An Invitation to Sin(33)

They stayed for an hour, an hour during which Taylor talked about  growing up in America, about her mother's ambition and her father's  reappearance once she'd started earning big money.

‘I want you to come and see me often.' The old lady patted Taylor's  hand. ‘Luca calls me Nonna, but if you prefer you can call me Teresa.'

‘Teresa?' Startled, Taylor glanced up at him and Luca gave a dismissive shrug.

‘It's a good name.'

She didn't speak until they were safely inside the car. ‘I thought  Teresa was some random name you picked and it turns out it's your  grandmother's name and she's this wonderful, amazing person.' The choke  in her voice surprised him. He was so used to her hiding her real  feelings that this new Taylor unsettled him.

‘She liked you a lot.'

‘She'll hate me when she finds out this is fake.'

‘It's me she'll be angry with.'

‘I wouldn't be so sure about that. She adores you. I didn't even know  you had a grandmother. What did she mean that you were raised on drama?'

‘We're Sicilian. Drama is in the genes. Why be calm when you can  explode?' But he could see his smooth response hadn't fooled her and the  tension of the morning reappeared.

‘You never talk about your childhood. You've never told me anything.'

‘I've never been one to coo over old baby photographs.' Luca felt sweat  prickle at the back of his neck and started the engine. ‘Let's go.'

‘What was your mother like?'

He kept his eyes on the road. ‘She was very beautiful. Still is.'

‘I wasn't asking you what she looks like-I know she's beautiful, I've  seen pictures. I was asking what she was like as a mother.' There was a  wistfulness to her voice. ‘What is she like as a person?'                       
       
           



       

Desperately insecure, volatile, a danger to herself. ‘Why do you want to know?'

‘I'm just interested. I guess I'm wondering why you're so freaked out about relationships. Is she the reason?'

He doesn't love me, Luca. What do I have to do to make him love me?

The sweat turned to a chill. ‘Does there have to be a reason? Maybe I  was just born with good instincts for staying out of trouble.'

‘You've spent your whole life in trouble.'

‘I would argue I've spent my life having fun and pleasing myself.'

There was a tense silence and when she turned to him the warmth was gone  from her eyes. ‘You never let your guard down, do you? You insist that I  don't hide anything from you but when it comes to your own secrets  you're as impenetrable as Fort Knox. I thought what we had here was more  than just superficial, but clearly that was my mistake.' Her voice was  tart. ‘No worries. Forget I ever asked. I'm not used to trusting people  anyway so I have no idea why I'd start with someone like you.'

‘Taylor-'

‘No, really, you've made it clear you don't want to talk and that's fine  with me.' It was obvious from her tone that it wasn't fine. She was all  business. ‘I gather Santo and Ella have agreed to let you use the set  for the photo shoot this morning. I'm not a model but if you tell me  what you want I'll do it.' No self-doubt. No insecurity. She didn't hunt  for compliments or press him for reassurance that she'd be able to do  the job.

It occurred to him that not once in all the time they'd spent together  had she asked for reassurance about her appearance. In fact, she hadn't  asked anything of him except to be her fake fiancé.

He tightened his grip on the steering wheel. ‘I just want you to be yourself. Taylor Carmichael.'

‘Which version?' She was back to being her usual guarded self and  although he knew he should have been relieved, he missed the laughing  version of the night before.

‘The real version. You're edgy, modern, strong. Sure of who you are. It  shows in the way you carry yourself, in the way you deal with people and  in the way you face the world. You're a self-sufficient high-achiever  who has learned to depend on no one but yourself because everyone you've  ever met has used you so you're not going to let that happen again.' He  kept his eyes on the road as he described how he saw her. ‘You were let  down by your mother, by your father and by a man you trusted and every  secret you ever had was blown over the pages of newspapers. It's left  you vulnerable, but it's also given you strength because there's no way  you're ever going to let anything like that happen to you again. You're  so afraid of being hurt again you shut the world out and hide behind the  tough-girl act. That's what I want to see when you're wearing the  clothes.'

She was staring at him, her face pale. ‘I-I've told you so much. Too much.' Her voice was a whisper. ‘Why did I do that?'

‘I don't know.' He was asking himself a similar question. ‘Because you trusted me.'

‘I don't trust anyone.' Her lips were bloodless and it took no effort to read her mind.

‘You're worried I'll sell your story to the media?' He was surprised by how much that hurt. ‘Come on, Taylor-'

‘You've remembered every detail. Every single detail I've ever told you.'

‘Because I'm a good listener.'

‘Why? So that you don't forget the juicy parts?'

‘You know me better than that.'

‘I don't know you at all. You haven't let me know you.' She was  stammering in her panic. ‘I have no idea what you're capable of when  you're upset or annoyed and I've trusted you with information I would  never have given to anyone else.' She pressed shaking fingers to her  face and breathed deeply while Luca swore under his breath and tried to  grab hold of a situation that was fast spinning out of control.

But they'd arrived at the docklands and already the usual crowd of journalists pressed around the car.

Luca yanked on the handbrake. ‘We need to talk.'

‘I've talked.' There was no missing her emphasis on the word. ‘The  problem is you haven't and I'm not interested in a one-sided  relationship.' Before he could respond Taylor was out of the car, tall,  long-limbed and beautiful as she walked gracefully to where the  modelling shoot was to take place.                       
       
           



       

He wanted to remind her their relationship was fake. That confidences  had no part in what they were doing here. But the whole thing was a  confused mess in his head and there was no opportunity to sort it out  because the photo shoot was already under way.

And she was as professional during the shoot as she was with her acting.  She listened to what was required and worked her heart out and by  lunchtime Luca knew that what he had was perfect. Even the exacting,  hypercritical Gianni was happy.

He had no idea how Taylor felt because the mask was back up and he knew  it was his fault. Not only had he stripped away her protective shell and  frightened her, he'd shut her down when she'd asked him a personal  question.

I don't know you at all. You haven't let me know you.

Her words stayed with him as he walked into the boardroom an hour later.  Prepared for something close to adulation from them for the way his  ideas were already increasing occupancy and profits, Luca opened the  door and was greeted by stony silence. A few of the older members of the  board avoided looking at him.

Deciding that this was a day that definitely wasn't going his way, Luca  strolled to the head of the table and braced himself for trouble. ‘Well,  this isn't quite the fun afternoon I was anticipating.' He kept his  tone light but he was surveying the room, trying to identify the reason  for the frosty atmosphere. ‘Something wrong?'

There was an awkward silence.

The chairman cleared his throat. ‘You don't know?'

‘Know what?'

‘About your fiancée.' The older man's mouth was set in a thin,  disapproving line. ‘It seems her past was even wilder than the rumours  suggested. An Italian magazine claims to be in possession of certain  naked photographs.'

Everything fell into place. He had no need to ask who had taken the  photographs. Had no need to ask for any detail because he could guess at  the detail all too easily.

Luca kept his face impassive. ‘Photographs?'

‘So you don't know.' The chairman exchanged a relieved glance with the  rest of the board. ‘Naturally this won't reflect well on you or the  company. I expect you'll want to distance yourself from her actions and  break off the engagement. It's damaging for the Corretti name and even  more damaging for you personally.'

Closeted on the film set, it wasn't until Taylor finished filming for  the day that she saw the usual crowd of journalists gathered at the  barrier had swollen to ridiculous proportions.