“Again, you shortchange yourself.” He frowned for a moment before he exhaled. “There’s no catch, Dr. Accardi. Your pressure tactics worked.”
“What pressure tactics?”
His huff was incredulous. “Seems it’s not only me who does things on autopilot. You flat-out bulldozed me.”
“I was only struggling not to let you bulldoze me.”
“And your struggle was so ferocious you upended the tables. It took me a while to realize I was beaten, since it never happened before. But there’s a first time for everything. So here I am, coming with a white flag. If there’s one thing I ask, it’s that you promise you’ll separate our professional and personal interactions from now on.”
“We have no personal interactions.”
“Something I aim to rectify, starting now, over lunch.”
“What is it with you and meals?”
“We do have to eat. We’ll eat together.”
It was her turn to shake her head, disbelief coursing through her. She’d expected him to consider her a pest, to dismiss her and spare her his disconcerting focus. But not only had he come after her again, but the more obnoxious she was, the more patient and persuasive he grew.
But for whatever reason he was doing this, there was only so much temptation she could withstand.
Clinging to the last vestiges of sanity, she exhaled. “You must be in dire need of amusement. But let’s say I accept, how about something quick? Coffee? Here?”
He shook his head, unmovable. “Lunch. Out.”
“I’ll give you a muffin.”
His laugh rang out again, and she could swear all of her mother’s crystal still distributed around the living area where she’d left them sang in response.
He was still chuckling when he persisted, “Lunch. A leisurely one. So clear your agenda.”
“What agenda? I’m unemployed now.”
“You’re no such thing. We’re celebrating your triumphant return to your lab. This is nonnegotiable, Liliana.”
Her heart somersaulted. It didn’t matter that it was impossible. It did. Then it attempted to burst out of her chest.
At her distressed cough, he covered the distance between them urgently, held her by the arms, solicitous, singeing her even through the thick terry cloth.
“Are you all right?” When she nodded and tried to step away, he followed, hands tightening on her arms. “Liliana...”
“Lili.” It was too much hearing him say her full name, making it an overpowering spell. “If you’re no longer calling me Dr. Accardi, then call me Lili like everyone else.”
An eyebrow rose imperiously. “You’re Liliana to me and I will always call you that. That is also nonnegotiable.”
Stepping back so she could breathe again, she raised her hands. “Okay, okay, call me whatever you want. I will call you whatever I want, too.”
“And what’s that?”
“I didn’t mean to your face.”
His guffaw was more delighted than ever. “And what will you call me outside of your internal rants?”
“I’d rather not call you at all.”
He took her arm again, steered her toward the ground-floor bedroom where she slept. “Call me anything you want. I eagerly anticipate whatever you come up with. Now go dress.”
“I haven’t said I’ll go out to lunch with you.”
“You will.”
“Is this the billionaire’s entitlement or the surgeon’s god complex, or were you just born an overbearing brat?”
He whooped in laughter again. “You’ll get a chance to find out over lunch. Now go put on something nice.”
She yanked her arm from his grip. “I don’t have something nice. Not by your standards.”
“Anything that doesn’t smother you in layers of cloth.”
“I don’t have that, either.”
“Anything not hideous. I’m sure you can manage that.”
“This bathrobe isn’t hideous. Would you settle for that?”
“I would. Would you?”
She should go out with him in her bathrobe and bare feet and see if he’d still take her to lunch.
Her thoughts paused before she huffed in resignation, threw her hands up and headed to her bedroom.
She’d bet he wouldn’t bat an eyelid. If she even stripped naked it wouldn’t deter him. Or maybe that would change his mind about taking her out and he’d—
Oh, shut up. He’d nothing. All this was probably him conducting some experiment, and he considered her the perfect test subject.
After that lunch, and after he was sure she’d go back to work, she doubted she’d see him again. Even had he been interested in her that way, Antonio Balducci had perfected the art of the one-night—or the one-outing—stand.