Kitabı oku: «Red-Hot Affairs», sayfa 4
CHAPTER FIVE
THREE weeks later, Laura had just about managed to wipe Matt and that incredible afternoon from her mind. But it had been one of the hardest things she’d ever had to do.
For days afterwards she’d wafted around in a kind of dreamlike state, not entirely sure whether the whole thing had actually happened or if it had simply been a product of her imagination. It had been so amazing, so mind-blowing and, up until the moment she’d panicked, everything she’d imagined it would be.
Ruthlessly blocking out the way they’d parted, or rather the way she’d scarpered, she’d wallowed in the memories of the hour before, and as a result had got very little done.
If it hadn’t been for the call from the headhunter a week ago she’d probably still be at it. Wandering round her house with a dreamy smile on her face, putting the milk in the bathroom cabinet and the toothpaste in the fridge.
To think that she might have missed out on the opportunity of a lifetime just because she’d been too busy drifting around in a daze …
Laura went cold and shuddered. It didn’t bear thinking about. And neither did Matt. Not any longer. Now she had to focus on her career. Her savings wouldn’t last for ever and daydreaming wouldn’t pay the bills.
This job, however, would not only pay the bills, it would also get her life firmly back on track.
The opportunity to head up the restoration project on the isolated island of Sassania was a dream come true. The country had been closed off to the outside world for years. As the result of a recent coup, the dictatorship had been overthrown and the borders had been thrown wide open.
The island had some of the finest examples of Baroque architecture in the world. Palaces and monuments she’d only ever read about. Palaces and monuments that were currently in a terrible state of repair and needed restoring.
Ideally, by her.
She’d emailed her CV to the headhunter virtually the moment she’d put the phone down, and to her delight had received a reply the next day inviting her for an interview.
Which was why she was now in London, taking her best friend out for dinner in return for a bed for the night before catching her crack-of-dawn flight in the morning.
‘So how is life in the country?’ said Kate, plucking the umbrella out of her cocktail and taking a long slurp.
Dragging herself away from dusty palaces in tiny Mediterranean island kingdoms and back to trendy London restaurants, Laura picked up a fat juicy olive from the bowl and glanced across the table. ‘Quiet.’
‘I can imagine.’
No, she couldn’t, but there was no way Laura was going to elaborate on what she’d been up to. Not when she’d just managed to stop thinking about it. ‘How’s the world of corporate law?’
Kate took another sip of her cocktail and sighed with pleasure. ‘Yum yum. You know, the usual. Nutty hours, problems galore and clients with egos the size of planets. I don’t know why I do it.’
‘Because you love it.’
Kate grinned. ‘I guess I do.’ She tilted her head. ‘Don’t you miss all this?’
Laura glanced around the place Kate had suggested for dinner. A brand-new London restaurant that had shot to the top of the ubercool lists the day after it had opened.
Against the deep red silk lining of the walls hung enormous canvases by some on-the-up artist. Tiny chandeliers hung above every one of the slate-grey tables, casting flatteringly low sparkling light over the clientele. Model-like waiters who were far too sultry and hip to ever crack a smile whizzed around with plates of food that looked beautiful and made her mouth water. The chatter was low, buzzing and probably far more sophisticated than she was.
Not all that long ago Laura had spent many of her evenings and weekends in places like this. Now she felt a bit like a foreigner.
‘Not really,’ she muttered, slightly perturbed by the realisation.
‘I don’t know how you can bear it,’ said Kate with a tiny shudder. ‘I mean, no shops, no bars and all that greenery.’ She wrinkled her nose. ‘It’s just not natural.’
Stifling a smile at the irony, Laura shrugged. ‘I muddle along.’
‘But that’s my point,’ Kate said. ‘You don’t have to muddle along. I mean, I know things went a bit pear-shaped, but why you had to run off to the country is beyond me.’
A bit pear-shaped? ‘Yes, well, when your life implodes as spectacularly as mine did you can end up doing all sorts of out-of-character things.’
‘You could have come and stayed with me.’
Kate sounded a little piqued, and Laura gave her a smile. ‘I know. And I did appreciate the offer, but it was something I needed to sort out on my own.’
Plus Kate would have given her heaps of advice, which she’d have insisted Laura follow, and Laura would have been too wiped out to argue.
But not any more. No more taking the easy way out. No more falling in with other people’s wishes all the time. If her afternoon with Matt had taught her one thing it was that going for what she wanted for a change could achieve some pretty spectacular results.
