Her Roman Holiday (7 page)

“How utterly fascinating.
 
You’re obviously quite the connoisseur of human nature.”

“Spare me your sarcasm.
 
I am merely suggesting that we save ourselves unnecessary grief later by setting down our terms at the outset.”

“You want terms?”
 
With an effort, she kept her voice controlled.
 
“All right, I’ll give you terms.
 
No strings.
 
No implication of anything beyond the act itself.”
 
She straightened, feeling more incensed by the moment.
 
“And I’ll go one better on you by also outlining my expectation.
 
All I would want from you is a really good screw,” she said, enunciating clearly.
 

“There is no need to be crude.”
 
He sighed.
 
“I suppose this is your way of getting back at me for spoiling the mood.”

“Awww.
 
And here I was, trying so hard to phrase this in terms you’d understand.”

He took a bite of pasta and chewed it with deliberation.
 
“So, you say you are interested in nothing more than a temporary arrangement.
 
That lust is your primary motivation?”

“What other motive would I have?”

He shrugged.
 
“Under similar circumstances, some women might be moved to make such advances out of gratitude; others, in the hopes of securing some form of compensation in return.”

“Don’t even go there.”
 
She spoke from between clenched teeth.

He inclined his head, maddeningly unfazed.
 
“So, where does that leave us, then?” he asked, watching her with a look of polite inquiry.
 
As if they were discussing a business deal.
 
And perhaps, as far as he was concerned, they were.
 

Over her dead body.

She gave him a cursory smile.
 
“Having dinner together, I think.”

“And then…?”

“And then, we go to the reception, where I pretend to be your latest lover.”

“Pretend?”

She nodded, suppressing the spark of anger that his bland manner kept trying to ignite.
 
“Yes.
 
Pretend.
 
Call me crazy, but being asked if I expect remuneration in return for sexual favours somehow has a way of killing my desire.”

“You do not consider it a reasonable question for someone in my position?”

She prayed for patience, even as she felt her temper fraying.
 
“I don’t know your life or the kinds of circles you frequent.
 
Maybe it is a reasonable question for you to ask, given that you’ve got gobs of money.
 
But here’s the thing:
 
reasonable or otherwise, it’s the kind of question that totally extinguishes any urges I might be experiencing.
 
Candle snuffed and gone.
 
I don’t think about making love in those kinds of terms.”

“I see.”

“And, difficult though it may be to believe, I had absolutely no bigger agenda when I started flirting.
 
Somehow, relinquishing even an iota of my independence to a Neanderthal-minded chauvinist just isn’t on my life’s agenda
—
strange though that may seem to you.”
 
So much for staying calm.

“Charmingly put, as always.
 
But, I am delighted to hear it, nonetheless.
 
And you may be likewise assured that I would have no designs on that vaunted independence of yours.
 
You are certainly far from what I would have in mind as an ideal wife.”

Calia gave a hard laugh.
 
“You have no idea how relieved I am to hear that.
 
Given your views on women, I’d actually be quite alarmed if you felt anything other than disapproval for someone like me.”

He snorted.
 
“I do not hate women.”

“No, of course not,” she said dryly.
 
“Let me guess: some of your best friends are women, right?”

“I wouldn’t go so far as to say that, but
—
”

“Oh, come on Gio!
 
You’re a total misogynist.
 
Why not just admit it?”
 
Calia grinned as she spoke, amused, in spite of herself, by his blatant denials.

“I prefer the term ‘realist’.
 
You are a flawed gender, that is all.
 
I love women.”
 
At Calia’s disbelieving look, he relented, a smile tugging at his lips.
 
“But perhaps I do not like them very much.”

“And at last we have the truth of it!”
 
But, notwithstanding her indignation on behalf of all womankind, Calia decided to let it go.
 
She reminded herself that she was just passing through, anyway.
 
The most she could do, during whatever brief acquaintance they shared, was avoid giving Gio cause to reinforce his low opinion of women
—
and let him take that as he would.
 

“The truth perhaps
—
in the eyes of a rabid feminist.”

She gave him her best empty-headed look.
 
“You say the sweetest things, Gio.”
 
She pretended to look puzzled.
 
“But somehow, you manage to make them sound like insults.”

He shook his head, his expression caught between amusement and irritation.
 

Calia was surprised to find, on the heels of her annoyance, a feeling of potent exhilaration.
 
It buoyed her up, making her feel flushed and powerful in the wake of their discussion.
 

She frowned.
 
She couldn’t possibly
enjoy
sparring with a Paleolithic carryover like him, could she?
 

“Look,” she said, after a few moments.
 
“Why don’t we just play it by ear?
 
We can see how it goes.
 
I find you very attractive, but I have to say, your pickup lines need some work.”
 
She leaned forward, as if imparting an intimate secret.
 
“Here’s a tip:
 
asking a woman ‘how much?’ is a really bad idea, unless she’s in a very specific line of work.”
 

“I do not like playing games.
 
What is wrong with preferring honesty over empty words?”

Calia chuckled, shaking her head.
 
“You got me on that one.”
 
She tilted her head.
 
“So, are you always this big on diplomacy?”
 

He shrugged.
 
“I have learned well enough from the mistakes of others.
 
