A Shadow of Guilt(50)

Valentina knew there were a million and one reasons why she should take this opportunity to walk away. There was too much between them, too much that was tangled and dark and unspoken. But all she could feel was him. That dark seductive energy winding around her, binding her to him in some silent pact.

His assurance that she could do this and hate him for it made her feel riven with guilt … but she couldn’t walk away. Just as she couldn’t stop breathing.

But if she did this she also had to stop lashing out and blaming him. She had to take responsibility for her actions and hope that, soon, this temporary madness would cease and she could get on with her life. Even though right at that moment the thought of a life without Gio in it was inconceivable.

Valentina knew that if she tried to articulate any of this to Gio he’d just stop her. So she said, ‘Can we just leave? Now?’

Valentina felt the faint tremor that ran through Gio’s body and knew that he’d been as aware as her of how significant this moment was.

‘Of course.’

His arms dropped and he stepped back, taking her hand. Valentina bit her lip and stopped him, suddenly aware of their surroundings. ‘But … don’t you have to stay? For the end of the auction?’

Gio just looked at her and flashed a sudden smile, making her breath stop momentarily. When he smiled like that he reminded her so much of before.

‘I can delegate. Anyway, I don’t think too many people here will be in any fit state to recall if I’m here or not at the end … and your work is done?’

Valentina nodded. Her staff were only concerned now with topping up glasses and the clear-up. It was over. She’d weathered her first bona fide exclusive event. As if reading her mind and sensing her relief Gio came close again and cupped her jaw before settling a sweet kiss on her mouth. He drew back. ‘I meant to say thank you, you did a formidable job. I thought you’d appreciate knowing that my aunt Carmela nearly choked on her starter when she saw you directing proceedings earlier.’

Valentina melted inside at his words and couldn’t help smiling too. She’d studiously ignored the frosty glares from the older woman but had been human enough to relish the second chance Gio had given her. Not only that, she’d been inundated with enquiries as to her availability for future events.

Gio was pulling her out from their secluded spot and Valentina tugged his hand again. ‘Gio …’

He looked at her and she saw the fleeting trepidation on his face.

‘I just wanted to say thank you … for the opportunity.’

‘My pleasure …’ He touched her jaw with a finger, leaving a trail of tingling fire in its wake, and said throatily, ‘And it will be …’

Blazing heat seemed to consume Valentina like a flash fire. Both her hands were around Gio’s where he held hers in a bid to stay upright as he all but pulled her from the tent. He stopped only momentarily to have words with one of his assistants and then he was striding out into the warm night air.

When she could see that Gio was heading in the direction of her rooms she found that she wanted to get away from here completely. She stopped in her tracks so Gio had to stop too. He looked back at her and the stark impatience on his face nearly made her change her mind. But she said, ‘Not here … somewhere else.’

Gio frowned down at her. A wary light dawned in his eye. ‘My castello is close …’

Where Mario died … Valentina waited for the inevitable pain to lance her but it didn’t come. It felt right to want to go there and she couldn’t explain it, but bizarrely it felt like a link to the past, a positive link.

‘Your castello … yes.’

‘Are you sure?’

Valentina nodded, impatience firing her own blood now. Abruptly Gio turned in his tracks and Valentina followed him to the private staff car park. He was unlocking his sports car but Valentina saw the huge monster of a motorbike beside it. She asked impetuously, ‘Is that yours?’

Gio followed her look from where he was undoing his bow tie with long fingers. ‘Yes, it’s mine.’

His hand stilled. ‘Why? Do you want to go on that instead?’

Valentina had a vivid memory of seeing Gio pull up outside her parents’ humble home shortly after he’d come back from Europe. In jeans and a white T-shirt. No helmet.

She looked at him. ‘Can we?’

Gio shrugged lightly. ‘Sure …’ He closed the car door and went to the bike, dislodging it from its parked position. With lithe grace he swung his leg over the pillion and settled into the main seat, his thighs straining against his trousers.