Not that she was thinking about him of course, she reminded herself, picking up a menu and letting her gaze drift over the other diners. The restaurant was packed with some seriously beautiful people. Not a hint of last year’s fashion, nor an un-touched-up root in sight. She was surprised they’d let her in.
And to be honest she was kind of dreading the bill. Laura resisted the urge to slap herself on the forehead with her menu. She’d done it again, hadn’t she? Gulped back a knot of panic when Kate had suggested this place, and said, yes, sure, why not.
Why, oh, why hadn’t she been firmer, and told Kate they’d be going to the little Italian around the corner from her flat?
Feeling her spirits tumble, Laura’s gaze bobbed across the room. She bet none of the people here was quite so feeble. No. They’d all be decisive and in charge. They wouldn’t flounder around and let others ride roughshod all over them.
And then her eyes snagged on a broad back and dark head and her heart practically stopped.
Oh, Lord. That looked just like Matt.
For a second Laura went dizzy. Then her heart began to gallop and heat whipped through every inch of her body. What was he doing here? Would he see her? Would he come over? What would she say if he did? What would she do if he didn’t?
Her chest squeezed. Her mouth went dry. Oh, God. If he did come over she wouldn’t just have to deal with him. She’d also have to deal with Kate, whose razor-sharp instinct would instantly pick up on the atmosphere, and who’d wring out every tiny detail and then hammer Laura with a barrage of ‘what were you thinking?’s and ‘but it’s so unlike you’s.
Laura took a deep breath and forced herself to calm down before her head exploded. It would be fine. She was a mature sensible adult who’d been through far worse. She’d simply channel the inner Amazon she was sure was lurking somewhere inside her, and be strong.
Nevertheless when all six foot plus of him got to his feet she caught and held her breath. Her pulse thundered. The blood rushed to her feet. He turned. Gave her a glimpse of his face.
And disappointment walloped her in the stomach.
It wasn’t Matt.
Letting her breath out before she fainted, Laura blinked and turned her attention back to the menu. Of course it wouldn’t have been Matt, she told herself sternly. That would have been too much of a coincidence and she didn’t believe in coincidences.
She frowned and scanned the dishes. The weird sensation whirling around inside her wasn’t disappointment. It was relief. That was all.
‘Quiet?’ said Kate. ‘Hah! I knew it. So who is he?’
Laura froze and glanced up. The gleam in her friend’s eye looked far too knowing for her liking. ‘Who is who?’ she said deliberately vaguely.
‘The man that’s put the weird look on your face.’
Laura’s heart lurched. ‘That’s not a man,’ she muttered. ‘That’s the dim lighting.’ She squinted at the menu. ‘In fact I can barely read this. Maybe I need glasses.’ She held it up to the beautiful but fairly useless light that hung above the table.
‘Rubbish,’ said Kate.
‘I definitely need a dictionary.’
‘You look as if you’ve just had the fright of your life.’
‘Well, I haven’t.’ Except perhaps at the prices. ‘Whatever you’re thinking you’re wrong.’
‘No, I’m not. I’m a lawyer. I’m known for my tenacity and trained to notice things.’
But not, apparently, the waiter who, with exquisite timing, was hovering at their table ready to take their order.
Laura looked up at him and gave her saviour a wide smile. ‘I was wondering … what is the rouget?’
‘Red mullet, madam.’
‘Thank you. And the poêlée de châtaignes?’
‘Pan-fried chestnuts.’
There were two pages of dishes. With any luck by the time she’d got to the bottom of the second page, Kate might have got bored and moved on.
Hmm. Or perhaps not, she thought as Kate swiped the menu out of her hands and beamed up at the waiter. ‘I’ll have the lamb and she’ll have the sea bass.’
Huh. Laura waited until he’d melted away before scowling at her friend.
‘What?’ said Kate, arching an eyebrow.
‘I’m perfectly capable of ordering for myself.’
‘I know, but I have a feeling there’s a story to be told and we don’t have all night. Besides you always have sea bass’
Laura stiffened. ‘Maybe I was thinking about trying something different.’
Kate gave a little snort of disbelief. ‘You were stalling. And when have you ever tried something different?’
Laura bristled. Was she really so boringly predictable? ‘That’s not fair. I do try different things.’
‘Like what?’ Kate’s eyes zoomed in on her.
Like jumping into bed with scorchingly hot neighbours. Not that she intended to use that as an example. ‘Fine.’ She shrugged as if she couldn’t be less bothered, and took a sip of her drink. ‘I don’t. Boring and predictable, that’s me.’
