Page 11 of Modern Romance Collection February 2025, 5-8

‘I know what her name is, Rosa,’ he said impatiently. As he tapped his finger like a metronome against the linen napery, his gaze swept around the table, encompassing Rosa, his brother-in-law, Max, who was tearing off a piece of bread to give to his four-year-old son, Rocco, before finally coming to rest on his sister. ‘I was just wondering whetherKellywas intending to grace us with her presence any time soon.’

‘She just wanted to see Allegra before lunch and give her a cuddle,’ said Floriana quickly. ‘Oh! Speak of the devil! Kelly. Here you are. Come and sit over here, next to me.’

Romano felt himself grow tense as Kelly walked into the castle dining room, though he doubted it was noticeable to anyone else. His heart might be pounding uncomfortably beneath his silk shirt and his muscles bunching low in his gut, but his face didn’t betray a smidgeon of reaction. When he put his mind to it, he was easily able to conceal the few emotions he had been unable to eradicate completely. The lessons learned during his early childhood hadn’tallbeen in vain, he thought caustically. He had learnt very early to construct an icy barrier around himself, designed to protect himself from the squalid world in which he had existed. His very survival had depended on it. And old habits died hard, he concluded grimly. Perhaps he should be grateful for the stony countenance he was able to present as he watched the redhead sit down opposite him, even if inwardly he was cursing her for the uncomfortable night he had endured.

He had barely slept a wink and he knew exactly why. Despite his recent punishing schedule and the bitter disappointment of his failed takeover bid, he had lain wide awake for hours. The quietness and solitude of the Tuscan estate might have provided balm to his troubled spirit if he had been alone, but he had not been alone. Becauseshehad been here. Admittedly, tucked up in a far-flung corner of the castle, but here nonetheless. And she might as well have been in the adjoining room, he had been so achingly aware of her presence. No matter how hard he had tried to sleep, he had found himself unable to stifle the urgent throb of his body, as he had pictured her compact curves and fiery curls.

‘Zia Kelly! Zia Kelly!’ yelled young Rocco with excitement, scrambling down from his seat beside his father and hurling himself into Kelly’s arms.

‘Woo! Rocco!’ she responded, as she scooped the child up into her arms and whirled him round. ‘Haven’t you grown?’

‘I’m the tallest boy in the class!’

‘I bet you are.’

‘Perhaps we could get on with lunch now?’ interjected Romano coolly.

‘Of course.’ Slowly putting Rocco down, she led him back to where he’d been sitting. ‘We’ll play after lunch,’ she promised the little boy quietly, before sliding into her own seat.

Romano stared across the table at her and despite the irritation she always provoked in him, he could do nothing to quash his instant stab of desire. To his astonishment, he noted that she was wearing exactly the same dress as she’d had on at dinner last night, although in the daylight the claret velvet looked garish and wrong. Who wore the same item of clothing two days running? he wondered in disbelief. Certainly, every woman of his acquaintance would have been horrified at the very idea. But that didn’t change a thing, did it? He still wanted her. He had always wanted her, from the moment he’d met her in that first, sweet flush of womanhood. Little Kelly Butler with her unkempt appearance and her wilfulness and her wild ways. The woman who always got underneath his skin—but never in the right way.

‘I’m not late, am I?’ she questioned sarcastically, shooting him a challenging look as she shook out her napkin.

‘Very nearly,’ he answered repressively.

‘Oh, Romano, don’t be such a grouch,’ chided Floriana. ‘Here, have a little wine, Kelly. I’ll lend you my sunglasses in a minute and then you’ll be able to blot out the glare of Romano’s stare.’

Kelly bit back a smile, glad that her friend seemed to have learned to stand up to her domineering older brother at last. She took a sip from the small glass of red wine she’d been offered, grateful for the warmth which flooded through her, something she was going to need quite badly if she continued to be subjected to Romano’s frosty gaze. What torture it was, sitting across the table from him like this, when his dark eyes were icing out a barrage of conflicting messages. Unlike last night, today they had an audience and, for the sake of harmony, she needed to temper her response to him.

‘This is lovely,’ she said politely, gesturing towards the beautifully laid table, with its heirloom china and low bowls of white roses, although she couldn’t actually detect any of the flowers’ perfume. She turned to Floriana’s mother and smiled. ‘It’s so nice to be at the castle again, and for such a joyful occasion.’

‘Indeed,’ said Rosa, as two servants entered the room and began placing dishes on the long table. ‘It’s been a long time since we’ve seen you, Kelly. How are you, my dear?’

Kelly was wondering how best to bat off the question in a way which would shut the subject down before it had even started, when Floriana leapt in on her behalf.

‘Not great, actually. Kelly’s in a fix. She’s out of work, Mamma!’ she declared dramatically. ‘She lost her job this week.’

Kelly saw Romano’s lips harden into a forbidding line. Bring on the negative judgment, she thought fatalistically, and wasn’t disappointed.

‘One hesitates to ask why,’ he intoned coolly, slanting her an arrogant elevation of his dark brows. ‘Did it have anything to do with your timekeeping?’

She was so tempted to say something shocking just for the sake of it.

They accused me of flirting with the customers.Or,They caught me with my hand in the till.

But Rosa was there and she needed to behave herself, and so Kelly sought to make her explanation as succinct as possible. ‘I’ve been working as a waitress, to supplement the money I make on my market stall.’

‘Market stall?’ Romano choked out.

‘That’s right. I sell earrings, made by me.’ She saw Romano’s lips harden even more as she moved her finger to her left ear and brushed the tip against a swaying cascade of miniature silver stars. ‘It’s a very lively little market. Every day except Mondays and Tuesdays. People come to Granchester just to visit it. Maybeyoushould, Romano, next time you’re in England. You could pick up a five-pack of socks for under a tenner.’

Floriana was looking at Romano, seemingly oblivious to the private battle which Kelly was conducting with her half-brother, or the look of utter horror on his face.

‘She can’t pay the rent,’ Floriana told him baldly. ‘And she needs a job. Just a temporary one to tide her over until she can get something else. You must have a job she can do, Romano. You have a massive workforce.’

For all her determination to be flippant, Kelly couldn’t deny her heartsink moment when she saw Romano’s reaction, for he made absolutely no attempt to hide the disdain on his face.

‘I don’t think so,’ he said.

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