to hear, but moved her head slowly from side to side.
‘I’ve decided this new range of greenhouses would be a great memorial to my father, after all. You were right to suggest it—very clever, and very provocative. There aren’t many women who would think of pampering mere greenery like this.’ His voice was as low and inviting as a cool river in the enveloping heat of the tropical house. Meg sighed as his expression softened. The greenhouse she already thought of as hers was working its magic. It was beautiful, and she could make it even better. He could sense that, and she was spellbound.
He was gazing at the wonderful display of brightly coloured flowers and trailing foliage around them, but at any second he might turn that wonderful look on her…at least, that was her dream.
‘You’re going to cost me a fortune,’ he murmured, when she could hardly breathe for suspense.
‘That depends on what you want. This is Tuscany. Everything’s ripe for enchantment.’ Her voice was husky.
‘And it all has its price.’ He watched her carefully, gauging the effect of his words.
Meg suppressed another sigh. ‘Do you agonise like this over your women?’ she asked, giving him a knowing look.
‘I’m not agonising. It’s merely an observation. The price of this new construction is a minor consideration to me. Women are a far more serious matter. There’s a lot more than mere money at stake when it comes to the future of my family. The Bellinis haven’t lasted this long without being able to pick winners. That’s why my father never remarried after my mother died, thank goodness.’
Meg said nothing. The way she fidgeted uncomfortably within her clothes said it all. She was becoming unbearably hot, but her rising temperature had nothing to do with the tropical house.
‘It may sound a harsh judgement to you, Megan, but I know what I’m talking about. When it came to matters of the heart, my father knew his judgement couldn’t be trusted.’ Gianni continued to gaze at the soft sea of butterfly-bright foliage surrounding them. A playful breeze blew in through the open greenhouse door. It ruffled his dark curls over his brow, giving him a dangerously piratical look. Meg laughed, a little nervously.
‘Your father certainly got one thing right,’ she said quietly. ‘He would be proud of you, Gianni.’
He turned to face her slowly. When Meg got the full benefit of his dark, restless eyes she felt her heart respond. From that moment on she knew that if he ever made a move on her she would be powerless to resist. It was a perfect dream, but something she couldn’t dare risk in reality. This job meant a lot to her, and her family. She wasn’t about to throw it away for a boss’s whim. Even if that boss was gorgeous Gianni…
‘I hope he would be proud of me. That’s exactly what I intend. I gave him a lot of grief when he was alive, Megan. The least I can do is respect his wishes now. Let’s hope I never have to make a choice between my heart and my heritage.’ His brow creased as though with the effort of fighting some inner demon.
‘Why should you?’ Meg asked innocently, not knowing what she was letting herself in for.
‘Any number of local “princesses” are desperate to become my wife,’ he sighed. ‘The Bellini family blueprint says I should choose one of them. She should be installed in one of my town houses as my official partner and mother of my heir. There she’ll enjoy a life of pleasure. But that way of life went out with the Middle Ages! Life has moved on. It’s all so different now. Marriage isn’t simply a matter of duty and honour. It’s all pre-nups and making watertight arrangements to secure every stick and stone of my assets for the inevitable divorce.’
To hear him talk about marriage as nothing more than another agreement to be crossed off his list of ‘things to do’ disappointed Meg.
‘There shouldn’t be anything inevitable about divorce! No one should marry for anything less than love,’ she said firmly, stroking her fingers down the long, leathery leaf of a miltonia. Meg was the last person to contradict an employer, but some things ought to be set in stone. ‘Women usually have their own careers nowadays. Marriage isn’t seen as the only life for them. And they aren’t all grasping parasites.’
‘I love women. Don’t get me wrong,’ Gianni said quickly. ‘It’s just that the Italian thoroughbred model holds no interest for me.’
‘Then you’ll have to find someone else.’
‘There is no one else. All the women I meet are out for everything they can get—believe me.’
Meg was busy adjusting the ties securing a budding flower stem and replied without thinking. ‘I’m not.’
Gianni sighed. ‘That’s what you say now. But I wonder…’
His voice was heavy with regret. It was such a heartfelt comment that she looked up sharply. In that instant all trace of a smile vanished from his face. He was deadly serious—and all Meg’s wildest, most wanton fantasies were reflected in his eyes.
She caught her breath. She could not look away—and didn’t want to.
And then suddenly she was in his arms.
THEY kissed with a passion that was totally consuming. His hands held her close to his body. Her fingers tangled in his hair, desperate for him. It was everything she had ever dreamed about, all she wanted and would ever need, and more than was right. But…this was wrong in so many ways. Pitched through passion on a tidal surge of excitement, Meg took precious seconds to catch her breath and call a halt.
‘No! Gianni, stop!’
Alarmed, he let her go. ‘What’s the matter?’
‘Nothing…not now…’
‘That’s all right, then!’ His hold on her tightened and he chuckled with a sound as irresistible as chocolate.
‘No!’ she yelled, all her conviction boiling up again. ‘Don’t you have any morals?’
‘Not when it comes to a girl as beautiful as you…’ He dropped his face to her hair and began nuzzling it playfully.
Meg had to act fast, and totally against instinct. Her fantasies had primed her to find him irresistible. Now she was actually feeling his touch for herself, she was almost at the point of no return. Fighting against the urge to melt into his coiling embrace, she braced her hands against his shoulders and levered herself out of his grasp.
‘Oh, no, how could I forget? Of course you don’t have any morals!’ she retorted, trying to shock him into retreat. ‘After all, you’re Gianni Bellini, international ladies’ man, aren’t you?’
Gianni wasn’t shocked by anything, especially a girl barely half his size. He was flushed and breathing fast but did not release her straight away. Despite that, Meg sensed she was out of danger. The smile returned to his face. His irresistible charm should have made him more dangerous, not less, but in a strange way she realised he was no longer a threat to her—for the moment at least. She already knew Gianni Bellini had a highly developed sense of family loyalty. He wasn’t the
