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So out of control Once she had prided herself on her self-discipline There had been no place for a man in her battle-plan Men took, s Maybe when she was at least thirty, she had thought with the naive certainty of youth, maybe when she was comfortably established in her career, she would let aexistence 'He' would be enthusiastically supportive of her ambition, content to accept that only that one tiny little compartment was his…

Fate had had the last laugh on her Fate had thrown up Vito, a male as diametrically opposed to her ideal as he could possibly be Once Vito had believed that he had her where he wanted her, so besotted she couldn't think straight, he had tried to change her into a totally different person Piece by piece he had eroded her confidence, criticising this, censuring that Thank God she had woken up

One day sheback at her An unhappy woman, hooked on a th and self-worth to take the antidote It would be news to her sister, but in Ashley's opinion there could have been no worse fate than to end up respectably married to Vito di Cavalieri…

'There is no point in waiting any longer' The receptionist flashed an irritated look The phase ofpast 'I did warn you that Mr di Cavalieri wouldn't be available When he's in London, he's exceptionally busy His appointment book is filled weeks in advance'

He wasn't available on the phone and he was no more available in the flesh He had to see her He simply had to He knehy she was here and he had to understand There was nobody more family-orientated than Vito She had called in sick at the day nursery where she worked as an assistant On the dot of opening time, she had entered the Cavalieri Bank Two hours on, she was still on the ground floor of a twenty-storey building Perhaps it was naive of her, but she was appalled by the growing suspicion that Vito wouldn't even give her five minutes of his time

Her surroundings reeked of expense and elegance Cross a brain like a steel trap with the faot success, the sort of success that even the receptionist wore like a mantle of superiority Ashley reddened, painfully conscious that four years ago she would have strolled into this i in jeans and a T-shirt and an unconcerned smile Then, it wouldn't have bothered her that she looked shabby and out of place In those days she had been secure in herself But she wasn't now As the axe of retribution had fallen on every hope, dream and attachment she had ever cherished, her self-confidence had dive-boly

Vito wasn't going to see her She tasted the concept, retreated froht, so they hadn't parted friends In fact, they had parted on the most violent terms of mutual hatred, but somehow she had assumed that Vito would opt for the civilised response

'Miss Forrester?' It was the receptionist again 'If you're prepared to wait for another hour, Mr di Cavalieri may be able to see you It's not definite now,' she warned 'His senior secretary is trying to squeeze you in before lunch'

Ironically, that condescension sent fury hurtling through Ashley 'How very kind of her,' she said sharply 'You can wait on the top floor,' she was told frigidly The top floor was sumptuous Involuntarily she was iain The svelte brunette on the desk looked her over covertly The loose khaki jacket and cotton trousers she ere the closest thing she had to a suit Her hair was doing its usual stint of falling down, dropping untidy tendrils round a face that already felt horribly hot In all, she felt a mess

By the end of another hour, she was a li speeches and follow-ups had deserted her Vito, she was convinced, was deliberately keeping her waiting Vito had the art of subtle, ertips

'Mr di Cavalieri will see you now'

Gulping, she scra of nerves, harassed by unwelcoreeted her at the foot of the corridor 'I'ive you ten minutes'

Ten minutes to plead Tim's case to aa sweetie paper on the pavehter TenVito's capacity for holding on to a grudge, nothing hat she had almost received

Double doors spread wide into an enormous office An acre of plush carpet stretched before her She could see a desk with a coically, it was aher quite unnecessarily that she was entirely on Vito's ground with nothing between her and desperation but the fli quite as accurately as she did…

Her skin dampened Vito was in vie Taller than she remembered, darker than she rely attractive than she had ever allowed herself to res were there; the superbly elegant suit, the absolutely unshakeable goodthat coldly polite smile But they were only a facade on a fiercely elealaxy away froe-man ideal

'Thanks for seeingshe had planned Indeed, it sounded dely humble to her own ears

CHAPTER TWO

'I'M SURE you'll understand that I' rude when I ask you to be brief' Vito indicated the chair placed in readiness about six feet from the desk If his secretary had stepped forith a blindfold, Ashley wouldn't have been surprised 'I'll be as brief as possible'