Reckless Nights in Rome Read Online Free

her
shoulders and another deep purr in her throat that had him catch
his breath.
    “Hmm, it smells
terribly expensive in here. If you bottled the scent of Bentley
leather, you would make another fortune. Your many businesses must
be doing well.”
    He rolled his
tongue over his bottom teeth. “You are trying to make me angry,
Bronte, and I am wondering why.”
    She merely
crossed endless legs, making herself comfortable. Nico wondered
what was wrong with him that he found the move incredibly sexy.
    “It’s not a
mystery. I don’t like you.”
    “You do not
know me.”
    “I don’t like
your type.”
    “You judged me
before you met me?”
    “Not fair, is
it?” she stated, her eyes glittering with temper.
    Baffled, he
stared at her. “I have no idea what you are talking about.”
    Her nostrils
flared and that chin lifted. “Bronte Ludlow is a spoilt prima donna
who was born with a silver spoon in her mouth. Alexander is worried
sick about her. It is one drama after another.”
    At any other
time her droll mimic of his accent might have been highly
entertaining. The conversation was one he’d had with his architect
and good friend on his Blackberry. With a frown, he remembered
ducking into a cavernous loft space at Ludlow Hall to take the call
in private.
    Bronte
continued, “I was in a storeroom, packing personal possessions. I
didn’t see you, but I heard every word, Mr Ferranti.”
    Nico remembered
Alexander had been beside himself. “I was concerned about your
brother, Bronte.”
    She continued
as if he hadn’t spoken. “What particular drama were you referring
to?”
    Nico couldn’t
really blame her for being angry, so he made a clean breast of
it.
    “You had broken
your engagement.” He frowned into those beautiful eyes, green,
feline and filled to the brim with utter loathing for him.
“Apparently the man was a bastard.”
    “Yes, the
world appears to be full of them.”
    He received the
message loud and clear, the little witch.
    With the flick
of a wrist, he turned on the engine.
    “Ooh, it sounds
like a grumpy tiger,” she squealed in a high, girly voice. A low
growl escaped from his throat and she grinned. “Yeah, exactly like
that.”
    He closed his
eyes and sent up another prayer.
     
    As the Bentley cruised
out of Ludlow Hall, Nico glanced at her as she stared moodily into
the road ahead, lit by the car’s powerful headlights.
    Her behaviour
was a disgrace. Something about him appeared to bring out the bitch
in her. His lips twitched as he observed her frown into the
darkness.
    When he’d
lifted her from the window and his hands spanned her waist, he’d
recognised the stirring in his loins for what it was. Lust. God
knew she would be a handful. The thought made him smile. It had
been a long time since a woman had stirred his interest or
presented such a challenge. These days he didn’t need to work very
hard to capture a woman and he wondered if that was why he was in
the middle of a lengthy dry spell.
    The windscreen
wipers batted fat snowflakes in a silent rhythm. Clearing his
throat, he gave into temptation and smoothed her glossy pony
tail.
    He caught her
eye. “Stop worrying.”
    “Excuse
me?”
    A sizzle of
awareness warmed his blood. Not many people used that tone with him
and got away with it.
    He stroked her
hair again. “You look as if I am going to eat you.”
    He loved the
way she narrowed her eyes and flared her nostrils.
    Staring
determinedly into the road ahead, she told him, “Self-delusion is a
curse, isn’t it? You are not the centre of the known universe, Mr
Ferranti. In fact, I do my level best not to think of you.”
    He laughed;
delighted to see it brought a reluctant twitch to her lips.
    “Why have we
never met?” He kept his voice soft and the tone teasing.
    She flicked him
a cool look. “Just my good luck, I suppose.”
    The girl had
courage, he’d give her that. “The kitten has sharp claws.”
    His eyes were
on the road and he swung the car into the