The Count's Prize. Christina Hollis

Josie had simply switched off her lights to enjoy the view from the windows as he had suggested, he fetched a bottle of champagne and a couple of glasses. Then he went up and tapped on the door of her suite.

      Never mind. She can still have the full Castello Sirena treatment, he thought, ignoring his disappointment that he wouldn’t be there to share it with her. Scribbling a quick note on the bottle’s label, he stood it outside her door.

      For some reason he couldn’t quite fathom, he wanted to tempt Josie into having a little fun, more than he’d wanted anything for a while. His interrupted dinner party was proof enough. Maybe her resistance was simply a new challenge? Whatever the reason, clearly he wasn’t going to be able to get her out of his mind until he’d won her over.

      A long, leisurely lunch should kick things off nicely, he decided.

      Josie was so polite, Dario knew she would never be able to refuse his invitation.

      He smiled as he strolled off to bed. It would be deliciously ironic to use her typical English reserve to build bridges between them …