Once A Playboy...: Resisting the Sicilian Playboy / Her Playboy's Proposal / The Playboy's Proposal

Their contract had loopholes in his favour—he had made sure of that in case it came to this. He had known there was a possibility that Umberto was using the Isola deal to leverage him into signing over the castle, but he hadn’t planned on caring about who it might affect.

Dara looked at him thoughtfully. ‘You want that deal badly enough to have accepted my event pitch. I don’t see what can be so important that you would consider walking away from it now?’

Leo knew she had no idea what she was talking about, but she was right. They didn’t know each other well enough for him to take her feelings into account. He had no reason to feel guilty. The loss of the venue might cause her trouble, but he would pay her off. Make sure he lessened the financial blow.

He wouldn’t tell her straight away. He would wait at least until he had made his decision.

* * *

Dara noticed the stern set of Leo’s jaw as they got into the limo. It had been a long evening of polite conversation. The kind of conversation that arose when there was a lot of tension in the air. She noticed that the air of mischief that normally surrounded him had evaporated, to be replaced with a brooding distance.

She found herself wondering at his change in mood, willing him to say something inappropriate and break the silence. She had spent the entire night arguing all the reasons why she shouldn’t just cross the hall and slip into his bed. It had been sheer torture, with every fibre in her body urging her to give in to the way he made her feel.

‘You keep looking at me,’ he said darkly. ‘Something to say?’

Dara raised her brows at his tone. ‘I was just wondering why you were sitting there like a petulant child all of a sudden.’

‘I’m not in the mood for this right now,’ he warned.

‘It’s okay for you to be a jerk, but when it’s given back you get annoyed?’ She laughed, trying to lighten the mood.

‘I was told not to be playful, if I remember correctly. Once the show was over. Or do you forget last night already?’

Dara felt heat creep into her cheeks. How could she ever forget last night? The memory of his mouth devouring hers, his hand sliding between her thighs, had kept her awake most of the night. She had been unable to sleep, knowing he was so near, confused at the sudden longing consuming her. It was not how she usually reacted to men—not since she had made the decision never to be with a man again.

She was unable to think around him and unable to resist the temptation he offered.

‘Like I said, I’m in no mood to play games.’ He stared out of the window, oblivious to the nature of her thoughts.

‘What if I’m not playing games any more?’ She spoke quietly, not quite knowing what she’d been about to say until it had already left her lips. ‘What if I’ve changed my mind, Leo?’

Leo watched her for a moment, moving his hand to rest it casually on her thigh. ‘I think that maybe you need to spell it out for me, carina. In case I am getting the wrong idea.’

With shaky fingers she rested her hand on top of his. Anchoring him there. This was madness. She was supposed to move away, to make a snarky comment or give him the cold shoulder. Not hold his hand like a wanton.

That was the problem, though. She felt wanton.

She felt more sexually charged than she had ever felt in her entire relationship with her ex-fiancé. With Dan it had been mutual respect, puppy love.

This was raw lust.

He was completely still, watching intently for her reaction. She could feel his gaze burning through her. She stopped thinking, grabbed the front of his shirt and pressed her lips hard to his.

CHAPTER FIVE

LEO FELT THE LAST remnant of his restraint disappear in a haze of heat, as he ran his hands up her sides, his mouth devouring hers. All the pent-up frustration came pouring out of them both as her hands found his hair and she ran her fingers through it, anchoring his head close as he leaned down to kiss her neck.

He began to undo the top few buttons on her blouse and felt her hesitate.

He raised a brow in silent question.

She answered by pulling his head back up and kissing him again. He growled low in his throat, lifting her off the seat and onto his lap. He moulded her curves to him, bunching her skirt up high on her hips and running his palms down the length of her thighs.

‘God, you are perfect.’

He groaned, cupping both breasts in his hands and kneading gently. He tilted his hips upwards, moulding their bodies together in a way that made her gasp. He could feel the moisture between her thighs already. She was hot and burning for him.

‘We shouldn’t be doing this back here,’ she breathed. ‘The driver might see.’