Kate’s blue gaze turned piercing. ‘I think you lie.’
‘Think what you like.’
‘Come on,’ said Kate, adding a wheedling smile to the penetrating stare. ‘I know something’s up and it’s got “man” written all over it. I’m not going to give up until you tell me so you might as well give in now and get it over with.’
Not for the first time, Laura could see why Kate was so successful at what she did. Dogs and bones sprang to mind. Stifling a sigh, she weighed up her options. Denial and a battle with Kate’s formidable persistence, which would last all evening, or half an hour of interrogation, which would be sharp but probably short and would allow her to enjoy the rest of her sea bass.
Hmm. If she wanted to be on top form for tomorrow she didn’t have much of a choice. ‘OK,’ she said, bracing herself, ‘you’re right.’
‘Aha.’ Kate grinned in triumph. ‘I knew it.’ She signalled for two more drinks and sat back. ‘You’d better tell me everything.’
Ten minutes and two cocktails later, Laura had finished her rundown of almost everything, and was now watching her friend with faint amusement. She didn’t think she’d ever seen Kate lost for words before. She was sitting there, her eyes wide and her jaw almost on the floor. Even the arrival of their food didn’t snap Kate out of her state of shock.
Laura decided to leave her to it and tucked in. Popping a forkful of fish in her mouth, she sighed in appreciation. As annoyingly hip as the restaurant was, the food was spectacular.
‘Well,’ said Kate, eventually pulling herself together and regaining the ability to speak.
‘Your lamb is getting cold,’ Laura pointed out.
‘Sod the lamb,’ Kate said, still looking on utterly shell-shocked. ‘Let me get this straight. You ogle. You engage in confrontation. You stand your ground. And then you have sex with a man you’ve only just met.’
‘Yes.’ Laura took another mouthful and decided that for all the benefits of the countryside, it didn’t do food like this.
Kate’s mouth opened then closed. ‘To be honest I don’t know which part of the whole thing I’m more shocked by.’
‘I thought it was time for a change.’ Hah. Who was predictable now?
‘Have you seen him since?’
‘No.’ She’d known he’d stayed the rest of the weekend but he’d kept himself to himself. Not that she’d been keeping a special eye out or anything.
‘Do you intend to?’
‘Absolutely not. It was a one-night—afternoon—stand. Non-repetition is kind of the point.’
There was another long silence as Kate absorbed this information. ‘Who are you and what have you done with my friend?’
‘Ha-ha.’
‘I knew moving to the country was dangerous,’ Kate muttered, picking up her knife and fork and attacking her lamb. ‘You’re unhinged.’
Undoubtedly. But that had happened long before she’d met Matt. ‘If I am,’ said Laura darkly as the image of her ex-boyfriend in bed with his secretary flashed into her head, ‘it has nothing to do with geography.’
Kate gave her a sympathetic smile. ‘No, well, I suppose I can see why you might need a bit of an ego boost. Lying cheating bastard.’
Laura couldn’t help smiling at the disgust in Kate’s voice. ‘Yup.’
‘You know, I still can’t believe he did that. To you of all people.’ Kate shook her head in bafflement. ‘I mean, you’re one of the most easy-going people I know.’
‘Too easy-going apparently.’
‘What?’
‘Paul said that I was partly to blame for his affair.’
Kate’s jaw dropped. ‘The cheek,’ she muttered. ‘How did he work that one out?’
‘He said I was too acquiescent. That if I’d stood up to him a bit more, been a bit more demanding, he might have thought twice about bonking his secretary.’
‘The complete and utter snake.’
Laura caught her lip between her teeth and frowned. ‘But maybe he did have a point. He kept calling me babe, and not once did I tell him not to even though I hated it.’
‘It used to make me wince.’
‘Me, too.’ Laura grimaced. ‘Anyway I’ve had time to think about it and, you know, I have been a bit of a pushover.’
‘Rubbish.’
‘So why do I end up giving the old people in the village lifts left, right and centre?’
‘Because you’re a nice person.’
‘Huh.’ Laura frowned. ‘I have a backbone of rubber. Well, not any more.’
‘So what’s the plan?’
‘I’ve already put it into action.’
‘So I can see.’
‘Not that,’ she said, batting back a blush. ‘The minute I moved to the country I enrolled on an assertiveness course.’
Kate’s eyebrows shot up. ‘Wow.’
‘I know.’ Laura nodded. ‘We learned to Embrace Confrontation, Say No With Confidence and to Go For What You Want.’
