Her Forgotten Lover's Heir

She was nervous. About how she looked?

Surely not? Molly was slim and sexy in a fresh, wholesome way, quite different from the sophisticates he usually met in Rome.

‘I was remembering the day we met.’

‘Really? Tell me!’

It was as if he’d ignited a spark inside her. She sat forward eagerly, her pink lips parting in a soft smile and her eyes turning a hazy blue. He could always tell when Molly was happy or excited because her eyes looked more blue than grey.

‘It was at my villa in Tuscany.’

‘You have a villa in Tuscany too?’ Then before he could answer she shook her head, making her hair swirl around her cheeks in a bright curtain. ‘No, of course you do. It makes sense when you have all this.’ Her gesture encompassed the penthouse apartment. ‘I suppose you have a luxury sports car as well as the limo.’

He shrugged. ‘I use the limo in the city as I’m usually busy with business calls. In the country, I prefer to drive myself.’

Which was better than saying he had several sports cars and, for that matter, a couple of other properties, including the whole of this building. For he remembered how Molly’s eyes had widened in shock, first at the limousine then at the sight of his city apartment. How tentative she’d been, walking through the expensively furnished rooms, as if scared to touch anything. He didn’t want her feeling even more uncomfortable. Time enough for her to learn the scale of his wealth later.

She sipped her drink then sat back, expression expectant. ‘So, you were at your villa in Tuscany. How long ago? When did we meet?’

‘The spring just gone.’

He watched her eyes become round. She sat forward. ‘Really? Such a short time ago?’ Colour highlighted her cheeks. ‘So, we’re newlyweds?’

Pietro nodded and spoke quickly, not wanting to get side tracked into detail. ‘We haven’t been together long.’

Molly’s brows knitted and she stared at her glass, her flush intensifying. ‘Yet we don’t share a room.’

Pietro’s heart gave a mighty thud. Why had he believed for a moment that Molly would simply accept things without question?

‘You need plenty of rest. The doctors were insistent.’

Plus, despite the rush of desire when he was near her, he had qualms about bedding her now. He was already taking advantage of her amnesia. If she knew all that he knew, she wouldn’t be sitting here, blushing and smiling at him.

‘So, I was at the Tuscan villa.’ Pietro paused to make sure his diversion worked. Sure enough, Molly nodded, eager for more. ‘I was working in my study.’ No surprise there. He spent a lot of time working, even when he was supposed to be relaxing, or in this case recuperating from a bad bout of flu—brought on, his doctor had said, from too many hours working and not enough enjoying life. ‘But this particular morning I had trouble concentrating.’

At her curious glance, he went on. ‘The villa isn’t alone on the property. Down the drive, on the other side of a small hill, is an old farmhouse. My cousin Chiara is a budding entrepreneur and persuaded me to let her do it up and rent it out as guest accommodation.’ The agreement was she’d keep any profits too and Pietro had been happy to support her small but growing enterprise.

‘I rented it?’

He shook his head. ‘Not quite. A family from Australia rented it. The husband’s ancestors were from Tuscany and they wanted to explore the area for several months. You came with them to look after their three young children. They just returned to Australia last week.’

Slowly she nodded, twisting her glass round and round on the table. ‘That’s right, you said I was an au pair.’

‘Temporarily. You’re a qualified teacher, specialising in early childhood. As one of the boys has learning difficulties, the parents were eager to get someone with your qualifications.’

Molly frowned. ‘I gave up a teaching job for temporary work as an au pair?’ Apparently she hadn’t really registered that when he’d told her yesterday but she’d had a lot to take in.

Pietro leaned back in his chair, fascinated by this insight into Molly’s thought processes. With her ready smile and easy going nature, when they’d first met he’d merely thought her ripe and ready for a temporary amorous adventure. It was only later he’d discovered Molly was far more complex and circumspect. Surprising, given what had happened between them. But here it was again, proof that she wasn’t as carefree as she had sometimes seemed.