He ignored her whisper and moved against her again, smiling when she groaned even louder.

‘I think you’re enjoying the risk.’

‘Yes...’ she murmured, her eyes closing in a sensual haze as he moved against her in a steady rhythm.

Leo felt victorious as he watched her lose control and give in to the pleasure he was giving her. He pulled her bra down part way, exposing her nipples to him.

‘Beautiful...’ he murmured, taking one hardened peak into his mouth, then the other.

The limo drove onto rougher terrain and their bodies moved together with the vibrations as he feasted on her as if she was a dessert. His erection moved against her core, torturing them both with the delicious friction.

He vaguely heard Dara curse, felt her body grow tense as he bit down gently on her nipple. Her sudden shuddering release took them both completely by surprise, making her collapse on top of him in a daze of ragged breathing.

‘Dio, that was the most erotic thing I have ever seen,’ he murmured, kissing a trail down her neck.

Dara sat astride him, with her hands still clasped behind his neck. He shifted under her, painfully aware of his rock-hard erection still pressing insistently against her moistened underwear.

She shifted back on his lap, her cheeks rosy from the effects of her orgasm. Her shy smile was breathtaking as she reached down, placing her hand on the hard ridge of his jeans and biting her lower lip as he groaned in response.

Seeing, once again, how much he affected her was more than he could handle. It was like a drug. Now that he had tried it, he just wanted more. The thought of taking her here on the back seat of the limo, in the darkness, almost made him come on the spot.

With extreme restraint Leo placed his hand on top of Dara’s, just as she began to lower the zip of his jeans.

She froze, confused as to why they were stopping.

‘We are just about to arrive back at the palazzo,’ he said, smiling at her evident disappointment.

He had succeeded in his efforts to seduce her. She was now his for the taking. And yet he felt the unfamiliar tug of his conscience, threatening to rain down on his lust.

Dara slid off his lap and began closing the buttons of her white blouse with shaky fingers. Her hair was in a tangle around her shoulders...her skirt had twisted around her waist. He had ravished her in the back seat of a moving vehicle and now, in true Valente fashion, he was planning on taking what he wanted before casting her aside.

She would want nothing more to do with him if he took his uncle’s deal. Umberto’s words repeated in his mind: he was just like his father. The thought gave the same effect as if he had just doused himself with ice water.

She smiled seductively at him as they walked side by side up the marble steps of the palazzo.

Leo hesitated just inside the doorway. ‘I think...that you should make your own way up from here.’ He avoided her eyes.

‘You’re not coming upstairs?’ she asked, confused at his sudden coldness. She’d clearly presumed they would continue their encounter, after what had just occurred in the limo.

She didn’t realise that it was taking every fibre of his self-control not to carry her up to that ridiculously erotic bed of hers and make love to her all night long. Her lips were rosy from his kisses, her hair deliciously mussed. And once again that lacy bra was taunting him through her crisp white shirt.

‘I have some things to get done before we head down to Ragusa tomorrow.’

He avoided her gaze, motioning to the valet, who handed him the keys to his Porsche. A drive might clear his head of this ridiculous guilt. And rid him of the ghosts that taunted his every thought.

‘Will you be gone long?’ she asked.

Leo continued to walk away, refusing to turn around in case he changed his mind. ‘I’ll see you at breakfast tomorrow, Dara. Sleep well.’

* * *

Their drive to the province of Ragusa was made mostly in silence, except for a brief stop for lunch at a roadside café. In less than three hours they reached the shores of the Ionian sea, and a further twenty minutes saw them make their way up the long stretch of coastal road and enter the small sleepy town of Monterocca.

They continued around the winding road to where the cliffs began to lower to sandy beaches and small fishing docks. As they turned the final bend around the headland Dara took a deep intake of breath. It was spectacular.

The castle stood high on a rocky promontory, dominating the surrounding landscape with its high turrets and imposing boundary walls. As they drove through the stone pillared entry Dara felt suddenly dwarfed by the enormity of the place.

