The Banker (Banker 1)

She finally yielded to me. “Cato.”

Yes, I definitely liked the way she said my name.

“Is there a specific artist you like? A certain period you want me to explore? Perhaps each room or floor is different?”

“You’re the one who’s been studying me. You tell me.” What had she gleaned from me after studying me for so many weeks? She’d seen my home in Florence. She’d kissed me in a dark room. She’d even seen me near naked, seen the bed where my fantasies came true.

She held my gaze for several seconds, thinking of what her response would be. “I do have some ideas for you. But I think a tour of your home would give me a better idea of where everything should go. I brought my measuring tape. I hope you don’t mind if I make some notes.”

“No.”

She rose to her feet with the folder held to her chest. “I can have Giovanni show me around. I’m sure you’re busy.”

I did have other things to do. I had people to call, emails to write, but staying with her seemed more appealing than all of that. “I’m only busy when I want to be busy.” I led the way out of the room and back into the entryway.

She followed behind me with her pen and tape measure in hand. “I’ve been thinking about this room a lot since it’s the only one I’ve really seen. It’s the first thing guests see when they walk in the door, and you have so much space on this wall that the crown jewel should go here.” She walked to the left side of the room and looked at the blank wall over the staircase. “I can get a ladder and get the dimensions later.”

“Giovanni can help you with that.” I stood behind her with my hands in the pockets of my jeans. Instead of staring at the available wall with the same fascination she had, I tilted my eyes down to her ass. I never got to see her dress on the floor that night. The closest I got to getting her naked was slipping off one of her heels. Now that I was staring at her in the light of day, there was no denying just how sexy she was, from her long legs, perky ass, and those soft shoulders.

“Thanks.” She scribbled a few notes before she turned back to me. “I’m ready to see the next room whenever you are.”

My private office was on the third floor, along with my bedroom. I didn’t use it very often, and most of the time, I just used it to drink and gather my thoughts. It had a large fireplace, one almost as big as the enormous one in the entryway. On a winter night, the raging fire seemed to extinguish the bitterness in my thoughts.

I opened the door and allowed her to examine the mahogany wood of my desk. It was a beautiful, deep color, an example of fine Italian craftsmanship. There were two leather sofas near the fire along with a table. Cabinets were placed on either side of the fireplace, mostly full of booze. There was only a single window in this room right behind the desk. It didn’t have a great view like the other rooms in the house, but that was how I preferred it.

She took her time as she absorbed the mood of the room. “This room is different from all the others. At least, the other offices.”

I leaned against the fireplace and continued to study her, study her the way she studied my environment.

“It’s dark. Moody.”

“I’m a dark and moody man.” I’d always been that way since I was a boy. A therapist could blame it on my father’s abandonment, but I didn’t think that was the only culprit. Ever since I was born, I was a quiet child. During adolescence, I became even quieter, choosing my friends wisely and avoiding romance because it required too much talking. Bates and I were the same in that regard. That was probably why we got along so well.

“You don’t show this room to many people, right?” She turned back around to look at me, her green eyes complementing the wood of my desk and floor.

Bates had been in here a few times. Giovanni and the cleaners stopped by to keep it tidy. Other than that, I seemed to be the only visitor. “No.”

“Then perhaps this room doesn’t need anything. It already has so much character.” She returned to me by the door, holding my gaze steadily. She gripped her folder and mastered her confidence even though I was standing right in front of her. Like a real soldier, she didn’t cower easily. Actually, she didn’t cower at all.

“Your call.”

I stared at the pearls encircling her throat and yearned to grip them hard. I wanted to yank her necklace free and shatter it, making the pearls drop to the floor with quiet thuds on impact. Then I wanted to smother that slender neck with my lips, kissing and sucking the flawless skin until it was bruised with my marks everywhere.