‘Seb asked for you to be at the launch. It was one of the last things he said to me.’ There was no way he was going to tell her Seb’s actual last words and he guarded himself against letting the truth inadvertently slip. He held her partly accountable for Seb’s problems. She’d never been to see him in Italy, had never shown any interest, but that wasn’t something he was prepared to discuss now. All he wanted was for her to agree to be at the launch.
‘He really said that?’ Her voice was so soft it was hardly audible, but it did untold things to the pulse of desire he was fighting hard to suppress.
‘He wanted you there.’ He watched the indecision slide over her face and waited. She was coming to the right decision slowly. All he had to do was wait.
* * *
Charlie couldn’t shake the feeling of unease. Yes, she knew Seb’s accident would have caused horrible injuries, but she couldn’t rid herself of the notion there was something else. Something her father wanted to keep from her as much as Alessandro did. Did that mean he was to blame?
She changed tactics and adopted an attitude of acceptance, realising it was possibly the only way to find out. Slowly, she walked back to the table and stood looking down at him where he calmly sat, watching her.
‘If I come to the launch I want to know all about the car first. I want to see everything you and Seb worked on. I want to live it, to breathe it.’ A hint of the passion she’d always felt for her job and the world of racing started to fizz in her veins after being unmoved for many months, infusing her with excitement that she hadn’t felt for a long time.
‘There isn’t much time for that.’ He sat back in the chair and looked up at her, observing every move she made until she wondered if he could read all her thoughts.
‘If I’m going to be at the launch I want to be able to talk about the car, to bring it to life for everyone else. I need to know all there is to know.’
It was more than that, she admitted to herself. It was much more than just promoting the car. It was seeing what Seb had seen, feeling the excitement he’d felt as he’d driven it for the first time. Her thoughts halted as if they’d slammed into a brick wall.
Was she ready to know all the facts? She looked at the man she’d blamed for her brother’s death. As far as she was concerned, he’d allowed Seb to drive a faulty car, despite the fact that her father had told her all the reports stated driver error. She’d blamed Alessandro and now he was here, offering her the opportunity to find out the truth for herself. Would he really do that if he had something to hide?
‘I want to see all the files and every drawing Seb made.’ She kept her voice firm, trying to hide the waver of confidence growing within her.
Alessandro got up and made his way around the table, coming closer to her, his face stern with contemplation. ‘I can’t allow it. There isn’t enough time.’
Not allow it. Who did he think he was?
‘If you knew anything about me, Mr Roselli, you’d know that I need to be involved—if I’m to do my job right, that is. You do want me to promote this car, put my seal of approval on it, do you not?’
She held his gaze, looked directly into his eyes. She would not be intimidated by him. He might be used to getting his way in business, but so was she. He pressed his lips together in thought, the movement drawing her attention briefly, but quickly she regained her focus, refusing to allow the pull of attraction to him to cloud her mind. Confirming her suspicions of his blame for the accident would surely curb any misguided attraction she was experiencing.
‘It’s more than that, isn’t it, Charlotte?’ The firmness of his tone dissipated as he said each word until he caressed her name, sending a hot fizzing sensation racing over her. It was worse than when he’d called her Charlie.
It was soft yet insanely hot, but she couldn’t pay heed to that now. ‘I need to know something about the car if I am to promote and endorse it. You understand that, surely.’
He took a deep breath in and she watched his broad chest expand, waiting expectantly, holding her own breath.
‘I do but, given the circumstances, is it really wise?’ He looked up at her and she tasted defeat as his dark eyes hardened in determination. But defeat wasn’t on her agenda. She’d do this her way or not at all. How could he expect anything less when he’d been the one who’d let Seb get in the car, allowed him to drive it that night?
This was the only option. Her only chance to find out what had truly happened. At least then she might be able to move on from it. ‘Don’t worry—I won’t dissolve into a heap of female hysteria again.’
‘Maybe you should,’ he said and stepped closer to her—too close—but she wouldn’t move away. He must never know of the heat he fired within her, just from one look. Thankfully, he’d stopped his flirting of moments ago and had become more professional and she had to ensure it would stay that way.
‘No, it is past time for that. I intend to do what my father advised last week.’
‘And that is?’
‘To get back in the driving seat.’ She wouldn’t tell him just yet that was quite literally what she intended to do.
He raised his hand to his chin, his thumb and finger rasping over the hint of dark stubble, the sound tying her stomach in knots. She couldn’t listen to her body now, to the way it reacted just to being close to him, not that she really understood what it was asking of her. Heightened desire and intense awareness of a man was something she’d never experienced before.
Her previous relationships had been short-lived and unsuccessful. Back then, the breakdown of her parents’ marriage had still been too fresh in her mind. Those relationships had also been a long time ago. The mess her parents had made of their marriage had ensured that lifelong commitment wasn’t something she considered possible. There was no way she was going to expose herself to more hurt and humiliation.
‘I’m not convinced it is for the best, but if you are sure then so be it.’ He spoke slowly, his accent heavy, as he continued to watch her closely.
‘I am,’ she said quickly before he had a chance to change his mind. Before she too changed her mind.
‘Then we have a deal.’ He reached out his hand, the same one that had been thoughtfully touching his face, and she took it quickly, anxious to seal the deal.
‘We have a deal.’ Her words came out in a rush as a jolt shot up her arm, setting off sparks all over her body as if she’d become a firework. Her breathing almost stopped as his eyes locked with hers, his fingers clasped tightly around her hand, the warmth of his scorching hers.
‘Bene,’ he said firmly, so firmly it was obvious he didn’t feel any of the drama from touching her and she’d do well to remember that the next time he smiled at her as if she was the most beautiful woman in the world. He was flirting, just like all the men she’d known, including her father. And it was flirting which had destroyed her parents’ marriage, driving her mother into another man’s arms, tearing the family apart.
She closed the door on those thoughts. Now was not the time to become embroiled in them, not when she had the perfect opportunity to find out the truth of Seb’s last hours.
*