She had only seen pictures before now, and photographs were nothing when confronted with the real thing. The stone walls seemed to glow pink in some places, with medieval turrets providing the highest points. The long straight avenue from the main road was rough and untamed. Wild foliage seemed to sweep in and engulf the car entirely at some points. Finally they reached a wide cobbled courtyard with a circular fountain set in the middle. Crumbling statues stood haphazardly all around, some missing their heads, some missing entire limbs.

Dara stepped out of the car and craned her neck to look up at the majestic stonework that decorated the entrance. This close, she could see the complete disrepair the castle had been left in. Chunks of stone had fallen down from the walls in some places. The windows seemed black with dust, and grime and weeds grew from every crevice. All the same, it was a powerful feeling to be surrounded by so much history.

‘This place is breathtaking.’ She sighed, busy taking in every tiny detail of the facade. She pointed to a wing that stretched out at an unusual angle from the main square tower. ‘This part isn’t medieval, is it?’ she asked curiously. Her knowledge of architecture was pretty basic—she generally left historical details to the experts.

He rounded the car to stand next to her, crossing his arms over his chest and leaning casually against the door. ‘The whole place is just one big patchwork of various eras. I never thought it was particularly beautiful.’

She shook her head with disbelief. ‘How can you say that? It’s the imperfections that make it so eye-catching.’

He was wearing sunglasses, but she could still see the sardonic tilt of his brow as he turned to face her. ‘So your Hollywood actress is booking it based on all its eye-catching imperfections, is that right?’

‘Actually, I think she wants it because her first film was about a Sicilian prince. They filmed in Palermo, but that particular castle was demolished. This one is apparently quite similar.’ She shrugged. ‘Either way, I don’t argue with good publicity.’

He made a grunting sound of accord and took a set of keys from his pocket. He didn’t speak another word, still in the same distracted mood as the night before.

They made their way inside the main entryway to a great hall with a ceiling that had to be at least three storeys high. The windows were so filthy, barely any light could get in.

Leo had told her that the housekeeping team consisted of a local woman, Maria, and her husband, who took care of basic tasks. From what she could tell they had just done their best to stop the grounds from being overrun with weeds and keep the dust as minimal as possible with the castle closed up for so long.

‘Right, let’s get this over with,’ Leo said roughly.

Dara took out the clipboard she had brought with her to take notes, shrugging when he looked at her curiously. ‘I thought I might as well jot down my ideas as we go.’

‘Always so efficient.’ He sighed. ‘Don’t fall behind. Believe me, you will get lost.’

Their voices echoed loudly off the high stone walls as he showed her around the lower level of the main wing. The place was huge, and already she knew she really would be lost in a moment if she didn’t follow closely behind him.

She ran her finger along a dusty sideboard, looking upon a row of small framed photographs of a young Leo. He was curly-haired, with emerald-green eyes, smiling mischievously into the camera.

Dara couldn’t help but smile down at the photos. ‘I cannot believe you lived in a place like this as a child. It must have been one big adventure, day after day.’

He followed her gaze, his eyes narrowing on the photos of his childhood self. ‘It wasn’t anything like you would expect.’

He carried on down the hallway, naming each room in a bored monotone as they passed through.

They made their way up the sweeping staircase and Dara began to amble down the corridors more slowly behind her grumpy guide. She wanted to look at the place properly—not just power through at lightning speed.

She stopped as they passed right by a set of large double doors. She knew from the rest of the castle that it would lead to yet another private wing.

‘You never said what’s through this way,’ she called to him as he continued to stride down the hall ahead of her.

‘That one is off-limits. Keep moving.’ He stopped at the top of the hall impatiently.

She frowned. They were supposed to be inspecting the entire castle in order for her to arrange the renovations. How could any area be off-limits?

‘This is beginning to sound like a scene from a really lame fairy tale. Is that where the beast lives?’ She chuckled, hoping to lighten the mood.

She could see his silhouette, unmoving at the end of the hall, one hand resting on a side table as he waited for her to follow him. She felt frustration bubble to the surface. He had been extremely irritable all morning, and since arriving at the castle he had stopped interacting with her completely. He clearly wasn’t up to doing this job properly, but that didn’t mean she wouldn’t get it done.

