Kate Hardy - Once A Playboy... - Resisting the Sicilian Playboy / Her Playboy's Proposal / The Playboy's Proposal

‘I don’t really have a preference.’ She shrugged one delicate shoulder. ‘I have a very busy career that fulfils me. Dating is not high on my agenda.’

‘Again with the agenda, Dara? You seem to have it all figured out into neat little boxes. It sounds so perfectly perfect.’

‘You’re mocking me, but there is a lot to be said for having a plan.’

‘When building a nightclub empire, definitely. But everything else is free fall to me. I enjoy surprises. If it weren’t for surprises we wouldn’t be here tonight.’

‘Back to the point: when will I be expected to sidetrack the Lucchesi’s?’

‘Not until the first interlude. Follow my lead and don’t go off script.’

Dara fought the urge to make a snappy retort, instead relaxing as the music started up. The ancient opera house was beautiful, with its iconic gold architecture and deep red velvet curtains. She had promised herself years ago that she would see a show at the Teatro Massimo—it was on her list of tourist-type things to do while she was living here. A list that she never seemed to get to with her workload...

As the curtain came down for the first interlude she felt butterflies in her stomach. Leo gestured for her to follow him out into the crowd mingling outside the doorway. This was it. The moment of truth. He laid one hand at the small of her back as they walked down the corridors towards the royal box, where the Lucchesi family was seated. The heat from his palm seared into her skin, making those butterflies flap even faster.

A group of people were gathered around the entrance, talking loudly about the performance. One woman stood out, her opulent diamond jewellery outshone only by what had to be the most eye-blurringly white fur stole that Dara had ever seen.

Leo caught Dara’s eye, gesturing for her to step forward and intercept the woman’s attention.

Dara pasted on her most brilliant smile as Gloria Lucchesi came out of the crowd, embracing her warmly. She tried not to look at Leo, noting the smug expression on his face.

‘Dara, darling—what are you doing out in public without your headset?’ The older woman joked.

Dara laughed obligingly at the jibe, feeling unease as Leo stepped right up to her side, sliding his hand around her waist possessively.

‘I’m here with my...my date, Leo Valente.’

Her voice stumbled over the words, her heart hammering in her chest. Whether it was the effect of lying so brazenly, or the result of being touched so intimately, Dara felt as if her heart was about to leap out of her chest.

Her skittishness evaporated once she noticed that Gloria Lucchesi had quite literally frozen in place, her hand clutching at her necklace in a gesture that was much more than simple surprise. Dara felt a sense of foreboding as Umberto Lucchesi came to stand beside his wife, his features ruddy with barely leashed anger.

Gloria placed a hand on her husband’s arm before speaking to Dara directly. ‘Miss Devlin, can you please explain what you are doing here with my husband’s nephew?’

* * *

Umberto Lucchesi looked like a man ready to pounce.

Leo continued to stare, unblinking. ‘How nice to see you, Uncle.’

‘How dare you ambush me at a charity function?’ the older man practically hissed under his breath, looking around the hall to see they were not being overheard.

‘I bought a ticket—just like everyone else here.’

True to form, Aunt Gloria stepped forward to calm the situation. ‘Umberto, please stop being so dramatic,’ she chastised. Her tone was one of calm confidence. ‘My husband forgets that he is in the middle of the Teatro Massimo, not shouting in a boardroom.’

Gloria placed a friendly hand on Dara’s arm. Leo noted Dara’s polite smile, her gentle tone as she defused the situation with questions about Gloria’s daughters.

Umberto remained silent and continued to stare at him across the narrow hallway.

‘We will not do this here, Valente,’ he hissed.

‘Most certainly not,’ Gloria interjected. ‘It’s high time you ridiculous men quit this feud and showed each other a little forgiveness. Leonardo, I want to welcome you home to Sicily, darling. I have missed you.’

‘Thank you, Zia, I’m afraid your husband doesn’t quite feel the same.’

‘That’s an understatement,’ Umberto scoffed.

Gloria spoke directly to him. ‘Come to our villa tomorrow evening for dinner. You can talk business then. For now, let us all enjoy the rest of the evening.’ She guided her husband into the throng of people, looking back to wink at Dara.

Leo smiled at Dara. That had gone just the way he’d planned it. A private meeting attained, on Lucchesi’s home turf. But Dara frowned, turning back towards the box. Leo followed, confused at her sudden change in mood.

* * *

Dara waited until they were back in the box before turning to him. She pressed one accusatory finger into his shoulder. The gesture made his eyes widen.

‘You could have warned me that I was walking into an episode of a soap opera , for goodness’ sake.’

‘I didn’t think it would benefit the situation if you were aware of my history with Umberto.’

‘No, you didn’t think it would benefit you .’ She turned away, fuming. ‘How did I not know that you were related? How is it not common knowledge?’

‘He is my mother’s younger brother. He made a point of removing himself from any connection to the Valente name when my mother passed away.’ He spoke matter-of-factly, anger evident in the hard set of his jaw.

Dara felt her anger deflate, taken by surprise by his candid statement. ‘That must have been very difficult.’

‘My mother died quite suddenly—she was only thirty-eight. The funeral was an ugly affair, and her family blamed my father. And me.’

‘Goodness, she was very young. Life can be cruel sometimes.’

Leo waved off her gentle comments. ‘I am merely divulging the facts to you—not looking for sympathy. I’ve had twelve years to get over it.’

He shoved his hands into the pockets of his designer tuxedo, a sardonic tilt to his brow. This was a man who kept his true feelings buried. She couldn’t imagine revealing her own painful memories in such a matter-of-fact fashion.

Dara thought of the way the two men had just stood toe to toe, eyes spitting fire at one another, in the glamorous gilded hallway of the teatro .

‘Leo, I’ve helped you to get your meeting. I’ve fulfilled my part of our bargain. We agreed that I would act as your date for tonight only.’

‘I can’t go alone to dinner. You will accompany me to keep up the pretence that we are an item. Gloria likes you, and she is the key to keeping the peace.’

Dara shifted uneasily on her feet, smoothing a hand over the smooth pearl satin of her gown. She had felt like a princess earlier, walking down the steps of the palazzo to find Leo leaning against the door of the limo, dressed in a perfectly tailored black tuxedo. He looked sinfully handsome and powerful, and it was doing all kinds of strange things to her breathing every time he held her arm or looked at her with that smouldering dark gaze.

She needed to cut her losses before she did something stupid. One more night with Leo was a risk she couldn’t take.

He was watching her intently. ‘What is it that worries you, carina ? That they won’t believe we are a couple? Because that won’t be a problem.’

‘It’s too risky. We know nothing about each other. What if they ask questions?’ she argued.

‘They won’t need to.’ He stepped closer. ‘Dara, we practically crackle every time we are alone together. The chemistry between us is quite obvious.’

‘It is?’ Dara felt a little dazed under his scrutiny.