An Invitation to Sin(22)

‘Taylor, can you tell me in a single word how you felt when he gave you that ring?’

That was easy enough. ‘It was a moment beyond words. I was speechless.’

‘And that was the best possible response because speechless is how I prefer my women.’ At his most shocking, Luca kept her hand tightly in his and ploughed his way through the flock of press back to his Ferrari. ‘And now if you’ll excuse us, we are going to seek some privacy to do, er, to do those things engaged people do. Santo, when you find a director with balls, call us.’

She was still on the film.

Weak with relief, Taylor closed her eyes, leaned her head against The passenger seat and let the wind blow through her hair. Beneath her she felt the power of the engine and smiled. the car was a glorious, sinful expression of luxury and speed and part of her just wanted to push him aside, grab the wheel and slam her foot to the floor. She wanted to swing round tight hairpin bends and drive the car to the edge in every sense of the word.

But Taylor Carmichael didn’t do things like that.

Not any more.

Taylor Carmichael behaved herself at all times.

Taylor Carmichael was never, ever going to be caught out again.

She opened her eyes feeling light-headed. Somehow, she was still on the film. Unfortunately she was also with Luca Corretti, a man as capable of extinguishing her good fortune as he was at nurturing it. ‘Where are we going?’

‘Somewhere away from all those people who seem determined to share in our special, private moment.’ He shifted gears smoothly. The engine roared and they overtook car after car as they sped along the coast road.

Taylor, who normally hated being driven, wondered why she didn’t feel nervous. ‘So why the change of heart? I thought you didn’t want to be engaged.’

‘I don’t. But I don’t mind pretending to be engaged for as long as it suits me. I gained instant respectability. The board cried over my instant transformation.’

‘They cried? Really?’ The wind whipped her hair around her face and she anchored it with her hand, exhilarated by the speed, a smile on her lips. ‘That’s almost funny.’

‘I agree.’ Leaning on his horn as he executed a deathdefying acceleration to pass another car, he threw her a slanting smile that made her think of nothing but sex. ‘Who would have thought it? We appear to share a sense of humour. And a love of speed.’

Unsettled at the thought of having anything in common with him, Taylor frowned. ‘We’ll be sharing an ambulance if you don’t slow down.’

‘Oh, come on—’ his eyes were back on the road ‘—you’re a woman who was built to go fast.’

‘I hate driving fast.’

‘No, you don’t. You love it.’

‘You’re reckless.’ She told herself it was the speed of the car not the wicked curve of his mouth that made her heart beat a little bit faster.

‘Has it ever occurred to you that it’s the other drivers who are going too slowly? There should be a sign—Dithering Is Dangerous. And you should know that fast is my default speed for everything except sex.’

‘I don’t need to know that.’ She’d been trying not to think about sex but it was impossible around this man. Everything about him screamed masculinity, even the way he handled the car. She looked away quickly, trying to forget the sheer animal passion they’d unleashed together. And that had been just a single kiss. Her brief moment of relief turned to dread as she realised that her desperate, impulsive attempt to protect her position on the film had placed her in a position where she was going to have to spend time with this man. This man who tempted her more than any other. Despite the baking sun her skin felt suddenly cold. ‘I already know enough and I think you are the most infuriating man I’ve ever met.’

‘No, you don’t.’ His voice was a soft, masculine purr. ‘I make you laugh and we understand each other, dolcezza, because we are so alike.’

It felt as if someone were squeezing her throat. ‘I’m nothing like you. And you drive me mad.’

‘You just think that because you’re hungry. A hungry woman is always irritable. When did you last eat?’

‘Eat? I don’t want to eat.’ She just wanted to get out of the car. She wanted to wind the clock back and find another way of extracting herself from this mess.

She didn’t do this. She didn’t put herself in the way of temptation.