The Villa

bothered to carry a purse as well, and what the hell she put in it. Breath mints, a little bag of unopened candy, a mini-tape recorder, Wet Naps, matches, a couple of floppy disks and some file folders, a pair of Hi-Liters and a bottle of clear nail polish.
    Amazing, he decided. It was a wonder she didn't walk crooked once she strapped it over her shoulder. Just passing the time, he flipped through the file folders as he replaced them. She had a tear sheet of the first ad, a comp of the second, a ream of scribbled notes and a stack of typed ones.
    He found the press releases, with the notes scribbled over them. Lips pursed, he read the English version and found it solid, strong and smart.
    He'd expected nothing else.
    Then he found the altered ad.
    Holding it, and a copy of an envelope addressed to her, he came straight up. He was still holding them when he shoved open the bathroom door.
    "What the hell is this?"
    She'd nearly fallen asleep. When she blinked the first thing she saw was his furious face. And the second the sheets in his hands.
    "What were you doing in my briefcase?"
    "Never mind that. Where did you get this?"
    "In the mail."
    "When?"
    A hesitation, brief but long enough to let him know she was considering a cover.
    "Don't bother jiving me, Sophie. When did you get this?"
    "Yesterday."
    "And you were planning to show it to me… when?"
    "In a couple of days. Look, would you mind if I finish up in here before we discuss this? I'm naked and covered with boy bubbles."
    "A couple of days?"
    "Yes, I wanted to think about it and I went to the police with it. To Linc just today so I could get a legal opinion. I can handle it, Ty."
    "Yeah." He looked at her, up to her chin in froth, her face haunted by shadows of fatigue. "You're a real handler, Sophia. I guess I forgot that part."
    "Ty—" She slapped a fist on the water when he walked out and closed the door. "Just wait a minute." She got out of the tub and, rather than drying off, just wrapped a towel around herself. She went after him, leaving a trail of water and bubbles.
    She called him again, cursed him and heard the back door slam shut as she raced downstairs.
    She slapped on the outside lights, saw that his long, angry strides were carrying him toward the vineyards. Tightening her grip on the knotted towel, she ran outside.
    Her bare foot came down hard on a small stone, inspiring a fresh string of curses as she continued in a limping run.
    "Tyler! Just wait a damn minute." She hurled insults at his back until she realized she was using Italian and they might as well have been promises of undying love to his ear. "Listen, you idiot, you coward. You stop where you are and fight like a man."
    Because he stopped, whirled around, she all but plowed straight into him. She pulled up short, puffing like a steam engine and hopping to take the weight off her sore foot. "Where do you think you're going?" she demanded.
    "You don't want to be near me now."
    "Wrong." To prove it she tapped a fist on his chest. "You want to take a shot at me, fine." She angled her chin. "I'd rather somebody take an honest punch than walk away."
    "As tempting as that is, and believe me I'm in the mood to punch something, I don't hit women. Go back in the house. You're wet and half-naked."
    "I'll go back when you go back. In the meantime we can have this out right here. You're mad because I didn't come running to you over that nasty bit of business. Well, I'm sorry, I did what I thought best about it."
    "You're half-right. You did what you thought best, but you're not sorry. I'm surprised you bothered to call me tonight just because somebody tried to kill you."
    "Ty, it's not the same thing. It's just a stupid picture. I wasn't going to let it upset me, or you, or anyone."
    " You weren't going to let. There you go. Teamwork, my ass."
    He was shouting now, such a rare occurrence she could only stare up at him. A big, furious man who'd finally snapped his leash.
    "You decide what you'll give, how much and when. Everyone's supposed to fall in line with your schedule, your plan. Well, fuck it, Sophie. Fuck that. I just stepped out of line. Goddamn it, I love you." He hauled her up on her toes, calloused hands against pampered skin. "You're it for me. If it's not the same on both sides, it's nothing. Do you get it? Nothing."
    Furious with both of them, he dropped her back on her feet. "Now go inside and get dressed. I'll take you home."
    "Please don't. Please," she said, touching his arm