‘Well-you know-’
‘
‘Whatever his heart desires. It has to be that, or there’s no point.’
He drew a long, painful breath. If she didn’t answer soon, so help him, he was on the point of violence.
‘And what did Cedric’s heart desire?’ he asked with a deadly smile.
Olympia looked around in both directions before replying in a low voice. ‘Cedric has a
‘But he knew you’d understand?’ Primo said grimly.
‘Oh, yes. He’s shown me his whole collection, and I was able to complete it. He was really pleased.’
‘Complete it?’
‘Yes, he collects videos about dinosaurs, and there was one he’d never been able to get hold of. Luckily my father had it, so I copied it for him. Cedric eats out of my hand now.’
He stared at her. ‘Dinosaurs,’ he said, dazed.
‘Yes.’
‘You got him a video about dinosaurs?’ he repeated slowly.
‘That was what his heart desired.’
Her eyes were full of fun, telling him he’d been well and truly had. He tried to quell his laughter but it welled up inside him, finally bursting out loud enough to startle a passing waiter.
‘You tricky, devious-’ he choked.
‘But whatever did you think I meant?’ she asked, wide-eyed and innocent.
‘I daren’t tell you. You’d probably slap my face.’
Of course she’d followed his every thought, because she was a black-haired witch who could tease a man into her glittering snares, even when he knew he ought to run a mile. That was the sensible thing to do.
But he’d been sensible all his life, and suddenly it was impossible.
CHAPTER FOUR
IT TOOK him a while to stop choking with laughter and sit shaking his head as he regarded her in delight.
‘You should be ashamed of yourself,’ she said sternly.
‘So should you,’ he riposted at once. ‘Now tell me, was Cedric’s information worth the price?’
‘No, I’m afraid Cedric’s knowledge is limited. He couldn’t even say what Signor Rinucci looked like, although he’s met him. “Tallish”, is the best he could do.’
‘Yes, I don’t think noticing details is poor Cedric’s strong suit.’
‘But you’ll know. Is he good-looking? What sort of things does he enjoy? Come on. Tell.’
‘Are you planning to seduce him?’ he asked, avoiding her eyes.
‘Certainly not. I’ll be far more subtle than that. Seduction merely complicates things. Besides, when you say seduction, what exactly do you mean?’
‘I’m disappointed in you, Olympia. I thought you were a strong woman, not one who backed away from facts. You know exactly what seduction means. The whole thing. Admit it. You haven’t thought this through.’
‘Not thought it through? If you knew just how many hours, waking and sleeping, I’ve spent working out this-’
‘But you’ve never gone as far as the logical conclusion.’
‘Look, there’s seduction and there’s seduction-’
‘No, there isn’t. There’s only seduction, and you’d better know what you mean by it before you set out after this man. He’ll want far more than a dinosaur video. Just how far are you prepared to go?’
‘Not that far. What do you take me for?’
‘A woman prepared to put her ambition before everything else. Before love, before happiness, before being a person.’
‘That depends on what you mean by being a person. To me it means being a success. I want to impress him with my knowledge of business, my ability to speak his language, my willingness to commit myself to the job one hundred per cent.’
‘And you’re not going to use your womanly wiles at all? Is that it?’
She shrugged lightly. ‘I may not be the kind of woman he likes.’
‘Oh, he likes them all,’ Primo said, throwing caution to the winds. ‘He’s dangerous.’
‘Dangerous, how?’ she asked eagerly.
He racked his brain, searching for ways to describe his ‘other’ self. He was beginning to find this exhilarating.
‘He’s a womaniser,’ he said recklessly, ‘a man without discrimination. If you’ve got any sense, you won’t tangle with him.’
‘Oh, but I love a challenge.’
‘But he won’t be a challenge. It’s too easy to attract him on that level, but what happens afterwards?’
‘Then I’ll move on to Plan B.’
‘You’ve got it all worked out,’ he observed wryly.
‘You have to work things out to get what you want.’
‘And Primo Rinucci is what you want?’
‘Not him personally. What I want is his power and influence.’
‘And his money?’
‘Not at all,’ she said, shocked. ‘Just his power. I can make my own money.’
‘I just can’t work you out.’
‘Excellent. Then I’m on the right track. He mustn’t be able to work me out either.’
‘Can we forget Rinucci?’ he said, a tad edgily. ‘There are some holes in your reasoning that you’ll have to consider later, but I’d prefer not to spend this evening on the subject.’
‘What?’ she said at once. ‘What holes?’
He sighed and gave in. ‘Well, for a start, there’s the troop of lovers that you seem to keep dancing after you. Won’t they get in the way rather?’
‘What troop of lovers? I don’t have any lovers. At least-’ She seemed to consider. ‘No,’ she said at last. ‘Not at the moment.’
‘Admirers then. All those cards this morning, two without a message and one that said,
‘Ah, that was from Brendan,’ she said with a smile. ‘We had a flirtation a few years back and I get a card every year.’
‘A flirtation, was it?’ he couldn’t resist saying.
‘Brendan’s a great one for pretty gestures at a safe distance. He always makes sure he’s on the other side of the world in February. This came from Australia.’
‘And the other two? And the red roses?’
Suddenly she burst out laughing, not a soft teasing sound but a chuckle of genuine mirth.
‘You won’t believe me when I tell you.’
‘Try me.’
‘They were from my parents.’
‘
‘They’d been married twenty years before I came along, and they’d given up hope. As long as I can remember they’ve sent me Valentine cards and flowers with messages about how I changed the world for them. They’re such darlings.’
‘Well, I’ll be-is that for real?’
‘Yes, I swear it’s the truth. Didn’t you see their picture on the bookcase?’
‘Yes, but I thought they must be your grandparents.’
