- -
- 100%
- +
Penny smiled her consent and jumped to her feet. ‘You have an incredible place here, Mr De Luca. I’d love to explore your gardens.’
‘Santo. Please call me Santo,’ he suggested softly.
‘I’d rather not; it’s a little too informal for our situation,’ she answered swiftly.
He noticed that her eyes had turned from blue to amethyst in the changing evening light. They looked softer and more vulnerable—and, dammit, he didn’t want to notice these things. She was here to work, nothing else, and he’d be as well to remember it. ‘I can’t have you calling me Mr De Luca when we’re on our own.’
‘How about Signor De Luca?’ she asked cheekily, and he was taken again by the flash in her eyes. She was so beautiful, all woman, teasing and flirtatious, whether she knew it or not. He guessed she didn’t; she would probably be horrified if she knew what he was thinking. How he was interpreting her behaviour.
‘Tell me about yourself,’ he said, conscious his voice was even gruffer than usual. ‘I really know very little—except that you come with impeccable credentials, and that you have no boyfriend,’ he added with a twist to his lips. ‘Where do you live, for instance?’
‘I share a flat with a friend in Notting Hill. Or at least I did, I moved out today.’
‘I see. Would that be a female friend?’ The question was out before he could stop it. Even though she’d said that she didn’t have a boyfriend.
‘Are you prying into my private life, Mr De Luca?’
He was startled by her question until he saw the twinkle in her eyes again and managed a smile himself. ‘I’m very curious. Do you have any family? Of course you do not have to tell me if you don’t want to. But I always take an interest in my employees’ private lives; I always enquire about husbands or wives or partners, because if there’s a problem at home it can sometimes affect their work and then I can make allowances. I believe my interest helps improve working relationships.’
She looked at him disbelievingly for a few seconds and then she laughed, and it was such a musical sound that he felt like laughing too. He wanted to pick her up and twirl her around. He wanted to kiss her; he wanted to… He stopped his thoughts right there, berating himself for being fanciful. And he was grateful when she spoke.
‘In that case, if it will improve our relationship, the answer to your question about my flatmate is that she is female.’ And she slanted him another glance to see how he would take it.
He pretended not to notice.
‘Do I have family?’ she went on. ‘My father died when I was Chloe’s age. And my mother died a couple of years ago; she’d been ill a long time. But I have a twin sister who has a six-year-old and a new baby. I visit her often. I love the kids.’
All the time she’d been speaking they had been walking along a flagstoned path that led to the lake. It was a favourite place of his to sit and meditate—especially at this time of night. And he was looking forward to Penny’s reaction.
It was not what he expected. When the vast expanse of water came into sight she gave a squeal of horror. ‘Mr De Luca, you never told me about this. It’s not exactly safe for Chloe. It really should be fenced.’
Never before could he remember feeling so deflated.
And horrified. It had not occurred to him that it could be dangerous. He hoped none of the other nannies had ever let Chloe out to play on her own. He went hot and cold at the thought of what the consequences could have been.
‘It will be done,’ he declared. ‘Immediately. Mio Dio, sono un idiota.’
‘Otherwise,’ said Penny, and he swore he could hear a hint of mischief in her voice, ‘it’s beautiful here.’
‘It is especially beautiful at this time in the evening,’ he answered. But he wasn’t looking at the water, he was looking at Penny instead, and when she looked back at him with eyes so wide and so incredibly lovely he wanted to take her in his arms and kiss her—regardless of the consequences.
Penny saw the intent on Santo’s face and knew that she had to act swiftly, or she too would give in to temptation. And how dangerous would that be? Her job would be gone and she’d never find another like it.
It had to be the incredible patterns of colour in the sky, reflected so perfectly in the water, that had done it. It was a place for lovers. It was a magical evening, everything still and hushed—and temptation was everywhere.
Not a place for an employer and employee. Unless she’d got it wrong and he hadn’t been going to kiss her, but she couldn’t be sure and she dared not take the risk. It would ruin everything, even though he was the most gorgeous man she’d ever met.
