A Proposal to Remember

Carlo frowned at his own thoughts. Women had been trying to trap him into a serious relationship for years but he’d never been remotely tempted.

Until tonight.

‘Do you believe in love at first sight?’

Matt stared at him with naked incredulity. ‘I can’t believe you just asked me that.’

Carlo grinned. He couldn’t believe it either. ‘Well?’

‘Only when I’ve had several drinks,’ Matt responded wryly, shaking his head as he scrutinised Carlo’s face. ‘Tell me you’re not serious. You’ve only just met her.’

‘I know that.’

But she’d affected him in a way that no other woman had before.

Matt let out a long breath and tried to reason with him. ‘You can’t do this. Not now. You’re supposed to be keeping a low profile. What if she goes to the press? The whole idea of the false name was to fool the press.’

‘She won’t go to the press,’ Carlo said easily. ‘She doesn’t know who I am.’

‘Yet.’ Matt lifted an eyebrow meaningfully but Carlo refused to lose his cool.

‘Relax. This isn’t Italy. And I don’t think she’s the type to read glitzy magazines.’

Matt sighed. ‘Well, at least take me with you next time.’

I

t was Carlo’s turn to lift an eyebrow. ‘I never thought you were kinky.’

‘I’ll wait outside,’ Matt growled, and Carlo gave a grudging smile.

‘You’re a good friend, but I don’t need a watchdog.’

‘Really?’ Matt looked at his cheek. ‘So how did you get that?’

Carlo lifted a hand and touched the bruise with the tips of his fingers, a soft smile touching his mouth. ‘I was attacked.’

‘Attacked?’ Matt stared at him in growing dismay and Carlo’s grin widened.

‘By the woman. I tried to rescue her—’

‘And she hit you?’ Matt looked stunned and Carlo started to laugh.

‘We had a misunderstanding. She didn’t realise I was rescuing her.’

Matt laughed too. ‘No wonder you think you’re in love with her. There’s something very sexy about a confident woman.’

Carlo gave a half-smile, knowing that only part of Zan was confident and feisty. The other part was feminine and shy, and the combination was mind-blowing.

Matt’s smile faded. ‘Look, you feel this way because she doesn’t know who you are. It’s just the novelty.’

Carlo thought about it. ‘It isn’t that.’

Matt shot him a frustrated look. ‘This is a really, really bad time for you to get involved with someone, Carlo. You don’t know anything about her.’

Carlo’s expression darkened. ‘And she doesn’t know anything about me. There is no way she’d be involved in all this, if that’s what you’re suggesting. She’s totally innocent.’

Completely innocent.