beat or two of silence.
‘Does anyone know the real you, ma petite?’ he asked.
Sienna gave a little shrug. ‘I have friends, if that’s what you’re asking.’
‘A person can have hundreds of friends but it doesn’t mean anyone knows who they really are when they are alone.’
She gave him an arch look. ‘Who are you when you’re alone, Andreas?’ she asked. ‘Or aren’t you ever alone? I bet there’s always some willing woman to keep you company or some bowing and scraping servant to cater to your every whim.’
‘It is one of the burdens of being born into wealth,’ he said. ‘One is rarely left alone. There are people always keen to be with you, but it is never clear if they want to be with you because they genuinely like your company or because they want something from you.’
‘Given a choice, I’d rather live life from your side of the tracks than mine,’ Sienna said. ‘Besides, who needs genuine friends when you have loads and loads of money?’
He looked at her unwaveringly for a long moment. ‘Do you really believe that, Sienna?’ he asked. ‘Do you really think being rich will make you truly happy?’
‘I’ll let you know once the money drops into my account in six months’ time,’ she said, picking up the rest of her croissant. ‘Mind you, I reckon a chateau thrown in for free would bring a smile to my face.’
His mouth flattened to a thin line. ‘You are not getting the chateau,’ he said.
‘Lighten up, Andreas,’ she said. ‘I’m only joking. I don’t want your precious chateau. It’s probably haunted by all your stuffy old relatives anyway.’
‘Try and stay out of trouble today,’ he said, with his brooding frown still in place. ‘And remember, if you speak to anyone, we’re supposed to be on our honeymoon.’
She arched a brow at him. ‘You’re the one rushing off to work the first chance you get.’
He came back to stand next to the bed, his eyes raking over her smoulderingly. ‘Changed your mind already, have you, cara?’ he said.
Sienna felt those gossamer wings brush over her belly again as she brought her eyes up to meet his glittering ones. ‘Not yet,’ she said. ‘You can’t give me what I want.’
He cupped her cheek with his hand as his eyes held hers captive. ‘What do you want, Sienna? A promise of forever?’
She forced herself not to blink. ‘Of course not,’ she said. ‘Neither of us is the forever type.’
His thumb moved over the surface of her bottom lip. ‘We could be good together for a while, ma cherie,’ he said. ‘It seems a shame not to take advantage of the situation we find ourselves in. You and me, alone and legally married. Why not explore the possibilities, sì?’
Sienna couldn’t think when he looked at her like that. Those hazel eyes promised sensual heaven. That mouth had already tempted her beyond endurance. She wanted him even though she knew it would probably end badly. How long could she say no, especially after that deliciously hot taste of sensuality last night?
She drew in a breath as he brought his mouth inexorably closer. The feather-light brush of his lips against hers made her senses skyrocket. The gentle pressure called every nerve into play, making her lips tingle and fizz like champagne underneath her skin. He lifted his mouth away but for a microsecond her lips clung to his. It seemed her body was determined to betray her, no matter what she said to the contrary. Need pulsed inside her. Rampant hungry need that only he could satisfy. She had always known it. He was her physical nemesis. No one came close to making her feel what he did. His touch, his kisses and his caresses all made her blood race through her veins and her heart gallop in excitement. She wanted to feel his complete possession. She wanted him to satisfy this aching longing that just wouldn’t go away.
He gave her cheek a light brush with his fingertip, his eyes dark and intense as they held hers. ‘Have you really only had two partners?’ he asked.
‘Yes,’ Sienna said. ‘I know the press have always made me out to be a sensual hedonist but, to tell you the truth, I felt awkward and uncomfortable having sex. I just wanted to get it over with. I didn’t feel anything much at all.’
‘That’s probably because you weren’t in tune with the other person physically,’ he said. ‘The first few times you have sex you shouldn’t rush it. You need time to get to know your body’s needs and rhythm. I rushed things last night because I thought you were more experienced. It will be different the next time. I’ll make sure of it.’
Sienna felt her insides tremble with anticipation. Could she risk everything to indulge in a red-hot fling with him? It would be a sensuous feast she could sustain herself with for the rest of her life. But could she keep her feelings well clear of it?
It was a gamble she felt more and more tempted to take.
‘You sound pretty certain there’s going to be a next time,’ she said. ‘Isn’t that a little arrogant of you?’
‘There’s a difference between arrogance and confidence,’ he said. ‘I’m confident we’re going to be dynamite together, but I’m not so arrogant to assume it’s going to last.’
It wasn’t quite the answer Sienna was looking for. It seemed to suggest he had only a passing interest in her. She was more of a novelty to him than a person of any lasting value. ‘Does any woman hold your interest longer than a month or two?’ she asked.
