bristling like the porcupine,’ he said mildly. ‘I take it you are not willing to help Sophia and stay for a while?’
She turned away, swallowing hard and pretending to examine the dishes of sweet pastries and preserves, along with others of salami and cheeses, fresh fruit cut into slices and arranged in a colourful pattern, and bowls of olives. ‘I don’t think I’d be much help.’ If anything had convinced her she needed to leave this house as quicklyas possible it was Vittorio, freshly shaved, damp hair slicked back and smelling like heaven. This was self-preservation, clear and simple. Ignore it at your peril, Cherry.
‘I do not think this is so, but of course the choice is yours and yours alone.’ Vittorio was filling his plate, apparently indifferent to her decision. ‘Ah, here is Sophia,’ he added, looking beyond Cherry.
Cherry turned quickly. She had half expected Vittorio’s sister to be bright and bouncy now the truth was out in the open and Vittorio had taken it as well as could be expected, but Sophia’s lovely face was tear-stained and her expression woebegone.
Instinctively Cherry put down her plate and went to the young girl, taking Sophia’s arm as she said quietly, ‘What’s wrong?’
‘Has Vittorio told you the wedding is to take place in a few weeks?’ Sophia’s green eyes were swimming with tears. ‘I do not know where to start, Cherry. And I was sick this morning.’ A tear slipped down one cheek. ‘I do not feel well.’
‘You should have thought of that before you seduced Santo,’ said Vittorio behind them, with what Cherry considered utter callousness. ‘You have no one but yourself to blame for the position you are in. You said that yourself yesterday.’
‘You’re not helping.’ Cherry swung round and glared at him. ‘Can’t you see she’s upset? And it takes two to tango, as you well know.’
‘If Sophia had merely indulged in the tango with Santo we would not be having this conversation.’ Grey eyes dared her to argue further.
Never one to refuse a challenge, Cherry snorted herdisgust. ‘For goodness’ sake, we’re not all robots like you. Some of us have feelings and Sophia is very tender right now. Your sister’s having a baby, and that’s a huge change in a woman’s body and emotions. She needs your understanding—if you have any, that is. Which is very doubtful.’
‘My understanding tells me Sophia needs to sit down,’ Vittorio said drily.
Cherry’s gaze shot back to his sister, who was looking green. By the time she had ushered Sophia back to bed, telling her to sleep as late as she could and then have something to eat when she was rested, Cherry knew she was hooked. Sophia had asked her to stay for a little while and help her with the preparations for the wedding, as Vittorio had predicted, and there was just something incredibly vulnerable about this child-woman who had lost her parents at such a tragically young age. And Sophia had been so sympathetic and kind down by the pool, when she had confided about Liam and Angela. If she stayed to help Sophia now it would be just a month or so out of her life. She could give the Italian girl that, and would do so gladly if it wasn’t for Vittorio. But she could handle him. Or, more precisely, this ridiculous attraction she felt. And maybe she wouldn’t see much of him anyway—not if she was helping Sophia with the organisation of the wedding.
Vittorio’s gaze was waiting for her when she walked back into the breakfast room. She saw her plate was in its place on the table and a steaming mug of cappuccino by the side of it.
‘Have you always been such a little mother?’ he asked softly.
It could have been sarcastic but it wasn’t. She relaxedinfinitesimally as she sat down. ‘Always,’ she said, a little ruefully. Any lame ducks, be they human or animal, always seemed to make a beeline for her door. She had even started dating Liam after he’d cried on her shoulder after his former
She turned away, swallowing hard and pretending to examine the dishes of sweet pastries and preserves, along with others of salami and cheeses, fresh fruit cut into slices and arranged in a colourful pattern, and bowls of olives. ‘I don’t think I’d be much help.’ If anything had convinced her she needed to leave this house as quicklyas possible it was Vittorio, freshly shaved, damp hair slicked back and smelling like heaven. This was self-preservation, clear and simple. Ignore it at your peril, Cherry.
‘I do not think this is so, but of course the choice is yours and yours alone.’ Vittorio was filling his plate, apparently indifferent to her decision. ‘Ah, here is Sophia,’ he added, looking beyond Cherry.
Cherry turned quickly. She had half expected Vittorio’s sister to be bright and bouncy now the truth was out in the open and Vittorio had taken it as well as could be expected, but Sophia’s lovely face was tear-stained and her expression woebegone.
Instinctively Cherry put down her plate and went to the young girl, taking Sophia’s arm as she said quietly, ‘What’s wrong?’
‘Has Vittorio told you the wedding is to take place in a few weeks?’ Sophia’s green eyes were swimming with tears. ‘I do not know where to start, Cherry. And I was sick this morning.’ A tear slipped down one cheek. ‘I do not feel well.’
‘You should have thought of that before you seduced Santo,’ said Vittorio behind them, with what Cherry considered utter callousness. ‘You have no one but yourself to blame for the position you are in. You said that yourself yesterday.’
‘You’re not helping.’ Cherry swung round and glared at him. ‘Can’t you see she’s upset? And it takes two to tango, as you well know.’
‘If Sophia had merely indulged in the tango with Santo we would not be having this conversation.’ Grey eyes dared her to argue further.
Never one to refuse a challenge, Cherry snorted herdisgust. ‘For goodness’ sake, we’re not all robots like you. Some of us have feelings and Sophia is very tender right now. Your sister’s having a baby, and that’s a huge change in a woman’s body and emotions. She needs your understanding—if you have any, that is. Which is very doubtful.’
‘My understanding tells me Sophia needs to sit down,’ Vittorio said drily.
Cherry’s gaze shot back to his sister, who was looking green. By the time she had ushered Sophia back to bed, telling her to sleep as late as she could and then have something to eat when she was rested, Cherry knew she was hooked. Sophia had asked her to stay for a little while and help her with the preparations for the wedding, as Vittorio had predicted, and there was just something incredibly vulnerable about this child-woman who had lost her parents at such a tragically young age. And Sophia had been so sympathetic and kind down by the pool, when she had confided about Liam and Angela. If she stayed to help Sophia now it would be just a month or so out of her life. She could give the Italian girl that, and would do so gladly if it wasn’t for Vittorio. But she could handle him. Or, more precisely, this ridiculous attraction she felt. And maybe she wouldn’t see much of him anyway—not if she was helping Sophia with the organisation of the wedding.
Vittorio’s gaze was waiting for her when she walked back into the breakfast room. She saw her plate was in its place on the table and a steaming mug of cappuccino by the side of it.
‘Have you always been such a little mother?’ he asked softly.
It could have been sarcastic but it wasn’t. She relaxedinfinitesimally as she sat down. ‘Always,’ she said, a little ruefully. Any lame ducks, be they human or animal, always seemed to make a beeline for her door. She had even started dating Liam after he’d cried on her shoulder after his former
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