Damn it, masturbating would never be enough to quell this insistent hunger. Or help him to forget the terrible mistakes he’d made with Sante, and with his sister—and the shame of needing more from his stunt bride than he should, if only for a moment.
As he dressed in the tuxedo his staff must have packed—which he’d never actually considered he would have to wear—he contemplated the prospect of finally getting Tallulah to himself, later tonight. And realised the best way to diffuse this damn bomb had been obvious from the start.
He didn’tneedTallulah, he merely wanted her, and not taking her had left him on edge this afternoon, magnifying his volatile reaction to Sante and Mia’s revelations.
Tallulah was not a part of his past, nor could she ever be part of his future—so any complications sex would add to their fake relationship, and there would be a few, could be managed… And right now, those complications would be worth it if having her meant he could finally satisfy this all-consuming hunger, and control these brutal, untethered emotions once and for all.
Tali rounded the corner of the orchard garden, making her way back towards the summer house…and Dario. It was less than two hours now before Mia’s wedding was due to take place. And the stylist and her team would be waiting for her. For once she didn’t mind the thought of being ‘dressed,’ because she really didn’t think she could be alone with Dario—not without offering him the sympathy and support he had already made it very clear he didn’t want.
But how could she not feel compassion for him after witnessing his reaction to the altercation with his sister’s fiancé?
His stance had been rigid with control as they’d been led to the summer house. But when she’d watched him fall to his knees during the fight, the pain which had ripped through his features had been nothing to the agonised expression moments later, when Trovato and then Mia had explained something to him in Italian—which had been too fast for her to understand.
She stopped at the water fountain to scoop a handful of water onto her neck. She’d run for over an hour through the estate—the acres of rolling vines, the groves of orange and lemon trees and the beautifully maintained gardens near the majestic house—unnoticed by the staff rushing to finish setting up the trestle tables in the garden to host the wedding feast. She’d always loved to run when she had a particularly thorny problem to decipher. And was there any problem thornier than her relationship with Dario Lorenti?
She hadn’t understood what the passionate argument had been about—her Italian was hardly fluent. But she had been able to make an educated guess that Dario and Trovato had a history which was a great deal more complicated than a simple business rivalry.
But even though she hadn’t been sure of the context, seeing the emotions Dario had been unable to mask—sensing how broken he’d been after that confrontation and how alone he’d seemed when they’d got to the summer house—had made the sense of connection she’d been trying to deny that much stronger. Scarily stronger, when you factored in the kiss in his apartment in Milan forty-eight hours ago, which she also couldn’t forget.
She sluiced her face with the cool water.
Whatever the deal is with Sante is not your business, Tali.
And trying to make it her business would be a mistake. Because Dario had already made it clear he was only interested in one thing from her.
And having to behave like Dario’s devoted fiancée this evening—while knowing there was only one bed in that stunning summer house—was going to make dealing with him tonight hard enough.
Tali made her way along the path to the back of the house, so she could get to the summer house without being spotted by any of the guests who were already arriving on the lavish driveway at the front entrance. But as she went past the outbuildings, she spotted Mia, dressed casually in jean shorts and a T-shirt, chatting to one of her wait staff setting up for the feast that evening.
Tali paused, about to find another way back—because how awkward was it that Dario hadn’t mentioned to his sister their so-called ‘love for the ages’ was a lie—when Mia spotted her and waved.
‘Tallulah! Wait, I wanted to talk to you.’
Before Tali could make a dignified retreat or think up an excuse to run, the bride had excused herself and was jogging towards her.
‘Hi,’ Tali murmured, her already sweaty face probably purple when Mia reached her. ‘I… I should head back.’ She pointed over her shoulder, the awkward going all the way to eleven. ‘I expect the stylist will be waiting for me…and you probably need to get dressed, too.’
‘Ha, yes. I’m going to be late, but I had to let Bianca know about a last-minute change to the seating plan… It’s the EA in me. I can’t help over-organising every detail.’ The woman beamed the same sweet, generous smile which had made Tali feel so guilty when they’d been introduced. ‘But luckily, it’s the bride’s prerogative to be late,’ she added. ‘And Sante is far too used to having me at his beck and call. Now,finally, I will get a chance to makehimwait, which I intend to take full advantage of…’ She laughed, her face lighting up at the mention of her groom. Tali’s heartbeat slowed at the glow which suffused Mia’s features. What must it be like, to know you had found your soulmate? Because from the words Tali had managed to decipher—and the expression on Sante Trovato’s face when he had spoken about Mia to Dario during their altercation—that was one thing she had been sure of. The man adored Mia, and Mia adored him right back.
Tali let out a strained chuckle. ‘That sounds like a plan…’
‘But first…’ Mia began, her expression sobering. ‘I wanted to apologise for what happened earlier. I hope we didn’t make you too uncomfortable?’ she continued, looking genuinely concerned. The trickle of guilt became a flood. ‘We’re so glad you’re here with Dario. And I’m so,sohappy he’s found someone who cares about him and wants to support him. He’s been alone for so long…’ Mia rushed ahead, but the earnest expression only made Tali feel worse about their deception.
Why hadn’t he confided in his sister? While it was obvious Dario had been furious with her decision to marry Trovato, none of that was true anymore, was it? Perhaps Dario would tell her tonight?
‘I’m sure Dario told you all about Sante, about the things he thought he had done to him—leaving him in the wreckage of that car… But none of that was ever true. And while I’m glad Dario finally knows those lies were all just another way our father tried to manipulate him, it must have been awkward for you to have to witness all that.’
You have no idea.
Tali bit into her lip, the guilt starting to make her feel as if she’d swallowed a rock. This conversation had gone way beyond awkward to just plain awful.
‘I just… I want you to know I understand that,’ Mia added. ‘And if you have any reservations at all, about the truth of what really happened that day, I’d be happy to explain it all to you, in English. Because I’m sure you probably didn’t understand a lot of what was being said and knowing my brother. Well…’ Mia gave a hefty sigh, but then a rueful smile appeared. ‘I very much doubt he has explained any of it to you—because he’d rather cut out his tongue than share and discuss, as I’m sure you’re already well aware.’
Tali couldn’t help the small smile that curved her lips, because the truth was, even though she wasn’t Dario’srealfiancée, shedidknow exactly how much he disliked sharing anything—his motivations, his secrets and his feelings most of all.
But then Mia launched into an explanation of the poor Sicilian boy who had been Dario’s only friend at boarding school in the UK…
And understanding dawned.
