eyes narrowed. ‘You lied your face off. What did you expect, congratulations and a helium balloon?’
‘I think,’ he said, ‘we need to talk.’
She knew what he meant by that. She’d been there before with Michael. No doubt Rico, too, thought he could exercise a bit of charm and talk her round to his point of view. Wrong. She wasn’t repeating her mistakes. ‘I have nothing to say to you.’
‘Is everything OK?’ A tall, statuesque woman appeared beside Ella and gave her a concerned look.
‘It’s fine,’ Rico said, smiling. ‘Ella’s cakes are amazing. And I was about to ask her to make me a special cake.’
She was looking daggers at him, and the other woman clearly picked up the atmosphere. ‘Perhaps I can help you. Ella’s been on the go all day.’
‘You’re Ella’s business partner?’ he asked.
‘Yes,’ the woman said.
‘No,’ Ella said at the same time, and sighed. ‘It’s OK, Ju. I’ll deal with this.’
‘Signal me if you need me, Ella,’ Julia said, and gave Rico a hard look, as if warning him to go easy on Ella or he’d have her to deal with.
‘Your guard dog?’ Rico asked.
‘My best friend,’ she corrected. ‘Though, yes, she does look out for me.’ She lifted her chin. ‘What do you want, Rico?’
‘To commission a cake.’
She narrowed her eyes at him. ‘I don’t have time for playing games.’
‘I’m not playing games. I have a business opportunity in London. If I decide to add the hotel to my chain, then I’ll need to have some kind of opening ceremony, and that in turn means I’ll need a cake for the party.’
‘So that’s an “if”. Not a definite.’ She shook her head in disgust. ‘Where do you stop with the lies?’
‘I haven’t lied to you.’
She folded her arms. ‘You told me you were a tour guide.’
‘Which I was. For that day. I’m hands-on in my business. I do a stint in every job, every few months, so I can see the issues my staff face and where things can be improved for both customers and staff. The day I met you, I was a tour guide.’
‘Why didn’t you tell me who you really were?’
‘Because.’ He sighed. ‘Ella, this isn’t the place to discuss it.’
‘You’re telling me.’
‘Can I take you to dinner, when you’ve finished here?’
‘Why?’
‘So you can continue with your launch party and do what you do best. And then we’ll talk.’
‘I …’
‘We have unfinished business,’ he said softly, ‘and you know it, Ella bellezza.’
She scoffed. ‘I don’t think so.’
There was only one way to prove it to her. He stooped very slightly and brushed his mouth against hers in the lightest, sweetest, softest kiss. His mouth tingled where it touched hers.
She shivered, and he noticed that her pupils had dilated hugely.
‘And that was barely a kiss. If I kissed you properly, Ella, neither of us would give a damn that we’re surrounded by strangers. We’d both go up in flames. That’s what I mean by unfinished.’
She swallowed hard. ‘I’m working,’ she whispered.
‘Which is why I suggested dinner. Afterwards.’
She closed her eyes, looking defeated, and for a moment Rico really didn’t like himself for the way he’d pressured her. But he hadn’t done anything wrong—had he? ‘Just dinner, Ella. When we’ve talked things through.’
She opened her eyes again. ‘OK.’
‘Good—and, by the way, your cakes are superb.’ He couldn’t resist just one taunt. ‘I particularly like the passion fruit one.’ He put the emphasis on passion, and Ella blushed to the roots of her hair.
He winked at her, and disappeared back into the crowd.
Flustered, Ella grabbed the mug of coffee she’d abandoned half an hour earlier and took a gulp of the lukewarm liquid.
‘Who was that?’ Julia asked, returning to her side.
‘It’s complicated—a long story.’
‘Tell me after.’
‘I’m, um, having dinner with Rico afterwards.’
‘Rico. Hmm.’ Julia raised an eyebrow. ‘And although his English is perfect, there’s a definite accent there. Would I be right in saying you met him in Rome?’
Ella felt her skin heat. ‘Yes.’
‘You had a fling with him?’
‘Um, yes.’
Julia looked hurt. ‘You never said a word to me.’
‘It’s complicated,’ Ella said again.
‘You don’t have to see him if you don’t want to.’ Then Julia’s eyes narrowed. ‘Hang on. I know you’ve been working like crazy to get things up and running, but I remember the last time you threw yourself into work like this.’
‘He didn’t do a Michael on me, if that’s what you’re asking.’
‘But he knows about your lottery win?’
Ella nodded. ‘That isn’t an issue.’ She could guess what her best friend thought: Rico was a con-man after her money. ‘Actually, the money would be small change to him. He could buy me out ten times over and still have a fortune left.’
‘So if he’s not after your money, what does he want?’
‘Right now, I don’t have a clue.’ That wasn’t strictly true. That kiss had told her a great deal. And it had also made her libido sit up and beg.
Why had he walked back into her life, offering her temptation? Yes, physically it was good between them. Better than it had ever been for her with anyone else. But Rico had already proved to her that she couldn’t trust him. She had no idea who the real Rico was. She wasn’t stupid enough to put herself back in a vulnerable position; so she’d have dinner with him—and she’d tell him to stay out of her life.
She managed to keep her focus on business for the rest of the evening, though it was a real effort; even when she couldn’t see Rico, she was so aware of his presence.
Finally, the last person left the party, and she started to clear up. She could hear noises from the kitchen at the back of the function room, but Julia was in the front with her, collecting plates and mugs. So who was in the back?
She nearly dropped the crockery she was carrying when she walked into the kitchen and saw Rico with his sleeves rolled up and his hands in sudsy water. ‘What are you doing?’
He rolled his eyes. ‘Ask the obvious, Ella bellezza.’
‘But …’
‘The quicker you’re done here, the quicker I get to spend time with you. So it makes sense for me to help you clear up.’
‘I guess so.’
He frowned. ‘You look exhausted.’
‘She’s been working crazy hours since she got back from Rome,’ Julia told him.
‘In that case, I won’t drag you out to dinner tonight, Ella,’ Rico said.
She