The Italians: Alessandro, Luca & Dizo. Rebecca Winters

Sophia revealed as she accepted a flute of champagne from one of the many waiters circling the room. ‘Guests tend to be generous when the funds being raised benefit terminally ill children.’

      A request for guests to be seated as dinner was about to be served ensured a general move towards numbered tables, and Lily bore Alessandro’s light touch at the edge of her waist as he escorted them to their table.

      Shared by fellow guests, among whom were Giarda and her husband Massimo—an attractive man whose dark features held a similar degree of ruthless power on a par with Alessandro’s.

      They had fought for Giarda’s attention and Alessandro had accorded Massimo colleague, but were they friends in business, or adversaries? Lily posed as they took their seats.

      A certain mutual respect became evident, she decided as the evening progressed. Alessandro was seated between Sophia and herself, with Massimo and Giarda opposite. The remaining five guests comprised a middle-aged couple, their son and two daughters.

      Throughout the three-course dinner the eldest of the two daughters did her best to engage Alessandro’s attention, which to give him credit, he fielded with polite charm.

      Lily silently assured she didn’t care and knew she lied. Which in itself was a conundrum, given the state of her emotions were in direct contrast to the dictates of her mind.

      Come Monday she’d be involved with work, back in a kitchen, where she wanted to be. Social activities involving Alessandro’s presence would dwindle to almost nothing.

      Not before time. She’d done complicated, now all she wanted was routine and a simple lifestyle.

      The fund-raiser was announced as an outstanding success as individual donations brought the total raised beyond expectations.

      Gradually the guests began to leave, pausing to chat with friends and consequently progress into the foyer became slow.

      It had been sufficiently disturbing to be seated close to Alessandro throughout the evening; somehow it seemed even more so to have his arm resting loosely at her waist during their passage from ballroom to foyer.

      An action Lily attempted to convince herself was merely a courtesy and failed, for there was a sense of rightness in the contact, and although she vigorously denied it she felt. what? Protected. Which was insane.

      In the name of heaven, get real. Blame the champagne, although she’d merely sipped the contents from one flute.

      Within a few minutes she’d slip into the car with Sophia, and Carlo would deliver her to her apartment.

      Except when Sophia’s car drew level with the entrance it was Sophia who bade them both buona notte and slid into the rear seat, leaving Lily almost speechless as Carlo eased the large vehicle forward into the steady stream of departing traffic.

      ‘I’ll get a taxi.’ The words left her lips with stiff resolve, and all it achieved was Alessandro’s studied inspection.

      ‘That won’t be necessary.’

      ‘I wouldn’t dream of taking you out of your way.’

      He indicated his sleek black car sliding to a halt adjacent the entrance. ‘Let’s go.’

      Lily spared a look of muted defiance, and her eyes widened as he leant in close. ‘Do you really want to argue?’

      She caught the flashbulbs of eager paparazzi, foreseeing how her reluctance would appear on celluloid, and she slid into the passenger seat with a forced smile, which she maintained until Alessandro cleared the venue and entered the main stream of traffic.

      ‘I could easily have summoned a taxi.’

      ‘Not unless you chose to wait in line for up to an hour or more. Something I would refuse to allow you to do.’

      She opened her mouth to verbally damn him, only to close it again.

      Silence seemed the best option, and she maintained it until Alessandro drew the car to a halt outside the entrance to her apartment building.

      With undue haste she released her seat belt and reached for the door clasp, only to have him cut the engine and step out from the car.

      ‘Thank you for the ride home.’

      The external lighting accented his profile as he stood tall, like a dark angel for a few measurable seconds before he crossed to her side and held out his hand.

      ‘I’ll see you indoors.’

      Lily tilted her head and threw him a dark look. ‘It isn’t necessary.’

      His eyes speared her own, and with slow deliberation he cradled her face and lowered his head to capture her mouth with his own.

      For a stark moment she became helplessly caught up in the sensual magic of his touch. A soft groan rose in her throat as she wavered between kissing him back or attempting to move away, instinctively aware she should take the latter action if she wanted to preserve her emotional sanity.

      Except … ohmygod, he was good at this. Far too good.

      A kiss … it was just a kiss.

      Yet it became more, almost as if he was intent on staking a claim.

      The temptation to wind her arms around his neck became difficult to resist, and she leaned in, threading her fingers through his hair as she kissed him back, loving the way his tongue stroked her own, teasing a little in an erotic dance that drove her wild.

      She wanted to touch him, skin on skin, so she could explore his hard-muscled body. To nibble a little, taste and savour until he groaned and sought more; to become lost, beyond rational thought as she indulged in the release sex would provide.

      Except that was all it would be … sex. And she didn’t do one-night stands. Or sex without commitment.

      Worse, what in hell was she thinking?

      Two months ago she’d caught James in flagrante delicto, and vowed never to place her trust in another man ever again.

      So … chill. Stop this now, before it gets out of hand.

      Alessandro sensed the moment she began to withdraw, and he lightened his touch, sliding his hands up her arms to cradle her face as his mouth lingered a little, caressing the soft swollen contours before he slowly raised his head to search her features.

      Eyes dark with passion, cheeks slightly heated, the faint quiver of her lips, and the edges of his mouth lifted a little in a gentle smile as he caught hold of her hand.

      ‘I’ll see you to your apartment, then leave.’

      He crossed to the lift, pressed the call button and when the doors slid open he led her inside.

      Lily didn’t offer a word as they reached her floor, nor did she object when he took the key from her nerveless fingers and unlocked her apartment door.

      Seconds later he handed her the key and gently pushed her inside.

      ‘Buona notte, Lily.’

      The door closed, and she automatically deactivated the alarm system, then she crossed into her bedroom, discarded her clothes, pulled on sleepwear, and slipped into bed to lie awake into the early hours of the morning.

CHAPTER SIX

      ‘TWO veal parmigiana, one salad, one steamed vegetables,’ Lily read, and she began plating up the order for Hannah to collect and serve.

      Day two on the lunch shift, and the restaurant was almost at full capacity.

      Giovanni, the head chef, was a tough but fair taskmaster, ensuring the food chain worked at maximum efficiency.

      Very little, if anything, escaped him, his eagle