True to form, Aunt Gloria stepped forward to calm the situation. ‘Umberto, please stop being so dramatic,’ she chastised. Her tone was one of calm confidence. ‘My husband forgets that he is in the middle of the Teatro Massimo, not shouting in a boardroom.’
Gloria placed a friendly hand on Dara’s arm. Leo noted Dara’s polite smile, her gentle tone as she defused the situation with questions about Gloria’s daughters.
Umberto remained silent and continued to stare at him across the narrow hallway.
‘We will not do this here, Valente,’ he hissed.
‘Most certainly not,’ Gloria interjected. ‘It’s high time you ridiculous men quit this feud and showed each other a little forgiveness. Leonardo, I want to welcome you home to Sicily, darling. I have missed you.’
‘Thank you, Zia, I’m afraid your husband doesn’t quite feel the same.’
‘That’s an understatement,’ Umberto scoffed.
Gloria spoke directly to him. ‘Come to our villa tomorrow evening for dinner. You can talk business then. For now, let us all enjoy the rest of the evening.’ She guided her husband into the throng of people, looking back to wink at Dara.
Leo smiled at Dara. That had gone just the way he’d planned it. A private meeting attained, on Lucchesi’s home turf. But Dara frowned, turning back towards the box. Leo followed, confused at her sudden change in mood.
* * *
Dara waited until they were back in the box before turning to him. She pressed one accusatory finger into his shoulder. The gesture made his eyes widen.
‘You could have warned me that I was walking into an episode of a soap opera, for goodness’ sake.’
‘I didn’t think it would benefit the situation if you were aware of my history with Umberto.’
‘No, you didn’t think it would benefit you.’ She turned away, fuming. ‘How did I not know that you were related? How is it not common knowledge?’
‘He is my mother’s younger brother. He made a point of removing himself from any connection to the Valente name when my mother passed away.’ He spoke matter-of-factly, anger evident in the hard set of his jaw.
Dara felt her anger deflate, taken by surprise by his candid statement. ‘That must have been very difficult.’
‘My mother died quite suddenly—she was only thirty-eight. The funeral was an ugly affair, and her family blamed my father. And me.’
‘Goodness, she was very young. Life can be cruel sometimes.’
Leo waved off her gentle comments. ‘I am merely divulging the facts to you—not looking for sympathy. I’ve had twelve years to get over it.’
He shoved his hands into the pockets of his designer tuxedo, a sardonic tilt to his brow. This was a man who kept his true feelings buried. She couldn’t imagine revealing her own painful memories in such a matter-of-fact fashion.
Dara thought of the way the two men had just stood toe to toe, eyes spitting fire at one another, in the glamorous gilded hallway of the teatro.
‘Leo, I’ve helped you to get your meeting. I’ve fulfilled my part of our bargain. We agreed that I would act as your date for tonight only.’
‘I can’t go alone to dinner. You will accompany me to keep up the pretence that we are an item. Gloria likes you, and she is the key to keeping the peace.’
Dara shifted uneasily on her feet, smoothing a hand over the smooth pearl satin of her gown. She had felt like a princess earlier, walking down the steps of the palazzo to find Leo leaning against the door of the limo, dressed in a perfectly tailored black tuxedo. He looked sinfully handsome and powerful, and it was doing all kinds of strange things to her breathing every time he held her arm or looked at her with that smouldering dark gaze.
She needed to cut her losses before she did something stupid. One more night with Leo was a risk she couldn’t take.
He was watching her intently. ‘What is it that worries you, carina? That they won’t believe we are a couple? Because that won’t be a problem.’
‘It’s too risky. We know nothing about each other. What if they ask questions?’ she argued.
‘They won’t need to.’ He stepped closer. ‘Dara, we practically crackle every time we are alone together. The chemistry between us is quite obvious.’
‘It is?’ Dara felt a little dazed under his scrutiny.
‘Oh, yes.’ He lowered his voice. ‘We naturally react to each other. That’s not something that can be feigned easily and we can use it to our advantage.’
‘I don’t see how arguing with each other will make it seem that we are a couple.’
She turned away, fighting against herself. She was enjoying this little charade they had embarked upon. It was beginning to feel like an alternative reality to her hectic and rather solitary life in Syracuse.
‘Tension can be interpreted in many ways.’
Leo stepped behind her, close enough that she could feel his breath below her ear.
‘Physical signs are the first things that people notice. Unconscious displays of intimacy.’ He reached for her hand, lacing his fingers through hers.
Dara’s breath caught in her chest at the effect of the innocent yet explosive contact on her already heightened senses.
‘So we hold hands and everything will be okay?’
‘There is no need to go over the top when subtlety will work much better. I might rest a hand on the small of your back while we talk. Display possession.’
Dara tried to focus on his words, but all she could think about was how hard and warm his hand felt surrounding hers. It had been so long since she’d had her hand held.
She shook off that warm fuzzy thought. She tried to seem blasé, barely noticing his movement until she felt his hand slide sensually low on her spine.
‘What are you doing?’ she squeaked.
‘Dara, no one will believe this if your voice rises an entire octave every time I touch you,’ he whispered in her ear as they were rejoined by the other guests in their box.
She took the opportunity to retake her seat and study the programme while she calmed her erratic breathing. The music started and Leo sat beside her. Very close beside her.
‘Let’s try this again,’ he whispered softly.
His hand came to rest upon hers in her lap, his fingers massaging the back of her palm idly, just as a lover’s might. He looked straight ahead, focusing on the beautiful performance, completely unaffected by their contact.
She was suddenly very aware of her breathing as she tried to concentrate on the stage below.
His fingers laced through hers as his head tilted and he whispered in her ear. ‘Much better, Dara, a perfect balance between quiet disdain and shivering anticipation.’
‘I did not shiver,’ she hissed, turning to find his eyes filled with mirth.
The couple next to them tutted with disapproval.
‘You’re being deliberately disruptive.’ She shook her head, focusing on the show below.
‘I can’t help it.’ He tilted his head again, his attention now completely focused on her.
‘Well, try harder,’ she scolded, folding her hands in her lap tightly. ‘This isn’t the place to teach me how to lie effectively. I haven’t even agreed to continue this little charade.’
‘You’re right.’ He stood up,