After her brief meeting with Joseph, she picked up her book and beach towel and went back to the hotel. Not surprisingly enough, there was no sign of Sebastian. Almost as soon as she laid her head on the pillow, she fell asleep.

After what felt like a few hours later, she woke up and stretched her body. It seemed that the rest had swept away some of her tiredness. Fluttering her eyes open, she saw him. Against the open french windows, his body taut, Sebastian was standing, staring at her. For a moment they looked at each other in silence. From complete relaxation, Andin felt herself plunge into breathless awareness. His face was an expressionless mask. All traces of the desire, rage, and frustration he had shown last night were gone.

"I was beginning to wonder if you would ever wake up," he said flatly.

She stretched, her arms lifted over her head. Under her lowered lashes she saw the blue eyes move swiftly over her as the movement outlined her body under the sheet covering her. "What time is it?" she asked casually.

"Ten in the morning," he said tersely, turning away, his hands thrust down into the back pockets of his jeans. He was wearing a black shirt.

"I slept for more than twelve hours?!" She was astonished. "As late as that? Why did you not knock hours ago?"

"I did," he said grimly, "but there was no reply." His profile was taut. "So in the end I came round to see." He broke off whatever he had been about to say.

Curiously, Andin probed the unyielding profile. "See what, exactly?" she asked lightly.

He turned to her, his eyes icy blue. "I-I thought—" He seemed unable to put it into words.

She frowned, more than puzzled by his response. "Thought?" Her eyes widened. "What did you think, Sir? That I had left you?"

He let out a sad sigh. "That, or—how did I know? There was not a sound from you, and the desk clerk told me you had not checked out. Your key was not down there, so you could have gone out. Andin, you have no idea what a torment it had been for me. There were at least a hundred different possibilities existing in my head."

"Such as what?" she asked, smiling with amusement.

He did not look amused. "You could be sick," he said grimly. "Or worse."

Andin watched him through the veil of her lashes. "Did you, perhaps, think I might be dead, Sir?" The question was softly teasing.

He turned towards the french windows. When he finally replied to her, it was for something else. "Get ready. We have to drop by Roberto's place again. There are some things that we need to discuss with him." His jaw tightened as he added, "I have left him a message and he rang an hour ago to find out when we would be there. You have gotten him mesmerized, he can not wait to see you again."

She asked his retreating back, curious about what he might have thought and she decided to go for the craziest idea that came into her mind. "You did not think I might have committed suicide, Sir?" Her tone was as smooth as silk.

"Don't tease me, Andin." He turned around and the pain in his eyes caught her by surprise. "That is not even funny."

"I know and I am sorry. But I am just surprised," Andin swung her legs to one side and folded the bedcover. "You never seem to worry about what might have happened to me and yet here you are saying you were worried and having some worst-case scenarios."

Flame invaded his eyes. Andin suddenly saw a new look on his features, a bitter menace and hostility mingling with tormented desire. She understood what he intended to do even before he began to kiss her again, uncaring now if he hurt her, wanting to hurt her, his hands savagely insulting as he handled her body. His mouth burned on her skin with violent insistence. She could hear his heart pounding, the raggedness of his breathing as he moved against her. Then almost as soon as his earlier move to pull her to him, he pulled away. "I care."

That was all he said before he walked away and were gone through the joint bathroom. Fully aware of the importance of this meeting with Roberto, Andin quickly got dressed and joined him ten minutes later.

"What about breakfast?" Sebastian asked her curtly, seemingly still annoyed by what had happened earlier. "I already had mine hours ago. Do you want to go and grab something to eat?"

"I am not hungry," she said truthfully. "But I would kill for some coffee."

"I am sure Roberto will provide some," he said unpleasantly as they walked towards the hotel lobby. He signaled the hotel staff and soon a cab pulled over at the front.

"We are taking a cab?" asked Andin curiously. After all, he had a car he could use and if she recalled correctly, he enjoyed driving.

"It is a wonder that I am fine to be inside a car," he muttered under his breath thus she could only hear the sentence partially. "Yes, we are. I'm not driving today."

