The Billionaire Who Saw Her Beauty

“You don’t need to do that. I’m sure my father will want to take you out on our cruiser so you can talk business.”

“Then let me buy you dinner in town in order to repay you for driving me around today.”

“Thank you, but that’s not necessary. My parents are expecting you to eat with them and I have plans after we get back.”

He had no right to be disappointed that she’d just turned him down. She was probably involved in a relationship right now. Why not? She was a stunning woman. He imagined that men flocked to her.

After having shown him around the property for her father, she’d done her duty and had other things to do. Though it was none of his business, for some odd reason the possibility of her being interested in another man didn’t sit well with him.

* * *

Wednesday morning Alessandra was just getting out of the shower when her phone rang. She reached for her cell and checked the caller ID. “Mamma?”

“Buongiorno, darling.”

“I’m so glad you’re back home. How’s Zia Fulvia?”

“I thought she was better. That’s why I came home yesterday. But after your father and I finished having dinner with Signor Montanari last evening, we got a call from her. She’s having a bad reaction to her new pain medication and it has frightened her. I told her we’d fly to see her this morning. Your father and I are on our way to the airport and will stay with her for another night to watch over her.”

“I can’t believe you’ve already gone,” Alessandra said in surprise. “I haven’t even seen you yet.” She needed to talk to her.

“I know. Where did you disappear to last evening? I expected you to join us for dinner.”

“I’m behind on my book. After I brought Signor Montanari back to the castle, I went straight to the library to work.”

Before Signor Montanari’s explanation about Dea, Alessandra had tried hard to hide her attraction to him. But once she knew he and her sister were not involved and never had been, the news had thrilled her so much, she might have given herself away if she’d gone to dinner with him.

“I’m sorry we missed you, darling. I want to hear all about your scuba-diving trip, but it will have to wait another day.” Alessandra had already forgotten about that. “Your aunt is really distressed.”

“The poor thing. Give her my love and tell her I’ll visit her soon.”

“She’ll love that. By the way, your father wants to know if you would be willing to show Signor Montanari around again? Today he wants to explore the coast by boat. Would you take him out on the cruiser?”

She sucked in her breath. “First let me ask you a question, Mom. What do you think about his idea to lease the property for drilling?”

“To be honest, I don’t like the idea at all.”

“I didn’t think so.”

“It seems a travesty to change anything about the land or what lies beneath it. Your father knows how I feel. Though your father believes Signor Montanari’s ideas have merit, I’m not persuaded. There’s a great deal to discuss before anything is decided.”

“It sounds like Papà doesn’t feel as strongly as you.”

“Let’s put it this way. He likes Signor Montanari’s vision and is willing to hear more. What’s your opinion?”

“He talked a lot about bolstering the economy by providing more jobs. My suspicion is that he’s hoping to run for a high-level government position and this could be the feather in his cap.”

“He’s a brilliant man. That’s what brilliant men do.” But not with Caracciolo land. That’s what her mother was really saying. The time Alessandra had spent with him yesterday had persuaded her he was worth listening to, but these were early days. “Alessandra? What’s wrong? You don’t sound yourself.”

“I just wish I hadn’t brought Dea into the conversation when I was talking with Papà. He ended up phoning her.”

“Your father told me what happened. But when he learned that Signor Montanari had been a guest of Leonides Rossano on his yacht the other night and happened to get introduced to Dea, your father realized he’d made something out of nothing and overreacted. It certainly didn’t have anything to do with you.”

“But I didn’t know the truth until Signor Montanari told me as much while I was driving him around.”

“I’m sorry. It’s understandable you thought he and your sister were involved.”

“I didn’t know. When I saw Dea at breakfast yesterday, she didn’t explain anything.”

“Well he made it clear to your father that meeting Dea was like ships passing in the night.”

“But maybe Dea had hopes it could be more.” Already Alessandra knew a man like Rinieri Montanari only came along once in a lifetime. She and Dea weren’t twins for nothing.

“Why do you say that?”

“If their chance meeting had been so insignificant, how come she flew home last night?”

“Because your father was worried.”

“He was,” she conceded. “But she didn’t even come in my room to talk to me.”

“Alessandra—during dinner I got the impression that the CEO of Montanari Engineering is a force to contend with. If he’d been interested in your sister, he would have made future plans to let her know how he felt.”

“You’re right, but what if she finds out I’m showing him around?”

“What if she does?” After a silence, she asked, “You’re attracted to him, aren’t you? Otherwise you wouldn’t think twice about this. There’s nothing wrong with that! I’ll admit my heart skipped several beats when I met him at dinner last night.”

Her mother’s instincts were never wrong.

“He said he truly enjoyed being shown around by you. I could tell he meant it. Don’t blow up a simple misunderstanding your father has apologized for into something major.”

“You’re right. I’m being foolish.”

