A Ring for Vincenzo's Heir(34)

The fact that she was here at this party he was giving for his staff  from Vialli Entertainment, to celebrate the completed refurbishments of  his latest theatre project, was proof that he had listened to her small  complaint about their relationship and invited her. Admittedly he must  have made a last-minute decision to include her, and he had left it to  his PA to relay to Marnie the details of the venue and the time of the  party.

Determined to dress to impress for her first public appearance with  Leandro, she had shopped for a new outfit on Bond Street. But it had  been an unenjoyable experience-not only because the price labels on the  clothes had seriously stretched her overdraft, but memories of the  humiliating incident when she was eighteen and had been accused of  shoplifting from a big department store had made her feel tense while  she'd been trying on outfits.

If she had spent a bit longer looking in the mirror at the boutique,  rather than being in a rush to change back into her own clothes, she  might have noticed that the dress was a fraction too tight, she thought  as she caught sight of her reflection in the mirror behind the bar. The  black velvet dress clung to her hourglass figure, which was more  curvaceous since she had gained a few pounds recently. She hoped that  the string of pearls around her throat would detract attention from the  dress's plunging neckline.   





 

Glancing around the restaurant, she noted that all the female members of  Leandro's staff were slimmer and more sophisticated than her.  Self-doubt gripped her. When she had first met Leandro, at the cocktail  bar and restaurant where she worked, one of the other waitresses had  told her that he had a reputation as a playboy who liked to date  beautiful models and socialites. Marnie knew, realistically, that she  was only averagely attractive, and she had never understood why Leandro  had chosen her for his lover when he could have had any woman he wanted.

A flurry of activity on the other side of the restaurant caught her  attention, and her heart leapt when the door opened and Leandro Vialli  strode in.

Nothing about his lean, lithe, jaw-droppingly handsome appearance  indicated that he had stepped off a long-haul flight less than an hour  ago. He would have flown from New York on his private jet, before  travelling to the restaurant in his chauffeur-driven Bentley, and he  looked like a model from a glossy magazine.

The cut of his jacket revealed the width of his broad shoulders and his  tapered trousers moulded his muscular thighs and emphasised his long  legs. His golden tanned complexion and the thick mahogany hair swept  back from his brow indicated his Mediterranean heritage, although he  spoke with a faint American drawl.

The tabloids called him an Italian playboy, while the broadsheets  reported on his meteoric career success. Leandro owned several West End  theatres and was responsible for restoring some of the most historically  important venues in London. And Vialli Entertainment was only an  offshoot of his property development giant Vialli Holdings in New  York-one of the top businesses in the US with a portfolio worth  billions.

His hard-boned features revealed nothing of his thoughts, but the  cynical curve of his lips spoke of a man who was confident in his  abilities and dismissive of fools. He exuded an air of power and  charisma that sent a thrill of excitement through Marnie.

She had missed him desperately while he had been away, and she wanted to  run towards him and throw herself into his arms. But she restrained the  impulse, aware that Leandro disliked public displays of emotion. The  thought came into her mind that even when they were alone he kept his  emotions under tight control, and only when they made love did his  reserved air sometimes crack.

She slid off the bar stool and ran a hand through her long blonde hair.  Her mouth curved into a smile-which faltered as Leandro's steel-grey  gaze raked the room and an expression of surprise followed by one of  irritation flickered on his face when he saw her. In that moment the  uncertainty that had plagued Marnie lately settled like wet concrete in  the pit of her stomach.

Five days ago it had been the first anniversary of when they had become  lovers, but Leandro hadn't phoned from New York to wish her happy  anniversary. When he had called a day later she had felt reluctant to  remind him of the significant date, although she'd harboured a secret  hope that he was planning to celebrate their anniversary when he came  home. But Leandro did not look in a celebratory mood as he strode  towards her.

