‘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, grabbing her by the hand and speaking quietly to the couple behind them. ‘Excuse us—my beautiful companion isn’t quite feeling herself.’ He pulled her up from her seat easily and motioned for her to precede him out through the door of the box.
Dara exited into the corridor, turning to face him as he closed the door behind him. ‘I didn’t mean that we had to leave,’ she said, exasperated.
‘My attention wasn’t exactly on the show.’ He stepped closer. ‘Something occurred to me in there.’
Dara watched as he took another step, bringing him so close they were almost chest to chest. His eyes didn’t leave hers as he leaned closer, his gaze sweeping over her lips with clear intent. The thought occurred to her that she was going to let him kiss her. Even worse—she wanted him to.
‘What occurred to you?’ she whispered, her tongue sneaking out to dampen her lips before she could stop herself.
He followed the movement eagerly. ‘You have no reason to help me after tonight.’
‘I suppose you’re right.’ She shook off the feeling of disappointment at his words. He was correct. After tonight they had no reason to continue to work together except for maybe exchanging emails about the castello.
‘What if I offered you more than a contract for your celebrity wedding?’ he asked quietly.
Dara felt her pulse quicken at the word more.
‘I’ve been thinking... The castle is virtually abandoned, with no purpose. Your vision for this wedding will bring vitality to it again. It might even help bring some revenue to Monterocca. God knows they need it, being so far from the busier tourist resorts.’
‘I’m flattered you paid so much attention to my slideshow.’ She smiled.
‘I can offer you exclusive rights to hold a small amount of select weddings at the castello. I will hire you to oversee the renovations and ensure it is fit for purpose again.’
‘Leo, that would be...amazing...’ she breathed.
‘I want nothing more to do with the place once this deal is finalised. So it’s not a selfless act. I trust that you will do a good job, Dara?’
‘I assure you that you will have nothing to worry about,’ she gushed, the excitement of his revelation taking her completely by surprise.
‘You will accompany me tomorrow evening, then?’ he said plainly.
Dara laughed. ‘I suppose I’ll have to now.’
‘It will be the last thing I ask of you.’
His expression was earnest as they made their way down the corridor to the grand hallway and out towards the waiting car.
The thought of spending another evening as the focus of his attention, of having him touch her and speak to her like a lover, made her feel uneasy.
She stayed silent on the drive back to the apartment, her thoughts still frazzled from their encounter in the opera box. He had barely touched her and she’d been on the verge of throwing herself at him. She had been so sure he was about to kiss her in the corridor.
The fear of being branded a liar by Umberto Lucchesi was nothing compared to the fear of being kissed by Leo Valente. He hadn’t kissed her yet, but with an entire evening planned in his company tomorrow, surely it was inevitable that he would.
It had been so long since she had kissed anyone she was afraid she’d forgotten how to do it. Maybe it was best to treat it as a task. She never went into tasks unprepared. She would treat it like pulling off a sticking plaster. Quick and painless. After all, the fear of the unknown was usually worse than the act itself.
When they entered the apartment Leo pulled off his bow tie in one movement, throwing it on a side table and moving towards the door of his bedroom.
‘Wait.’ She spoke as confidently as she could muster. ‘I just want to try something first.’
On steady feet she walked to him, seeing his eyes widen as she stepped close. Her lips touched his—hesitantly at first, then fully. He smelled amazing this close, and his lips were hard and hot under hers. She stepped back before she could get too comfortable, feeling her legs tremble just a little bit as she put some distance between them once more.
‘There—that’s the awkward first kiss over and done with.’ She smiled, proud of herself for finding a logical way to deal with an uncomfortable situation.
Leo stayed silent for a moment, his expression entirely unreadable. Then he took a step, closing the space between them. ‘If you wanted to try it out, all you had to do was ask, Dara.’
‘It was just a practice run. For tomorrow.’ She felt her body react as he closed in once more. As if her skin remembered him, was begging him to step closer again. What on earth had come over her?
‘In that case I think we need another try.’
His lips were on hers before she could formulate a reply. But this kiss was not simple and exploratory, as hers had been. His mouth was hard on hers, his lips pressing with an urgency she had never felt before. She felt it too. It was as though the entire world had fallen away and all that mattered was this. Feeling his mouth on hers, his hands wrapping around her waist.
His wicked tongue traced a trail of fire across her lips, demanding access. She tried to think straight. This was all wrong. It had started as a simple kiss and now suddenly she was being ravished.
She tilted her head back and he took advantage. His hands moved from her waist down to her bottom, holding her to him. She had never felt awareness like this before. The feel of his hard chest against her own made her nipples peak with need. Her breasts felt heavy, aching with the demand to be in the open air. She felt wanton and free and prayed her sanity wouldn’t return any time soon. She let her own tongue move against his, following the rhythm and feeling the hard weight of his arousal press against her.
He began kissing a passionate trail of fire down the soft skin of her neck. Dara moaned at the sensation, shocked at the sensation of molten heat building between her thighs.
She wanted him more than she had ever wanted any man before. His smell, his touch was driving her so wild she could barely think. All she could hear was the sound of her heart beating loud in her ears. His breath was equally as ragged as he nibbled her earlobe and pulled the neckline of her dress down so that it rested high on her waist.
Dara felt her body react reflexively, softening to him, unconsciously offering more. Cohesive thought left her as she gave in to the warmth of his hard muscular body surrounding her. He pushed against her shoulders until she was lying on the plush sofa in the living