Modern Romance Collection: December Books 5 - 8. Julia James

do you think you’re going?’ he asked. ‘You can’t go back to the shop. It’s all boarded up.’ His voice was still low and even, but it had taken on an edge. ‘Your landlady is spending the night in a very comfortable local hotel while my builders complete their repairs.’

      ‘Your builders,’ she snapped. ‘That says it all. Your hand in my failure at interview just now. And you say you’re not controlling? What else do you have in store for me, Luca?’

      Releasing her arm, he stood back. ‘I provided a faster solution for your landlady than her insurance company could hope to offer, and that is all. As for your job interview, how are you going to work as a tour guide when you’re heavily pregnant? I can’t risk the mother of my child being exposed to people who might exploit her to get at me. Your situation has changed, Callie, whether you like it or not.’

      ‘It certainly has,’ she agreed. ‘I was free and now I’m not.’ She was furious. ‘How did you get an appointment to meet with the Director of Tourism so fast?’

      ‘His secretary recognised me.’

      ‘Of course she did. Since your enthronement you’re all over the news. “The world’s most eligible bachelor”,’ she quoted tensely, ‘who just happens to have a pregnant and discarded mistress on the side.’

      ‘Very dramatic,’ he said.

      ‘Dramatic? Since you came into my life, everything’s been dramatic—’ She bit off her angry words, remembering that without Luca she’d probably be dead and so would their unborn child. Hormones again, she realised. Definitely hormones. The next thing she knew there were tears in her eyes. She drove them back. ‘You said it cost you nothing to stand in the way of me getting that job. What did you do, Luca? You must have said something?’

      ‘I did,’ he confirmed, shielding her as the wind blasted them. ‘I offered reciprocal marketing of our two very different holiday destinations.’

      ‘There must be more.’

      ‘There was,’ he confirmed evenly. ‘I told him I wanted you to work for me.’

      ‘What?’

      ‘Get in the car.’

      She was shivering violently. It was freezing cold. They stared at each other, unblinking. They both knew there could be no walking away this time. Callie had very little money left, and nowhere to stay tonight. Even a simple boarding house at this time of year, when the illuminations were drawing crowds to the resort, cost far more than she could afford to spend.

      ‘Where will you take me?’ she asked.

      ‘I thought you had a sense of adventure.’

      ‘I don’t like surprises.’ But her options were zero. They had to speak at some point. Why not now? Surely two intelligent human beings could come to an amicable agreement?

      Seriously?

      Yes, because this wasn’t about either of them, but about their child, and with their histories Callie was prepared to bet that both of them would put that child first.

      The passenger door closed with a soft clunk, enclosing Callie in a very different world. This was a world that only the super-rich could afford. It wasn’t the spicy warmth of the lemon groves, or the anodyne interior of a five-star hotel, but was so comfortable that it could easily muddle her mind. It was far too tempting to relax and not think of anything but getting to her destination, wherever that might be, safely and warmly. Soft classical music played in the background, while the scent of soft leather assailed her senses. In spite of all the warnings to self, she relaxed and drank it in.

      This was the scent of money, she thought as Luca swung into the driver’s seat. He only added to her pleasure with his natural warmth, and the scent of warm clean man, laced with the light, exotic fragrance he always wore. He pressed a button and the engine purred. The sexy black car pulled effortlessly out into the flowing traffic. There were no brash noises, no sharp edges, nothing to alarm. The vehicle was precision engineering at its finest, rather like the workings of Luca’s mind.

      He drove as smoothly and as skilfully as he did everything else. They were heading out of town, she noticed, towards the airport. She had some decisions to make, and had better make them fast. She had agreed to get in the car, but had she agreed to travel out of the country? The thought of seeing Luca on his home turf was an exciting prospect, but she was wary of being seduced into giving up her freedom. Even now she knew his true identity, he was still the most brutally handsome and desirable man. Her body ached and longed for him. Her mind told her they needed to talk. Her soul said they were meant to be together. On a far baser level, pregnancy had made her mad for sex, and there was only one answer to that.

       CHAPTER EIGHT

      THE ROYAL JET was waiting. On this occasion he would not be the pilot. He escorted Callie on board as if she were already his Princess. He understood her need for freedom. Theirs would be a marriage for practical reasons, tying neither of them down. Its sole purpose would be to provide Fabrizio with the longed-for heir. Would she agree to that proposal? Better this woman he cared for than some unknown princess from Michel’s list, and it would fulfil Callie’s wish for independence.

      Callie would certainly agree to sex. Pheromones were threatening to drown him. Electricity wasn’t just snapping, it was threatening to bring down the national grid. Taking her by the wrist, he led her straight to the rear of the plane where his private quarters were located. He had given instructions that they were not to be disturbed under any circumstances, short of an aviation meltdown. They didn’t speak. They didn’t need to. Callie’s needs were flashing like neon signs. They’d talk later. Opening the door to his lavish suite, he ushered her inside.

      ‘Luca—’

      ‘Too much talking.’ She was still wearing high heels and her prim interview suit. ‘Keep the shoes on.’

      ‘What?’

      ‘You heard me. Take everything else off.’ She had the best legs on earth, elongated by the high-heeled shoes, and a figure to die for. The height of the heels thrust her hips forward in a way he found irresistible. Caging her with his arms either side of her face, and his fists planted against the door, he brushed his lips against hers for the sheer pleasure of hearing her moan.

      ‘All my clothes?’ she asked, snatching a breath.

      ‘Yes.’

      Erotic heat clouded her eyes. ‘You haven’t told me where you’re taking me.’

      ‘You’re going to love the surprise.’

      ‘Let me decide,’ she insisted. ‘Tell me, then I’ll take my clothes off.’

      She was teasing him?

      ‘You don’t play fair,’ she gasped as he pressed his body against hers.

      ‘Have you only just noticed?’

      Rolling his hips, he rubbed his body against her while she groaned. When he pulled back she moved frantically towards him in an attempt to repeat the contact. The jet engines whined into life right on cue. The aircraft was ready for take-off. Any time soon there would be the most enormous thrust and they’d take to the sky. ‘You’re overdressed,’ he commented.

      ‘Why couldn’t we talk in Blackpool?’ she asked, playing for time, he guessed.

      ‘In a hotel, somewhere anonymous and clinical? Wouldn’t you rather be here?’

      She gasped as he found her. ‘I can’t.’

      ‘I think you’ll find you can.’ He dropped a kiss on her shoulder.

      ‘Who lives like this?’ she said, staring past him at the designer-led living quarters on board his state-of-the-art jet.

      ‘Stop trying to distract yourself and enjoy.’