Andin gave him a brief nod and entered the cab. She gave Roberto's address to the driver and soon they were on the road. Neither of them was talking. But every once in a while, she could feel his eyes on her yet whenever she turned, his eyes were looking out of the window.

Under the bright sunlight, the lawns looked so smooth that they nearly did not look real. The brilliant colors of the spring flowers still carry dew at their centers. A gardener in a straw hat was moving about, hosing the borders, his shoulders damp with perspiration. Roberto met them, sulkily demanding of Andin why she was so late. She apologized, explaining that she had overslept.

Upon hearing her reason, Roberto looked sideways at Sebastian, his frown making it clear he suspected them of having been together all night.

Sebastian's jaw clenched. "Aren't we going to swim?" he asked tersely.

"Let's head to the pool," said Roberto, still a bit sullen. He was wearing a brief white pair of trunks, slung low on the hip, his body smoothly golden from the sun. Against his brown body, his white hair looked even more fantastic.

Sebastian moved away rapidly and they walked after him. Roberto gave her a reproachful look. "You said you were not his girl," he accused.

"I am not. I overslept because I was tired," she said softly. "I have never slept with Sebastian. Sorry to disillusion you, but some of us still have old-fashioned values. If I slept with someone it would be because I loved him. Sebastian is not my lover. Nor would ever be."

"You are a gem, you know that, right?" His eyes searched her face, then he grinned. "There is nothing wrong with being old-fashioned. You do you."

"Thanks, I guess." She shrugged.

"So it's either marriage or nothing?"

Her eyes lowered. Once she might have said that, but now she knew that had Sebastian said he loved her she would not have sent him away. Her own love for him was too strong. "More like love or nothing," she said huskily. "Sex without it is as meaningless as food when one has no appetite."

Roberto frowned, his thin face bothered. "I am pretty sure my mom had said that before but in all honesty, I never expected to find another woman who talked like that."

Andin laughed. "Perhaps you should find yourself one, Roberto."

They reached the pool, strolling at a slow pace. Sebastian had already changed and was standing on the smooth white tiles, staring into the artificially blue water. Roberto paused, a few feet from him, and looked at her wickedly. "Did I not just find one?" He took her hand and planted a light kiss on her knuckles.

She flushed, looking at him with surprise. "I meant—" she began, and he said teasingly, "Don't worry. I know what you meant, darling. And I know you said you are not his woman but I am not blind. I see how you looked at him last night, there is something in your eyes whenever you look at him. I can not describe it. And this morning, I saw it in his eyes too and that was the reason why I thought you might have slept with him last night and now he was being a jealous lover." He gave her hand a little squeeze as a heartbreaking smile formed on her lips. "But I am glad it was not the case."

Sebastian glanced over his shoulder at them, his piercing blues could cut anything.

"I will go and change," Andin said hurriedly, ducking into the small building beside the pool.

When she emerged a while later both men were in the water, tossing a red beach ball from one to the other. She dived into the pool, her slender body cutting the water cleanly. She swam the length of the pool slowly, then trod water, watching as the men continued playing their game.

"Come and play." Roberto invited.

Andin shook her head, her wet hair flicking across her shoulders. For a while she lazed, drifting on the water, then she climbed out and lay down on a low blue lounger, staring at the incredibly blue sky. A few moments later the two men joined her. Sebastian sat down under a red umbrella, beside a white table, and poured himself a glass of lemonade. Roberto took the lounger adjacent to hers and grinned at her. "Would you like a drink? Whiskey or wine, maybe?" He gave her a wink.

"She hasn't had any breakfast," answered her boss for her. "I suppose there's no chance of some coffee?"

"No," Andin said quickly. "It is nearly lunchtime now. It does not matter."

"Are you sure?" Roberto asked. "My maid could bring you some croissants and coffee if you want."

"I'm positive," she replied with a polite smile.

"Fine. But you're going to have lunch here, right?" asked Roberto.

She glanced at her boss, who surveyed her with no smile then decided to enjoy the sun and closed her eyes.

"Why thank you," he replied pleasantly in her stead, but his expression was far from pleasant. "We still have a lot to talk about, Rob. This is very enjoyable, but we have to talk sometime."