‘Some more than others.’
‘What about Portia Briscoe?’ she asked. ‘You were going to marry her. What were you going to do once you got bored? Have a little affair on the side, just like your father did?’
A flicker of heat passed through his gaze. ‘My father made promises to my mother he later broke,’ he said. ‘I made no such promises to Portia. She knew what I wanted in a wife and she was prepared to provide it.’
‘She’s not the right person for you, Andreas,’ Sienna said. ‘Your housekeeper Elena thinks so and, quite frankly, so do I.’
His top lip curled. ‘I suppose you think you’re a much better candidate, do you?’
‘No, but obviously your father thought so,’ Sienna said. ‘I can’t see why else he would have done this. He must’ve wanted you to stop and think about what you were doing. Perhaps h
e didn’t want you to lock yourself into a loveless marriage for the rest of your life.’
Andreas’s eyes clashed with hers. ‘So he locked me into a hate-filled one with you?’
‘Only for six months,’ she reminded him.
He looked at her for a long moment. ‘You know, it was a whole lot easier hating you when I thought you were a money-hungry trollop,’ he said. ‘Now I know more about you, it seems rather unfair to maintain such negative feelings.’
‘What are you saying, Andreas?’ Sienna asked with a deliberately goading smile. ‘That you’re falling a tiny bit in love with me?’
‘I’m no more in love with you than you are with me,’ he said, his expression locking down like a shutter over a window. ‘What we feel for each other is lust. There’s no other fancy way of putting it. And, in my opinion, the sooner it burns itself out the better.’ And, without another word, he left, clipping the door shut behind him.
Later that day Sienna was coming back from photographing the lavender fields when she saw Andreas in the distance. He was walking through the vineyard, inspecting the vines as he went along the rows.
She raised her camera and zoomed in to frame him in a series of shots. She captured him deep in thought. She captured him squinting against the late afternoon sun. She captured him picking a leaf from a vine and running it through his fingers, his brow furrowed in a frown. And then, as if he suddenly became aware of being watched, he turned and looked directly at her.
Sienna lowered the camera as he walked towards her. She watched as his long legs ate up the distance, the muscles of his thighs bunching with every step. Her belly gave an excited little quiver. He looked so arrantly male, dressed in dark blue denim jeans and a close-fitting white T-shirt. Every honed and toned muscle stretched against the fabric, reminding her of the potent power of his body. She had felt that hard male body move inside hers.
She wanted to feel it again.
He came and stood right in front of her, his towering height almost blocking the sun from her view. ‘Are you going to let me see what you’ve been up to?’ he asked.
Sienna positioned herself beside him and pressed the buttons on her camera to recall the shots. ‘You make a good study when you’re not aware of the camera,’ she said. ‘But that’s like most people. It’s hard to get a natural shot of someone when they know they’re being watched.’
His eyes met hers. ‘These are good,’ he said. ‘How long have you been doing this?’
Sienna shrugged dismissively as she turned off the camera. ‘A while.’
He took the camera from her and turned it back on, scrolling through the archive of pictures she had loaded. ‘You’ve got a good eye,’ he said, looking at her again. ‘Is this a hobby or is it what you want to do? To pursue a career in photography?’
Sienna took the camera from him, her fingers briefly coming in contact with his. ‘I lost my office job when Brian died,’ she said. ‘His family didn’t want me working in the business. It made me think about being my own boss instead of being at the mercy of other people all the time. Of course it will take me a while to build up the business, but I’d like to have a go at it. I could never afford decent equipment before. I’d need a much better camera for official portraits and wedding photography and I’d need to rent a studio. I couldn’t afford to do that before. But after this six months is over … well, I’ll be laughing all the way to the bank, won’t I?’
His expression was deeply thoughtful. ‘So why did you encourage me to think you only wanted the money for a layabout holiday and endless partying?’ he asked.
She shifted her gaze from his as she put the camera back inside its vinyl case. ‘I might not make it as a photographer,’ she said. ‘There’s pretty stiff competition out there. I’m under no illusions that I’m any more talented than anyone else.’
‘Where would you like to base yourself?’ he asked.
‘London,’ Sienna said. ‘But I could travel to other places on assignment. It’d be fun travelling around to take pictures all over the world. I could even do a book, you know, like one of those super-glam coffee table ones.’ She flashed him a little smile. ‘You could tell everyone you knew me before I was famous.’
‘I’m sure you’ll do very well,’ he said, a small frown forming between his eyes. ‘You seem to have rather a knack for falling on your feet.’
She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear that the light breeze had been playing with. ‘What will you do with this place once you inherit it?’ she asked. ‘Are you going to base yourself here or Florence, or travel between the two?’
