Affairs Of The Heart: The Italian Boss's Secret Child

She shook her head, unwilling to give away her identity. If she was going to go home, the last thing she wanted was for Sam to question her on Monday as to her sudden disappearance. She’d rather people thought she’d never bothered to attend. ‘Um. Marie,’ she murmured, trying to add a different note to her voice. ‘From—the Sydney office.’

‘Welcome, Marie!’ said the nun. ‘No wonder you’re shy. Why don’t you come in with us? We’ll take good care of you. Won’t we, Tin Man?’

Tin Man rattled as he tried to nod enthusiastically, earning himself a quick dig in the ribs from the koala.

Before she could protest and extricate her hand from Sam’s, Humpty grabbed her other one and together they steered her towards the doors. ‘Don’t worry about Tin Man and Koala,’ Humpty said conspiratorially. ‘Newlyweds. And I know we’re not supposed to take off our masks till midnight, but I’m Julia. If you get lost or need any help, look for Sister Sam—’ she nodded her big egg head in the direction of the nun ‘—or me. Now, let’s join the party, shall we?’

Before Philly could protest, she’d been swept into the throng inside the large room and her plan altered. She’d slip away in a few minutes, while everyone was otherwise occupied. They’d assume she’d just met up with some other people in this crowd and wouldn’t give it a second thought.

Someone put a glass in her hand. Tin Man took Koala off to dance to make up for his gaffe and Humpty and Sister Sam found a group of colleagues and were busy comparing outfits and guessing identities.

Philly stood on the fringe of the group, planning her escape. Just her luck to run into Sam! At least he hadn’t recognised her. Father Time stood, scythe in hand, just across from her, a large fob watch conveniently around his neck. Already after nine.

She’d give it just a few minutes and then she’d steal away and go home.

She was a goddess!

He was wending his way through the crowded room, enjoying the anonymity lent by his disguise, dropping in to catch snatches of conversation with this group and that, when he saw her. Even in this sea of costumes and colour she stood out like a beacon. How could she not, looking like an Egyptian queen?

She wasn’t tall yet her legs had to be sensational under the sleek gown that looked as sheer and fine as gossamer, accentuating the feminine curves apparent beneath. Golden sandals peeped out below.

The gown ended at her breasts with some sort of twist of the fabric in a strapless arrangement that hugged her form and had him immediately calculating how difficult it would be to get off. Her lips were a splash of red, vibrant and lush and a contrast against the jet-black hair swishing over her bare shoulders. Coiled bracelets adorned her arms.

Her costume was unmistakeable. She was Cleopatra, Queen of the Nile. Little wonder emperors had fallen under her spell.

He drank in every detail and his prolonged scrutiny confirmed what he’d known immediately.

He wanted her.

Who was she? With her mask covering her eyes there was no way he could pin down her identity. Did she work for him or was she someone’s partner?

He scoured the group she was standing in, but no one guarded her possessively, no one fielded admirers. She had to be alone. No one in their right mind would let her fly solo in such an outfit. If she was his date he wouldn’t let her out of his sight.

Who was he trying to kid? If she was his date he wouldn’t let her out of his bed.

He had to have her.

Two minutes. Just two minutes more and she’d excuse herself. They wouldn’t miss her now. Sister Sam and Humpty were both deep in conversation with Noddy and Big Ears. She’d leave, make the excuse of a headache if anyone asked her, but chances were no one would even notice in this crowd.

Escape was at hand.

She placed her barely touched glass of champagne on the tray of a passing waiter and slid into the crowd, heading for the door. The sudden hand around her arm told her she hadn’t made the clean escape she was hoping for.

‘You’re not leaving?’

She stopped dead as the tremor passed through her, but there was no mistake.

It was him!

She’d know Damien DeLuca’s autocratic voice anywhere. But now his tone held something else—interest?—desire? She turned and gasped. Relieved her mask would hide the shock in her eyes—the admiration in her eyes—she drank him in. He looked sensational, from the overlapping metal plates at his shoulders to the carved breastplate and the slatted leather tunic ending above his knees. His arms were bare, olive-skinned and gleaming, except for some sort of wide band at his wrist. He held a helmet under one arm, a sword hung at his side.

