Free Her Mediterranean Playboy by Melanie Milburne Page B

as?’
    ‘A prenuptial agreement, for one thing,’ he said. ‘I do not fancy giving half of my hard-earned fortune away if things do not turn out the way I anticipate.’
    Ally was starting to feel more than a little bewildered. ‘What exactly are you anticipating?’
    He leaned his forearms on the table, so as to bring his face closer to hers. ‘You would be an asset to me, Ally. You are beautiful and smart and young and healthy. We could make quite a match of things. I am at the time in life when I am thinking of settling down and producing an heir and a spare, as the saying goes. What do you say? Would you agree to be my wife for real?’
    She jerked away from him in abject horror. ‘Are you out of your mind?’
    He waggled a long finger at her reprovingly. ‘You really should not bludgeon a man’s ego so callously,’ he said. ‘I am offering you a lifetime of luxury. You will be generously provided for no matter what happens between us. I thought that was your prime motivation? Or do you change your mind as quickly as you change your hair?’
    Ally stared at him in numb shock. She had totally forgottenabout her hair. It was such a stupid oversight on her part. Alex’s hair was waist-length, and had been since she was a teenager, while Ally’s had been shoulder-length for the last couple of years. Out of convenience she mostly scooped it up on her head with a clip, but tonight she had let it cascade around her shoulders, never for a moment realising the implications.
    ‘I had it cut off recently,’ she said, averting her gaze from his.
    ‘It looks nice like that,’ he said. ‘It suits you.’
    ‘Thank you…’
    A silence descended like dust motes from the ceiling.
    Ally took a deep breath and lifted her gaze to his. ‘Vittorio…I think I should tell you—’
    ‘The waiter is coming with our meals,’ Vittorio said. ‘Let us just pretend we are like any other couple enjoying a night out.’
    ‘But I—’
    ‘Ally, you are under no obligation to give me an answer until you meet the rest of my family,’ he said. ‘I think both my sisters will adore you. Chiara will be particularly relieved, now she does not have to worry about you posing a threat to her marriage.’
    ‘Doesn’t she realise what Rocco has done?’ Ally asked in shock.
    ‘No. That is the whole point of this exercise,’ he said. ‘I did not want her to find out about his involvement with another woman. That is why I want to take things to the next step. If we were to marry she would be totally convinced Rocco has not strayed.’
    ‘But surely she has the right to know what has been going on behind her back?’ she asked.
    ‘My sister is vulnerable right now,’ he said. ‘She has been ordered by her doctor to have complete bed-rest. I do not want her to go into premature labour as a result of such a revelation. There is a tiny child to consider.’
    Ally frowned as she looked at the food that had been set before her, wondering if her stomach would allow even one mouthful to go down and stay down.
    ‘You are looking very pale,’ Vittorio said. ‘Is the food not to your liking?’
    She picked up her fork and gave him a strained smile. ‘No, it’s lovely…really…it’s just I’m a little stressed right now. Ithought we were pretending to be involved. I didn’t for a moment expect you would want to change the terms of our agreement. I’m not ready to take that step. I can’t agree to such an outrageous scheme. It would be immoral.’
    ‘We are attracted to each other, Ally,’ he said. ‘You have said you are no longer in love with my brother-in-law. Why should we not explore what chemistry exists between us?’
    Ally could think of hundreds of reasons—one of them residing in a clinic only a short plane trip or train journey away. ‘I’m not ready for a new relationship,’ she said. ‘Your brother-in-law hurt me. I don’t want to risk such emotional trauma again.’
    ‘I do not see how you could possibly be