Charmer's Death (Temptation in Florence Book 2) Read Online Free Page A

on vacation, visiting his sister and skiing in Switzerland. And now, finally, they were both back in town, and tonight, she would see him. Maybe she should suggest going somewhere out of town, to avoid any of her family members littering Florence. It would be awful if they ran into her mother or one of her zillion cousins. They were so curious, they would stick to them without shame.
    Tonight. Tonight. Suddenly, she recognized the tune she'd been humming all day long. West Side Story. God, she was smitten. She cut up the empty box and stuffed it into the garbage can. She heard Ricciarda laughing, then a low murmur of voices. She'd been so deep in her thoughts, she'd never noticed the first customer had arrived.
    Carlina pushed the curtain aside and froze. It was Trevor. He bent forward, his handsome face close to Ricciarda's upturned face. She smiled at him as she piled four bras and matching slips onto the counter. Of course, she had no idea who he was. They looked like an advertisement together, for family shampoo or chocolate or something.
    Annalisa's determined face rose in front of Carlina's inner eyes. She shuddered. I don't want to talk to him. She stayed where she was.
    "I won't take these with me," Trevor said. "Just add them to my bags over there. I told the receptionist at the Garibaldi Hotel to send a courier before noon."
    Ricciarda's eyes widened, and she stared at Trevor as if she had seen a ghost.
    Carlina started forward without thinking. "Hi, Trevor. I didn't see you come in."
    "Carlina!" He turned to her and kissed her on both cheeks. "What a charming, raven-haired assistant you have."
    Carlina felt sick. "Yes, she's very good." She tried to give Ricciarda an encouraging smile, but her assistant's eyes looked glassy.
    Talk. Make him talk. Distract him. "How come you're about so early?" she asked.
    "I had planned to take a run along the Arno, but when I passed your store and saw it was open, I decided to say hello."
    Now she noted he was wearing trainers and a sportive outfit. He sure didn't look his age. "How nice." She hoped her smile didn't look as fake as it felt.
    "Why are you here so early?" He winked. "No reason to stay longer in bed?"
    "We're having a promotion today." Carlina felt as if on autopilot. "For run-proof nylons."
    "Yes, Ricciarda told me." He flashed a thousand watt smile into Ricciarda's direction who still stood as if made of marble. "But I don't buy practical things. They're not romantic enough."
    "It doesn't matter." Carlina swallowed. "She already has one pair."
    "What?" Trevor frowned.
    "Annalisa is my cousin." Her eyes held his.
    His eyebrows soared. "Oh. I see."
    "Yes."
    Nobody moved. It was so quiet, Carlina could hear the soft jingle of a metal hanger moving in the warm air coming from the radiator. Something between them shifted. It felt as if their friendship was cut into a million tiny pieces, blown up into the air, and when it settled again, it showed a picture that was unrecognizable, nothing like it had been before.
    Then Trevor smiled.
    For an instant, Carlina glimpsed the old picture, but the change had been too complete, too drastic. They could not go back, never return to their easy banter.
    "Are you going to impersonate the enraged mother now?" he asked.
    "No." Carlina bit her lip. "I . . . I'm just asking you to be careful."
    "To be careful?" His tone mocked her. "Just what do you mean, my dear?"
    "I mean . . . " Carlina swallowed. "Annalisa is very determined." Determined to hurt herself, if only she knew.
    A smile crinkled around his eyes. "I've dealt with determined women before."
    ". . . and young." She met his eyes, willing him to understand, willing him to agree that Annalisa was too young to be a Christmas fling.
    "I know." Trevor touched Carlina's arm. "Don't worry. I've got it all under control."
    She shivered. It sounded like famous last words, though to be honest, if anybody had things under control, it was Trevor, and Annalisa would be the one to lose.