The Hidden Heart of Rico Rossi (10 page)

He had a point. And maybe if she explained, told him the truth, it would take some of the pain away. Rico had made her feel beautiful in Rome, wiping out the hurt Michael had left. Maybe telling him the rest would help her put it where it belonged—in the past.

‘I spent three years supporting Michael while he studied for his PhD. I thought we loved each other.’ How naïve and trusting she’d been. ‘And I knew he was working hard, juggling his thesis with his teaching commitments, so I decided to surprise him with lunch at the university. I wanted to make him feel good, give him a break. Except he was busy having …’ Her breath caught. ‘Let’s just say he was having a very
private
tutorial with one of his students. And I walked right into the middle of it.’

‘How awful for you.’ Rico looked sympathetic. ‘I take it you had no idea that he was cheating on you?’

‘None at all. I thought he loved me.’ She swallowed hard. ‘But he was just using me; I was someone to pay the rent and the bills. I don’t think she was the first of his students he’d had an affair with. And he said afterwards that it was my fault. That I wasn’t woman enough to satisfy him.’

‘That was his biggest lie,’ Rico said. ‘It wasn’t your
fault at all. He tried to blame his own inadequacies on you.’ He pressed a kiss into her palm and folded her fingers over it, and Ella had to swallow hard to stop a sob breaking through at his gentleness. ‘You’re woman enough, all right. He was the one with the problem.’ His eyes narrowed. ‘Now I understand what you mean about grovelling letters once he found out about your lottery win. I’m glad you didn’t fall for it and take him back.’

‘No, because I already knew I couldn’t trust him. But I’m still a gullible idiot. I fell for all the lies you told me. That flat you said you borrowed …’

‘I borrowed it from myself,’ he said. ‘I know that’s equivocating, and I apologise for that.’

‘And you own that swish restaurant, too?’

‘No. But I admit that I’m good friends with the owner. We went to school together. So, yes, I traded on our friendship. He found me a table that night.’

‘And charged me lower prices, too?’ She narrowed her eyes at him. ‘I didn’t really think about it at the time, but when my credit card bill came through I realised it seemed a bit low for such a posh restaurant.’

Rico sighed. ‘OK. I admit I settled part of the bill in advance. I knew it would be expensive and I didn’t want to take advantage of you.’

There at least he wasn’t like Michael, who’d really taken advantage of her. All the same, it annoyed Ella that Rico had made a high-handed decision without even discussing it with her. ‘Don’t you think that’s just a tiny bit patronising? I told you I could afford it.’

‘I know. But it still felt like taking advantage of you.’ He wrinkled his nose. ‘I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to be ungrateful. I guess I’m used to being the one who pays.’

‘So you’re a control freak?’ she asked. ‘Except …’ She shook her head. ‘No, that’s not what you were like. Not
that first night. When you made all that effort and cooked dinner for me yourself. And you admitted that you’re rubbish at puddings so you bought them from the deli.’ She narrowed her eyes at him. ‘You were telling the truth then, weren’t you?’

‘Yes. And I really was a tour guide, that day, Ella. Another time, you might’ve met me as a waiter. Or the male equivalent of a chambermaid.’

She blinked. ‘You really clean hotel rooms?’

‘And other jobs. I’ve worked in the kitchen—I probably have the same kind of food hygiene qualifications you do.’

‘But you’re the CEO of the chain.’ She didn’t understand. He was the boss. Why was he taking on other roles?

‘That’s precisely why I do it. Working a short stint in every role is the best way of seeing what issues my staff face, and it also helps me see what would make life better for my guests and for my staff. And my staff respect me for it, because they know I’m not just issuing orders from some ivory tower—they know I’ve done the job myself, so I’m talking from experience rather than some half-baked theory. And they also know that because I’ve done it myself, I appreciate what they do.’

‘That figures. And the girl who told me about you seemed to respect you.’

‘Good.’ He paused. ‘You overreacted, Ella. I told you one little white lie.’

‘It was still a lie.’

‘But it wasn’t meant to hurt you. Your ex really messed with your head,’ he said. ‘Or is there more to it than that?’

‘He isn’t the only one who lied to me,’ she admitted. ‘Lying is a definite deal-breaker where I’m concerned.’

‘Supposing I promise never to tell you anything but the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, from this moment on?’ he asked.

