The Accidental Engagement (8 page)

“Oh, honey, we can handle it. We’re just happy that you’re happy.”

She smiled and swallowed down a lump in her throat. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d been so overwhelmingly
un
happy. But she couldn’t look to them for comfort. She had to be strong. Tears blinded her but she willed the words out of her mouth. “Yes, I’m very happy.”

Ivy hung up the phone but took a moment to compose herself before facing Daniel. When she did, she nearly burst out in tears at the look of concern in his eyes. “I’m sorry, Ivy. I know that couldn’t have been easy for you.”

She nodded, not trusting herself to speak. Talk about understatement of the year.

“But I’m glad you decided to tell them the lie, it’ll be easier for them.”

She let out a sad little laugh. “That’s not why I told them the lie.”

He took a step closer, his brows raised in question.

There was such kindness in his gaze, such warmth, she wanted to tell him the whole truth. “I told them that because they’d be ashamed if they knew the truth,” she said, her heart squeezing in pain as she spoke. “I couldn’t hurt them like that.”

Daniel’s eyes were filled with sympathy but he didn’t speak. Perhaps he knew there was nothing he could say that would ease her guilt. She was glad he didn’t try. Ivy tried to physically shake off the guilt and shame the phone call had wrought by pasting on a chipper smile. She threw her arms wide and turned like a fashion model. “What do you think?”

“Gorgeous,” he said, his voice was so low and his gaze so heavy she thought she might melt. “You look absolutely stunning, Ivy.”

Her breath caught in her throat at the dark desire in his eyes, but the look was gone so quickly perhaps she’d only imagined it.

“Before I forget,” he said, reaching into his pocket. “I’ve got something for you.”

“Another ring?” she teased.

He handed her a cell phone. She looked up at him in confusion. “I got you one that has international service so you can call your family whenever you want.”

Ivy studied the device in her hand. “Thank you, that was very thoughtful.” She added, “It also makes it very easy for you to keep track of me, I presume.”

Daniel’s grin made her heart race. “I never took you to be a cynic, Ms. Sinclair.”

Ivy laughed. “Just not as naïve as you seem to think.”

He didn’t try to deny it as he nodded toward the door. “Shall we?”

He held his arm out to escort her, for which she was grateful. She was not typically the type of woman who needed an escort but she was tottering on six-inch stiletto heels which, while beautiful, were by far the most impractical shoes she’d ever worn. She paused before reaching for his arm.

“Where is the restaurant? Do I need a jacket?” she asked.

He shook his head. “We’re meeting Brunelli at the hotel restaurant, just off the lobby.”

She stared at him in surprise for a moment before bursting out with a laugh that bordered on hysterical. “How very fitting since a hotel restaurant is where this all began.” She gestured down to the designer dress and shoes, which combined cost more than her rent for two months. “Look how far I’ve come, literally overnight.”

He held out an arm and Ivy took it, trying desperately not to lose herself in the heady feeling she got whenever he was close.

* * * *

Daniel needed to get his head in the game. He was about to put his reputation, the future of EverTech and all of their livelihoods on the line and he couldn’t stop obsessing over what perfume Ivy was wearing.

After their afternoon together, which he had to admit was actually rather fun, he’d gone back to his room for a long, ice-cold shower. He would have been all right if she hadn’t hugged him, pressing her soft curves against him like he was a monk or a saint or something. If she’d had any sense at all she would have kept her distance from the man who had basically blackmailed her into a fake engagement. But no—she’d hugged him.

And then he’d shown up in her room and she was all heartbroken and weepy. Worse, she was heartbroken and weepy but trying to be strong. The sight of tears in her eyes had nearly been his undoing. Her pain was like a punch in the gut and he ached to tell her that it would all work out. But he kept his mouth shut. He knew that if he started talking it would only lead to trouble. He could find himself losing the upper hand and allowing her to walk away from this farce and that was not an option.

So he’d just stood there and watched her, which was a mistake. She was so lost in her misery that she didn’t seem to notice that he was all but ogling her. There was no denying that Ivy was a beautiful woman but this evening, standing there decked out in a form-fitting, sexy-as-hell dress with her auburn curls loose around her shoulders—Daniel was sure the air had been sucked out of the hotel room.

