Summer Surrender: Capelli's Captive Virgin / Italian Boss, Proud Miss Prim / The Italian's One-Night Love-Child. Susan Stephens
would have walked away because when it came to verbal sparring she was no match for him. He tied her in knots. But his words had left her deeply worried for her sister and frustrated by his lack of support.
As far as she was concerned, this was the worst-case scenario. It appeared that Ruby was involved with his brother, to the extent that she no longer even cared about her job.
If Alessio was telling the truth, then her sister had abandoned her responsibilities.
What would have made her do that?
Why would she have behaved in such a reckless, irresponsible fashion?
And why hadn’t Alessio put a stop to it when it was obvious that the whole thing was going to crash and burn in the most disastrous way possible?
Couldn’t he see? Couldn’t he see that a relationship between Ruby and Dino was an accident waiting to happen?
Lindsay stared angrily at the shower cubicle.
Yes, of course he could see that. But he didn’t care about anyone but himself.
He had no idea what that sort of relationship would do to Ruby.
It crossed her mind to tell him the whole tragic story in the hope that it might appeal to his sense of decency. But she honestly didn’t think Alessio Capelli had a decent side.
What had possessed her to come here?
It had been a completely wasted journey.
They were so, so different in their approach to life, their beliefs—everything.
Feeling another rush of concern for her sister, Lindsay tried to think as she might. Where would Ruby have gone? What exactly had she done? And why had she done it? ‘Did you encourage them?’ She raised her voice to be heard above the shower and the sound of water stopped suddenly.
He emerged from the shower, a towel looped around his lean hips, his mouth curved into a cynical smile. ‘Even you can’t be that naïve. Two hormonal adults don’t need encouragement, Lindsay. All they need is opportunity.’
‘And I’ve no doubt you created that opportunity.’ Rubbing her forehead with the tips of her fingers, Lindsay tried to think clearly. ‘You encouraged them, I know you did. You knew how strongly I felt about the two of them becoming involved. When we first met, I told you Ruby was just getting over a broken relationship. She was—incredibly vulnerable. Still is. Your brother is the last thing she needs at the moment.’ Lindsay swallowed. ‘Did you do this on purpose? To punish me because I refused you? Was this about your ego, Alessio?’
Dark lashes veiled his gaze. ‘If you’re looking for somewhere to lay blame for your sister’s behaviour, perhaps you should look a little closer to home.’ His tone several shades cooler, he gave a careless shrug. ‘If anyone is to blame for the way your sister lives her life, then it’s surely you.’
‘Me?’ Genuinely shocked by that harsh analysis, Lindsay gaped at him. ‘That’s ridiculous. I’ve always warned her against having meaningless affairs and I certainly warned her to stay clear of you and your brother.’
‘Precisely. For a relationship counsellor, you clearly know very little about human nature.’
‘What’s that supposed to mean?’
‘That the forbidden and the dangerous is always more exciting than the permitted and the safe,’ he said flatly. ‘I can guarantee that the day you warned her to stay clear of me was the same day she showed up at my office looking for a job.’
‘And you gave her one.’ She couldn’t keep the reproach out of her voice and he gave a dismissive shrug.
‘There was a vacancy in my administrative team. Ruby is decorative, sociable and a relatively competent secretary.’
‘Relatively?’
Alessio’s mouth curved into a faint smile. ‘Well, she’s not here, is she? She does have a tendency to become—easily distracted.’
‘By your playboy brother, presumably.’ Frustration mingled with anxiety and Lindsay shook her head. ‘You didn’t think that throwing the two of them together might not be a good idea?’
‘I allow my sibling to lead his own life. And unlike you I don’t see anything wrong with animal passion. On the contrary, I endorse animal passion. It’s one of the few truly honest human emotions.’ With a casual movement Alessio unhooked the towel and threw it carelessly over the nearest bench. ‘You ought to try it some time.’
Blinded by a disturbing vision of raw masculine perfection, Lindsay felt her mouth dry and looked away quickly. ‘You’re doing this on purpose,’ she muttered hoarsely, ‘trying to unnerve me.’
‘Does it unnerve you my being naked?’ As relaxed as she was tense, he ripped the packaging from a fresh shirt and thrust his arms into the sleeves. ‘That’s interesting. Next time you’re analysing behaviour, you might want to dwell on that. Deep down, buried underneath that layer of control, is a real woman trying to get out.’
‘Ruby.’ Her voice hoarse, Lindsay kept her eyes fixed on a point on the wall, trying to erase the shockingly vivid image of dark body hair and substantial manhood. ‘We were talking about Ruby. You don’t even care that she might have gone off with your brother.’
‘On the contrary, I do care. I’m as keen as you are to contact her. You can look. I’m decent.’
‘You are? I mean—you want to know where she is, too?’ Relief flooded through her. Perhaps she’d misjudged him. He did, after all, have a human side. ‘Then what have you done so far? Have you tried to contact your brother?’
He’d pulled on a pair of beautifully cut dark grey trousers, but the white shirt still hung loose, affording a tantalising glimpse of masculine chest hair shading hard muscle. ‘Like your sister, he isn’t answering his phone. I suspect they’re otherwise occupied.’
Lindsay made a distressed sound. ‘But you can find them. I know you have contacts. It won’t take you long to track them down.’
The snowy-white silk shirt seemed to emphasise his masculinity and Alessio threw an amused look in her direction as he fastened the buttons with slow, deliberate movements of his long fingers. ‘Your belief in the degree of my influence is quite sweet. Do powerful men turn you on, Lindsay?’
‘Please stop it.’ A hoarse whisper was all she could manage because her body was in such a turbulent state. ‘Please, please stop it. I’m just relieved that you’re as keen as I am to intervene before this relationship goes too far.’
‘I have no intention of intervening in the relationship.’
Confused, Lindsay frowned. ‘But you said—’
‘I said that I am as keen as you are to find out where Ruby is—’ he reached for his silk tie ‘—but not because I intend to counsel her on her choice of men. I believe in letting people make their own mistakes in life.’
Lindsay just stared at him. ‘Then why are you keen to find her?’
‘Under the terms of her contract, your sister was obliged to give notice if she intended to terminate her employment. She hasn’t.’ With skilful grace his fingers produced a perfect knot and he eased the tie up to his bronzed throat. ‘If she doesn’t turn up for work by four o’clock this afternoon, she loses her job. I thought it only fair to warn her of that fact.’
There was a buzzing in Lindsay’s ears. ‘You’re going to fire her?’ The words came out as an appalled squeak. ‘That’s ridiculous.’
‘That’s business. I employed her to do a job. She’s not doing it. Be grateful I’m not suing her for breach of contract.’ His tone hardened and she gazed at him in shock.
‘Even you can’t be that hard-hearted.’
His