She grimaced. ‘You make it sound as if I’m putting you on trial.’

‘Isn’t that what you’re doing?’

He was the one who’d lied. How come she was the one who felt guilty? She sighed. ‘Rome—you and me—that was meant to be just fun. A fling.’

‘Absolutely. Three days of enjoying each other’s company, and we’d never have to see each other again.’

‘But now you’re here in London.’

‘On business.’

‘So why did you look me up?’

‘To prove something to myself.’

‘What?’

He shrugged. ‘Doesn’t matter.’

He really didn’t like talking about himself, did he? He sidestepped questions, or even stonewalled them. She didn’t have a clue what was going on in his head. She frowned. ‘Where are you going with this? Rico, I’m just starting up my business. Right now I barely have time to sleep.’

‘I didn’t,’ he said softly, ‘have sleeping in mind.’

Pictures bloomed in her head, and heat coiled deep in her belly. ‘Oh.’ Her voice sounded husky, and she was furious with herself for giving herself away like that. She still had the hots for him. Which was crazy, because in some ways he was more of a stranger to her now than he’d been when she’d met him.

‘I don’t have time for this, either,’ he said. ‘I have an empire to finish building.’

‘That’s the dream you wouldn’t tell me about in Rome? To build an empire?’ She paused. ‘Or a dynasty?’

He scowled. ‘Not a dynasty. I don’t want a family.’

He sounded a little too emphatic. She remembered he’d
said he wasn’t close to his family. ‘What’s so bad about your family?’

‘Let’s just leave it that they want different things from me.’

‘But surely your mum and dad are proud of you? You don’t look much older than I am, and you’re already CEO of a chain with four hotels in Rome.’

‘Sounds as if you’ve been doing research on me.’

‘No. Your receptionist told me about the other hotels. And you’re avoiding the question.’

He shrugged. ‘I have no idea whether my parents are proud of me and I don’t actually care. I barely speak to them, and it suits all of us that way.’ He looked her straight in the eye. ‘What about you? I know you lost your mum—but if she’d been here I’d bet she would’ve been really proud of you last night. But what about your dad, your grandparents? Were they there at the launch?’

‘My mum was a single parent, and …’ She grimaced. ‘I don’t have a family to be close to. But I have good friends. That’s enough for me.’

‘Me, too.’ He gave her a wry smile. ‘Something else we have in common.’

‘We’re from different worlds. You’re—’

‘—a bored, spoiled rich kid, slumming it?’ he cut in.

She blew out a breath. ‘I apologise for that. But you do come from a wealthy background. I don’t. My lottery win would be small change to you, but it’s absolutely life-changing for me.’

‘You’re the one who said money isn’t important,’ he reminded her.

‘It isn’t what you have that matters; it’s the kind of person you are and how you treat others that’s important.’

‘That works for me,’ he said. ‘So. You and me.’ He drew her hand up to his mouth. His lips were warm against her
palm. She closed her eyes as his mouth moved to her wrist; she knew he would be able to feel just how hard and how fast her pulse was beating.

‘Ella
bellezza
.’ He stroked her cheek and she opened her eyes again. ‘Neither of us has time for this. Neither of us is looking for this. But can you honestly tell me that you want to walk away from this?’

‘Honestly?’ She thought about it. ‘No.’ She reached up to trace his lower lip with the tip of her forefinger. He had such a beautiful mouth. A mouth that had given her so much pleasure.

He drew the tip of her finger into his mouth and sucked, hard.

Lust curled through her again. ‘Rico.’ The word felt as if it were poured through sand.

And then they were kissing each other, hot, hard, open-mouthed. He scooped her onto his lap and slid his hands under her jacket; she could feel the warmth of his palms against her skin through the soft cotton of her shirt. Then he tugged her shirt out of her waistband and they were skin to skin. His fingertips moved in tiny circles against her skin, arousing her further. Slowly, slowly, he moved his hands from her back to her midriff, and then upwards so he could cup her breasts. She ached for his touch.

As if he read her mind, he moved one hand so he could unbutton her shirt, then stripped her jacket and shirt off at the same time.

‘Your skin’s so soft.’ He traced the lacy edge of her bra. ‘And I need to see you.’

‘Yes.’ She wanted this as much as he did. Needed it. He might be a liar, a man she could never trust, but he made her body sing.

