her breasts, all too aware that she was being absurd, and hearing her tone become stormier in consequence. ‘How dare you just—walk in here like this. Get out. Get out now.’
He halted, his brows lifting. ‘Dio mio—I am here to bring you this.’ He held up the jar of antiseptic cream he’d used the previous evening. ‘I thought that you might need it.’
She took a deep breath. ‘Then kindly put it down and go.’
He complied with the first half of the request. ‘Why so agitated, carissima?’ he asked softly, as Maddie sat rigidly, hands still clamped to her chest. ‘Your body is hardly a mystery to me.’
‘I don’t need any reminder of that,’ she said, adding bitterly, ‘To my abiding shame.’
‘Ah.’ Andrea was silent for a moment, then gave her a level look. ‘For my part, I remember only delight. But you had only to say “No”, Maddalena.’
‘I’m aware of that.’ She bit her lip. ‘Do you imagine it improves the situation?’
‘At this moment, I doubt that anything could,’ he returned with faint dryness. ‘So, why did you not stop me when you had the chance?’
‘Because I’d had a terrible time in your beastly forest,’ she flung back at him. ‘And seeing that wolf was the final straw. I was scared—stressed out and you—you took advantage of me.’
‘Why, Maddalena, what a little hypocrite you are,’ he said softly. ‘If we had not been interrupted, any advantage would have been mutual, and you know that, so do not pretend.’
‘I wasn’t thinking straight. I didn’t know what I was doing,’ Maddie defended a mite feebly. She rallied. ‘Unlike you, signore. You, of course, had your own agenda.’
He shrugged. ‘I wanted to make love to you, mia bella. It is hardly a state secret.’
‘Is a few hours of celibacy really such a strain?’ she asked witheringly. ‘You’d only just got back from your lady in Viareggio when you came after me.’
‘Portofino,’ he corrected evenly. ‘I was visiting a lady in Portofino not Viareggio.’
Maddie gasped. ‘You think the location actually makes some difference?’
‘When making accusations, I find it is better to be factually accurate.’ He paused. ‘I have noticed that you do not seem to share my view.’
‘I have no wish to share anything with you, Count Valieri,’ she said stormily. ‘And that includes this roof. When will I be free to leave here?’
‘I regret that the decision still remains in other hands than mine, mia bella. Or is that something else you prefer to forget?’ He reached down the white towelling bathrobe hanging on the back of the door, and held it out to her. ‘That water must be getting cold, Maddalena, and I would not wish you to take a chill.’
He absorbed her mutinous expression, sighed, then, draping the robe over the side of the tub, he turned his back and walked to the door.
Maddie could not pretend to be sorry as she scrambled out of the tepid depths of the bath, and huddled herself into the robe. It dwarfed her, reaching to her ankles, and the sash went twice round her slim waist before being tied in a secure knot.
As she rolled up the sleeves, a disturbing thought struck her. She said, ‘Is this robe yours?’
‘Sì.’ He turned. ‘But it has been laundered, so you will escape contamination.’
She remembered other things—like that handsomely carved bed in the other room, and her mouth dried. She gestured round her. ‘And this bathroom—these other rooms are yours too?’
‘Naturalmente.’ He leaned casually against the doorframe. ‘The whole house belongs to me, so how could it be otherwise?’
She said, ‘That—isn’t what I mean, and you know it.’
‘No,’ he said. ‘You are concerned that you are sharing my private suite.’
‘Not concerned,’ she said. ‘Furious. Are you surprised?’
‘I think there is little more you could do to surprise me, Maddalena. So, let us rather say—disappointed.’
‘Why?’ Maddie lifted her chin. ‘Because your nasty little scheme isn’t going to work?’
The dark brows lifted. ‘Is that how you regard my wish to be your lover?’
‘Now who’s being a hypocrite?’ she demanded stonily.
‘My desire for you is real and genuine, Maddalena.’ He smiled suddenly, and she felt her heart thud. He added softly, ‘Let me join you for the siesta later and I will prove it.’
‘And that’s really the only thing on your mind, Count Valieri?’ Fighting the sweet seductive wave of warmth his words had induced, Maddie shook her head. ‘I don’t believe it.’
‘With you in my arms, carissima, how could it be possible for me to think of anything else?’