Maisie stared down at her toes. ‘If you meant what you said, about even liking me a little bit, please tell me,’ she whispered. ‘I.I need to hear it.’

He swore very softly. She didn’t know Italian but she did know a swear word when she heard it in any language. They drove on in silence for some moments and Maisie was quite oblivious to the clifftop views and scenic splendour. Eventually Blaine said, ‘We will talk over dinner but not at the restaurant where I have reserved a table. I will cancel this. I will cook for you and we will talk, sì? With this you will be satisfied?’

She nodded. ‘Yes.’

‘But understand this, mia piccola. I have nothing to give you. Oh, I am a man, I have needs, but these can be sated without the heart being involved. There are many wealthy and influential career women who want commitment even less than I do; you understand what I am saying? They do not desire obligations and ties, they are content with a good time and their freedom. You are not like this, I see that. For you physical affection would mean more.’

Physical affection? He was talking about love-making without the love part. ‘Surely that reduces us to animal level?’ she said quietly. ‘Not even that really, because animals often choose to be paired for life.’

He moved his head impatiently. ‘It is possible for some men and women to enjoy each other’s bodies with only friendship, rather than love, as the root emotion. Not everyone wants roses round the door, Maisie. Remember that. Just because you feel differently, it does not mean that they are wrong, merely that they have chosen an alternative way. The sexual act between a male and female is a very enjoyable one, regardless of whether they have rings on their fingers or not.’

It sounded well thought out and reasonable. And cold. Very cold. But Blaine wasn’t a cold man, she knew that. What was really going on in his heart? And what sort of super woman had Francesca been to have the power to mess him up so completely? And—much, much more to the point—how could she, little Maisie Burns from England, even begin to compete? She couldn’t. All she could do was be herself because she had nothing to lose, she saw that now. She’d lost him. Not that she had ever had him in the first place.

Maisie turned her head and looked out of the car window. ‘I admit I don’t see things the way you do,’ she said quietly, ‘and I believe absolutely in roses round the door. I believe some people are meant for each other and relationships like that are heaven on earth.’

‘And the other kind can be hell on earth.’

‘Look at your brother. He left Italy because he’d fallen for Jackie’s mother and I know for sure they’ve been madly in love ever since. And then there’s your own parents. They’re happy, aren’t they?’

‘I do not deny this.’ He sighed, raking his hair back from his brow and narrowing his eyes. ‘But they are lucky. I am no longer prepared to take gambles. It is as simple as that. I run my life exactly how I want to and answer to no one.’

Well, bully for you. Frustration made her want to slap him. She wriggled in her seat. ‘You might have an answer for everything but you’re still wrong,’ she said vehemently.

‘I thought I might be,’ murmured Blaine, his mouth curving.

How could he remain so calm and even smile when he was effectively slamming the door on any chance they had to be with each other? She shouldn’t have come tonight. She should tell him he could do what he had suggested and turn the car round and take her back.

She glanced at him under her eyelashes. He looked hard and handsome and his very sexy mouth wasn’t smiling any more. And there was no way, no way on earth, she was going to tell him to take her home.

CHAPTER EIGHT

MAISIE knew Positano was an exceptionally pretty Italian town with brightly coloured villas cascading down the cliffs to the sea, sleepy lanes and endless steep alleyways and wonderful cafés and beach restaurants serving freshly caught fish. She had asked Liliana all about the area where Blaine lived that afternoon. Apparently the centre of the town was pedestrianised and the very fashionable resort was popular with Italians, which would have meant almost for sure that Blaine would have had to talk to friends if they had gone to eat in any of the restaurants there. For that reason she was immensely glad they were having dinner at his home. If this was going to be the only evening she would ever share exclusively with him, she wanted to make the most of every minute.

As the Ferrari climbed up into the hills through lush vegetation Maisie could hear the chirping of crickets in the warm balmy air and, despite their unsettling conversation and the prospect of what she was going to hear later, she was fascinated by what she saw. The legendary coastline, the scent of the lemon and orange groves in the hillsides, the dappled evening sunshine and the sheer beauty all around her was breathtaking.