"Yeah," said Roberto, leaning back, his slim shoulders settling against the lounger. "Laters." His hand moved and trailed over her naked thigh. "Are you awake, Sleeping Beauty?"

* * * * * * *

Andin opened her eyes to smile at him. "Just about. I must admit, this sunshine is soporific."

"Sop-what now?" he asked oddly. "What does it mean?"

"It makes me feel sleepy," she said, laughing.

"Then it certainly a word that does not describe you," he said, uncaring of Sebastian's listening presence. "You don't affect me like that at all. In fact, contrariamente, you made me wide awake."

She wrinkled her nose at him. In the past, such a remark from a young man might have irritated her, but she treated it lightly now. Her realization that she loved Sebastian had given the world a new brightness, freeing her from many of her cherished inhibitions. She felt laughter bubbling inside her chest. Happiness seemed to course in her blood. It was curious that despite her pain that Sebastian could not return the love she felt, she was so euphoric in his presence. Her nerves were newly sensitized.

Everything seemed to be new to her. Her eyes saw the world with fresh clarity. Smiles of pure delight curved her mouth. She felt free, free of the old longing for affection and security, the obsessive pattern-making which had made her arrange everything in her life so neatly. There was no room for anything inside her but her love for Sebastian now. It had changed everything even though she did not want it.

Roberto moved restlessly. "If you are feeling sleepy then how about another swim?" he asked her.

She cheerfully got up and they entered the water again. For some time they swam side by side, then played with the beach ball. Rob teased her about her poor aim, and she flung the ball straight at him, catching him in the chest so that he slid down into the water. Coughing, he came up and pursued her for vengeance, while she laughed and fled, climbing out of the pool, dripping.

Sebastian looked coldly at her as she sank down on the lounger. Roberto stood over her, breathing fast, his hands on his hips. Shaking back his wet blond hair he said in mock wrath, "I will owe you for that, darling."

"Can we have the discussion now?" Sebastian asked him abruptly.

"You're one persistent human being." Roberto groaned. "Okay, fire ahead."

Both men talked for almost an hour, sitting around the table, the sunshine glinting off the blue water, the fragrance of the flowers which surrounded the pool in white tubs, scenting the warm air. Rob looked suddenly at his watch and made a face. "My chef will be waiting for us to go into lunch." He jumped up. "We should change first, Sebastian."

While the two men changed Andin lay with eyes closed, enjoying the silence and warmth of the morning. The sun was growing stronger as the day wore on, but she enjoyed the feel of it as it soaked into her skin, bringing a flush to it. When she heard a step she lazily opened her eyes, and her heart hammered as her gaze encountered her boss's piercing baby blues. They were moving lingeringly over her slender body. The bikini left so little to the imagination that it merely drew attention to the swell of her white breasts, the flatness of her stomach, and the long curve of her hips and thighs. She felt her breasts grow heavy under his gaze, the nipples tauten so that they were visible under the silken cloth.

Roberto came out of the changing room, apparently oblivious to the atmosphere between them. Cheerfully he said, "I will run in and tell her we are on our way. Come along whenever you are ready, Andin darling." He vanished at a graceful lope, his boy's body slim in his white pants and T-shirt.

Andin slid to the floor and turned to go into the changing room. Sebastian stood in front of the door, and she looked at him warily. He moved out of the way abruptly and she passed him. When she came out a few moments later he was walking back towards the house, his dark head erect. With a sigh, she followed behind him.

They had a very enjoyable lunch; homemade Pâté with crisp golden toast and a small salad, trout au Bretonne, the flesh white and melting, served with deliciously cooked prawns, followed by fresh fruit. Roberto picked up his food. "I have to watch my diet," he sighed.

On the flower-bordered patio in the sunlight, Rob kept Andin amused by his tales of his earlier life as an actor, the boredom, excitement, and lethargy that he had suffered.

In the middle of the afternoon, Sebastian said coolly, "We really have to go now, Rob. Both Andin and I have important appointments in Rome tomorrow. We have to get on a plane."

