Five Dates with the Billionaire - Alyssa J. Montgomery Page 0,32
what he’d really like to say to Mia right to the back of his mind he replied, ‘After the Doge’s Palace, we visit Florian’s. From there we look through St Mark’s Basilica, go to the top of the Campanile for a view of the lagoon and city, then we head to Harry’s Bar so you can try a Bellini cocktail.’ He’d started out the day looking forward to playing tourist with her at his side. Now, traipsing around Venice to all the popular destinations held zero appeal.
Flat.
Frustrated.
They were the best two words to describe his current state.
‘I know the itinerary off by heart,’ she prattled as they walked along. ‘Violet mentioned we should try to organise a special visit to the cell in Prigioni prison where Casanova was held and made his daring escape through a hole in the ceiling.’
‘Do you have a fascination with Casanova?’ he baited.
Even as her cheeks flushed, she squared her shoulders. ‘There was a good deal more to his life than he’s remembered for.’
They walked into the shade of the building and she replaced her sunglasses with those awful glasses she wore. Pity. She really had beautiful eyes when they weren’t hidden behind frames.
‘All most people know is that Casanova was a sybarite who revelled in casual, short-term liaisons,’ she continued. ‘It was commonplace with the nobles of the time; not much different from the way some wealthy men lead their lives today.’
It was a not very subtle dig at his short-term affairs and he wondered whether she’d been more affected by his rejection than he’d thought. He should let her comment go …
‘I think that’s the end of the line for the palace,’ she said. ‘Not too many people ahead of us.’
The line could wait.
He stopped and reached out so she faced him. ‘When we spoke at dinner about making this trip more interesting, there were two reasons I decided we couldn’t. You told me you weren’t planning on leaving your job any time soon, but you made no comment about how you’d feel about a short-term affair. Just now you seemed open to it.’
Her throat worked up and down as she swallowed. Then she looked him directly in the eye. ‘A short-term relationship would suit me. I’m not interested in a long-term commitment. Ever.’
That couldn’t be true. From what he could tell she was an old-fashioned girl. ‘Are you a virgin, Mia?’
Her cheeks went tomato red. ‘Why does it matter?’
‘I think you are. I also think you’re starting to live dangerously and wading into water that’s way out of your depth.’
‘Violet told me I should.’
‘Lose your virginity?’ Shock rolled through him.
‘No. Of course not. She told me I should start living more dangerously.’ She waved one hand around in front of her. ‘Take chances.’ Her shoulders rose as she inhaled. ‘You said more or less the same thing when we were having dinner.’
‘There’s loosening up and there’s living dangerously.’ He had to make her see she was playing with fire. ‘You strike me as a woman who’d want a serious commitment.’
‘How on earth do you figure that?’
‘You’ve never had a lover. You must be waiting for the right man.’
‘Ha!’ Somehow, she managed to look half-amused and half-cynical. ‘You’ve never re-married, so does that mean you’re waiting for the right woman?’
‘Absolutely not!’
‘Well, don’t make assumptions about me! I’ve never had a relationship because I’ve never wanted to be bogged down in a long-term commitment.’
The absolute certainty in her voice completely floored him. Again, he was left wondering what made this woman tick. ‘Why are you so averse to commitment?’
‘I…’ He watched as she swallowed hard. ‘I like my independence. I don’t want to be answerable to anybody for what I do and when I do it. I don’t want to share all of myself with any man. Maybe it makes me sound selfish, but it’s who I am.’
His eyes narrowed. Somehow, her words didn’t ring true. ‘Is that why you’ve dressed and acted as you do—to avoid romantic entanglements?’
She seemed to be choosing her words carefully as she told him, ‘You’re well known to avoid romantic entanglements. You obviously enjoy the physical satisfaction of affairs without the emotional elements. Why should I be any different?’
The question of her clothing had been completely avoided and Connor’s suspicions kicked in again. She seemed to have gone to great lengths to hide her physical appeal. He was no psychologist, but every instinct told him there was something more she was hiding from the world.