By unspoken mutual consent they had remained silent since their earlier conversation, and it was Blaine who broke the silence to say quietly, ‘My home welcomes you,’ as he drove the car off the road and through open gates set in a shoulder-high whitewashed wall into a small paved area.

Maisie looked about her. Blaine’s house was built at the top of and virtually into the cliffs. She imagined the view inside was wonderful. Ornate balconies bursting with brightly coloured pots of flowers faced her, and there was a curving staircase leading to the front door, which was a storey high from where they were standing.

‘The house is on several levels,’ Blaine said as they walked up the stairs. ‘It is what you English would call quirky, I think.’

He had his suit jacket slung over one shoulder and his tie was hanging loose on either side of his shirt collar, the first few buttons undone. Maisie was overcome with such a rush of lust she almost missed her footing.

When they stepped into the house the first thing she noticed was how the sunlight lit up every corner. They were standing in a huge sprawling sitting room decorated and furnished in shades of coffee, biscuit and cream, the floor light wood and the main colour in the room coming from one long wall which was covered in decorative plates, glazed thickly like Arab pottery. A huge balcony looked over an awe-inspiring view of Positano, beyond which the azure waters of the ocean lay, and the balcony held a big table with six cushioned seats besides an array of lemon-scented verbenas, pink begonias, salvias and other flowers in terracotta pots which heavily perfumed the warm air.

‘Oh, wow.’ Maisie didn’t even try to be blasé. ‘This is the most incredible house.’

‘You haven’t seen it all yet,’ Blaine said mildly, but she could tell he was pleased by her reaction.

All of it consisted of a beautifully fitted white oak and black marble kitchen and separate dining room on the floor below the sitting room. Through this a door led into a wide courtyard-style garden with tropical trees and shrubs and masses of tubs of flowers, an iron table and chairs again looking out over the wonderful view. The courtyard was built on the left side of the house and was totally private. The floor above the sitting room held two large bedrooms with a bathroom between them, both of which had balconies to take advantage of the view again, but it was the top floor which took Maisie’s breath away. The master bedroom with its magnificent en suite bathroom in white and black marble was stunning. The wall which overlooked the ocean was made entirely of glass so that the occupants of the massive bed could see for miles and the balcony which stretched the length of the room also had panels of glass between its supports of stone so as not to impede the view from inside the room.

It wasn’t only the view that was making Maisie breathless though. The huge bed with its black silk sheets and voluptuous pillows was unlike any bed Maisie had seen before and must have been built inside the room. It was a masterpiece of decadence. Along one wall was a full-length walk-in wardrobe and on the other were shelves set into the wall holding books, tapes, papers and various other objects Maisie’s feverish gaze couldn’t pick out. But it was when she glanced at the ceiling she nearly died. The area over the bed was captured by a huge circular mirror, blatant and unashamed and bold.

Blaine was standing by the door and had remained there while she looked around, his arms folded across his chest and his big body relaxed as he leant against the wood. When her gaze shot down from the ceiling and she coloured violently, she knew he had noticed. Had noticed and enjoyed her reaction. Forcing herself to look straight at him, Maisie said, ‘This is very nice,’ and even to her own ears her voice sounded prim.

‘Nice? Is that the best you can do?’ he reproved her gently. ‘I spent a great deal of time planning this room.’

He was laughing at her. She knew he was laughing at her even though the dark handsome face betrayed no amusement. ‘It’s … unusual,’ she said tightly. ‘Very.’

‘Very unusual.’ He considered with his head slightly on one side. ‘Thank you. I like to think so.’

‘And … and very masculine. You know, being all black and white. Ascetic but luxurious at the same time. Was that the look you were trying to achieve?’ she asked, her face hot.

‘I don’t think I was exactly interested in a look,’ he murmured softly. ‘I just wanted somewhere where I could relax and enjoy … the view.’

She knew what view he was talking about all right. The view of some gorgeous nude beauty in that mirror, a woman who would be more than happy to take what he could offer and not ask for more commitment than he wanted to give. Workaholic, her foot! He might not bring any women home to meet Mother but he sure didn’t sit in this bed reading paperwork or dictating letters or whatever it was he did. Maisie didn’t know if she felt angry or sad. She thought actually it was a mixture of both with a big dollop of jealousy and envy thrown in for good measure.

