LITMIR.BIZ

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      Laura leaned closer to Hannah and lowered her voice. ‘To tell you the truth, I think my father favours your fiancé to take over the resorts. He mentioned how impressed he was with his plans.’

      ‘Oh...well, that’s encouraging to hear.’ Hannah smiled, genuinely glad for Luca even amidst the turmoil of all her feelings. Based on the proposal she’d seen, he deserved to win the commission.

      ‘He’ll make the announcement shortly, I’m sure.’

      ‘Today...?’

      Laura wrinkled her nose. ‘Probably not for a week or two. This is a big decision for him.’ Her smile fell as she admitted, ‘I think he’s still hoping one of us will show an interest, but Stephen and I had different dreams.’

      ‘He’s a doctor...’

      ‘And I work in pharmaceutical research. Our little sister died of leukaemia when she was only four years old,’ Laura explained quietly. ‘It had a big impact on all of us...and I think we’ve chosen to honour her memory in different ways.’

      ‘I’m sorry for your loss,’ Hannah said, knowing the words were inadequate yet meaning them utterly. She knew what it was like to lose someone at a young age.

      ‘I’m glad that someone is interested in taking the resorts on,’ Laura said. ‘I know they’re a bit worn. Dad hasn’t had as much energy as he used to, and he’s never been good at delegating. But I hope with your Luca on board things will change for the better.’

      Her Luca. As if. ‘I hope so too,’ Hannah said and Laura gave her one more smile before turning away.

      Luca came in the room a short while later, his face and body both tense. Even grim-faced as he was he looked devastatingly attractive in a grey pinstriped suit matched with a crisp white shirt and dark blue tie. The elegantly cut suit showed off his muscular body to perfection, and he strode into the room as if he owned it, his gaze searching out Hannah.

      As his deep brown eyes locked with hers Hannah felt a fiery heat start a blaze in her belly, much to her irritation. She’d worked for the man for three years and he’d never caused that reaction in her in all that time. Yet right now she couldn’t deny the magnetic pull of attraction that had her unable to break away from his penetrating stare. She could only pretend it didn’t exist.

      ‘Hannah.’ He nodded towards the door. ‘Are you ready to leave?’

      No lovey-dovey play-acting this morning, she noted. He must have known that he’d sealed the deal.

      ‘I didn’t realise we were leaving so soon,’ Hannah answered. ‘I’ll pack right away.’

      Luca followed her down the hall and into their bedroom. The huge, airy room felt claustrophobic as she got out her suitcase and started neatly folding her clothes into it. Her hands trembled and she hid them in the folds of a dress.

      ‘I spoke to Laura just now,’ she said, her voice an octave higher than normal. She cleared her throat and tried again. ‘She seems quite sure that you’ve secured the bid.’

      ‘Tyson is keeping us on leading strings,’ Luca answered. He prowled around the room, his hands shoved into his pockets, every stride predatory and restless.

      ‘Laura said it was a big decision for him to make.’

      ‘I think he just likes toying with us,’ Luca answered dismissively. ‘That’s the kind of man he is.’

      ‘If there really is bad blood between you,’ Hannah said slowly, amazed that she hadn’t thought of this earlier, ‘why would he sell the resorts to you?’

      Luca stilled, his back to her as he gazed out at the sparkling sea. ‘Because he doesn’t know it was me.’

      ‘What do you mean?’

      ‘It’s complicated,’ he answered on a shrug, his voice gruff. ‘Suffice it to say, Tyson doesn’t realise there is any history between us. Only I do.’

      Hannah frowned, Luca’s admission making her uneasy. How was what he’d said even possible? And yet Luca clearly meant it. He also very clearly wasn’t going to tell her anything else, and she didn’t want to ask. She’d got in too deep with Luca Moretti already.

      ‘I just need to get my wash bag from the bathroom,’ she said. ‘And then I’ll be ready to go.’

      Fifteen minutes later they’d made their farewells and were bumping down the road to the airport in the same Jeep they’d arrived in only forty-eight hours ago, which seemed unbelievable. Hannah felt as if she’d lived an entire lifetime in the space of a few short and incredible days. And that lifetime, she reminded herself, was over.

      An hour later they were settled in first class in the aeroplane to London. Luca waved away the offers of champagne and Hannah looked out of the window, stupidly stung. A few days ago he’d said he’d enjoyed watching her taste champagne. But she’d had quite a bit of champagne since then, and she had a feeling it would taste flat now anyway. So much for tickly.

      As soon as they’d taken off Luca got some papers out of his briefcase and spent the entire flight immersed in work. Hannah told herself she was grateful not to have to make awkward small talk, but silence gave her the unwelcome space to remember every second of last night’s encounter.

      Just thinking about the way Luca had kissed her, with such overwhelming intensity and passion and desperation, made her inner muscles clench and she shifted restlessly in her seat. She had to get over this. Her job and her sanity were both at stake. She couldn’t work with Luca every day and remember how he’d felt. How he’d tasted.

      And she’d forget in time, Hannah assured herself. Of course she was still thinking about his kiss. It hadn’t even been twenty-four hours. But the memory would fade in time, and who knew? Maybe in a week or month or ten years, she and Luca would laugh about the one bizarre interlude they’d had on a Mediterranean island.

      Hannah settled back into her seat and started to flick through the films available on her entertainment console. Yes. That was exactly how it was going to be.

       CHAPTER ELEVEN

      THE NEXT MORNING Hannah dressed for work in her smartest pencil skirt and silk blouse, slipped on her highest, sharpest stiletto heels. She needed armour.

      On the Tube on the way into the Moretti Enterprises office, she worried if she was making too much effort. Maybe Luca would think she was trying to impress him. But she’d nip that prospect right in the bud the second she arrived. She’d make it quite clear to Luca that she was as interested and invested as he was in getting their relationship back on a firm, professional footing.

      She needed to get her life back to normal, both for Jamie’s sake as well as her own. She’d had a happy reunion with her son last night, reading stories and cuddling before bed.

      Once Jamie had been tucked in bed, Diane had regaled Hannah with stories of their weekend together: a trip to the zoo, baking fairy cakes on a rainy afternoon. Then her mother had cocked her head and swept her with a knowing yet inquisitive gaze.

      ‘I didn’t realise Luca Moretti was so handsome.’

      ‘Haven’t you seen his picture in the tabloids?’ Hannah had answered a touch too sharply. ‘He’s often photographed with some socialite or other.’

      ‘You know I don’t read the tabloids.’ Her mother had sat back, arms folded. ‘But going on a business trip with him was a departure from the way things usually are, wasn’t it?’

      That, Hannah had reflected sourly, was a complete understatement. ‘Yes, it was,’ she’d answered.

      ‘Do you think you’ll go on another trip with him?’

      ‘No,’ Hannah had answered firmly, and thankfully her mother hadn’t

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