‘I need to get a look at the whole place. No exceptions.’

She turned the handle of the door to the wing slowly, watching to see his reaction. He didn’t budge as the sound of the hinges creaking open echoed through the hall.

Well, he could suit himself, then, she thought stubbornly. He could stay out here in his bad mood all he wanted.

Clutching her clipboard, she threw the doors wide and continued through to the mysterious forbidden wing.

* * *

Leo stood frozen in the hallway, listening as Dara’s footsteps echoed through his past. He’d told her not to go there. Of course she hadn’t listened. She was hell-bent on dredging up every memory this godforsaken place had to offer.

His initial view of the castle hadn’t bothered him as much as he had thought it would. After twelve years he still remembered every window, every crack in the facade. He had vowed to remain emotionless and logical. It was a building—not a demon. He would show her around in a practical fashion, get the building work arranged and then make an effort to apologise for last night.

After his meeting with Umberto, and all their talk of this place, he had found himself momentarily regretting his pursuit of Dara. His uncle’s deal was tempting, but agreeing to it meant lying and double-crossing.

He shouldn’t care about hurting her. He should have just taken what she had clearly been ready to offer. But something in him had stalled, and he had spent the night driving furiously up a myriad of coastal roads, then returning to the palazzo once he’d been sure she had gone to bed.

He turned back towards the doors she had disappeared through. He wasn’t going down there. There was only so much he could take in one day. This castle housed more than just his own cold childhood memories.

A loud bang came from down the corridor, and a woman’s scream. Damn it, Dara, he thought angrily as he took off through to the largest wing of the castle, down the long carpeted corridor and into the grand master bedroom where his parents had once slept.

Dara stood on one of the ghostly covered chairs, her eyes darting around the floor wildly. ‘Sorry, there were rats on the bed!’ she squeaked, holding her battered clipboard like a shield in front of her. ‘Bloody huge ones.’ She shuddered.

Leo’s eyes swept across to the large bed that dominated the room. A high majestic canopy flowed down from the ceiling to rest on the four-poster. His mother had imported it from Paris. He remembered her boasting about it to one of her friends. It had belonged to a queen. That had been his mother, she had always been fascinated by royalty.

The weight of long-suppressed memories was beginning to crush his self-restraint. He needed to get out of this castle now...before he lost his mind.

‘I told you not to come in here,’ he growled, watching as her eyes went wide. ‘Get down from the damned chair. There are no rats.’

Dara lowered one foot to the floor, still anxiously scanning the perimeter of the dark room.

‘There were at least three of them. They scurried off when I dropped my clipboard...’ she said, her knuckles white as chalk as she held up the makeshift shield.

‘I don’t give a damn about rats. The place is likely infested with all kinds of vermin.’

He pinched the bridge of his nose, trying to ignore the memories threatening to engulf him. Lifeless brown eyes, staring into nothing...

‘I will need to make sure that all the rooms have been cleared before we can consult the restoration contractor,’ she rambled on beside him, unaware of his inner turmoil. ‘Leo, are you even listening to me? We need to note all the details—’

She stepped closer and he turned to her without warning.

‘Just stop with your details for once and get the hell out of this room.’ His voice was harsh and he watched her eyes widen with shock.

‘Leo... I’m sorry if I’ve said something to bother you.’

‘I’m fine,’ he gritted. ‘I need to go find the housekeeper. You can finish the rest of the tour by yourself.’

He turned on his heel and strode from the room. It took all his strength not to run as if he was being chased by the ghosts that plagued his memory.

He should never have come back to this place. It made him feel things he’d vowed never to feel again. But it wasn’t Dara’s fault that he was on edge, and he made a mental note to make it up to her once he’d got his temper under control.

* * *

After three hours spent cataloguing every room of the castello Dara needed a shower. Badly. Out of the entire estate only three bedrooms were kept open and maintained, along with the kitchen, one of the dining rooms and a downstairs salon. Every other room was closed up, its furniture sheathed in ghostly white dust covers.