His eyes held hers in a brooding little lockdown. ‘It is not yet certain that I will inherit it,’ he said. ‘It would be foolish of me to make plans at this stage. I’ll take a wait and see approach.’
Sienna frowned at him. ‘You don’t trust me, do you?’
‘This is a valuable property,’ he said. ‘It surely can’t have escaped your notice that it’s worth five or six times what you will get in the pay-out. Why should I trust you?’
‘No, indeed,’ she said, throwing him a blistering look. ‘Why should you?’
He let out a breath of irritation. ‘Sienna, I realise I’ve made some errors of judgement with you in the past, but I would be a fool to take it for granted that you’ll abide by the terms of the will. We haven’t been married a week. How do you know what you’ll feel in six weeks from now, let alone six months?’
‘I know exactly what I’ll feel,’ she said, glaring at him. ‘I’ll still hate you.’
‘Best you keep on doing that,’ he said, turning to walk back towards the vineyard. ‘It will make the end much easier for both of us.’
‘Why are we leaving so soon?’ Sienna asked as Andreas loaded their bags in the car later that evening. He had given her very little notice. He had sent a message via Simone, telling her to pack as they were leaving to catch the next available flight. ‘I thought you said we were staying for two or three days.’
‘I’ve seen what I came here to see,’ he said as he snapped the boot shut and came around to open her door for her. ‘The Perraults are managing things just fine. I have other things I need to see to in Florence. I have a business to run.’
‘Aren’t you worried what the press will think of you cutting short your honeymoon?’ she asked once they were on their way.
He sent her a brief unreadable glance. ‘I thought you were desperate to get back to your feral dog?’
‘So you’re doing this for me?’ Sienna asked with a sceptical look. ‘Somehow, I don’t think so.’
‘I’m doing it for both of us,’ he said and put his foot down on the accelerator.
Sienna didn’t see much of Andreas after they got back from France. Each day he left early in the morning and returned well after she had gone to bed. It annoyed her that he had just left her to her own devices, not even having the decency to communicate with her, other than via the housekeeper or a short text. It made her feel like an uninvited guest who was being tolerated, rather than welcomed.
But then, that was exactly what she was. Andreas had planned his life with meticulous precision. She had never been a part of it. She was the last woman he would ever have considered marrying. But his father’s will had changed everything. So, too, had that brief moment of intimacy. Yet ever since that night Andreas had kept his distance.
Her heart gave a funny little spasm. He could easily find someone else. He might have already recruited someone to satisfy his needs. There were hundreds of women who would do anything to be his mistress. Would she have to pretend not to notice for the rest of the time they were stuck together in this arrangement? Was he doing it to make her default on the will? After all, she was the one with the most to lose. All he had to do was wait it out and he could claim what was rightly his. Her lack of experience was probably the biggest turn-off for someone with his level of expertise. He probably couldn’t wait to get rid of her now she was of no further use to him.
&nbs
p; Sienna was sure Elena was well aware that Andreas didn’t share a bed with his new wife, but the housekeeper was either too discreet or polite to mention it in any of her interactions with her.
Elena had mentioned something about a furniture design collection Andreas was working on, commissioned by a wealthy American businessman, and how it was taking up a lot of his time. ‘He barely sleeps when he is working on a special project,’ she said. ‘He spends hours and hours at his office. Once it is finished he will be able to relax a little, sì? Maybe he will take you away somewhere special for a proper honeymoon. It is lonely here all day on your own.’
‘I’m not lonely,’ Sienna insisted. ‘I have Scraps to keep me company.’
Elena gave her an indulgent smile. ‘It will be easier when you have a bambino or two to keep you busy, sì?’
Sienna pushed the thought of a dark-haired hazel-eyed chubby baby out of her mind. She thought instead of a home of her own in London, a luxury home with a studio and a garden and money in the bank—lots and lots of money.
That was her goal, not marriage and babies.
When Sienna came downstairs for dinner towards the end of the week Andreas was in the salone sipping an aperitif. His gaze skimmed over her coffee-coloured dress before meshing with hers. ‘I was expecting you to send word via Elena that you wouldn’t be joining me for dinner,’ he said.
Sienna held her head at an imperious angle. ‘I considered it, but then I thought that would be letting you off the hook,’ she said. ‘I’d much rather annoy you with my presence since you seemed to be actively avoiding it for the past week.’
A half-smile kicked up one side of his mouth. ‘Feeling neglected, are we?’
She took the glass of wine he had poured for her, giving him a hardened look. ‘Not at all,’ she said. ‘I just can’t help wondering what your housekeeper thinks of our relationship, with you spending every minute you can at work while I’m stuck here twiddling my thumbs.’
Enemies at the Altar Page 11