He wouldn’t be after a serious relationship, just a bit of fun. And she wasn’t up for that. She had many friends who would be—Louise, for instance. Friends who would tell her she was stupid not to go for it. Millionaires, billionaires, whatever, always lavished their girlfriends with expensive gifts. That way they didn’t feel guilty when they dumped you.
Well, this girl wasn’t for dumping. This girl wasn’t going to enter into any kind of a relationship with him—except a purely professional one.
‘Have you lived here very long?’ she asked, deliberately moving a few feet away from him, pretending to watch a pair of ducks who’d broken the silence by squabbling on the other side of the lake.
He didn’t answer her question. ‘Why don’t you have a boyfriend?’ he said instead. ‘A beautiful woman like you, I would have thought you’d have a whole string of them knocking at your door.’
Penny lifted her shoulders. ‘I’m not interested in men. I’m a career girl.’
‘You intend to be a nanny for the rest of your life?’ he questioned, making it sound as though it was the worst thing she could possibly do.
‘Why not?’ she demanded.
‘I cannot see it happening,’ he declared dismissively. ‘You’re too beautiful to become an old maid. That is the right expression, is it not?’
Penny smiled and nodded. An old maid! It sounded so old-fashioned and not what she had expected from him.
‘One day the right man will come along and you’ll be swept off your feet. And before you know it you’ll be married with a lot of little children of your own to look after. I’m sure that would be far more satisfying than looking after other people’s children.’
‘And you consider yourself an expert on that subject, do you? A man who needs a nanny to look after his own child.’
Penny saw him frown and knew she was out of order but for some reason the words wouldn’t stop. He’d caught her on a raw nerve. She did want children; she’d thought once that she’d met the right man to give them to her. And ever since that disastrous affair she’d had doubts that there ever would be a Mr Right.
‘Tell me, Mr De Luca, if we are being open and honest with each other, what happened to your wife? Did she leave you because of the long hours you work?’
The instant the words were out she regretted them. And when he spoke, when he answered her question, she wanted to turn and run. She wanted to wave a magic wand and make herself disappear. This was the worst moment of her life.
CHAPTER TWO
‘MY WIFE is dead,’ Santo told Penny coldly. ‘And for your information I have no intention of ever marrying again.’ Without more ado he began walking back to-wards the house.
For a few seconds all Penny could do was stare after him. She saw shoulders that were hunched and a stride that was not his usual determined one. She felt like hell. What a stupid, inconsiderate question to have asked. What must he be thinking?
She really had overstepped the mark and wouldn’t be surprised if he told her to pack her bags and go. And she didn’t want to do that. She must make amends. Hurrying after him, she said, ‘I’m sorry, I didn’t know. I wouldn’t have asked if—’
Abruptly he stopped and faced her. ‘And you didn’t think it would be wise to get your facts right before passing judgement?’ His tone was harsher than she had ever heard it, dark eyes unfathomable. A tall, proud man, incensed at the way he had been spoken to.
Penny guessed he was still grieving. It must have been fairly recent. Maybe that was why he worked such long hours, why he didn’t seem to be giving his daughter the love and attention that she needed. He wanted to blot everything out and the only way he could do it was to work himself into the ground.
‘I’m sorry,’ she said again, feeling her heart bounce in her chest, feeling a raw kind of pity for him. She wanted to hug him—how ridiculous was that? She wanted to tell him that time would heal. She knew how heartbroken she’d felt when her mother had died.
But he didn’t want to hear those words. He wanted someone responsible to look after Chloe. He had a business to run, he couldn’t look after her himself. He didn’t know how. He’d never had to do it. He was the breadwinner. The man of the house. The provider.
‘Forget it,’ he growled, and headed back to the house.
Penny didn’t follow this time. She waited a few minutes before retracing her steps and then ran swiftly up to her room.
She couldn’t help wondering what Santo’s wife had been like. There were no photographs anywhere, nothing to remind him of her. Was that deliberate? Was he the sort of man who couldn’t cope with death? Pretended it didn’t exist? So many questions with no answers.
When Penny got up the next morning, not surprisingly Santo had already gone to work. She’d not slept well with thoughts of the way she had upset him last night, and as she got Chloe ready for school she gave the girl an extra-big hug.
