Page 22 of Modern Romance Collection February 2025, 5-8

‘Why should we?’ His black eyes glittered ominously. ‘It’s nothing to do with her.’

‘Because she’s my friend,’ answered Floriana stubbornly. ‘And she’ll be able to give you an impartial opinion.’

‘Is that so?’ said Romano softly. ‘Funny. I never really had impartiality down as one of Kelly’s strengths but maybe it’s time for her to prove me wrong. Go ahead, then, Kelly.’ Dark brows were raised in question. ‘The floor’s all yours.’

They all looked at her and Kelly felt like someone who had wandered onto a darkened stage before suddenly being illuminated by a spotlight. Three pairs of eyes were fixed on her but the only person she was conscious of was Romano. Their gazes met and held. For how long? A second? A minute? Long enough for her to suspect that he had the ability to peer into her mind and know how much she ached for him.

And suddenly she could barely breathe. Or think. Because how were you supposed to behave in the cold light of day when you’d been naked with your host the night before, and he’d been sliding his fingers between your thighs? When he’d taken you to the stars and back, before turning round and berating you for deceiving him? Usually she would be glaring at him. Should she do that now? Or did he think that, by his having pleasured her, she would now give him her support in return?

But she couldn’t ignore the undisguised appeal in Floriana’s eyes and Kelly realised she couldn’t let her friend down. He’d asked the question, so answer it. ‘It’s obviously a very kind offer, Romano,’ she said, as diplomatically as she could. ‘But I totally get why they’re not biting your hand off to accept it.’

‘Perhaps you would care to elaborate,’ he suggested.

She ran the tip of her tongue along her bottom lip, trying to ignore the undertone of hostility in his voice. ‘I think if you’re always on the periphery, pulling the strings—then Max and Floriana won’t feel as if they can put their own stamp on the place—’

‘I have no objection to them making alterations,’ he interrupted icily. ‘Provided they are reasonable alterations, of course.’

His eyes had narrowed with calculation and Kelly suddenly got an inkling of the full extent of his power. He wasn’t used to being challenged, she realised. Or refused. People rarely said no to him and when they did, he simply wouldn’t accept it. And suddenly she felt infused with her own kind of power. She was poor, yes, and she didn’t have a fancy status, but at least she wasn’t answerable to anyone else—and didn’t that confer a unique kind of independence upon her? Even if he sacked her for insubordination, she could always find something else, because jobs as cleaners, or barmaids, or waitresses were ten a penny.

‘It’s no fun if they have to ask your permission before they can do anything, Romano,’ she ventured. ‘How are Max and Floriana supposed to feel like it’s their for-ever home, if they have to run everything past her fierce big brother before they can even slap some paint on a wall?’

‘Fierce?’ he echoed ominously.

‘Oh, come on. You’re not totally devoid of insight.’ She met the ebony burn of his eyes without flinching. ‘Surely evenyouaren’t going to deny that!’

A disbelieving silence followed, broken only by Floriana’s soft interjection.

‘Wow.’

Kelly blinked, becoming dimly aware that the married couple had been following the heated exchange with total fascination, their heads turning from side to side, like spectators at a tennis match. And suddenly she realised that she and Romano were behaving very differently towards each other, and wouldn’t Floriana and Max wonder why? Because having sex with someone changed everything, didn’t it? It had to. They had crossed a line last night and they could never go back, no matter what happened in the future.

Once again she could feel herself blushing, the blood rushing to the roots of her hair, which she knew only too well was a deeply unflattering look for a freckly redhead. She needed to get out of there, before any more giveaway emotions spilled out. ‘But this is family business, not mine,’ she added hastily. ‘And I need some fresh air. I’ll see you later, Flo. I’ll kick a ball around with Rocco and then we can have some coffee before you head off.’