‘So you embraced confrontation and went for the afternoon of hot sex that you wanted.’
‘Quite.’ Something kicked in the pit of her stomach.
Kate grinned. ‘I can’t imagine there was a whole lot of saying no, either with confidence or without it.’
‘Not a lot.’ Just rather a lot of breathy yeses.
‘Well, I’m not sure about the rest of it, but that’s one way to get a lousy ex out of your system.’
‘That’s what I thought.’
Kate tilted her head and looked at Laura with something resembling admiration. ‘Reckless. Totally out of character. I like it.’
Laura felt a shiver run down her spine. ‘So did I.’ She nibbled on her lip and frowned. Up until the point she’d panicked and fled. That had been cowardly.
‘I’m so envious.’ Kate sighed. ‘Remind me why you aren’t going to see him again.’
Laura shrugged. ‘It wasn’t like that. The temporariness of it was what was so appealing.’ Well, one of the things. ‘We didn’t exchange numbers.’
‘I’m sure he’d be in the phone book. Have you Googled him?’
‘Of course not.’ She hadn’t given in to the temptation yet and she didn’t intend to.
‘Why not?’
‘I don’t want to see him again.’
‘That’s nuts. Great sex isn’t something to be dismissed lightly.’
‘It hasn’t changed anything,’ said Laura firmly, before she started agreeing with Kate and waving goodbye to all her good intentions. ‘I’m still off men. And I need another relationship like I need a hole in the head.’
‘But you’re always in a relationship.’ Kate frowned.
‘Exactly. And look what happens. I get smothered. I lose sense of my own identity and allow myself to get walked all over. And ultimately get hurt.’ She shrugged. ‘I’ve had enough.’
‘Well, I think you’re mad.’ Kate sniffed.
Laura smiled. ‘Actually I’ve never felt saner in my life. Which is just as well if I’m going to get this job. Now, let’s have pudding.’
CHAPTER SIX
HE’D been right about those damn hot pants, thought Matt grimly, glancing at his watch and noting he had five minutes before his meeting with the finance minister to discuss exactly how deep the corruption that had burrowed into pretty much every governmental department went.
They did haunt his dreams. As, to his intense irritation, did Laura.
It was bad enough that the minute he crashed into bed there she was, her hair fanning out over his cushions, her eyes shimmering and glazed with desire as she stared up at him and saying ‘more’ and ‘please’ in that breathy desperate way she had.
It was bad enough that he woke up pretty much every morning, aching and throbbing and twitching with desire.
But what was really driving him nuts was the lack of control he seemed to have over his thoughts while he was awake.
She kept popping up, shooting smouldering smiles at him, and the memory of the way she’d exploded and shuddered in his arms would slam into his head and his train of thought would derail and his body would react with annoying inevitability.
Like now.
Feeling uncomfortably hot and growing painfully hard, Matt scowled, got up and stalked over to the window.
Quite why Laura should be taking up so much of his head space when she’d been just a one-night stand and when he had plenty of other things to occupy his mind was baffling.
OK, so the way she’d run off like that had hardly been flattering but it wasn’t as if he’d intended on seeing her again, was it? She clearly had issues and that wasn’t his problem. And yes, the sex had been incredible, but it had been three weeks ago. He really ought to have got over it by now.
Matt threw open the window and inhaled deeply. He’d have liked a nice icy blast of around minus five to relieve the hot achiness of his body. But unfortunately Sassania was in the Mediterranean not the Baltic, and this being early summer all that drifted in through the window was a soft balmy breeze.
Stifling a groan of frustration, he yanked open the top buttons of his shirt and made a mental note to get someone to investigate the air-conditioning options. Then at least he’d be able to control the temperature, if nothing else.
He was just about to turn back to grab his laptop and head off to his meeting when he heard the rap of heels on stone and caught a movement out of the corner of his eye.
Something, he had no idea what, made him pause. Made him train his focus on the woman walking across the patio.
For some reason his breathing faltered. The floor beneath his feet lurched. His pulse jumped. She was walking away from him, and he couldn’t be sure, but that looked just like Laura.
Matt blinked and gave his head a quick shake. No. That was nuts. It couldn’t be Laura. Because what would she be doing in his palace on his island? It was his feverish imagination working overtime, that was all. Lack of sleep, too, probably. And this damn stifling heat.
Nevertheless something about the way she moved had his eyes narrowing and awareness prickling his skin. Maybe it was the graceful sway of her hips. Or maybe it was the way she suddenly reached up to tuck a lock of hair behind her ear. She might be wearing a nifty little suit instead of a T-shirt and hot pants, but those curves looked very familiar.
