Dante cursed. “Thank you, Pietro.” He pulled her close. “Just when I was going to have some fun. I don’t suppose you’ll wait for me?”
She pushed out of his hold. He sighed and ran a hand through his hair. “I didn’t think so. And you accuse me of being all about business.”
He swam to the edge and pulled himself out of the pool. Her breath hitched at the sight of all that bronzed, muscled flesh. He was in fabulous shape. The knowledge that she would soon be able to stroke and taste him sent heat curling low in her belly.
He turned and gave her a dazzling smile. “Don’t run away while I’m gone. Why don’t we meet on the terrace at seven for drinks before dinner? Pietro will help you with anything you need in the meantime.”
He left and she was alone in the cool water. She lay back and floated for a bit, trying to cool her heated response to the sight of his nearly naked body. Her head told her to go slowly while her body ached for him. Meanwhile her battered heart continued to thump in her chest.
She swam to the side of the pool and climbed out. She wasn’t looking forward to the sleeping arrangements tonight.
She’d restedin the late afternoon, and now showered and dressed, she felt more in control of her emotions. That is, until she stepped out onto the terrace and took one look at Dante. He wore an open-necked deep-blue silk shirt. It made the blue of his eyes seem paler. His long, powerful legs were encased in worn denim jeans, and he watched her with an obvious hunger that sent her heart rate rocketing.
Abby had been grateful to find her old wardrobe full of clothes. She’d purposely selected linen trousers and an ivory silk shirt that buttoned high to her neck. But by the look in Dante’s eyes, it hadn’t triggered the reaction she’d hoped for.
“You look every inch my contessa tonight, Abby. I especially like that you’ve covered almost every inch of skin. It allows my imagination to run wild, picturing what lies underneath.”
She felt her face heat, but she wasn’t about to indulge Dante’s flirtatious banter. That would only lead to trouble. He was the expert charmer. She’d never win.
“Champagne?”
She nodded. She’d have to watch what she drank.
Once they were seated, Dante said, “I’m pleased you agreed to our arrangement. Even though times have changed in Italy, I find the prospect of divorce very difficult. I’d be the first in my family to fail.”
“A marriage is not a competition, Dante. It should be a partnership, each supporting the other.”
“Like a business?”
She smiled at his immediate linking of the word partnership and business. “I suppose.”
“What will you do with your little bookstore now that you’ve agreed to take up your proper role by my side?”
“I’m keeping it for now. A friend has agreed to manage it for me. I’m proud of what I’ve created. It maynot be in your league, but I’ve turned around a failing business. I’ve given people in my town jobs. I won’t rush into making any decision regarding its future.”
“I didn’t realize success was important to you. Is that what you wanted?”
She took a sip of her drink and thought back to her first months of marriage. “I was so young, Dante. I’m not sure I knew what I wanted. I simply knew I wanted you. You were quite overwhelming, actually.”
“Whereas I thought you were enchanting. Sexy. Desirably innocent.”
She smiled ruefully. “That’s why you picked me, isn’t it?”
“I didn’t ‘pick’ you. I wasn’t thinking about marriage when I first saw you, believe me. It wasn’t until I got to know you that I thought more of it. The first time we made love, and I took your virginity, I knew you were mine.”
“You’re so old-fashioned. You were doing the honorable thing?”
“It wasn’t that. It was more that I knew we’d be perfect together.” His smile died. “I couldn’t have been more wrong. You must have hated me.”
She glanced at him sharply. “I never hated you, Dante. If I’d hated you, it would have been easy to stay and make you miserable.”
Dante touched her hand fleetingly. “Thank you. I can make you happy, if you’ll let me.”
“As long as we’re honest with each other. I know I wasn’t honest in our marriage, just as you weren’t. But I’ve grown up. No more schoolgirl crushes. I’m not infatuated with you any longer.”
Dante wondered why her words were such a disappointment. He did not want her to love him, any more than he wanted to love her. Especially if what his test results indicated was confirmed.
They ate in companionable silence. The sultry night air,combined with good food and excellent wine, put Abby in a mood as mellow as the wine. “Thank you for making this deal not as cold-blooded as it could have been.”