“You are. Go ahead and show Signor Montanari around until we get back from Taranto. I’ll call you tonight.”

“Okay. Love you. Give Zia Fulvia a hug from me.”

Alessandra hung up, realizing she was transparent to her mother, who understood the situation completely. She felt better after their talk. The longing to be with Signor Montanari again was all she could think about.

She pulled on a pair of pleated khaki pants and a blouse with a small tan-on-white geometric print. Once dressed, she went downstairs to the kitchen for coffee and a roll. The cook made her some eggs. While she ate, Liona poked her head in the door. “Alessandra? Did you see Alfredo when you came down the stairs?”

“No.”

“He ate his food, but now I can’t find him. He usually stays on the main floor while I’m working around. Maybe he’s gone off sick somewhere.”

“I’ll look for him.” She ate a last bite, thanked the cook, then began a search, wondering if Signor Montanari was around. “Alfredo—” She called his name several times. When she reached the front foyer, she worried that he’d slipped past some visitor at the entrance.

She opened the door and almost ran into the gorgeous man who’d haunted her dreams. He was just coming in. The sight of him made her heart leap. He held the big marmalade cat in his arms.

“Buongiorno, Alessandra,” he said with a white smile. “I’ve been waiting for a limo and found him lying outside the door wanting to get back in.”

“Liona will be so relieved. Here. I’ll carry him to the kitchen.”

“I’ll be happy to do it.”

“I don’t mind.”

She could tell he didn’t want to give up the cat, who seemed perfectly happy to be held by him. It surprised her because Alfredo didn’t like many people. “Then follow me.” She opened the door and showed him the way.

Liona was thrilled to see them walk in the kitchen. The housekeeper reached for her cat.

“He found Alfredo outside the castle,” Alessandra explained.

“The poor thing is getting confused. I’ll take him back to my apartment. Grazie, signor.”

“Prego, signora.”

Alessandra trailed him out of the kitchen. “That was very nice of you. Her cat is getting old.” She followed him to the entrance, but there was no sign of a limo yet, only three tour buses bringing tourists to tour the part of the castle open to the public. “I hope the driver didn’t already come and leave.”

“I’ll call to find out.” He reached in his jeans pocket. Her eyes traveled over his rock-hard body. His blue crewneck shirt had the kind of short sleeves that only looked good on a man with a well-defined physique. In a minute he clicked off. “It’ll be a while due to an accident near the causeway.”

“What were your plans?”

His veiled gaze slid to hers. “To charter a boat.”

“There’s no need to do that,” she said on impulse. “Since my father isn’t here to take you, he suggested I drive you where you want to go in our cruiser.”

“But that means interrupting your work.”

“It’s all right. As Papà reminded me, you’re a busy man. Since you’re here, you need to make the most of the time. I’ll do my own work later.” The talk with Alessandra’s mother had taken away the guilt she’d been harboring over Dea. There was nothing she wanted more than to spend more time with him.

“Then I’ll call off the limo.”

“While you do that, I have to run in and get a few things. I’ll meet you at the Land Rover in five minutes.”

Alessandra hurried inside and up the staircase to her room. Her heart raced abnormally hard to think they were going out on the boat together. She filled her duffel bag with some necessary items, then rushed back down to the kitchen and stashed water and snacks in the top of it. She never knew how long she’d be gone, so she never left without being prepared.

When she walked out to the car beneath a semicloudy sky, she found him waiting for her with his own backpack. It had been years since she’d felt this alive around a man. This time when she unlocked the door with the remote, he opened her door and relieved her of her duffel bag so she could get in. He walked on around and put their things in the back before climbing inside.

“Our cruiser is docked on the other side of the island.” She started the engine and drove them the short distance.

“It’s right in your backyard!”

She smiled. “I know. Can you believe how convenient?”

Once she’d pulled up to the pier, they both got out. He obviously knew his way around a boat. After depositing their bags, he undid the ropes while she got on board and found them both life preservers. She put hers on first.

“Who’s the scuba enthusiast?”

“You’re looking at her.”

His piercing dark brown eyes scrutinized her. “How long have you been a diver?”

“Since I was nineteen. Have you ever done it?”

“I learned at fourteen. It’s probably my favorite activity.”

His admission excited her no end. To scuba dive with him would be like a dream come true. “Mine, too,” she admitted. “Excuse me for a minute.”

She disappeared below and pulled out a special oceanography chart of the area for him to look at. When she came up on deck she discovered he’d climbed on board and had put on his preserver. “Here.” She put the rolled-up chart on the banquette next to him. “You can look at this as we proceed.” Alessandra started the engine at a wakeless speed and drove them toward open water.

“This cruiser is state of the art.”

She nodded. “A huge change from our old boat I took everywhere until my father bought this for me so I could go on longer trips.”

“For pleasure?”

“It’s always a pleasure, but I’m part of a team working for the Institute of Archaeological and Monumental Heritage.”

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