AllFreeNovel
Share Us
‘I’ll carry her,’ he said. As he scooped her into his arms, she stirred slightly, forcing him to stand still. But then she snuggled into his embrace, making herself comfortable. He ignored the hot ache in his groin.
He hadn’t had anyone in his bed for months, he simply hadn’t had the time—or the energy—for sex. Which had to explain this unprecedented reaction.
One thing was for sure, though, he’d brought her here, so she was his responsibility. Until he decided what to do with her. But he was definitely going to have to sleep on that.
She wasn’t quite as light as she looked. But as she moaned, then shifted again, her soft hair nuzzled his collarbone, and the ripple of arousal sprinted into his abdomen and started to pulse. He gathered a hasty breath and got a lungful of her scent—which was fresh and flowery but also unbearably erotic, and only made the pulsing pain worse.
Still ignoring it, manfully, and Giovanni’s judgmental frown, he stepped over the side of the boat. Walking fast, he strode along the dock, across the torchlit path past the beach and headed through the grounds to the large villa he’d renovated two years ago. But as he took the stone steps through the olive groves, the old citrus orchard and past the tranquil pool terrace—he wasn’t feeling all that tranquil.
He marched past the pool house—which was actually a luxury two-bedroom guest villa—where Giovanni had suggested leaving his uninvited guest for the night and kept on going.
Giovanni followed behind him, saying nothing. But Roman could sense his estate manager’s disapproval, boring into theback of his neck, as he entered the main house through the open French doors, and took the stairs up to the villa’s second level.
He hesitated on the landing, to stifle the powerful urge to turn left, towards his own suite of rooms.
Quit it, Garner, you did not bring the boat thief here to seduce her.
Taking a decisive turn to the right, he headed down the long hallway to the guest suites on the east side of the villa—as far as it was possible to get her away from him, while she was still in the house.
As they entered the main guest room, Giovanni rushed forward to turn down the summer quilt, so Roman could place his cargo gently on the bed. Bright moonlight streamed into the room, but the sea breeze was doing nothing to cool the ache in Roman’s groin when his jacket fell open, revealing the twinkling bodice again and her enticing cleavage. She moved on the bed, and he noticed the clump of hair that had been listing during their argument detach from her head completely.
What was that? Fake hair?
The shorter cap of real hair framed her heart-shaped face, accentuating her delicate bone structure. Then her eyelids fluttered open, and he found himself staring into warm whisky-brown orbs—which really were exquisite, despite the trashed make-up—the rich amber highlighted with gold shards.
Her face flushed a dull pink and her breath caught—and for a moment he thought he saw his own vicious awareness reflected in her expression.
He stepped away from the bed, stunned by the fierce desire to press his mouth to hers and hear her moan again, this time for him.
Where had that come from?
She blinked, and murmured, ‘Where am I?’
Giovanni took Roman’s place at the bedside. ‘You are at Isola Estiva,signorina. I am Giovanni Mancini, the estate manager. You are aguesthere,’ he added pointedly. Roman didn’t correct him. ‘If you wish for anything, you must let me or my wife Giuliana know by calling the house phone beside your bed.’
The girl nodded. ‘Grazie mille, Giovanni,’ she said, but then she stared past Giovanni’s shoulder, to where Roman stood, ramrod straight in the corner of the room.
‘Leave us now, Giovanni,’ Roman muttered.
The man had done his job and put Milly Devlin’s mind at ease. But he would be damned if he’d let her get too comfortable. Because she was still a thief who had caused him no end of trouble tonight. And a close relative of the man he’d had good reason to hate his entire life.
The estate manager bowed his head, then sent Roman a quelling, paternal glance—which was probably supposed to be a warning of some sort—before leaving the room.
As Giovanni’s footsteps disappeared down the hallway, Roman’s head started to throb, along with his groin. The cheek of the guy. Did he know who was paying his damn salary? Roman Garner didn’t take orders from anyone, and certainly not his own staff. Plus he did not take advantage of women... Despite any appearances to the contrary tonight.
‘I like your estate manager.’ Her soft voice floated towards him, drawing his attention back to the problem at hand.
A smile twitched on her tempting lips—and amusement twinkled in those whisky-coloured eyes—only annoying him more and not helping much with his headache. Or the throbbing in his groin.
Terrific.
‘That makes one of us, then,’ he said, his tone sharp with irritation.
He didn’t know what the hell he’d been thinking bringing her here—but the idiotic notion he could use her relationship to Cade to his advantage was beginning to appear more and more misguided. Because the inexplicable desire—which he had refused to acknowledge on the boat—had a volatile feel to it, which had the potential to backfire on him.
She opened her mouth, but then the loud buzz of the phone in her bag interrupted them.
‘Answer it,’ he commanded. ‘If it’s your family, tell them they can pick you up first thing in the morning.’ The sooner he was rid of her, the better.
