Christina Hollis - The Count's Prize

I’ve got sheets that colour , he thought. I wonder what Josie would look like between them .

Just then a waiter materialised silently at his side. The man was holding a chilled bottle of champagne wrapped in stiff folds of linen.

‘No, thanks, I’m driving.’ Dario waved him away regretfully, but the interlude put a mischievous thought in his head. He always enjoyed champagne, and kept a good selection of vintages back at the castle.

I’m sure a glass or two of that would help Josie celebrate her first day at the rock face , he thought.

Making his excuses to his host, he left and made a rapid escape.

By the end of the day Josie was so tired she could barely put one foot in front of the other, but she could not have been happier. For most of the time she had been alone, which for her made work more relaxing than any holiday. However, in spite of her determination, her mind had kept wandering in the direction of Dario and she needed a rest.

Dragging herself off to bed, she set her alarm very early so she could write up her notes first thing and still be outside before sunrise. The last thing she remembered was the low drone of a powerful engine, cutting through the velvet darkness outside. As she closed her eyes, she remembered the way Dario had described the view from the solar by night and the beautiful turbulence of his expression when he’d looked at her. It was enough to send every other thought clean out of her mind. Drifting off to sleep in her sumptuous empress-sized bed, she smiled. This was a wonderful place, but Dario was full of dangerous temptation for her. The only safe place for an encounter with him would be in her dreams.

By the time his car swung into the courtyard, she was fast asleep.

Dario leapt out of his car but, before he called for a chauffeur to take it away, he glanced up at the West wing tower. It was in total darkness. That was a blow. Hoping Josie had simply switched off her lights to enjoy the view from the windows as he had suggested, he fetched a bottle of champagne and a couple of glasses. Then he went up and tapped on the door of her suite.

Never mind. She can still have the full Castello Sirena treatment , he thought, ignoring his disappointment that he wouldn’t be there to share it with her. Scribbling a quick note on the bottle’s label, he stood it outside her door.

For some reason he couldn’t quite fathom, he wanted to tempt Josie into having a little fun, more than he’d wanted anything for a while. His interrupted dinner party was proof enough. Maybe her resistance was simply a new challenge? Whatever the reason, clearly he wasn’t going to be able to get her out of his mind until he’d won her over.

A long, leisurely lunch should kick things off nicely , he decided.

Josie was so polite, Dario knew she would never be able to refuse his invitation.

He smiled as he strolled off to bed. It would be deliciously ironic to use her typical English reserve to build bridges between them …

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