It had taken all of his will power not to pull her into his arms, crush her against him, and taste those luscious, red lips.

Instead, he forced a smile and held out an arm to escort her to the hotel restaurant on the first level. She slipped her hand through the crook of his elbow and he realized his mistake. She was too close. Her perfume was delicate and subtle and made him think of warm, summer nights in Tuscany.

All of the nerve endings in his body seemed to be rooted in the spot on his arm where her hand rested. And when she smiled up at him as they walked out the door, he nearly lost his mind and abandoned the plan altogether for one night of bliss in this hotel room.

He led her down the hallway to the elevator and forced himself to think of anything other than what lingerie she wore beneath that revealing dress.
If any.

That line of thought was definitely not helping matters. He needed to be sharp for this dinner with Brunelli. The man was getting on in years and he often played the fool but he was still sharp as a tack. Anyone who believed otherwise was seriously underestimating the Italian tycoon.

Ivy fidgeted next to him in the elevator. She still clung to his arm, more for the balance he provided in those stiletto heels than anything else, he imagined. He’d caught her wobbling once or twice as they made their way down the hallway and had to imagine high heels were not part of her everyday wear as a hostess. She was nibbling on her lower lip as she played with the edge of her hem and straightened the straps. The poor girl was nervous and the least he could do was help put her at ease.

“Brunelli is going to love you,” he said.

She glanced up at him in surprise. Uncertainty flickered in her eyes. “You think so?”

Daniel made a point of looking her up and down. “Are you kidding? Brunelli doesn’t stand a chance.”

Ivy smiled but gave a little roll of her eyes. She thought he was teasing her. She had no idea.

The elevator doors opened and as they stepped into the lobby her grip tightened on his arm. He looked down to see her lips pursed and her forehead creased in concern.

“What if he doesn’t believe us? What if he doesn’t believe that Jack fell in love with me so quickly?” she whispered.

Daniel smiled down at her. “He’ll believe it. I bet you a million dollars he’ll be smitten with you himself by the end of dinner.”

Her eyes were still clouded with worry. Leaning down, he tried to ignore her luscious smell and the closeness of her warm skin. He whispered in her ear, “He won’t stand a chance, my dear. You’re utterly enchanting.”

Her cheeks pinkened at the compliment and her slow smile made his chest tighten. He would definitely have to watch himself. This woman was as dangerous as she was charming.

* * * *

“Danny, my boy!” Ivy was startled by the booming voice that came from a rotund, gray-haired man who was sitting at a table near the rear of the restaurant. Ignoring the looks from his fellow patrons, the man beckoned them over.

Brunelli stood as they neared and Daniel welcomed the older man’s effusive greeting with a handshake and a slap on the back. “Brunelli, it’s good to see you, as always.”

The older man turned his attention to Ivy and the butterflies in her stomach came to a rest. His grin was infectious and he pulled her into a bear hug before kissing both of her cheeks. “
Bella donna
, it’s no wonder my boy, Jack, has lost his mind over you.”

Ivy saw Daniel raise one brow in an ‘I-told-you-so’ look from the corner of her eye. “It’s a pleasure to finally meet you, Mr. Brunelli. Jack and Daniel have told me so much about you.”

“Please, please, call me Gianni. We don’t stand on formality here.” He pulled out a seat for her before sitting himself. “Let me introduce you to Angelo, he is my nephew and my right-hand man.”

A thin, gawky-looking young man rose halfway out of his seat, gave her a slight bow and sat back down.

“You’ll have to excuse Angelo, his English is not so good.”

Ivy was aware of Daniel sitting beside her and was both comforted and distracted by the feel of his leg brushing up against hers when he pulled his seat in.

“So tell me, how did you and Jack meet?” Brunelli asked.

All eyes were on her, even young Angelo’s, although she wasn’t sure he had followed a word they said. “It all started when Jack came to eat at the restaurant where I work….”

They’d all agreed to stay as close to the truth as possible and once she got started, Ivy found herself lying effortlessly. And Brunelli ate it up. Clearly a hopeless romantic, the old man’s eyes were tearing up with joy by the end.