As she stopped and turned to say something to the security guard accompanying her Matt caught a glimpse of her face and any lingering doubt fled.
His head swam for a second. His heart pounded. Hell. It was Laura.
He ran a hand over his face. Rubbed his eye and pinched the bridge of his nose. Then frowned.
What on earth was she doing here?
Had she come to apologise?
Had she decided she wanted more than just a one-night stand?
Or had she come to see what she could get out of their brief liaison?
She wouldn’t be the first, Matt thought, his mouth twisting into a cynical smile as he shoved his hands in his pockets and watched her gazing at the pillars and arches of the colonnades that surrounded the patio.
Several of the women he’d known in the past had got in touch to suggest that if he was ever on the lookout for a queen they’d be more than happy to occupy the position. And more than willing to provide heirs.
If Matt could have been bothered to reply he’d have told them they were wasting their time. Marriage and children did not feature on his agenda. He’d been engaged once and look what a disaster that had been. No. His jaw tightened. He wasn’t even cut out for a relationship, let alone anything more, so anyone who hoped otherwise could think again.
But if any of his suspicions were correct about Laura’s presence on Sassania, why hadn’t she asked to be led straight to him? Why was she now shaking the hand of his culture minister?
Matt frowned as his mind raced. Then the brief conversation he’d had with Giuseppe Ragazzi about the state of the country’s public buildings and the urgent need to restore them flashed into his head and realisation dawned.
Oh, damn. His heart sank. Laura was here for the job.
With the arrest of the former president on his mind at the time, he’d agreed to the request to hire an architect without really thinking about it. Now, he thought, his jaw tightening, he ought to have paid more attention. Imposed certain conditions, at the very least. Such as not engaging the services of one Laura Mackenzie.
No way could she be given the job. If she got the job she’d be there. In the palace. All the time. Screwing up his concentration and messing with his head. What with everything else going on, he did not need that kind of complication.
Laura held her breath. She’d done everything she could. She’d answered all the questions she’d been asked confidently and correctly. Outlined the vision she had for Sassania’s public buildings. Talked passionately about the career she loved, and clarified the reasons for her redundancy.
Now she was waiting on tenterhooks while Signore Ragazzi flicked through her portfolio with agonising thoroughness.
She wanted this job so badly. Apart from the fact that the idea of working on something she’d drooled over at college made her chest squeeze with excitement, it was such a prestigious project.
If she got it, she’d be made. Her battered professional pride would recover and she’d have her pick of jobs. Her former employers would read the sensational series of articles she’d write for Architecture Tomorrow and shake their heads at their stupidity in getting rid of her quite so speedily.
But if she didn’t … Where would that leave her?
The worries she’d managed to keep at bay crept into her head. What if Signore Ragazzi didn’t like her work? What if they’d had thousands of other applicants, all of whom had more and better experience than she did? What if she wasn’t up to the job? What if—?
Oh, for goodness’ sake. Releasing her breath before she passed out, Laura gave herself a quick shake and pulled herself together. What was the point of working herself up into a state? She’d take whatever decision he came to graciously and professionally, and face the consequences later.
Nevertheless when Signore Ragazzi closed her portfolio and looked up, she had to sit on her hands to stop them from whipping up and covering her eyes. Which was a good thing because if she’d had her eyes covered she wouldn’t have been able to see the wide smile he gave her.
Hope flared in her heart and her ears buzzed. Surely he wouldn’t be smiling like that if he was going to say thanks but no thanks.
‘Signorina Mackenzie,’ he said, and her breath caught. ‘I’m delighted to inform you that you have the job.’
The words took a couple of seconds to register. But when they did Laura felt like punching the air. Would it be completely inappropriate if she hurdled the desk, leapt into his lap and gave him a big kiss? Hmm. Perhaps. Just a little. Instead she settled for a grin. ‘I do?’
He smiled and nodded. ‘You do.’
A bubble of delight began to bounce round inside her. ‘That’s fantastic,’ she said, thinking that was quite an understatement.
He opened a drawer and extracted a sheaf of papers. ‘We think so. To be honest, you’re the only person we’ve called in for an interview, so the outcome has never been in doubt. The only obstacle we had foreseen would have been your lack of availability.’
He pushed the document across the desk and Laura glanced down at it, faintly stunned. ‘Oh.’
