* * *
Mauro watched Amber’s shell-shocked expression as the presenter outlined the romantic week in Sicily that had been planned for his date. Well, he’d planned a large part of it himself, actually. When the charity had approached him about appearing on the show, he’d gone one better and offered the use of his home—it seemed to defeat the object of money-raising if they were to shell out on accommodation. And it was entirely unnecessary when he had his very own villa sitting empty most of the time. Anyway, as the patron of a charity that helped disadvantaged children through sport, he wanted to do more than just sign big cheques.
His villa in Sicily, the country of his mother’s birth, was one of his favourite places on earth, so it was hardly a chore to spend a week there, especially a week in the company of a beautiful woman. Her blonde hair fell just to her collarbones in waves that seemed deliberately messy, and her eyes had grabbed his attention as he tried to work out whether they were more green or brown. But none of that was the reason that he’d decided to ignore the script the presenters had briefed him on, of course. Celebrity edition or not, he hadn’t known who she was. The reason he’d picked her was simple: he’d been intrigued by her and wanted to know more. She was funny, for a start: he’d smiled at her answer to his first question, chuckled at her second and full-out belly laughed at her third.
And then there had been that attitude. The one that had said that she didn’t for a second buy into the show’s attempt at stirring up romance. The producers had told him that everyone involved knew that they were all just doing this as a money-raiser, that none of the women were actually interested in starting a relationship. But there had been one way to be sure that he wasn’t getting involved with someone who had different expectations of this show from him—pick the woman that had Keep Out prickling her voice and written in neon letters so big he could see them above the screen that was keeping them apart.
She’d seen straight through his questions, straight through every pep talk and manipulation of the producers and refused to deliver the smut that Holi-Date had been leading her towards. She would have been a killer whale—who wouldn’t have picked her after that?
She leaned in to kiss him on the cheek. Not exactly by choice—he was sure that he wasn’t the only one who had instructions from the production team on what they were to do after the big reveal. What surprised him was that she was going along with it. The peck on the cheek was brief, gone almost before it started, but the scent of her shampoo, something earthy and familiar—rosemary, perhaps—lingered a second longer, teasing his senses. Two beautiful women had just sashayed past him—a singer from a girl band and a regular from one of the soap operas, apparently. But Amber...she marched. And though her expression wasn’t quite a scowl, it wasn’t the TV smile that everyone else in the studio was wearing either. No, she was definitely different. Good. Different was what he had wanted. Dating show or not, he wasn’t in the market for a girlfriend, and no one had shown that they weren’t interested in a relationship as eloquently as Amber had.
‘And, Mauro, what do you think about your gorgeous date?’ Julia, the presenter, asked him.
He took a moment to think about it. She was hot—there was no doubt about that. Slim legs were encased in dark jeans, and a hint of silk was revealed beneath her black blazer. The look was almost academic, it was so serious. And yet...something about it drew him in. Perhaps it was the thought of that silk, imagining the smooth warmth of it beneath his fingers if he managed to peel off that blazer, peel back the layers of protection that she had so clearly shown already that evening.
She hadn’t given his chair more than a cursory glance—always a good start. Now she took a couple of steps back, guided by the presenter’s hand on her waist, but her eyes hadn’t left him yet. They’d dropped to his chest, he noticed, but they were making their way back up now, and...there. He had her again, her gaze locked into his. He wasn’t going to let her go easily. He wanted to play with this—it wasn’t as if he had to worry that she might want him to get involved.
‘Oh, Julia, I’m very much looking forward to getting to know her better.’
Julia turned to the autocue and began to wrap up the show, but already he’d lost interest, could see only Amber as the audience were directed to clap and cheer. Then he realised he’d missed his cue. The two women were turning towards him and he realised they were meant to be making their way backstage. At this rate it’d look as if he was chasing Amber out of the studio—not the best of starts. He spun on the spot and caught up with her quickly then stopped at the mark they’d been given to turn and wave at the audience. He let out a breath of relief, and surprise. It took a lot to surprise him these days. He liked to think he’d seen it all—he’d spent the last ten years of his life trying to see it all in the wake of his accident. But somehow, after just half an hour in her company—and a large part of that without even being able to see each other—Amber had him chasing after her without his even realising how she’d done it.
He rarely had to chase. Normally, with women, he put in a little groundwork, a little charm; laid the bait and then waited for a bite. It never took long. Whether he was throwing a party, hanging out in a nightclub—hell, he’d picked women up in the supermarket—he always had this under control. He took advantage of every opportunity to experience something new, but always on the strict understanding that there was nothing more than a casual fling on offer. He didn’t do commitment. Well, not to romance, at least. He was committed to his sport, his business, his charity work, and for ten years it had been clear to everyone involved that that didn’t leave room for commitment to anything else.
As they headed back to the green room Amber kept her eyes dead ahead, and her shoulders seemed to stiffen and rise with every step that she took. Mauro hung back, nothing at all to do with wanting to keep an eye on that peachy culo, revealed with every swing of her jacket. But something about being close to Amber had made him concerned for her. That neon sign that had shown over the wobbly dividing screen looked different up close. There was hurt behind it, and a vulnerability that was making him wonder whether he had made a mistake in picking her. He had thought that it had been the straightforward, risk-free option, but now he wasn’t so sure. He would give her space, he told himself. Space that she so desperately seemed to want.
She dropped onto the sofa in the green room and rested her head in her hands. Mauro moved in front of her and couldn’t help but reach for one of her hands and brush it with his fingertips, before he remembered what he had told himself about giving her space. ‘Hey, it’s not that bad, is it?’ he asked with a forced smile. It wasn’t exactly flattering, that she seemed so traumatised at the thought of a date with him, but he knew from her answers on the show that this wasn’t personal. She had had no intention of being the one to go on this date. He had thwarted whatever plan it was she had going on, and she was annoyed about it.
‘I’ve made you angry?’
She looked him right in the eye.
‘Maybe. Or maybe I’m angry at myself. I... It doesn’t matter, anyway. Look—’ she started gathering up her things, throwing her phone and bits of make-up into her handbag ‘—this has been...fun, and really nice to meet you and everything. But I’ve got to get back.’
‘You’re not staying for the party?’ There were drinks planned—everyone on the show at a hotel in the city, where those from out of town were being put up. He wasn’t staying at the hotel—he kept a penthouse suite in Mayfair for when he was in London—but it should be a fun couple of hours. From the looks he was getting from contestants numbers one and two he guessed that they would be at the party when he showed up. But for once the promise of a pretty face waiting for him in a bar didn’t have its usual effect.
There was something about Amber that intrigued him.
Some of the things he’d worked hardest for in life had been the sweetest: his first gold medal the sweetest of them all. But with women...what could he say? He’d never had to work that hard. Women fell for him easily, and before things got too complicated, he got out. His life was too full, too packed with ambition and drive to fit in a relationship as well, but the board of the sports charity