Chloe looked so much like her father, with jet-black hair and big brown eyes—which were sometimes sad. Penny knew that the little girl must be hurting deep down inside, bewildered as well, because how could you really explain to a child of her age that her mother would never be coming back?
It wasn’t for her to say anything, though. If Chloe wanted to talk, fair enough, but she had no intention of bringing up the subject.
After dropping Chloe off at school she did some shopping and visited her sister before going back to De Luca Manor—as she had privately named Santo’s house. It was hard to believe that one man lived in such a huge mansion. Why? Unless he entertained a lot, or had done when his wife was alive.
At the back of the house was a row of garages—she’d been allotted one for her tiny car—and Penny was surprised to see Santo’s sleek black Aston Martin already parked there. He was home! At this time of day? She glanced at her watch. It was scarcely lunch time.
‘Where have you been?’ he growled the second she entered the house. It looked as though he’d been waiting for her. His black hair was ruffled and she could imagine those long fingers running impatiently through it.
‘I’m sorry,’ she said, jutting her chin, resenting the inference that she should have been in when he arrived home. ‘I didn’t realise I had to keep you informed of my movements. Actually I’ve been to see my sister. You did say my free time was during the day.’
‘I thought I’d take you out to lunch.’
Penny couldn’t hide her shock. ‘Me? Why?’ A nanny lunch with her boss? It was unheard-of, especially with a man such as Santo.
‘Because we didn’t finish our conversation last night,’ he answered. ‘But if you’d rather not, then…’ He lifted his wide shoulders in a careless shrug.
‘I’m sorry about last night; I—’
Santo cut her short. ‘The subject’s closed. Go and get rid of your bags. We’re leaving in ten minutes.’
Meaning he didn’t want to talk about his loss. And she could hardly blame him. People dealt with their grief differently. Santo clearly wanted to shut his away.
Penny scurried to her room. It didn’t seem right lunching with him, but who was she to argue? She ran a comb through her hair but didn’t bother to change. She was already wearing a long brown skirt and a pretty peasant blouse, both fairly new purchases and perfectly suitable. All she did was change her sandals to a pair of high heels and with a touch of lip gloss and a splash of perfume she was ready.
Was her heart racing because she had rushed? Penny wondered as she ran lightly down the curved flight of stairs towards Santo, standing in the huge hallway. Or was it racing because she was about to dine with him?
The hall below was elegant and beautiful with a polished wooden floor and a centre table holding a bowl of sweet-smelling roses cut straight from the garden. There was a rocking chair in one corner and ornately framed mirrors on two of the walls.
But at this very moment she saw none of it; she saw only Santo’s unsmiling face. Unsmiling but indescribably handsome. She couldn’t believe that she was actually going out with him. In all her years of being a nanny nothing like this had ever happened.
On the other hand she had never worked for anyone like Santo before. This was a man apart. And because he was different her heart was hammering so hard that it felt painful against her ribcage.
When the agency had asked if she’d take this job she had said yes without any qualms. What they hadn’t told her was what Santo De Luca was like. They hadn’t said he was one of the richest men in the country. They hadn’t told her that he was gorgeous-looking. They had told her nothing. Maybe if they had she would have run a mile. Or she might have been so intrigued that she’d have taken the job anyway.
Santo watched Penny as she descended the stairs; he watched each step she took. He looked at the way she pointed her toes, he looked at her slender ankles, at the soft material of her skirt as it brushed against her thighs. His blood whistled through his veins. He watched the movement of her breasts beneath the flowered cotton top and his heart missed a couple of beats. Then he looked up and caught her eye.
She was smiling.
She looked as though she was happy to go out with him. Which both surprised and pleased him. Last night he had spoken harshly and regretted it immediately afterwards. She had caught him on the raw.
One day he might tell her that he and his wife had been divorced for almost four years, that any love he had ever felt for her had been killed long before then. And that Helena hadn’t even told him that he had a daughter! If he’d known he’d have helped out, he’d have got to know his daughter, he wouldn’t be in the helpless position he was in now.
