awe-inspiring cavalcade that drew murmurs of appreciation.
It was as the last in a series of models disappeared backstage that Lily experienced a faint prickle of awareness settle at the back of her neck, and she glanced at Sophia in time to see Alessandro slip into a seat next to her aunt.
There was a brief moment when she caught his smile, managed an acknowledging nod in response, and attempted to dispel his powerful image without much success.
He was an advocate of fashion?
Perhaps he was deciding to gift a designer original to his current mistress?
As if it were any concern of hersâ¦
So why the sudden shaft of⦠what ? Disappointment?
How crazy was that? She didnât even particularly like him. No, that wasnât entirely true. He aroused thoughts she didnât want to entertain with any manâ¦especially him . Sowhy this increased sense of awareness? Almost as if her body was at total variance with her mind.
Get with the programme, for heavenâs sake, she silently bade as she focused her attention on the runway.
Sky-high heels, platform soles, bootsâankle, mid-calf and mid-thigh. Sandals with straps winding up to mid-calf. Fascinating, thrillingâ¦out of this world. And mostly impractical for everyday wear.
âI can almost feel my feet wincing in sympathy,â Sophia offered quietly, and Lily bit back a light chuckle.
âI suggest we leave soon,â Alessandro indicated. âWeâll have dinner, then return to my apartment to change in time to attend the after party at the hotel.â
âAn excellent idea,â Sophia agreed, while Lily hid a degree of surprise.
Not to mention the faint onset of nerves. Crazy, she dismissed. Except she didnât want to experience the slight edginess his presence generated. Or the feeling he saw more than she felt comfortable with. For it was almost as if he could divine her mindâ¦aware of the complexity of her thought process.
None of which sat well as she faced the evening in his company. Except what other choice did she have?
Alessandro chose an elegant restaurant full of belle epoque charm, which offered high quality fare Lily noted as she perused the menu.
Instead of a main, she selected an exquisite pasta dish as an entree and opted for a light fruit confection for dessert.
Intimate table seating ensured she was aware of the subtle tones of his exclusive cologne, the clean smell of fresh linenâ¦dammit, him â¦the masculinity he exuded with effortless ease, the sensual electricity apparent and a heightened sexuality that was intensely male.
Dangerous to her peace of mind, and other more intimate parts of her body.
How could she feel this way⦠now , when a matter of weeks ago she had been planning her own wedding to someone else?
It didnât make sense. Nor did it seem conceivable for the teenage crush sheâd once had on Alessandro to linger in her subconscious mind for years, only to re-emerge with disturbing clarity when confronted with his presence.
Get over it, Lily bade silently.
Her own vulnerability, a combination of anger and hurt provided a simple explanationâ¦one she chose to accept on the grounds that anything else defied analysis.
âBusy day, caro ?â Sophia queried, and Lily saw a warm smile curve Alessandroâs generous mouth.
Doubtless wheeling and dealing multimillion-dollar takeovers formed part of his everyday life, Lily accorded silently.
âYou were successful in acquiring the villa,â Sophia stated, and paused to take a sip of her wine before replacing the goblet on the table. âIt is charming, but in a sad state of disrepair.â
âBut structurally sound,â Alessandro advised. âI have a team of experienced craftsmen on standby to begin work as soon as the plans are approved.â
âA valuable investment,â Sophia concluded.
âAn interest and a challenge,â Lily offered.
His dark eyes captured her own.
It was as the last in a series of models disappeared backstage that Lily experienced a faint prickle of awareness settle at the back of her neck, and she glanced at Sophia in time to see Alessandro slip into a seat next to her aunt.
There was a brief moment when she caught his smile, managed an acknowledging nod in response, and attempted to dispel his powerful image without much success.
He was an advocate of fashion?
Perhaps he was deciding to gift a designer original to his current mistress?
As if it were any concern of hersâ¦
So why the sudden shaft of⦠what ? Disappointment?
How crazy was that? She didnât even particularly like him. No, that wasnât entirely true. He aroused thoughts she didnât want to entertain with any manâ¦especially him . Sowhy this increased sense of awareness? Almost as if her body was at total variance with her mind.
Get with the programme, for heavenâs sake, she silently bade as she focused her attention on the runway.
Sky-high heels, platform soles, bootsâankle, mid-calf and mid-thigh. Sandals with straps winding up to mid-calf. Fascinating, thrillingâ¦out of this world. And mostly impractical for everyday wear.
âI can almost feel my feet wincing in sympathy,â Sophia offered quietly, and Lily bit back a light chuckle.
âI suggest we leave soon,â Alessandro indicated. âWeâll have dinner, then return to my apartment to change in time to attend the after party at the hotel.â
âAn excellent idea,â Sophia agreed, while Lily hid a degree of surprise.
Not to mention the faint onset of nerves. Crazy, she dismissed. Except she didnât want to experience the slight edginess his presence generated. Or the feeling he saw more than she felt comfortable with. For it was almost as if he could divine her mindâ¦aware of the complexity of her thought process.
None of which sat well as she faced the evening in his company. Except what other choice did she have?
Alessandro chose an elegant restaurant full of belle epoque charm, which offered high quality fare Lily noted as she perused the menu.
Instead of a main, she selected an exquisite pasta dish as an entree and opted for a light fruit confection for dessert.
Intimate table seating ensured she was aware of the subtle tones of his exclusive cologne, the clean smell of fresh linenâ¦dammit, him â¦the masculinity he exuded with effortless ease, the sensual electricity apparent and a heightened sexuality that was intensely male.
Dangerous to her peace of mind, and other more intimate parts of her body.
How could she feel this way⦠now , when a matter of weeks ago she had been planning her own wedding to someone else?
It didnât make sense. Nor did it seem conceivable for the teenage crush sheâd once had on Alessandro to linger in her subconscious mind for years, only to re-emerge with disturbing clarity when confronted with his presence.
Get over it, Lily bade silently.
Her own vulnerability, a combination of anger and hurt provided a simple explanationâ¦one she chose to accept on the grounds that anything else defied analysis.
âBusy day, caro ?â Sophia queried, and Lily saw a warm smile curve Alessandroâs generous mouth.
Doubtless wheeling and dealing multimillion-dollar takeovers formed part of his everyday life, Lily accorded silently.
âYou were successful in acquiring the villa,â Sophia stated, and paused to take a sip of her wine before replacing the goblet on the table. âIt is charming, but in a sad state of disrepair.â
âBut structurally sound,â Alessandro advised. âI have a team of experienced craftsmen on standby to begin work as soon as the plans are approved.â
âA valuable investment,â Sophia concluded.
âAn interest and a challenge,â Lily offered.
His dark eyes captured her own.
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