He was probably tired after his journey. She ignored the thought that he  had amazing energy and an insatiable libido and could make love to her  several times a night. She would not let her insecurities-which she  suspected stemmed from having been abandoned by her father when she was a  child-spoil what she had with Leandro, Marnie told herself firmly.

Her heart skipped a beat when he halted in front of her. The familiar  spicy scent of his aftershave teased her senses and her insides melted.  Despite the fact that she was wearing four-inch heels she had to tilt  her head to meet his distinctly cool gaze.

Cara, I wasn't expecting to see you here.'

But you invited me...didn't you?' Her voice faltered as her heart  plummeted. Your PA phoned me yesterday and said you had asked her to  let me know about the party.'

Leandro frowned. My actual instruction to Julie was to inform you that  the date of the staff party had been brought forward from next week to  this evening because the restaurant had made a mistake with the booking.  I was involved in important negotiations in New York and couldn't phone  you myself, but I wanted to warn you that I wouldn't be home until late  tonight.'

I see.'

Humiliation swept in a tide of heated colour across Marnie's face. With a  few devastating words Leandro had forced her to acknowledge the holes  in their relationship. She had made excuses-he was a busy executive and  so couldn't spend as much time with her as she would have liked. She had  told herself it didn't matter that he had forgotten their anniversary.  But with a flash of clarity she saw that she had been fooling herself.   





 

She wished the ground would open up and swallow her. But as she searched  his hard-boned face for some small sign of softness anger surged  through her, as heated as it was unexpected. Usually she avoided  confrontation, but she was overwhelmed by a storm of wild emotions.  Surely it wasn't unreasonable to want to be included in Leandro's social  life, considering they had been in a relationship for a year?

Obviously if I'd realised that you hadn't invited me to the party I  wouldn't have come,' she said in a low voice, aware that they were the  focus of attention of many of Leandro's staff.

But for once her temper refused to be suppressed as she remembered  Fergus's comment. Leandro's dirty little secret. Was that how everyone  at the party thought of her? Was it how Leandro thought of her?

Are you ashamed of me?' she burst out.

Don't be ridiculous.' His clipped tone revealed his displeasure.

What else am I supposed to think when you never want to be seen in  public with me?' Her voice rose and Leandro's warning frown intensified  her anger. At the same time she was secretly shocked that she was  arguing with him, or at least trying to goad him, but he refused to  respond, although his lips thinned into a stern line.

Memories of her mother screaming wild accusations at her father sent a  shudder through her. Oh, God, was she turning into a hysterical,  irrational woman like her mother had been? She wasn't imagining that  people were looking at her. Leandro's hard-boned features gave no clue  to his thoughts, but Marnie sensed from the taut way he held his body  that he was surprised by her behaviour, and the steely gleam in his grey  eyes told her he was furious.

Her excitement about attending the party with him congealed into a hard  knot of misery in her chest. With a choked cry she stepped past him-and  stiffened when he placed his hand on her arm.

Where are you going?'

I'm not staying at the party now I know that you don't want me to be  here.' She couldn't disguise the wobble in her voice. What does it  matter where I'm going? It's not as if you care.'

The truth of that last statement felt like a punch in her gut. She shook  her arm free from his grasp and walked as quickly as her high heels  would allow across the restaurant. She half expected him to follow her,  and her heart sank when he didn't.



Leandro watched Marnie's curvaceous figure march away from him and felt a  tightening sensation in his groin as he admired the sexy sway of her  derriere. He could not actually believe she would walk out on him, and  he was puzzled as much as irritated when she exited the restaurant.

She was not prone to temper tantrums-unlike his ex-wife. Marnie was  easy-going, and could always be relied upon to agree with him. He  appreciated a life without the drama that had been a feature of his  marriage, but he had to admit that he was intrigued to discover an  unexpected fiery side to her character. Recalling her hurt expression,  he cursed his tactlessness. But he did not like surprises, and he'd been  shocked when he'd walked into the restaurant and spotted her.