she?’
She gave him a teasing look. ‘Do you think you can you handle her?’
He smiled a wickedly sexy smile. ‘Let’s see, shall we?’
THE PRESS WERE waiting for them as they landed in Preitalle the following day but for once in her life Lottie didn’t shy away from the surge of people and the flash of cameras. Her body was still humming from Lucca’s passionate lovemaking the night before, not to mention a quick hot interlude in the shower before they left the hotel that morning. It was a new experience to be the darling of the press and she lapped it up while Lucca led her to the waiting car. He handled all the questions with his usual charm and good humour, even the question about a second royal wedding.
‘Let’s get the first one out of the way first,’ he said with an easy smile.
Madeleine, however, was not so happy about the way the press had taken to Lottie’s affair with Lucca, and took her aside once he had left for the hotel. ‘Do you realise what you’re doing?’ she said.
‘I’m going out and having a life just like you told me to.’
‘Your affair with Lucca Chatsfield is taking the attention off my wedding.’ Madeleine scowled. ‘Not one camera looked my way when we were out there just then. No one even spoke to me. They were all clicking away at you and him as if it were you two getting married and not me and Edward.’
‘It was your idea to bring him here,’ Lottie reminded her.
‘He’s supposed to be helping you with the wedding.’
‘He is helping me with the wedding. He’s in charge of the hens’ night. It’s going to be fun. Just you wait and see.’
Madeleine was still scowling as she followed Lottie to her office. ‘You’re not really in love with him, are you?’
Lottie put her mobile phone on the desk next to her computer. Lucca had been sending her smoulderingly hot texts to remind her of what he was going to do to her when he finally got her alone. Her body reacted to each one as if he had reached through the phone and touched her. She clicked off the screen so her sister couldn’t see his latest missive. ‘No, of course not, but I do like him. He’s fun to be around. He makes me laugh.’
Madeleine humphed. ‘He’s not in love with you even if he acts as if he is. He’s just using you to fill in the time before he collects his allowance.’
Lottie felt a sharp little pain near the bottom of her heart as if something was trying to tug it down below her rib cage. She knew Lucca’s motives were not entirely pure. She knew he was only here for his family’s money and that he would not let anything or anyone stop him from collecting what he felt he was entitled to, but she hated being reminded of it, especially by her sister, who had found a man who loved her so completely and unreservedly. ‘I know what I’m doing.’
‘I don’t want anything to spoil my wedding.’ Madeleine pressed her lips together for a moment. ‘You almost ruined my twenty-first birthday with your silly little fling with that diplomat’s son. I hope you’re not going to let history repeat itself.’
Lottie jolted as if her sister had slapped her. What about what had happened to her? What about her devastation at being exploited? At being exposed in such a degrading way? ‘If you’re so worried I’m going to stuff everything up for you, then why did you ask me to be your wedding planner?’
‘Because I felt sorry for you.’
The words fell into the room like a hand grenade.
Lottie swallowed a painful lump in her throat. Pity. The one thing she hated more than anything else. ‘Is that why you agreed to have Lucca Chatsfield come over here to spice up my woefully pathetic social life?’
A hard look came into her sister’s eyes. ‘Have a fling with him but try and keep it out of the headlines, okay? This is the most important day of my life. I don’t want anyone on centre stage but me.’
Lucca knew Lottie was upset as soon as she stepped into the Chatsfield bar where he had arranged to meet her. She didn’t show it on her face. It was the way she carried herself. Stiffly. As if she was carrying an invisible weight on her head that at any moment was going to topple off. He pulled out a chair for her. ‘You look like you need a couple of champagne cocktails to loosen up.’
Her eyes seemed to be having trouble meeting his. ‘Sorry I’m late.’
‘Two minutes isn’t late.’ He gently flicked her cheek with his finger. ‘I guess it is when you’re a control freak, huh?’
She gave him a tight smile before looking away again. ‘My sister’s upset with me.’
He brought her chin back round so she met his gaze. ‘What? She didn’t like the lingerie?’
Her forehead was puckered with a frown. ‘She doesn’t like the fact that our fling is taking the attention off her.’
Lucca felt his stomach stumble like a foot misjudging a step. Did she want to end their relationship ahead of schedule? The thought was disturbingly uncomfortable. Unfamiliar. What did he care if she ended it? There were plenty of women who would willingly take her place in his bed. He could replace her in a heartbeat. ‘Aren’t you entitled to your share of the limelight?’
She let out a breath that made her shoulders slump. ‘I can’t seem to please her. For years she’s been at me to get out more. Now I’m finally out having a bit of fun and she wants me to tone it down.’
‘Ever thought of telling her to mind her own business?’
She gave him a fleeting smile. ‘I’d have to have a vodka chaser or two first.’
‘Why are you afraid of standing up to her?’
She slowly traced the C on the Chatsfield coaster on the bar in front of her. ‘I don’t know … I guess it’s because she’s never put a foot wrong. She never makes a blunder.’ She pushed the coaster away as if it had suddenly annoyed her and looked at him. ‘Is must be wonderful to go through life without ever making a mistake.’
Lucca didn’t like to think too closely about some of the mistakes he’d made. There were too many of them to think about. They were backed up behind him like a row of wrecked and abandoned cars, going all the way back to his childhood. He brushed his knuckles beneath her chin. ‘Want to go somewhere a little more private?’
Her eyes got that sparkle in them that always made his groin tighten. ‘Where did you have in mind?’
He took her hand and pulled her to her feet. ‘I have an etching to show you.’
Lottie held the painting Lucca had done of her in her hands. It was no bigger than a postcard even with the frame he’d organised for it. ‘It’s beautiful….’ She traced the gilt edge of the frame with her fingertip. ‘I don’t think I’ve ever been given anything more beautiful.’ She swivelled to look at him. ‘Thank you.’
He
