Free The Sicilian's Proposition by Lynette Rees

this could never be considered private. There are too many fishing vessels landing here during the day and boat trips too, but on a moonlit night such as this, it’s often deserted.”
    She looked up at an indigo-brushed sky sprinkled with stars and the largest moon she’d ever seen. Maybe it was the effect of the wine or maybe something else, but the evening had a magical quality about it.
    “Wait a moment,” she said, and she removed her sandals. “I want to feel the sand beneath my toes.”
    “Really, Joanne, you are such a simple person.”
    “Simple?” What did he mean by that?
    “I meant you are easy to please. So uncomplicated. That’s what I love about you.”
    “Oh?” Maybe the other women in his life, especially Carla, had expensive tastes and were a little bit demanding. She’d learned to not expect too much out of life because just when you were at your happiest, things could go wrong. She reflected back to that fateful day at the seaside and bit her lip. “So, your other women were complicated, I take it?”
    “I suppose you could say that, yes.”
    He picked up a pebble from the beach. “Here, hold this.” Then he put it in her hand. “How does it feel to you?”
    She closed her eyes for a few seconds. “Smooth. Yes, very smooth.”
    “Aha, yes. This pebble is rounded, it has no rough edges, Joanne, and that is you.”
    “Well, thank you. I suppose I should be flattered, though no one has ever compared me to a pebble before.” She giggled and slipped it into her trouser pocket.
    He drew up close to her, swept back a lock of hair from her face, and cupping her chin, drew her to him and brought his lips down on hers. She’d never experienced such passion, such intensity in all of her life. This man was doing things to her she had never known before. Maybe he would throw her on the sand and make love to her. Instead he drew back and mumbled something that sounded like amore under his breath.
    “Come, I will take you back to the hotel as it’s been a long day. Tomorrow I want you ready nice and early. I am going to take you out on my boat.”
    She swallowed. He was telling her what he wanted to do and in a way she liked that. She frowned. Would Byrne accompany them?
    As if he could read her mind, he said, “Don’t worry. I don’t need the photographer around tomorrow. I am going to send him off on a trip to Palermo at my expense. It should keep him quiet.”
    She laughed. “Good.”
    “Besides, I want you all to myself. One other thing. Don’t forget to bring your bikini if you have one.”
    She shivered involuntary. Yes, she did have a bikini, but the thought of him seeing her wearing it was a bit disconcerting. Especially after all the Italian, bronzed beauties he must have encountered. How could she match up to any of those?
    “Yes, I’ll bring it along,” she found herself answering. There was no getting out of it now even if she wanted to, and deep down inside, she knew she didn’t want to. She wanted to spend all day tomorrow with Dante Alphonso.
    ***
    The following morning she was waiting at reception with her beach bag packed with all the necessary equipment—suntan lotion, towel, bikini, and a novel if she had time to read. She wore her new red and white sundress, shades, and had also brought along her straw hat and wrap in case it got cold. She looked at her watch, it was eight forty-five, and he’d promised to collect her at eight thirty.
    Byrne passed her on his way out, strutting with his hands in his trouser pockets, on his way to Palermo she assumed after what Dante had told her. He stopped when he got parallel with her.
    He sneered. “Stood you up, has he darling?” She just ignored him, turned her back, and heard his footsteps disappear outside the door.
    Ten minutes later, she began chewing her lip, heart racing, her body a mass of nerves. She went over to the desk and asked the receptionist if Mr. Alphonso had left a message for her. The smartly dressed young