‘I’ve seen your work before. The Church of St Mary the Virgin?’ She managed a nod. ‘I particularly liked your sense of balance.’
Crikey. She’d never felt less balanced. ‘I’m so glad,’ she murmured.
‘We’d like to begin with the palace.’
‘Of course.’ Excitement clutched at her stomach. She’d studied every fabulous inch of the palace. Pored over photos and reports. Salivated over the flying buttresses and crumbling gargoyles and idolised every one of the six thousand windows. No amount of books and papers could get across the smell of the place, the vitality of the stone and the feel of the warm breeze on her skin when she’d stood outside the gate, the same warm breeze that must have caressed these walls for centuries. Walls that were now crumbling and collapsing.
‘When would you be able to begin?’
Right now would be fine with her. Or would that seem a little desperate? Not to mention totally impractical. She’d come with only her passport and her toothbrush. She was going to need a lot more than that. ‘In a week?’
‘Excellent.’ He beamed at her. ‘I’ll arrange for a suite to be made up for you.’
‘Thank you.’
‘If you’ll just sign here …’
He handed her a pen and Laura felt thrills scurrying through her. She’d done it. She’d actually done it.
Well, of course she had, she told herself as she floated back down to reality and worked her way through the contract. Her personal life might be a bit of a disaster, but she’d always been good at her job.
‘Will you excuse me?’ said Signore Ragazzi, cutting across her musings and picking up the phone, which had just started to ring.
He could strip and dance round his desk naked if he felt like it, Laura thought, finally getting to the last page and signing on the dotted line. She was busy wondering where would be the best place to start. The public rooms undoubtedly. Then the private areas. The gardens … Oh, the possibilities were endless and she lost herself in them.
It was only when she heard her own name that her ears pricked.
‘Yes, sir. Signorina Mackenzie has just accepted the position.’
Laura’s heart swelled with pride. She’d do the best job she could. Achieve the sort of result people would talk about for years, long after she left. After centuries of decline the palace deserved it. After all she’d been through, she deserved it.
‘Oh.’ At the tone of his voice for some reason her nerve endings tensed. ‘I’m afraid I can’t retract the offer, sir.’ His voice dropped. ‘She’s just signed the contract.’
Laura snapped her head up and stared at him. Someone wanted him to retract the offer? No, that couldn’t be possible.
Signore Ragazzi fell silent, went red and swivelled round in his chair so she couldn’t see him. ‘Nor can I rip it up,’ he added, his voice now dropping so low she had to strain to listen.
Rip it up? Who the hell was that on the other end of the line, and why did they not want her to have the job? What had she done to cause such offence? Had there been some sort of mistake and the job already been given to someone else? Laura’s chest squeezed at the thought that she might have had her dream snatched from her at the very last minute.
‘No, sir … Yes, sir … I’ll see to it immediately.’
Signore Ragazzi swivelled back and gave her a smile too bright to be genuine.
Laura clasped her hands together in her lap to stop them from flapping. ‘Is there a problem?’ she asked, bracing herself for the answer to be yes and for him to laugh and tell her it was all just one big joke.
‘No, no,’ he said, gathering up the contract she’d just signed in an effort, she suspected, to avoid eye contact. ‘Just one more tiny formality.’
‘Oh.’
He smoothed his hair, pushed his chair back and got up and indicated that she should do the same. ‘If you wouldn’t mind coming with me …’
‘Of course,’ Laura murmured, her heart beginning to thud. What on earth was going on?
The feeling of trepidation as she followed Signore Ragazzi didn’t abate. In fact it swelled to such proportions that she barely noticed the busts on pedestals lining the corridor. Or the old masters hanging on the walls. The only thing hammering at her brain was that something didn’t feel right.
Signore Ragazzi stopped in front of a pair of huge gilded doors and knocked. Laura’s heart banged with consternation.
‘Come in.’
At the sound of the voice from deep within, all the hairs at the back of her neck leapt up and her stomach clenched.
Something wasn’t right.
Because if it hadn’t been utterly impossible, she’d have sworn that that was Matt’s voice coming from the room.
But it couldn’t be Matt because that would be crazy. What would he be doing here?
No, Laura told herself, pulling her shoulders back, going through the doors that Signore Ragazzi held open and entering the room. First she’d thought she’d seen him in that restaurant in London. Now she imagined he was here? Hah. This was precisely why she’d vowed to have nothing whatsoever to do with men. They messed up your head. She was far better off sticking to inanimate objects like the crumbling cornice and the chipped reliefs that adorned this room.