Exiting at speed, she went outside into the pale February morning, only dimly aware that there was a slight nip to the air and she should have gone and found her jacket first. Rubbing her hands up and down her arms, she began to walk. How was it going to be possible to stay here, working for him—cleaningfor him for ten days—when her feelings were so conflicted? Because when he’d walked into that dining room just now, she’d felt like the same starstruck schoolgirl who had peered down at him from the window of the sanitorium all those years ago. Why should that be? Yes, he had been an amazing lover—no surprise there—but surely exposure to his emotional coldness should have killed off her long-term crush. Just let me feel…nothing, she prayed silently. That wasn’t too much to ask, was it?

She continued to wander around the sprawling estate, remembering much of the layout from the days leading up to Floriana’s aborted marriage to the count. Back then, the place had been buzzing. She remembered lanterns strung from the trees, a string quartet flown in from Rome and a pre-wedding feast of unrivalled splendour—and in the end it had all been for nothing. Yet now she wondered if things could have been done differently. If the union could have been called off in a way which didn’t involve a tear-stained Floriana’s middle-of-the-night exile from Italy.Shouldshe have gone to Romano? Kelly wondered. Risked his wrath and appealed to his better nature? Did he even have one?

Her footsteps took her along a path between two tall rows of cherry trees, their tips frothy and pink with early blossom. Tiny violet flowers were growing in profusion beneath them and nearby shrubs were fragrant with waxy white blooms. Despite the faintly neglected air of thecastello’s interior, the terraced gardens were as stunning as ever and the jaw-dropping views over the valley were unchanged. Birds were singing their hearts out and, from the other side of the valley, Kelly could hear a church bell ringing. In that moment everything seemed so delightfullyItalianand she found herself wondering why Romano was so averse to making such a glorious place his permanent home.

She was so lost in thought that at first she didn’t properly register the crunch of gravel, but then she realised she was no longer alone and she despaired of the traitorous leap of her heart when she guessed who it must be.

Abruptly, she stopped and turned, wanting to surprise him, but he seemed to be expecting it, his cursory nod failing to disguise the faintly combative light which gleamed from his black eyes. She shivered as their gazes clashed and she hoped he hadn’t noticed. So now what? Should she greet him in a cheery manner? That didn’t seem appropriate somehow. The fact that she didn’t officially start work until the others had left for Rome was a mere technicality. From here on in he is really your boss, she told herself, and might have bobbed a sarcastic curtsey if she hadn’t been so taken aback by his appearance.

Because in the time it had taken her to traverse the vast estate, he must have showered and changed for his damp riding gear had been replaced by an immaculate charcoal suit and a dark shirt. Strength and power emanated from every hard sinew of his body and Kelly sucked in an unsteady breath, tortured by the sudden the memory of how magnificent he had looked when he was naked. With black hair glinting in the sunlight and his skin glowing with health, he looked vital and virile. But his eyes were like ice. Dangerous black ice.

Yet despite his emotional coldness, all Kelly could think of was how much she wanted to touch him. With some of the confidence she had acquired in his arms last night, she wanted to lean in and breathe in that potent masculine scent. She wanted to trace the shadowed curve of his jaw with her finger and burrow her hands underneath his shirt so she could feel the satin of his skin. And that was the very last thing she should be thinking, when he hadn’t been able to get out of her bedroom quick enough last night.

‘You seem to make a habit of jumping out and scaring people,’ she exclaimed crossly.

‘I was calling your name, but you seemed oblivious. Anyway, you don’t look in the least bit scared to me.’

‘I’m pretending.’

‘Sì,’he drawled acidly. ‘Pretence is one of your undoubted talents, isn’t it, Kelly?’

How did he manage to make an insult sound so…sexy? Was it because it was accompanied by the mocking gleam of his eyes, which was making her think about kissing him? She was breathing a little too rapidly and her heart was slamming against her ribcage. ‘What do you want?’ she questioned weakly. ‘To fight?’

‘I suspect our fight would finish very differently from the way it started,cara.’

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