But she’d only got herself to blame for this, she admitted silently. He hadn’t wanted to even see her tonight, let alone bring her to his house and certainly not his bedroom. Knowing that didn’t help at all.

He was out of her league in every way, she told herself, pretendingto look out of the glass doors leading to the balcony one last time. What on earth had she been doing in thinking there was a chance with him? Suddenly the loss of the few pounds in weight which had so cheered her earlier seemed utterly pathetic. Laughable. Not that she felt like laughing.

‘Come downstairs and I’ll fix you a drink while I change.’ His voice was gentle, all amusement gone.

Maisie heard it with something like horror. Was he feeling sorry for her now? Pride brought her head up and injected a bright note into her voice. ‘Lovely.’ She turned from the view and sailed across the room, quite forgetting about the vertiginous sandals and almost doing the splits because of her mistake.

‘Careful.’ Blaine caught her in his arms as she catapulted forward, saving something of her dignity in the process but causing her a bigger problem when she found herself held against a hard male chest, his shirt smelling deliciously of some nice washing liquid.

‘It’s my sandals …’ She glanced up at him when he didn’t seem in any hurry to let her go. His eyes were piercing, their light trained on hers, and his face was very still. ‘I … I’m not used to heels.’

‘Your hair smells of apple blossom.’ His voice was husky, preoccupied. ‘And it’s so silky and soft.’ His fingertips were against her lower ribs, his palms cupping her sides, and the warmth of his flesh had robbed Maisie of the ability to speak. She simply continued to gaze up at him and then shut her eyes as he nuzzled his chin into her hair, drawing her closer.

When he put his mouth to hers it was a light stroking of her lips at first, his hands moving to trace the contours of her body through the thin dress. His mouth began an exploration of her cheeks, her nose, her eyes, his kisses burningly quick and sensuous. His breath was warm against her skin and her flesh tingled where the heat of his lips and hands touched, her legs becoming fluid as she turned her face to capture his mouth again.

Like before, a multitude of new feelings were coursing through her and she was enchanted and bewitched by the power of his caresses, her body fitting into his like a natural jigsaw when he urged her even harder against the hard length of him. A slowly growing ache was seeping through every cell of her body as she gave herself up to the magic he was creating, coherent thought long since gone, her eyes closing again.

‘Maisie, Maisie.’ He breathed her name, his voice throaty and shaky, each kiss and caress hungrier and more intimate.

Somehow she found herself on the huge billowing bed, although she hadn’t been aware of being led there. The rich black silk smelt ever so faintly of his aftershave and it touched her skin like warm cream as she opened her eyes in bemused surprise. ‘Blaine?’ she said dazedly.

He had been about to peel the bodice of the dress away from the swollen fullness of her breasts, their engorged tips hard from the contact of his body. Now he froze, his heavily lashed glittering eyes opening wider. ‘Hell,’ he said.

He was breathing hard, his chest rising and falling under the thin shirt as he fought for control for long seconds. Then he slowly rose, walking across to the glass doors, which led on to the balcony and keeping his back to her as he said roughly, ‘You see? You see how it is with you? I cannot keep my hands off you.’

But she didn’t want him to, so what was the problem? Maisie sat up, trembling from head to toe and fumbling with her dress, which was round her thighs, as she said, ‘Why does that matter?’

She watched as he shook his head and now his voice was colder. ‘It matters because you are not the sort of woman a man takes to bed for one night and then forgets about, neither would you be content to be a number in a little black book. You are Jackie’s friend, for crying out loud, a family friend; you are living with my parents, working for them.’ He stopped abruptly, straightening his shoulders, but still not turning to look at her as he added, ‘It was madness to bring you here tonight.’