Rob was reluctant to let them go. "Are you sure you can not stay?" he asked Andin pleadingly.

She gave him a small smile. Despite his aggressive sexuality, there was a good deal of the little boy in him, and she felt easy in his company. He talked a lot about sex, but she had not felt any real apprehension about his feelings. He just enjoyed talking about his early life in Los Angeles to her. Many of the people he met out here in Sicily were strangers to the world he had led in the U. S. as a young boy. No doubt he felt a bit rootless, alienated.

"When you fly over to Washington you must come to dinner at my flat," she said. 'I will cook you some homemade cooking that will remind you of your once home in the States."

He laughed. "It is a promise then," he said. "I will take you up on that."

Rob accompanied them to their cab, waving until they were out of sight. Sebastian gave her a dry, sideways look. "He will surely be hoping for a lot more than a simple meal," he said crisply. "You have never invited one of our clients to your flat before."

She shrugged. "Roberto is rather sweet, do you not think so?"

"Sweet?" His voice held distaste. "I can use a lot of words to describe him and trust me, sweet will not be one of them."

For the rest of the drive, they said nothing. Once they arrived at the hotel, Andin went into her own room and began to pack her case. Sebastian tapped on the door and came into the room, a frown on his face.

"What's wrong?" she asked, intuitively sensing something was worrying him.

"I still haven't heard anything from my brother," he said. "I have called his new phone number and nothing. Look, I think I'll drive over there this afternoon. Our ticket is for the six o'clock flight so I can get there and back before the flight leaves. If I remember correctly, he owns a little cottage that he uses as his studio. Silly me, I hadn't gone there yesterday. I'm going to go there now and if he is not there, I'll go to his house or office."

Feeling concerned, she asked, "Would you like me to come with you?" She knew she could not leave him to face possible bad news on his own. His worry about his brother was at least a sign that he could care deeply about another human being, and she could not bear to think of him being faced with anxiety or grief alone.

He looked at her harshly. "I am sure you would rather go back to Roberto's place and enjoy yourself with him. It will be a dull drive, and it may be a wild goose chase. My brother may be visiting someone or on a vacation."

Her eyes were gentle as she looked at him. "Do you want me to come or not, Jiev?" she asked him steadily.

Sebastian made an irritable face. "You can come if you like," he said indifferently. "We will check out of the hotel when we get back. Leave the rest of your packing until later."

They drove out at a rather slower speed compared to the previous ride. Sebastian seemed to have little to say to her so Andin decided not to comment. Once or twice he said something about the countryside, but otherwise, they went on in silence, each cocooned in their own thoughts. Just like yesterday, another storm was brewing.

Sebastian swore under his breath. "We are running into a storm," he said harshly. "You should have stayed in the hotel."

"I'm not frightened of a little rain," Andin shrugged.

"It's going to get worse before it gets better." He heavily sighed. "And I'm not saying that you are afraid of the rain. I'm just saying that it would be safer for you to be in the hotel room rather than here."

They turned off the highway a short time later, running along narrow lanes through isolated hamlets until they began to descend a steep road. The storm increased in violence, and on these narrow country roads, Sebastian had to drive with great care. The roads curved crazily, and the state of their surfaces left a good deal to be desired. The car jerked and bounced over ruts and rough surfaces, the sound of the storm outside growing louder and louder.

Andin rubbed at her side window, peering out. They had closed all the windows and the interior of the car had steamed up. Lightning tore down the black sky, the flash of it making her start violently. She shrank away from the window, her hand automatically reaching for the security of Sebastian's arm. She was shaken with terror. The sound deafened her so she clutched at him instinctively, just as he was taking a bend, and the movement made his arm jerk. The car veered sharply to the wrong side of the road. Luckily they were going at such a slow speed that when they hit a tree the impact merely threw them both forward and made the car bonnet fly upward. Dazed, Andin sat up, her forehead throbbing from the blow it had received on the dashboard, he disentangled himself from the steering wheel, clutching his midriff.

"Tian. Oh my gosh! Are you hurt?" Anxiously she turned in her seat to face him, her own pain was long forgotten.