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cream does it for me. Where do we go?”
    Gia walked across the car and opened the passenger door. “If you are happy to take me home first and wait for me while I change, I’ll take you to the best gelateria in all of Italy.”
    “All of Italy? That’s a big call.” Nic followed her and held the car door open.
    She grinned up at him as she slid into the low slung seat. “Everywhere I’ve been, anyway.”
    And that was probably not many places. His impression of the village—and her family—was that this was where life was lived. Not like the jet-setting life of his family. Skiing in the Swiss Alps, swimming on the French Riviera. That was why the Baldinis hadn’t used the Tuscan villa enough to make the locals happy. They had houses all around Europe. But it was not the time to share that; he didn’t want to frighten her off. He had to see more of her work.
    He’d made progress, and now that Gia had agreed to come with him he’d have a chance to see it. He vaulted over the side of the car and slipped into the driver’s seat.
    Gia shook her head and smiled at him as he started the car. “I’m not that easily impressed, you know. I’ve got a big brother. Macho stuff doesn’t work for me.”
    The sports car purred along the road, and the silence was companionable while he waited for directions to her cottage. “I met your brother tonight.” He flicked a glance over to her. She was leaning back, letting the breeze rush over her face and her hair was in even wilder disarray. Untamed. His fingers tingled as he thought of running his hands through that wild mass of curls. Had he thought her hair a messy cloud? The lush curls were gorgeous.
    “Lucky you.” A soft chuckle escaped her lips. “Poor Gabriel, he doesn’t know when to stop. Usually I don’t let him bother me, but tonight—”
    Nic was aware of her studying his profile as he focused on driving up the hilly road.
    “Tonight?” he prompted when she didn’t continue.
    “No matter. I was just out of sorts.” She waved a hand. Nic was hard pressed to keep his eyes on the road. Her lips were naturally a deep rosy pink and slightly parted as she rested her head on the leather headrest. He wondered if she had any idea of the beauty simmering beneath the shy facade she presented.
    Gia pointed to an opening just beyond a stand of trees, and he slowed the car and turned in to park beside a low wooden gate. Before she could open the car door, he stepped over the low door on his side and walked around to open hers. He held his hand out to help her up from the passenger seat and satisfaction ran through him as she dropped her gaze. She was reticent, but the sparks were smoldering beneath the surface. Her fingers lingered in his for a few seconds after she climbed out.
    “I’ll be quick.” She ventured a shy smile as she pulled her hand from his and turned to the gate.
    As he waited by the car he appreciated the view of her long, shapely legs as she hurried across to the stone cottage. He didn’t want to scare her off, even though she did appear more comfortable with him. He was anxious to see the rest of her paintings, and he was keen get to know her on a different level, but he would bide his time. Many of the business deals he’d pulled off in the last year had called on his patience, and often involved playing a cat and mouse game. So he wasn’t going to appear overeager to Gia. He had a feeling she’d run like the startled rabbit he’d compared her to before.
    First priority. Win her trust. See her art.
    He leaned back against the car. The moonlight was bright enough to see the buildings beyond the gate Gia had closed behind her. An old stone farmhouse with a couple of small outbuildings sat on the side of the hill, with a magnificent view over the valley and the village below. Everywhere he looked, there was a landscape waiting to be painted. A few minutes later, when the door closed behind Gia, an outside light came on, bathing the building in