A Roman gladiator or an emperor going off to lead his army to war? Whatever, he looked magnificent. He fitted the part, with his Italian colouring, hair lazily windswept, curling at his collar and with his chiselled cheekbones accentuated by the simple mask tied over his eyes.

If she’d thought he’d exuded masculine sex appeal in a suit, that was nothing to the sheer testosterone surge he gave off in this outfit.

She swallowed and looked back towards the door. His hand still held her arm and the heat from his grip weakened her resolve to leave.

‘Stay, Cleopatra,’ he said intently, almost reverently. ‘I’ve been waiting over two thousand years to find you again.’

She shuddered, his words going straight through her in a flush of heat that seemed to touch and awaken every last extremity of her and then bounce back, settling at her core, warm and heavy. He reached across and took her hand.

‘Surely you recognise me? Mark Antony?’

He inclined his head and for the first time she allowed herself to smile. It was Damien—really Damien—and he’d noticed her, amongst all these people. And not only had he noticed her; if she wasn’t mistaken he was coming on to her.

Her head dipped in response; she couldn’t allow herself to speak. Her brain had too much information to process to cope with making small conversation. Besides, why spoil this magic? He thought he’d found Cleopatra. Why let on just yet that she was Philly from marketing? He wouldn’t hang around two minutes if he knew. Tonight she might just stick to being Cleopatra.

‘Come,’ he said, tugging on her hand so that she came closer to his body, closer to the source of that heat, as he gestured to the dimly lit dance floor beyond. ‘Dance with me.’

She didn’t have to think about whether or not she should; her feet drifted after him of their own accord, her plan to exit all but forgotten. He led her to the dance floor and drew her into his arms, his hand at her back anchoring her close, his other hand wrapped around hers, securing it close to his shoulder, his wide shoulder, the armour enhancing his masculine form.

‘You’re beautiful,’ he said, his voice low and husky.

His words tripped her heartbeat. Beautiful. No one had told her that for a very long time. She had to remember to breathe and when she did it was with a gasp that immediately rewarded her with the scent of him—masculine, clean and enriched with the smell of leather. But not just his scent. She was sure she could just about taste him.

He started swaying to the song, taking her with him, their bodies moving in unison as the music took them away.

Heaven. This must be what heaven was like. Sheer bliss. She closed her eyes, allowing herself to be carried along by the music and by the man who held her in his arms with such strength, yet such tenderness.

Suddenly he stopped. She blinked her eyes open, the music still playing, and saw Damien’s head swivelled to the side. He was talking to someone; it looked like a geisha but the voice was unmistakably Enid’s. She caught a snatch of her words here and there—London—crisis—and Damien rattled off something in response and the geisha disappeared.

He turned his face back to hers, the line of his mouth grim, tension replacing the liquid heat she’d felt within his grasp.

‘I have to take a phone call.’

His arms continued to surround her and he stared at her as if he was wavering between the phone call and the woman in his arms. ‘I’ll be back. Ten minutes max.’ He hesitated. ‘Maybe twenty.’

She looked up at him, his face so close to her own, and she knew she would wait forever if it meant feeling like this again. Then he dipped his head and his lips brushed hers, so gently that his breath was as much a part of the kiss, as much a part of the sensation, as his lips.

‘So beautiful,’ he whispered, his voice suddenly rougher. ‘Wait for me.’ He smiled and let her go.

And then he was gone.

It was like being in a vacuum. Damien had gone, all too quickly, and she felt cold, suddenly bereft of his heat. But he’d be back. He’d promised he’d be back. And that knowledge started the warmth pooling inside her all over again.

For a moment longer she stood, all by herself, in the centre of the crowded dance floor, couples jostling for space all around until she realised she had to move.

Ten minutes, he’d said. Maybe twenty. Where should she wait for him? How would he find her?