Hired:The Italian's Bride

“If I’m joining you, then I must excuse myself. I have so much to do…if you’ll excuse me.”

She didn’t dare look up into Luca’s face. If she did she’d be caught. Instead she hurried away, mentally assessing her wardrobe and wondering what on earth would be suitable.

Luca watched her go. She hadn’t said as much, but from her blush she’d thought Gina was his lover. A wrinkle formed between his brows. Interesting. Perhaps Mari wasn’t as immune as she pretended to be.

“She’s lovely, Luca. I can’t imagine why you haven’t mentioned her.”

Gina’s voice diverted him and he spun back around. “There’s nothing to mention. Unlike yourself. Let’s go to my suite so you can tell me why you’re here, Gina.”

Once in the rooms, Luca went to a cabinet and opened the door. “Wine or brandy?”

Gina smiled. “Neither. Oh, it’s good to see you. You travel too much and I never see you anymore.”

He led her to the sofa, then sat on the arm of a nearby chair. “Father sent you?”

“Father sent the sculpture you asked for. I chaperoned it.”

Luca held his annoyance. He hadn’t seen Gina in weeks and he didn’t want to argue.

“And you, I suppose, had to get your finger in the pot.”

She grinned cheekily. “Darling, it’s what I do best. I’d be a horrible sister if I didn’t help at least a little with our newest acquisition.”

“I thought you were busy with your newest acquisition.” He slid off the arm and down into the cushions, crossing his ankle over his knee. “How is my new niece?”

“Growing. And her brother is turning my hair gray.”

“Good. You deserve it.”

She snorted out a laugh. “I have missed you, Luca.”

“And I you. But you have Angelo and the children now. You didn’t need to come.”

“I still have an interest in Fiori, Luca. Father sent me with the sculpture and to see if you needed a fresh set of eyes. And resources.”

“You need to be with your family.”

“I left the children with Carmela, the nanny, at Father’s. Traveling with two small children…” Gina shook her head. “It will be a grand holiday for them, with Carmela to keep them in line and Papa to spoil them. It makes me feel needed. Something of my own.”

“And where is Angelo?”

“He is in Zurich, seeing to a new project. He will be back in a few days, and then Carmela and the children will go back to our villa. You worry too much, Luca.”

Luca smiled, though his heart wasn’t in it. Gina tried hard to be the exception. She insisted she and Angelo had found each other and now they had two beautiful children. Yet he’d always had the feeling that Angelo wasn’t good enough for her. He had a difficult time believing it was enough to last. He couldn’t help but wonder if down the road his sister was in for heartbreak. The same way their father had been.

Perhaps he was just being overprotective. He always had been where Gina was concerned.

Gina yawned, covering her mouth with a hand. “I’m sorry. It was a long flight.”

“You are exhausted, Gina. Why don’t you nap now.” He stood and urged her down onto the plush cushions. “You don’t want circles beneath your eyes tonight, or to be yawning through dinner. You can rest here, since I have work to finish downstairs. When I get back, I’ll wake you and we can get ready, hmm?”

“And discuss the Cascade, don’t forget.” She winked at him. “Grazie, Luca.”

“Prego. Rest now.” He took the blanket—the same one he’d wrapped over Mari’s arms—and laid it gently over her as her lids drooped.

His fingers grazed the soft blanket and he remembered Mari’s eyes, closed, as he’d fed her crème brûlée. Remembered the feel of her, warm and soft against him in the limo today as she’d slept. He’d wanted to slide his arm around her and pull her on to his lap, feel her curled around him.

She had no idea what drove him. No idea why he worked so hard to prove himself. But Gina’s comment about wanting something of her own made sense to him. He wanted to prove himself, to step forward and take a larger role at Fiori. His father had shouldered all the burden of the company, and family, as he and Gina had grown up. Luca had worked hard to take some of that burden, and now he just wanted what was his due.

In the beginning he’d thought it would be fun to make Mari see life was more than a balance sheet. It had seemed like a game. And admittedly he was good at games. But it had backfired. He hadn’t counted on feeling attracted to her himself.