The thrill that he wanted her, that he was actually finding it hard to keep his hands off her, was completely negated by the way he was talking. However attracted he was to her, his autonomy mattered more. That was what he was saying. Maisie slid off the bed, smoothing down her dress and running her fingers through her tousled hair to tidy it. She wanted to burst into tears but she knew that would just make a bad situation a hundred times worse. She had to salvage something out of this awful mess, a mess she had brought about by forcing his hand. They were going to come into contact with each other over the next weeks while she was staying at his parents’ house; she didn’t want him to stay away once his father was home because of her or anything like that.

She took a deep breath. ‘OK,’ she said steadily. ‘I see where you’re coming from. We’ll put this down to experience, shall we, but I don’t see any reason why we can’t be friends. Just friends. And if you’re ready, I’d like that drink now.’ She would like a whole bottle actually; she’d need that much to get through the rest of the evening.

He turned, surveying her with a narrowed stare. She could see the intelligent mind whirring away, computing what she had just said. She waited, looking back at him without giving anything away.

‘You think that is possible?’ he said grimly. ‘After what we have just shared? With all that is between us?’

It had to be. If she had thought some of the things she had gone through in the past were difficult, they were nothing compared to what she was having to do now. She forced herself to shrug nonchalantly. ‘A few kisses, a little lovemaking,’ she said evenly. ‘That’s all we shared and we are both mature adults after all.’ Pride was coming to the rescue now—a little belatedly, admittedly, she thought bitterly, but better late than never. She was not going to grovel or beg for what he refused to give. Never in a million years. ‘Perhaps we needed to do that to get it out of our system. Anyway, we’ve tried it and that’s that. Friendship from now on. Agreed?’

He rubbed his hand across his mouth, clearly at a loss.

‘And, like I said, I’m ready for that drink now. And dinner. Preferably before midnight.’ She smiled and he would never know how much it cost. She turned from him, from the look in his eyes, and left the room, walking carefully down the winding staircase right down to the dining room and then out of the door into the fragrant courtyard. She sat down at the table, staring at the crystalline blue water in the distance and deliberately emptying her mind of all thought.

A few moments later he joined her, two glasses of deep red wine in his hands. She looked up, holding out her hand for a glass as she said, ‘Thanks. What are we having for dinner?’

He grimaced. ‘It will not be as exciting as if I had had time to plan for the occasion, but I thought perhaps ginger and chilli tiger prawns followed by tortelloni filled with ricotta and parsley, served with fresh lobster?’

‘Wow.’ She tried not to notice how the blue of the sky was reflected in his eyes. It wouldn’t help. If he could do this, so could she. ‘The mind boggles at what you would do if you did have time to plan.’ She took a sip of the wine. It was smooth and soft, bursting with blackcurrant, cherry and violet aromas. ‘Do you want me to do anything in the kitchen while you shower and change?’ she asked, matching her voice to a tone she’d use if she was asking Jackie the same question.

He had swallowed half of his glass of wine. Now he set it down on the table. ‘The only thing I want you to do is to refill your glass when you’re ready,’ he said, walking back into the dining room as he spoke and then exiting again with the bottle in his hand.

‘Suits me.’ She kicked off her sandals and wriggled her toes. If they were going to do this friendship thing then she might as well be comfortable. The extra couple of inches the sandals had given her didn’t matter now, nor the way they’d made her ankles look tiny. She was done with trying to seduce him. And she was utterly, utterly fed up with men in general. The urge to cry was there again and she hoped he was going to clear off for his shower before she spoilt everything she’d achieved in the last few minutes.

Once he had disappeared, however, a feeling of recklessness took over and, draining her glass, she poured herself another. The evening had mellowed to one of satisfying warmth after the heat of the day, a thousand summers in the light breeze perfumed with sun-warmed vegetation and flowers. She didn’t want to think any more, she found. She just wanted to be. Thinking was too painful, too unsettling.

When Blaine joined her a little while later she absolutely refused to dwell on the fact that he looked doubly sexy with his hair still damp from the shower. He had shaved and there was the tiniest of nicks on his chin. Why that should make her quiver inside she didn’t know, but it did. Right down to her toes.