His feelings when he’d discovered the truth were of sheer disbelief and outrage. He’d found it hard to accept that she had done such a thing to him. He’d never realised how much she had hated him. Even thinking about it, reliving that moment when he made his discovery, twisted his guts.
Thank goodness for Penny. Fiery and spirited without the least interest in him, which made a refreshing change. He was so used to women hanging on to his every word, fighting to make themselves noticed, trying to trick their way into his bed, that Penny was like a breath of fresh air.
No doubt she thought him an uncaring father, but the truth was he felt simply helpless. He didn’t know the first thing about bringing up children. He’d had no contact with kids since he had been one himself. They were a mystery to him.
‘Good,’ he said, ‘a woman who doesn’t take hours to get ready. I’m impressed.’
‘I haven’t changed, I hope I’m all right. We’re not going anywhere too posh, are we?’
She seemed faintly worried and Santo smiled reassuringly. ‘You’re not to worry about anything; you look incredible.’ Had he really said that? He’d have to watch himself. This wasn’t a date. She intrigued him and he was looking forward to finding out more about her but that was all. Even then she didn’t have to tell him anything about herself if she didn’t want to.
Except that he wanted to know!
He’d summoned his chauffeur while Penny was getting ready and he led her out to the waiting Bentley, smiling to himself as her eyes widened, well aware that his wealth impressed her.
She slipped into one side, he into the other, and they sank into the luxurious cream leather. The light floral scent of her perfume was evocative, teasing his nostrils like nothing else. And he knew that forever afterwards this particular perfume would always remind him of her.
Penny was on edge, her hands clasped firmly in her lap, her knees and feet together, her back straight. She hadn’t expected the limousine and the chauffeur or she definitely would have changed. This was very alien, and she prayed that he wasn’t going to take her somewhere equally classy.
‘Relax,’ he growled softly in her ear, ‘I won’t bite, I promise.’
Penny edged away, unable to stop herself, missing his frown but aware that he didn’t approve. It was that infinitesimal stiffening of his body that gave him away. He wasn’t used to a woman moving away from him, rather the opposite. Part of Penny, a large part, didn’t want to move away. Heaven help her, but she wanted to find out what it would feel like to be held against his hard, hot body, bound to him by arms of steel, but she knew where such pleasures could lead. She was entirely out of his league; he would use her and then discard her, the way Max had done. And she had no wish to go through that again.
Men didn’t have the same sort of feelings that women had. Their emotions weren’t involved when they embarked on affairs. They could walk away at the end without getting hurt. Not so for the female sex.
‘Where are we going?’ she asked, and was horrified to hear the husky throb in her voice.
‘To one of my favourite bistros.’
A bistro. That wouldn’t be so bad. Her breathing got easier. ‘Why aren’t you driving?’
He gave one of his twisted smiles where his mouth went up on one side and his eyes crinkled at the corners, making him look almost boyish. ‘Because of parking. You know what London’s like.’
‘We could have taken the tube.’ And then she laughed at his shocked expression. ‘I presume you never take the tube anywhere?’
‘Not these days,’ he admitted.
Not since he’d made his fortune, thought Penny. She could have made some comment about his carbon footprint but she didn’t. ‘Actually it’s nice to be driven like this,’ she declared instead, giving a little bounce on her seat.
‘I noticed your car was pretty ancient,’ he said, still with that half-smile.
Penny shrugged. ‘Nannies’salaries don’t lead to new cars. Though,’ she added daringly, ‘if I stay with you long enough I might be able to afford one.’
‘I’ll buy you one,’ he said at once.
Penny’s mouth fell open and she stared at him. He’d said it as though it meant nothing. Which it probably didn’t. Not to him. But hell would freeze over before she’d let him do that.
‘You look surprised.’
‘As indeed I am,’ she replied. ‘Why would you want to do a thing like that? My car’s perfectly reliable. I don’t need another one just yet.’
‘So you’re rejecting my offer?’
He actually looked offended, thought Penny. ‘I am, most definitely.’
‘Some of the nannies I’ve employed have not owned a car,’ he informed her, ‘so there’s one in the garage bought solely for the purpose of ferrying my daughter around. You’re welcome to use it.’
