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[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ] And you like it there? Mmm. His reply was indistinct, but his caresses were full of meaning. She melted as he lifted her into his arms. You ll be perfectly at home, tesoro. For you it will be like living in a greenhouse, complete with warm, English-style rain. There s nothing about the place that& worries you at all? she pressed on, thinking of all those legally happy couples. Gianni was concentrating on carrying her carefully back to his bed. No. Not at all. If rain stops play outdoors, then we ll simply have to find some way to enjoy ourselves indoors& For a long, leisurely time he showed her exactly what he meant. Meg soon forgot all her misgivings, and surrendered totally to the luxury of his caresses. When eventually she fell asleep in his arms, she was the happiest woman in the world. Waking later to hear the movement of staff in the dining room beyond his bedroom, Meg reached out for him and found herself alone. Hearing voices in the main body of the suite, she padded barefoot to the bedroom door. An empty breakfast trolley was being wheeled away, out into the upstairs hall. Gianni was on the far side of the room, his back to the door. Silhouetted on the sunlit balcony, he was chuckling into his mobile phone. As I m quite sure she ll tell you herself she graduated top of her intake, Meg heard him telling someone on the other end of the line. There s no stopping her. Yet look at me I ve never taken an exam in my life. It s never done me any harm. My father s obsession with these things has led to all this. He s to blame. Yes, I know, I know! Unbelievable, isn t it? She could hardly believe it hardly bear to believe it. Gianni was laughing at her. Worse, he was laughing at her qualifications, behind her back, with a stranger. Fury surged along Meg s veins with all the power of a tidal wave. From their first kiss she had been bracing herself, ready to lose Gianni to another woman. This was a totally unexpected betrayal. He didn t respect her career. He was humouring her over her work. That was it. This was the end. Meg stormed out to confront him. Hearing a disturbance, he swung around, smiling broadly. Ah scusi, Chico, something s come up& something very important& he purred meaningfully, rippling an appreciative gaze all the way up Meg s body as she advanced until he reached her face. When her expression registered with him he stopped smiling. Ciao. Barking the single word into his phone, he snapped it shut and threw it aside. Cara mia what is it? What s the trouble? You are! I heard you, patronising me! Meg blazed. When? On the phone just then! Oh, that. He smiled easily, shrugging it off. He moved to take her in his arms, but Meg was having none of it. She backed off. Rigid with rage, she clenched her fists in impotent fury. How dare you dismiss my work like that? Gianni had no intention of arguing with her. He began moving back towards the balcony. My staff have set up a table out here. Come and have breakfast in the sunshine. His conciliatory tone only enraged her further. Don t change the subject! I m responsible for everything that s been achieved in the kitchen garden since I arrived. Do you always speak to other people about my job as though it s nothing? His eyes became points of laser light. You re the one who s so quick to say it isn t work to you. I was only repeating what you have said yourself, so often in the past. Meg tried to take a couple of deep, steadying breaths. It was no good. Her words, when they came, shuddered with suppressed anger. I didn t spend all those years at college for nothing. No, as you re always so keen to remind me you did it to gain a clutch of qualifications and a string of letters after your name, he responded evenly. They got me this job! Gianni s expression was unforgiving as he shook his head. No, you got this job because you impressed my father. You knew what you were talking about. You had a clear vision of what could be achieved. That was the only thing that secured you this job, Megan. You could have been as under-qualified as I am. We share the same objective, you and I. It s to see the Castelfino estate become as productive and cost-effective as possible. I wanted to do it by expanding the wine business. You came at it from a different angle. I hadn t thought of developing the amenity and visitor side of things until you started the job of restyling the gardens here. A job, I would remind you, that should have died with my father and would have done, if it wasn t for me indulging you to begin with. So you admit it! she raged. You ve got no respect for me at all! You re humouring me, every minute of every day! I m your trophy mistress in the bedroom, then let out to play in your toy garden. It s all for show, isn t it? The moment it suits you to get a wife, I ll be nothing more than one of your outdoor staff again and an expensive, unwanted one at that! She shoved past him blindly and started snatching up her clothes and shoes from where they had been discarded during their lovemaking of the night before. Gianni held up his hands, trying to calm her as she dressed in a fury. You need to calm down, Megan. We both need to take some time out before we say something we regret. I ll run us a bath, and light some of your special rose and lavender candles Don t bother. You won t get the chance to sweet talk me back into your bed, Gianni. This is it. I m leaving! He stared at her, incredulous. You want to leave the Villa Castelfino, and all we have? As she dashed past, heading for the door, his hand shot out and grabbed her by the arm. Then you re mad. She pulled herself out of his grasp, desperate to escape. She wanted to get away from him before her memories of this glorious time together could seep in and change her mind. What is your problem, donna? Flinging himself away from her with a curse, he began pacing the room, glaring at her. His fury wasn t a thing to be roused lightly. The desperate need to make a clean break for the sake of her sanity pushed her into a confession. My problem is the same as it s always been! she announced defiantly. I came here to work, and not to become your mistress. I don t want to be a second-rank player in the di Castelfino historical pageant! I don t understand. What could be better than life here with me, with money no object? Gianni hunched his shoulders. Women! They re all the same! When it comes down to it, none of you are any better than her! He stabbed a finger in the direction of a life-sized portrait hanging on one wall of his suite. It was a picture of Gianni s father as a young man, standing beside the most beautiful woman Meg had ever seen. She combined Gianni s come-to-bed eyes and a raven tumble of hair. Her voluptuous figure sparkled beneath a waterfall of gold and diamonds. Draped in Dior, weighed down with the priceless Bellini hoard, pregnant with me& yet it still wasn t enough for her! My father gave her everything any woman could want, and more besides. In return she made a fool of him, drove him mad, broke his [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ] |