He had brought another bottle of the heavenly wine out with him and after refilling his own glass he raised his eyebrows as she put a hand over her own half full one. ‘No more yet,’ she said smilingly, telling herself she had to pretend he was Sue or Jackie or another of her friends and be as relaxed as she would be with them. ‘I feel a bit tiddly, to tell you the truth.’

‘After one and a half glasses?’ He grinned back at her and she felt a rush of pure resentment that he could do this friendly thing so much easier than she could. ‘Something tells me you are not a seasoned drinker.’

Unlike some of these sophisticated career women he had spoken about, no doubt. She supposed they could down a bottle without blinking. They could probably do a lot of things without blinking. Frequently. With him. ‘I don’t drink much,’ she said airily, ‘if that’s what you mean.’ On her salary she hadn’t been able to afford to. And quite often when she and Jeff had gone out to dinner or eaten a meal at his very nice flat in central London, he’d been on call, so they’d shared nothing more exciting than a bottle of fizzy water. She briefly wondered how the perfect Camellia would react to his disappearing at the drop of a hat in the middle of a date. Badly, she hoped. She was completely over him but that didn’t mean she wouldn’t like him to get a bit of grief.

‘The prawns will take about ten minutes so I’ll get cooking.’

‘Can I come and watch?’ This sitting in splendid isolation was all very well and the view was undoubtedly stupendous, but compared to observing Blaine under the guise of watching him cook it couldn’t even begin to compare. Sad. Maisie mentally nodded. She was turning into one sad female.

‘Of course.’ he nodded to her glass. ‘Bring your wine.’

Once in the kitchen, she had to admit she was more than a little impressed by how organised and efficient he was. When she cooked anything other than a casserole, where she could sling everything in together and bung it in the oven, it tended to be something of a hit and miss affair, and she knew she was a messy cook. Blaine, on the other hand, was definitely a pro. She said as much once he had finished browning the sesame seeds and put them to one side, using the same pan with new oil to start cooking the prawns, garlic, chilli and green pepper.

‘I am Italian,’ he said matter-of-factly. ‘It is in the genes, you know? Whenever Liliana visits her sister in Tuscany my father always cooks at home. My mother is not particularly domesticated.’

There you see, they would be absolutely perfect together. He could cook and she could watch him every night. Bliss. Maisie silently warned herself to stop. He didn’t want her. Well, he did want her but not enough. End of story.

After Blaine had added the ginger cordial and sesame seeds to the pan and cooked for a further minute or so, he divided the contents between two plates on which nestled a green salad. They carried their plates and wine out to the courtyard and ate under the blue Italian sky. Maisie thought she had never understood how something could be bitter-sweet until tonight.

She didn’t accompany him back to the kitchen for the second course but sat sipping her wine as she watched the sun go down. The shadow-blotched courtyard was still as warm as toast, even when the sky became streaked with tumescent crimson and enriched with bands of gold.

A violet dusk was settling when Blaine brought out the plates, and the tortelloni and lobster was every bit as delicious as the first course had been. He set out to be amusing and entertaining while they ate, the perfect host, and in spite of how Maisie was feeling inside she found herself giggling and enjoying herself. Probably the three glasses of red wine she had consumed by the time her plate was empty helped.

‘And now for dessert.’ Blaine’s teeth were very white as he smiled at her in the indigo shadows. ‘I cannot take the credit for these. There is an excellent little patisserie in Positano. You can choose from Sicilian lemon tart or pistachio cake.’

Maisie groaned. ‘I can’t eat another thing. I thought I’d lost some weight before I came here tonight but I’m sure I’ve put it all on again. I shall go back to England looking like the Michelin woman.’

‘I do not think so,’ he said softly. ‘Just beautiful.’

That was the wrong tone of voice for friends, besides which it wasn’t fair to say she was beautiful. Friends wouldn’t say that. Jackie or Sue would have agreed with her and put in their own suggestions, like one of the Roly-Polys or a jelly on a plate. Maisie frowned, her sense of being misused aided and abetted by the fact that he hadn’t the grace to even pretend to look devastated at the thought of her going back to England. ‘No dessert for me, thank you,’ she said firmly. ‘Really. Just coffee.’

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