Lindsay reached for her drink. ‘You could talk to a trained counsellor about that. You might find that a course of cognitive behavioural therapy might help.’
‘I find it’s simpler just to take what I want.’ He gave a careless shrug of his broad shoulders. ‘It’s going to happen, Lindsay. Stop fighting it.’
Lindsay carefully put down her drink. Her hand was shaking so much it was that or spill it.
Before she could respond, the several waiters arrived with a tempting platter heaped with fresh seafood, bowls of salad and hot crusty bread.
As the food was served she was aware of Alessio watching her. Could he see? Could he see that her fingers shook when she picked up her fork? Could he see that she was in turmoil?
When they were alone again, she lifted her head and looked him in the eye, banishing visions of his bronzed, naked body covering hers. ‘I’m prepared to perform whatever tasks you expected of Ruby. I’m quite sure that providing you with bedroom entertainment wasn’t one of them.’
‘There has never been any chemistry between us.’
‘And that’s all it takes to establish a relationship from your point of view? Chemistry?’ Her laugh was tinged with derision. ‘That’s deep, Alessio. I’m sure your past encounters have been extremely—satisfying.’
‘I make sure that they are.’
‘I’m not talking about sexual satisfaction. I’m talking about something far deeper and more long lasting than that.’ There was a cooling breeze from the sea but she still felt desperately hot. ‘You’re an intelligent man. Surely you demand more from a woman than the ability to simply lie down in your bed.’
‘Absolutely.’ Alessio didn’t shift his eyes from her face. ‘I demand a great deal more than that. And I’m sure you’ll deliver.’
Was it her or had the temperature on the beach suddenly gone up? ‘You shouldn’t reduce every relationship to the physical.’
‘You shouldn’t dismiss sexual satisfaction until you’ve tried it.’
‘What makes you think I haven’t?’
‘Because you’re inexperienced.’
‘You know nothing about my private life. Nor do I intend to discuss it with you.’
‘Lindsay—’ his tone was gentle ‘—you’ve been teasing and tempting me since the moment I arrived at your villa this evening. I don’t know whether you’re trying to prove something to yourself, but only someone very inexperienced would play those sorts of games with someone like me.’
‘I’m not playing games.’
‘I haven’t quite worked out if you’re a virgin or not,’ he murmured, his strong fingers closing around the stem of his glass. ‘You’re certainly a bit old to be a virgin, but if you’ve had sex with anyone before, then I’m guessing that it was an instantly forgettable experience. And at this precise moment you’re feeling very, very unsettled because you know that sex with me would be a completely unforgettable experience.’
Finally she lifted her head and looked at him. ‘You’re so arrogant.’
‘You know we’ll be good together, but you’re afraid to admit it.’
‘That isn’t what’s happening here at all! I’m not denying that you’re attractive, of course you are. Nor am I denying that there’s a certain—’ she swallowed ‘—chemistry between us. But the reason I’m not acting on it has nothing to do with fear. It’s a choice, Alessio. You and I have nothing in common, nothing on which to base a good relationship. Anything between us would be over in a flash.’
‘I generally find that I can maintain my performance for little longer than a “flash”,’ he purred and she gave a murmur of exasperation.
‘Alessio, please.’ For some reason it suddenly seemed desperate that she make him understand. ‘I will not allow myself to make huge decisions based on something as fleeting as chemistry.’
‘It wouldn’t be fleeting.’ Dark lashes shielded his gaze. ‘I’d want you again and again, in every conceivable position.’
Her limbs weak and her heart pounding, Lindsay stood up and dropped her napkin on the table. Why had she ever thought she could beat him at his own game? ‘Sex without love is an extremely unsatisfying form of entertainment. I’m not interested.’
‘I’ve never left a woman unsatisfied in my life.’
‘All right, you win.’ She lifted a hand in a gesture of supplication, so desperately unsettled by their verbal exchange that she knew she needed to escape. ‘Enough. I don’t want to talk about it anymore. I’m here in place of my sister. If you want me to do any legal work for you, then please knock on my door.’
And, please, don’t let it be any time soon.
CHAPTER SIX
Lindsay stood under the shower, letting the jets of ice-cold water cool her thoroughly overheated body.
Why, oh, why had she thought she’d be able to cope with being alone with Alessio for a week? After barely a few hours in his company she was so tense and wound up that she felt physically sick.
Her body was tormented by a nagging sensation that no amount of cold water could cure. He hadn’t even touched her and yet she felt weak and limp and just utterly drugged with longing for something that she absolutely shouldn’t and couldn’t have.
Angry with herself, she thrust the palm of her hand against the shower knob and the flow of water ceased.
Alessio Capelli was arrogant, cold and frighteningly unemotional. Presumably those traits had contributed to his success in his chosen career. How else would he have been able to destroy people’s marriages without losing sleep?
But the problem wasn’t him, was it? The real problem was her. Her feelings; her response to him—
Feeling despair seep into every pore of her body, Lindsay sank onto the floor of the shower and wrapped her arms around her knees. Her hair hung wet down her back and she swept a hand over her face to clear the water from her eyelashes. Yes, he was arrogant, cold and frighteningly unemotional, but what really bothered her was the fact that everything he’d said to her had been correct.
No matter how much she’d tried to focus her mind on something else, she had found herself thinking of nothing but sex. One glance at his firm mouth and she’d started wondering how he kissed; a chance glimpse of dark male hair at the neck of his shirt and she’d immediately imagined him naked.
With a murmur of self-disgust, she covered her face with her hands.
She couldn’t stop imagining the two of them together and for the first time in her life she was starting to understand how sheer sexual hunger could be so overwhelming that it could drive a person to make really bad decisions.
If he were here now, she’d be touching him.
And that would have been a disaster because Alessio Capelli was totally wrong for her.
Yes, he would undoubtedly be a skilled and exciting lover, but what else would he give her? The answer to that was nothing but trouble.
With a low groan she let her hands drop into her lap and leaned her head back against the wall. It would have been so easy to just knock on the door of his villa and let him take it from there. And she had no doubt that he would have instantly taken control. He was that sort of man, wasn’t he?
And then what?
She was only too aware of the dangers of that sort of relationship. She spent her working life counselling people to look deeper.