Read Online Her Mediterranean Playboy by Melanie Milburne - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Melanie Milburne
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felt the warmth of his palm in the small of her back, making the nerves beneath her skin flutter in reaction and her legs to feel woolly and useless.
She listened as the questions flew back and forth, but although she recognised a few words here and there she was really at a loss as to what was being said—until a young female journalist with a Scottish accent addressed Vittorio in English.
‘Mr Vassallo, a rumour has been going around that you arecovering up for your brother-in-law’s affair with Mrs Sharpe by pretending to be involved with her yourself. Do you have any comment to make about that?’
Ally felt Vittorio’s arm around her waist tighten slightly. ‘Yes, I do,’ he said with an urbane smile. ‘Your people have most definitely got it wrong. This is not a cover-up. Ally Sharpe is not just my current lover but my fiancée. She has already moved into my palazzo , and we plan to marry in a matter of weeks.’
CHAPTER FIVE
A LTHOUGH it was a relief to be finally shepherded into the restaurant a few moments later, the press barred from entry by the stern reprimand of the owner, Ally’s heart-rate was still jumping all over the place at Vittorio’s comment to the journalist.
‘I have a special table prepared for you at the back,’ the restaurant owner said to Vittorio. ‘You will not be disturbed, I will see to it personally.’
He was as good as his word for, although the main part of the restaurant was soon filled to capacity, apart from the waiter assigned to them they saw no one, as fresh bread and olive oil was brought to the table along with the menu and wine list.
‘How do you feel about having your photo splashed across tomorrow’s papers and all the European gossip magazines?’ Vittorio asked, once the wine he had chosen had been poured for them.
Ally compressed her lips, her fingers fiddling with the stem of her glass in an abstracted manner. ‘I’m not keen on the idea, but I suppose if it achieves the aim it will be worth it. Don’t you think the fiancée comment you made was a little over the top?’
‘I thought your intention was to find yourself a rich husband?’ he said, reaching for his glass and taking a sip, all without releasing her gaze from the magnetism of his.
A small frown tugged at her forehead. ‘You didn’t mean it…did you? I mean, you wouldn’t take things that far… would you ?’
He smiled an unreadable smile. ‘You do not find me an attractive prospect as a husband?’
She ran her tongue over her lips in an agitated gesture. ‘It’s not that…It’s just you could marry anyone you liked. Why would you tie yourself to someone like me given my…er…past? Isn’t that taking family responsibility to extremes? Surely your brother-in-law and even your sister wouldn’t expect it of you?’
‘I do not make a habit of seeking my brother-in-law’s approval for my actions,’ he said. ‘I am quite enjoying your company, in spite of what he said about you. I think we could make quite a match of it actually. Besides…’ His dark gaze ran over her like a hot licking flame as he added sultrily, ‘I would hate to think of all that sexual chemistry that pulses between us going to waste.’
Ally looked at him in heart-thudding alarm. ‘Y-you’re teasing me. You have to be. You c-couldn’t possibly want to take things that far!’
His expression remained frustratingly unreadable. ‘You know, you really are a very intriguing young woman,’ he said. ‘I thought your whole intention was to find yourself a sugar daddy. Does the thought of marrying a billionaire no longer hold appeal?’
‘I don’t like the thought of being married to anyone who isn’t in love with me,’ she said, chewing her lip as she tried to make sense of this latest development. What was he doing, for God’s sake? Testing to see if she would take the bait her sister might have in her place?
‘Was that your mistake the first time?’ he asked into the silence.
‘I…’
She listened as the questions flew back and forth, but although she recognised a few words here and there she was really at a loss as to what was being said—until a young female journalist with a Scottish accent addressed Vittorio in English.
‘Mr Vassallo, a rumour has been going around that you arecovering up for your brother-in-law’s affair with Mrs Sharpe by pretending to be involved with her yourself. Do you have any comment to make about that?’
Ally felt Vittorio’s arm around her waist tighten slightly. ‘Yes, I do,’ he said with an urbane smile. ‘Your people have most definitely got it wrong. This is not a cover-up. Ally Sharpe is not just my current lover but my fiancée. She has already moved into my palazzo , and we plan to marry in a matter of weeks.’
CHAPTER FIVE
A LTHOUGH it was a relief to be finally shepherded into the restaurant a few moments later, the press barred from entry by the stern reprimand of the owner, Ally’s heart-rate was still jumping all over the place at Vittorio’s comment to the journalist.
‘I have a special table prepared for you at the back,’ the restaurant owner said to Vittorio. ‘You will not be disturbed, I will see to it personally.’
He was as good as his word for, although the main part of the restaurant was soon filled to capacity, apart from the waiter assigned to them they saw no one, as fresh bread and olive oil was brought to the table along with the menu and wine list.
‘How do you feel about having your photo splashed across tomorrow’s papers and all the European gossip magazines?’ Vittorio asked, once the wine he had chosen had been poured for them.
Ally compressed her lips, her fingers fiddling with the stem of her glass in an abstracted manner. ‘I’m not keen on the idea, but I suppose if it achieves the aim it will be worth it. Don’t you think the fiancée comment you made was a little over the top?’
‘I thought your intention was to find yourself a rich husband?’ he said, reaching for his glass and taking a sip, all without releasing her gaze from the magnetism of his.
A small frown tugged at her forehead. ‘You didn’t mean it…did you? I mean, you wouldn’t take things that far… would you ?’
He smiled an unreadable smile. ‘You do not find me an attractive prospect as a husband?’
She ran her tongue over her lips in an agitated gesture. ‘It’s not that…It’s just you could marry anyone you liked. Why would you tie yourself to someone like me given my…er…past? Isn’t that taking family responsibility to extremes? Surely your brother-in-law and even your sister wouldn’t expect it of you?’
‘I do not make a habit of seeking my brother-in-law’s approval for my actions,’ he said. ‘I am quite enjoying your company, in spite of what he said about you. I think we could make quite a match of it actually. Besides…’ His dark gaze ran over her like a hot licking flame as he added sultrily, ‘I would hate to think of all that sexual chemistry that pulses between us going to waste.’
Ally looked at him in heart-thudding alarm. ‘Y-you’re teasing me. You have to be. You c-couldn’t possibly want to take things that far!’
His expression remained frustratingly unreadable. ‘You know, you really are a very intriguing young woman,’ he said. ‘I thought your whole intention was to find yourself a sugar daddy. Does the thought of marrying a billionaire no longer hold appeal?’
‘I don’t like the thought of being married to anyone who isn’t in love with me,’ she said, chewing her lip as she tried to make sense of this latest development. What was he doing, for God’s sake? Testing to see if she would take the bait her sister might have in her place?
‘Was that your mistake the first time?’ he asked into the silence.
‘I…’
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