father literally beamed at Dominic. It made her heart burn. Dominic received the beaming smiles for making the sacrifice to work with her, while she …?
‘And as long as Bella is sure that’s what she wants, too.’
The same soft threat threaded his words. Marco glared at her. She lifted her chin to hide her hurt. ‘Of course it’s what I want.’
Marco dusted off his hands. ‘There, that’s settled then.’
She swallowed. She would deserve those smiles soon, too, she swore silently. Her father would be proud of her. As long as she didn’t screw up.
Please, God. Don’t let me screw up.
CHAPTER TWO
DOMINIC sat ramrod straight and tried to find his equilibrium as Bella resumed her seat and proceeded to outline her plans for the restaurant and the type of cuisine she wanted to serve. Something about the woman rocked his balance. He searched for righteous anger, for indignation and scorn, but that comfort eluded him, too.
It didn’t mean he advocated her tactics. He loathed those. She’d emotionally blackmailed Marco into giving her the job, and yet …
The fire in her eyes when she’d leapt to her feet. The utter life that thrummed through her. It had burst from her as if her body couldn’t contain it.
He’d seen it, and for a moment it had turned everything upside down.
He’d demanded a sideways move within the Maldini Corporation for one reason alone—he hoped the new challenge would help drive away the emptiness that had started creeping over him in the last few months, the boredom and ennui.
He glanced at Bella again. Even under the polite cover of professionalism she’d now assumed, he could sense the fire in her, simmering just below the surface. He didn’t know what name to give it—zest, freedom, vitality? He had a feeling that if he could identify precisely what it was he’d find the answer to the emptiness that yawned through him when he least expected it. The emptiness that sucked all enjoyment out of life and left him feeling grey … blank. Emptiness he found harder and harder to fight each time it descended. Emptiness that had no reason for being. If he studied her, he might find the answer.
He took in her pouting lips and the long, dark fall of her hair as she listened to something her father said and his skin tightened. She crossed her legs and her skirt rode up, exposing a long length of tanned thigh. Heat arrowed into his groin and his senses suddenly blazed to life. Colours became instantly richer and he found himself appreciating the deep garnet-red of her suit, relishing the way it outlined her lush curves and highlighted the thick darkness of her hair. Smells sharpened until he could practically taste the lemon tang of her scent.
He bit back a curse. It had been a long time since a woman had fired him with such an instant response. Why Bella? Why now? He didn’t lack for female company—beautiful female company—and he’d made no secret of the fact that he liked women and that he liked variety in women. If Bella had been anyone else …
If she’d been anyone else he’d have sworn to have her in his bed by the end of the week.
He couldn’t. She was Marco’s daughter, for God’s sake.
And for the next two months he would have to find a way to work with her.
He stared at her folders, now sitting innocently on Marco’s desk, and his lips twisted. A blasted lingerie catalogue! He considered how shamelessly she’d just played her father. He thought back to all the women who had coldly taken advantage of his father and a seam of ice threaded through his veins. Bella wouldn’t find him so easy to manipulate.
It didn’t mean he couldn’t play her at her own game. She would not let Marco down this time. Dominic wouldn’t allow it. This time his reputation was on the line too and, if he had to charm her into compliance, he would.
Bella turned to him. ‘What do you say, Dominic?’
He hadn’t followed the conversation at all. No matter. He raised one shoulder in as languid a shrug as he could manage. ‘I’d say it’s going to be quite an experience working with you, Bella. I respect your—’ he let his gaze drop to her lips ‘—enthusiasm.’
‘I … Thank you.’
Rather than reach across and shake her as he itched to do, he sent her his trademark smile instead. The effect was devastating, or so he’d been told. He didn’t consider himself vain but he wasn’t falsely modest either. That smile had brought enough women to their knees for him to believe in it.
Bella’s eyes narrowed to thin pinpricks of hauteur. She looked as if she’d rather slap him than fall to her knees. It’d take more than a smile to knock this lady off her feet.
Unfortunately, that only made his interest level shoot up several notches. ‘I want to make it clear that I won’t make concessions for you because you’re Marco’s daughter.’ He personally meant to ensure that she worked her butt off.
She tossed her head. ‘I wouldn’t expect you to.’
‘I demand excellence.’
Her chin tilted at an angle that had him dying to kiss her. ‘I’m glad to hear it.’
He would make her toe the line and see this project through to its bitter end. She’d make good on her promise to Marco this time. He’d see to that. This time, when the going got tough and she tried to bail—and he’d make sure it got tough—she’d find his will more implacable than her own.
Bella was going to get exactly what was coming to her.
CHAPTER THREE
BELLA tried to smile at the cat, but it glared at her through the bars of its cage as if it knew she didn’t really mean it. It hissed when she readjusted the holdall over her shoulder. It spat when she dropped the other bag to the floor.
‘You might be a pedigree chocolate-banded Abyssinian, but you’re still just a cat, you know,’ she muttered under her breath. ‘In a cage,’ she added for good measure.
She fumbled with the door key and tried to keep the cage as still as possible. From the noise Minky was making, you’d think Bella had seized the cage in both hands and was shaking the life out of it.
She finally managed to get key in keyhole and started to turn it at the precise moment the door flew open and practically wrenched her arm from its socket. The momentum flung her inwards. Before she knew which way was up, she found her face mashed against hot male flesh.
Dominic’s hot male flesh.
The hot male flesh of Dominic’s naked chest.
For a moment everything froze. Him. Her. Time. Even Minky. But not for long. The cat hissed again, time sped back up and Bella forced herself to plant a hand in the middle of Dominic’s naked chest and push herself upright.
Only then did the full impact of his semi-nakedness slam into her. Oh, dear Lord, Dominic looked like some golden devil sent to tempt all of womankind. Her knees actually weakened. Broad, muscular shoulders angled down a powerful chest to a stomach
