Her Italian Boss’s Agenda

There’s this-’ He produced a catalogue showing some very fancy and high-priced entertainment equipment.

‘Or there’s this, a fortnight for two at a luxury health spa. Or two gift vouchers for the most expensive store in London. Or a vacation in any town in Europe, flights, hotel, the lot.’

He finished with an expansive gesture, like a man expecting applause. Primo indicated Olympia.

‘It’s her choice,’ he said. ‘Why don’t you take the gift vouchers and blow the lot on clothes?’

‘Oh, no,’ she said. ‘I’ve got a much better idea. I’ll take the trip to Europe.’

‘Wonderful!’ the Master of Ceremonies exclaimed. ‘And which city shall it be?’

Olympia smiled at Primo.

‘Naples,’ she said.

On the drive home he said, ‘What do you want to happen about David? Shall I get Leonate to buy out his firm and fire him? Or employ him? Say the word.’

‘No need,’ she said contentedly. ‘If I wanted revenge, I’ve had it. I’m so glad that happened. He really is in the past now. Thank you. You knew just what to do.’

‘Good. Then can we talk about Naples?’

She gave a soft laugh. ‘Your face was a picture!’

‘I’ll bet it was. You were winding me up, weren’t you? Good joke.’

‘That man said the Vallini Hotel was the best. Do you know it?’

‘Yes, it’s about halfway up the hill, overlooking the bay. It costs a fortune just to walk past it.’

‘I like the sound of that,’ she said with a sigh.

‘But you weren’t serious, were you?’ he asked, sounding slightly alarmed.

Choosing not to answer this, she diplomatically closed her eyes and pretended to doze for the rest of the journey.

When they reached home he came upstairs with her, and it was only when they were in her apartment that she said, ‘Actually, I wasn’t joking back there. I’m going to Naples and I’m going to stay in that luxury hotel while I look around. I’m due for some time off. I haven’t had any for ages, and you can authorise it. It’s simple.’

‘It’s not a good idea.’

‘It’s a wonderful idea. It’s fate. And after what happened tonight I’m even more certain that this happened because it had to.’

After what happened tonight. That stopped him in his tracks.

‘Jack, I’ve been doing a lot of thinking-about the way things are going.’

‘I know,’ he said slowly.

‘You know what I want and how determined I am to get it. It doesn’t make me a nice person, but I can’t change. I simply have to go for my goal.’

‘Primo Rinucci. But he isn’t here.’

‘I know. And he’s never going to be here, I see that now. So I must go to him.’

‘What?’

‘That’s what I mean about fate. I can work on my Italian, learn some Neapolitan. It’ll give me better chances than staying here.’

‘But what about Curtis? It was your ambition to take over.’

‘Well, maybe the world doesn’t begin and end with Curtis. Maybe I’m broadening my horizons.’

‘Which means-?’ he asked suspiciously.

‘Ambition alone is not enough,’ she declared with the air of someone quoting eternal truth. ‘Ambition plus flexibility yields results.’

He stared at her. ‘Who said that?’

‘I did.’

‘I mean, who said it first?’

‘I did. You just heard me.’

He passed a hand over his eyes, trying to get control of his thoughts.

‘You sounded as though you were quoting an authority,’ he explained.

‘I was. Me.’

‘Oh, well, in that case-!’ he said wildly. ‘Why not jot it down and put it in a book when you’re running the Stock Exchange? Notes On How I Did It. You too can rule the world. Just roll over everyone like a steam-roller.’

‘How dare you call me a steam-roller!’

‘It’s that or a three ton tractor. Take your pick.’

‘Jack, where’s your spirit of adventure?’

‘It passed out under the table in the nightclub, and as far as I’m concerned it can stay there. Olympia, what’s got into you? It’s bad enough for you to be laying traps for this poor fool-’

‘Don’t call my benefactor a fool!’

‘So now he’s your benefactor?’

‘He will be, when I’ve finished with him.’

‘Then he is a fool,’ he said recklessly. ‘And so are you for hunting him down, because it’ll frighten him off.’

‘He won’t even know. I’ll just turn up in Naples, look around-’

‘You’re out of your mind.’

‘You mean you won’t help me?’

He took her shoulders, shaking her very slightly as though this would get him into her head.

‘Olympia, you’re living in a dream world. It’s a delightful fantasy, but not if it means turning your back on what’s happening between us.’

‘We’re having a pleasant flirtation. It’s lovely, but it doesn’t lead anywhere. We enjoy each other’s company and then pass on. That’s always been the deal.’

‘I don’t remember making any deal.’

‘I was always honest with you. You knew my terms and you didn’t refuse them.’

‘Then I guess I just hoped you’d soon see things a bit more clearly. I don’t think it’s all on my side. Look me in the eye and tell me you don’t feel anything for me.’

‘After tonight, I can’t. But I won’t let it happen. I felt something like that once before, and I know where it leads.’

‘I know where it would have led if you’d stayed with him. You saw him in the nightclub. You saw his wife, what marriage to him has turned her into. Be glad you escaped.’

‘I am glad, but that’s hindsight. All that kind of thing is over for me. You’ve always known that.’

‘All right, I’ve known it, but I’ve tried not to believe it. And I won’t believe it now. You keep trying to make me think badly of you-’

‘I want you to see me as I am,’ she flashed. ‘I’m hard and cold-’

‘You weren’t hard and cold in my arms tonight.’

‘That’ll never happen again. I won’t let it.’

‘Stop it,’ he said fiercely, seizing her in his arms and giving her a little shake. ‘Don’t talk like that. I forbid you.’

‘Who are you to forbid me?’

His answer was to tighten his grip and pull her hard against him, kissing her with something close to ferocity.

For a moment she tensed against him, but then her refusal melted in the warmth and sweetness he could inspire in her with such treacherous ease.

‘This is who I am,’ he murmured against her lips. ‘Don’t you recognise me now?’

‘Yes,’ she whispered, kissing him back.

‘You know me-you know me-’

She knew him. He was the one who haunted her dreams, resisting all attempts to banish him. She would escape him now while she still could-while there was time-but there was no time-

She kissed him again and again, each time promising that this would be the last.

‘How can you leave when we have this?’ he demanded hoarsely.