‘No thanks,’ said Penny promptly, ‘but you can buy my petrol, I’ll let you do that.’
Dark brows slid up. ‘A woman with morals. A refreshing change. I like it.’
Penny wished her heart wouldn’t thump so loudly; she was afraid he might hear it. ‘There are a few of us left,’ she tossed smartly, flashing him a sideways glance.
If only he wasn’t sitting so close! There was space between them, yes, several inches in fact, but not enough. She could feel the warmth of him even with the air-conditioning, and her senses were attuned in a way that alarmed her.
She was tempted to edge towards the door but didn’t want to give herself away. All she had to do was remember that this was a business lunch. They were going to discuss exactly what he expected of her where his daughter was concerned. Just that. Nothing else. Not themselves, nothing personal.
So why was she worried?
‘You’re still not relaxed, Penny.’
She jerked her head round. He was watching her. Those incredible dark eyes were smiling and she knew that he had sensed her unease. More than that, he’d seen how rigid her body was, how her hands were still locked. She could hardly believe herself. She was behaving in a totally alien manner. Usually she was brimming with confidence, nothing ever fazed her.
Except this man.
Damn! What did he have that was different—apart from great wealth, of course? But that shouldn’t have made her feel like a dithering wreck. What he did have, in spades, was sex appeal. And it was this that was troubling her.
She had never encountered anyone like Santo De Luca before. Plenty of men were good-looking, were good company, were great guys, were fun, and some even thought they were God’s gift to women. But Santo was like none of these, he was in a different class entirely.
At school she’d been in the drama group and, although she’d done no acting since, Penny knew that she would have to act now as she’d never done before. So she smiled, and she shrugged, and she said, ‘It’s unnerving having lunch with your employer after only one day. I feel like I’m under the spotlight, as though I’m going to be interrogated. Am I?’
‘We’ll talk about whatever you want to talk about,’ he answered easily, his incredible eyes locking into hers.
To Penny’s relief the car slowed to a halt. But her relief was short-lived when they entered the bistro. An informal restaurant was her idea of a bistro. Tables on the pavement, tables inside with checked tablecloths, candles in bottles with melted wax down their sides, everything nice and casual.
This was nothing like it.
To begin with it looked expensive, terribly expensive. The room was large, airy and formal. Tablecloths were white damask, the tables spaced well apart; there were fresh flowers on them and the silverware gleamed. You wouldn’t get a bowl of fries here, that was for sure. Foie gras and caviare looked more in keeping. But she held her head high and pretended that she was used to walking into such stylish places.
If only! One meal here would probably cost a whole week’s wages.
Santo was greeted with a warm handshake and respect, making it evident that he was a regular customer.
‘This isn’t what I expected,’ she said after they had been shown to their table.
‘It’s not to your liking?’ he asked immediately. ‘We can go somewhere else if—’
‘It’s not that,’ Penny cut in. ‘I expected something a little less formal. I wouldn’t actually call this a bistro.’
‘To me it’s a bistro,’ he said easily. ‘It’s very relaxed here. And the food, it is squisito.’ He circled his thumb and finger. ‘You will like it, I promise you.’
Why are you doing this? she wanted to ask. Are you trying to impress me? She hoped he wasn’t after something else. Fancying him was one thing but she would never allow herself to be compromised.
But she was worrying for nothing. Santo was a gentleman. He discussed the menu with her, passionately, and their food was perfect in every way. By the end of the meal she was totally relaxed.
They had talked about anything and everything except themselves. She did enquire which part of Italy he came from, which she discovered was Rome, but he had noticeably clammed up at that point. She didn’t dare ask whether he had parents still alive, brothers or sisters, and she’d posed no further questions. Though she couldn’t help but be intrigued.
On the other hand he had found out that her favourite colour was brown. ‘Brown?’ he’d asked incredulously. ‘It cannot be your favourite. I can see you in something sky-blue or aquamarine, something to bring out the fantastic colour of your eyes. Have you ever tried those colours?’
Fantastic colour of her eyes! What else had he noticed about her? It was a scary thought. She didn’t like the idea of her employer observing something so personal.