He unsnapped her bra with one hand, slid the straps down, then tossed the lacy garment away. She closed her
eyes and tipped her head back as he kissed his way down her throat—hot, open-mouthed kisses, swirling his tongue against her skin. Her hands slid back into his hair, urging him on.

He opened his mouth over one nipple and sucked; a bolt of pure pleasure lanced through her. But it wasn’t enough. She knew he could give her more, and she wanted everything he could offer. Every touch, every caress, every taste.

When he released her, she dipped her head and kissed him.

He was shaking when he broke the kiss. ‘Ella, if we don’t stop now …’

‘If we do stop,’ she said, ‘I think I might implode.’

‘Me, too.’ His eyes were very dark, and his accent was more pronounced.

She slid off his lap and got to her feet, expecting him to lead her through to his bedroom. But, to her shock, when he stood up, he scooped her into his arms and carried her through to his bed.

‘Caveman tendencies?’

‘Absolutely. And that means I want your hair down. Spread across my pillow. While I’m buried inside you.’

Oh, God, the pictures that put in her head.

That silenced her, and he laughed. ‘Careful what you wish for, Ella
bellezza
.’

His smile gave her the courage to say what she was thinking. ‘Right now I wish,’ she said, ‘that you weren’t wearing quite so much.’

He set her down on her feet. ‘OK, I’m in your hands. Do what you will.’

Her hands were trembling slightly as she undid the buttons of his shirt. Then she had to deal with his tie. It had been years since she’d dated a man who wore a tie—Michael had always gone for the casual college professor
look—and this one felt like silk. Designer. ‘Help?’ she asked.

He dealt with the tie and his top button, and shrugged his jacket off. ‘Better?’

‘Rico, that needs hanging up.’ His jacket had felt soft and smooth, and she’d bet it cost a small fortune.

‘I don’t care. I just need you to take the rest of my clothes off. Preferably in the next five seconds. And you can lose your skirt, first.’

She lifted her chin. ‘Bossing me about, are you?’

He spread his hands and gave her the sexiest grin she’d ever seen. ‘Just making a suggestion. Which you can choose to accept … or not.’

‘So this thing between us—it’s equal.’

‘It’s equal.’ He narrowed his eyes at her. ‘So will you just stop talking and kiss me?’

‘A request. Polite. Ish,’ she said. ‘There’s a word missing.’

He looked pained. ‘Ella.
Please
.’

‘Much better.’ She kissed him.

Between them, they managed to get rid of the rest of their clothes, and he took the pins out of her hair. And then he lifted her up and laid her on the huge, wide bed. The mattress was firm, but the pillows were soft and deep. She drew her hand down his side, moulding her palm to the shape of his body; in return, he traced the curve of her hip and her buttocks.

‘Your move,’ he said, his voice deepening.

She drew one finger down his sternum and smiled.

He copied her.

She slid her hand across his midriff. Rico did the same to her, then slid his hand up to brush the under curve of her breasts. Ella closed her eyes. ‘Oh, yes. More,’ she whispered.

He slid his hand between her thighs to cup her sex; she wriggled, needing him closer.

At last, he drew one fingertip along her sex, teasing her until she was near to clenching her fists with frustration; her breath escaped as he pushed one finger inside her. She tipped her head back against the pillows as his thumb found her clitoris and teased it.

‘You like that?’ he whispered.

‘Yes.’ She dragged in a breath. ‘But I want more.’

‘Me, too.’

Ella felt the mattress dip and realised he was no longer beside her. She opened her eyes. ‘Rico?’

‘Condom,’ he said, rummaging for his wallet and retrieving a foil packet. He ripped the packet open and rolled the latex over his shaft; the bed dipped again as he knelt between her thighs. And then at last he gently eased into her. He held still, letting her body adjust to the feel of his, then stole a kiss. ‘Perfect. Just how I wanted to see you, Ella
bellezza
,’ he said huskily. ‘Your hair spread over my pillow, and me inside you.’

Then he began to move; he took it slowly at first, stoking her desire to fever point. Then it was as if something snapped his control and he moved faster, harder, building the pressure until finally her climax splintered through her. As her body tightened round his she could feel him tense as he reached his own release.

Finally, he eased out of her, and kissed her tenderly. ‘Don’t go anywhere,’ he whispered as he headed for the en suite.