Still, it was rather magical, being the only person wandering around a place filled with so much character. Leo had left the castle entirely, leaving a message with the housekeeper to tell her that they would be having dinner at six. His desertion didn’t faze her. She’d enjoyed her time alone with her work. The thought of all of the possibilities that this place held made her giddy as she chose a bedroom with an en-suite bathroom and set about having a hot shower to wash off all the dust.

Weddings could be held here in any season, she mused as she towel-dried her hair into soft waves at the gilt dressing table by the bed. Outdoor summer ceremonies overlooking the cliffs...candlelit winter feasts in the ballroom. She really did adore her job, and she knew she could make this castello beautiful again—bring it back to life. Not only would she be known for planning the wedding of the year, but she would also have exclusive rights to one of the most sought-after venues in the country.

Once she had dressed, in a simple black wrap dress and her trusty heels, she made her way down to the dining room for dinner.

Leo stood at the fireplace, stepping forward as she entered the room.

‘Glad to see you’ve returned.’ She breezed past him, determined not to show how his continued coldness was affecting her.

Leo helped her into one of the chairs at the end of a ridiculously long banquet table. ‘I hope you’re hungry? Maria has outdone herself.’

Their place settings were side by side—much more convenient than having to shout across the room to one another along the length of the table.

‘This is quite intimate for a simple meal.’ She poured herself a glass of wine, noticing that each of the antique candelabra had been lit around the room. The overall effect was beautiful, and strangely romantic. ‘All we’re missing is a violinist and I’d feel like a real aristocrat,’ she joked.

‘I’ll make a note of that.’ He smiled as Maria began serving an array of delicately prepared seafood.

The smell of lemon-drizzled prawns filled the air, to be followed by pesce spada and oven-roasted vegetables. Swordfish was her personal favourite since moving to Sicily.

They spoke of Dara’s thoughts on the renovations, and Leo listened intently to her excited plans. By the time the housekeeper cleared their plates Dara’s hunger had been well and truly satisfied.

Leo finished off his glass of wine, thanking Maria for her service and refusing dessert. They were both in favour of allowing the older woman to go home for the night after such a spectacular meal.

Leo sat forward in his seat once they were alone, his green eyes darker than usual in the muted lighting. ‘I wanted to apologise for my behaviour, Dara.’

‘You have no need to apologise for anything. We are both entitled to change our minds.’

‘Is that what you think happened?’ He shook his head. ‘Dara, look at me. I haven’t changed my mind about anything. Not one bit. I just felt I had coerced you into this. Had been heavy-handed.’

She felt something lift inside her, knowing he hadn’t rejected her. Not that it made his treatment of her any less harsh. ‘I’m a grown woman who can make her own choices, you know. I wouldn’t have been willing to—you know...if it wasn’t something I wanted.’

Leo laughed. ‘It seems I’ve made a complete mess of this.’

He held her gaze for a moment before standing up.

‘I want to show you the beach before it gets dark—would you walk with me?’

Dara hesitated, looking down at her shoes. ‘It’s October...’

‘We can take ten minutes to enjoy the sunset—you won’t freeze. Don’t deny yourself the little pleasures in life. It’s not always about the bigger picture.’

Dara followed Leo through the kitchens and down some stone steps at the back of the castle. The courtyard was growing darker by the minute as they traversed the gardens towards the cliff face.

Leo removed his shoes, leaving them at the top of the stone steps. He turned back to her, looking to where she stood poised on the top step.

‘Come on, do something spontaneous for once.’

‘I’m not as rigid as you seem to believe I am,’ she said, and slid off her delicate heels.

Dara took his arm as they descended the stone steps to the beach below the cliffs. She felt slight terror at the height, but Leo gripped her hand tight until they set foot on the sand.

‘My tutor brought me down here sometimes for science lessons.’ He picked up a small stone, throwing it across to land in the water with a splash. ‘He was the most uninteresting man I have ever known.’