“
Bellisimo
! Ah, that is a fantastic story, my dear.” He leaned over and kissed her hand. “I am so glad you and Jack have found joy.” His smile held a touch of sadness when he added, “May you find the kind of unconditional love and happiness that I shared with my dearly departed wife.”

Ivy squeezed his hand in comfort and he flashed her a warm smile. She felt the ever-present guilt gnaw at the pit of her stomach. Love, real love, clearly meant the world to this big-hearted man and she was using that fact to dupe him. She was a first-class jerk. But it was too late to turn back now.

With the hard part over with, Ivy was free to enjoy the rest of the meal. And oh, what a meal. Every once in a while Daniel attempted to steer the conversation to business but Brunelli wouldn’t have it. “I’m not here to discuss that, my friend. Tonight we are here to welcome the new Mrs. Jack Everett to Italy.”

He and Ivy clinked glasses and she tried not to laugh aloud at Daniel’s disappointment. She leaned over. “Is it really so horrible to have one night of fun?” she teased. “Lighten up,
Danny
!”

Daniel rolled his eyes at her use of Jack’s nickname but after that he did seem to lighten up a bit, even sharing some amusing stories of his own about his travels abroad.

He had her laughing aloud about his first trip to China when he butchered the language so badly he accidentally insulted his host’s wife. She had to admit, the uptight businessman could actually be rather funny when he wanted to be. And they way he’d listened when she was upset over her parents and given her a pep talk when she was nervous tonight? He’d actually been…
kind
.

Completely at odds with the cold man who’d forced her into this situation. Doubt niggled at her. It was hard to tell how much of his nice guy act was real. Maybe he was just trying to placate her, make her happy so she went along with his plans. She had a hard time believing that though. His concern had seemed genuine and everything he’d done since they boarded the plane had been to make her comfortable and at ease.

As the dinner progressed and Ivy’s engagement was no longer the focus of conversation, she had a chance to relax and she found her mind drifting back to that moment in her hotel room before they’d headed downstairs when his eyes seemed to darken and she’d seen lust in gaze. For a brief moment he’d looked dangerous in the best possible way. She hadn’t been imagining his reaction to her. Or had she?

It had been there and then gone so quickly but it had sent a jolt of sheer, mind-numbing electricity coursing through her. His desire was an aphrodisiac. Every time she thought about it, she got uncomfortably turned on. And she couldn’t stop thinking about it.

Every time he spoke, she thought about it. Or laughed. Or glanced in her direction. She’d never experienced such intense sexual attraction. For the first time in her life she understood physical longing. It had nothing to do with emotions and everything to do with chemistry.

Every time he looked in her direction, she was acutely aware of her body. Sitting next to him was absolute torture. They were so close they were almost touching, but not quite. Every time his gaze turned to her, her breasts strained against her dress and she had to press her thighs together to help relieve the throbbing tension that bordered on painful. She would give anything to close that distance—to see that dark look in his eyes again. To have him give in to temptation and pull her into his arms.

She knew she should be paying attention to Brunelli and the task at hand but her body had a mind of its own as she fantasized about Daniel. She replayed that moment in the hotel room when he’d looked like he might devour her. What if instead of playing the gallant escort, he’d pulled her against him and kissed her? She imagined the feel of his lips crushed against hers. What would he do to her if he stopped being so uptight and proper all the time? She found herself doing anything she could to attract his attention.

She wanted him to notice her, to desire her, to experience the sort of visceral aching desire that made her feel wanton in a crowded restaurant.

* * * *

She was on fire.

Daniel couldn’t take his eyes off of the vibrant, sexy woman beside him. She had poor Brunelli eating out of the palm of her hand. He would be next if he wasn’t careful.

He glanced over at the Italian when she was telling the tall tale of love at first sight with Jack and nearly laughed out loud at Brunelli’s awestruck look. The man was a romantic, pure and simple. Ivy had him wrapped around her little finger within minutes of meeting.

It was hard to imagine that a man who was so infamous in the business world could be such a sucker when it came to love and fairy tales. Daniel had discovered the notorious tycoon’s Achilles heel and it was true love.