I did not get where I am today by being polite and dancing around the real issues.”

“And do you like being where you are?”

“Of course.”

There seemed little to add, so Calia concentrated on finishing her pasta as she wondered when she had actually begun to start liking the guy.
 
Despite everything, he seemed a good man
—
and she respected his scrupulous honesty, even if it did mean that he aired some unpleasant views in the process.
 
At least she knew where she stood with him.
 
So what if, with the notable exception of his body, he wasn’t perfect?
 
Who was?
 

 
“You mentioned earlier that you originally came to Germany because of some business?”
 
His question interrupted her thoughts.

She nodded.
 
“Pretty much.
 
I had a job interview in Frankfurt.”

“What kind of work is it?”

“Economic analysis for an investment firm.”

He stared at her for a few moments, then shook his head.
 
“Economic analysis?”

“Let me guess:
 
you had me pegged as an
au pair
.”

“There is nothing wrong with being an
au pair
.”

“I agree completely.
 
I even looked into finding a job as one, the year after I graduated high school.”

“But you did not?”

She shook her head.
 
“I went on a student exchange to Japan instead.”

 
“I see.
 
And now you are an economic analyst.”
 
He looked her over, his expression shifting.
 
“And that is why you had heard of me.”

“Modest, aren’t you?
 
But yes, that’s how I’d heard of you.”

“And what about the job?
 
Why Germany?”

She shrugged.
 
“One of my specializations was European markets and emerging economic powers in the age of the EU.
 
I’ve always wanted to live here, and this seemed a good time to give it a try.
 
And as for Germany… well, I figured it would be better to find work in a country where I could speak the language.”

“So you speak German, then?”
 

“And French.”

He raised his brows.
 
“Fluently?”

She nodded.
 
“My grammar isn’t perfect, but I get by.”

He shook his head.
 
“I didn’t know.”

“How would you?”
 
She grinned at him.
 
“You never asked.
 
You just made certain assumptions, because I don’t happen to speak any Italian.”

He ignored the observation.
 
“You mentioned something about it being a good time to give working in Europe a try.”

Calia took a sip of wine as their plates were cleared away.
 
“You don’t miss much, do you?”

“I do my best.
 
Though I obviously did miss a few things with you.”

“I’ll consider forgiving you.
 
But to answer your question
—
the time was right.
 
Dave, this guy I had been seeing casually
—
or so I thought
—
proposed to me a few months ago.”
 
She paused while the meat course was served.
 
Braised veal with fresh rosemary, thyme and caramelized shallots.

“I see.”

“I’m sure he dropped hints, but they whizzed right by.
 
I didn’t see it coming at all.
 
It was kind of a wake up call
—
it made me realize I wasn’t even close to being ready to put down roots.”
 

She played with her knife and fork, slicing a bit of veal into a far tinier morsel than she needed to.
 
When she looked up, it was to find him watching her, his expression serious.
 
“See, I have a list in my mind of all the things I want to do before I settle down, and living in Europe is pretty much at the top.
 
But, when I got out of university, I found a job right away.
 
I always meant for it to be temporary
—
so I could save some money before moving on
—
but I guess I fell into a routine.”
 

She sighed.
 
“I still feel bad about Dave, though.
 
I mean, when he popped the question, it was such a shock.
 
I probably wasn’t as tactful as I could have been.”
 

“But now, having divested yourself of such encumbrances, you have decided to make the most of your freedom.”
 
His tone had hardened and Calia looked up to find him watching her with cold judgment in his eyes.

Her irritation returned.
 
How ridiculous, that the onus should be on her to dissuade him of his negative assumptions.
 

She raised her chin, glaring at him.
 
He wanted to assume the worst?
 
Fine.
 
But that didn’t mean she had to play that game.
 

“Aptly put, Gio.
 
That’s exactly what I’m planning to do.”
 
She kept her tone neutral, before turning her attention to her veal, which was extraordinarily tender, and clearly far worthier of her appreciation than the man sitting opposite her.

She hadn’t lied to him
—
she wasn’t even implying anything with her response.
 
If he wanted to interpret it in the worst possible light, she certainly couldn’t stop him.
 
But after this, she had no intention of letting him anywhere near her, anyway.
 
So, he could think whatever he wanted
—
it wasn’t going do him the least bit of good.

Her resolution fixed, she looked up from her plate to find him watching her, his eyes bright with silver fire.
 
Right then, Calia knew that despite everything, she still wanted Giovanni Diamanti.
 
Even as she acknowledged that truth, she felt the liquid heat of her arousal surging deep inside, urging her to bridge the distance between them, to sink into his kiss and revel in the texture of his flesh against hers.
 

But
—
the price was too high.
 
She had no intention of being intimate with a man who didn’t even bother to hide his lack of respect for her.
 

She broke away from the mesmerizing power of his gaze, resolved upon using every ounce of her willpower to fight against the sensual pull of his presence, and the heady compulsions of her own desire.
 
She only hoped that her willpower would be strong enough to withstand the onslaught.

* * *

They left for the reception not long after, skipping dessert and coffee.
 
Despite her sweet tooth, Calia hadn’t begruged the sacrifice
—
after the first three courses, she was far too stuffed to even think about dessert.