Million Dollar Christmas Proposal

Audrey understood then. To Giovannu, the children were no more than the key to accessing more money for his profligate lifestyle.

“I am severely offended you would accuse me of wanting to take the children in some effort to control their inheritance. They deserve two parents, not one workaholic uncle who understands making money and nothing of the human condition.”

And that explained why the man wanted Audrey gone. The argument held no water if Vincenzo was paying attention to the children, and in Giovannu’s mind that was only happening because Audrey was around.

Vincenzo shook his head. “Coming from anyone else, those words might hurt. From you? They are nothing more than the braying of the ass Audrey called you.”

Giovannu made as if to come into the room, but Vincenzo blocked his entry. “Your things and your car will be leaving my property in…” he looked down at his watch. “…fifty-four minutes. If you do not leave with them, you will be walking, but you will leave.”

Then Vincenzo shut the door on his astonished father before making a beeline for the drink Devon had poured. He tossed it back like a shot.

Audrey winced in sympathy for his throat and nasal passages. Expensive whiskey like that was not meant for shots.

“Do you want another?” she asked, though.

He shook his head and turned to face her. “You waited up for me.”

“I wanted to see you.”

“Was there something particular you needed?” he asked, in what she’d come to think of as his business voice.

“At the risk of providing fodder for your father’s fantasies of my aggressive sexual behavior, I was sort of hoping for a kiss good-night.”

“Is that all you were hoping for, biddùzza?”

“Tonight?” She nodded. “Tomorrow is Thanksgiving and I have to be up early to cook.”

“I do have a chef on staff.”

“Yes, but he doesn’t know how to make Toby’s favorite sweet potato pecan pie. And I’m not giving up my recipe for stuffing, so that means I make it.”

“You are serious about this? You are not teasing me?”

Audrey shook her head. “Some things have to be done out of love. Holiday food is one of them.”

“So, stuffing and pie?”

“And maybe a green-bean almond casserole. Danny’s mom loves it.”

“So they agreed to come for dinner?”

“Yes. Thanks for inviting them.” When Toby had told Vincenzo that he and Audrey had a tradition of sharing Thanksgiving with Danny’s family, her billionaire had insisted they be included in tomorrow’s festivities as well.

“Danny will be staying the rest of the weekend, too. According to Toby, both boys are ‘totally psyched.’”

“Toby told his friend about the indoor pool?”

“And your gym. Apparently it’s sick.” She grinned.

“I am glad it passes the teenager test of worthiness.”

Audrey walked over to Vincenzo and laid her hand on his arm. “I’m sorry about your dad.”

“You have nothing to apologize for.”

“You never believed him for a moment. About me making a pass at him.”

“Even if I had not known how little regard you have for my father after last weekend’s visit, I am in the premier position to judge the likelihood of you behaving aggressively sexually.”

“Yes? I think I could become aggressive with you.”

“That is good to know.”

“Is it?”

“Sì.”

“What about the control thing?”

Suddenly it was his hands on her arms, and she was standing so close she could feel Vincenzo’s heat.

“What about the control thing?” he asked in that darkly seductive voice she’d heard so much of on Saturday night.

She tilted her head back, her lips parting as she tried to think of what to say, but she could not remember what they were talking about.

His kiss was full of promise, heated desire and restraint. Vincenzo ended it much too quickly. “Any more of that and you won’t be leaving my bed until Thanksgiving dinner tomorrow.”

She nodded and then shook her head, seriously discombobulated.

He laughed softly, the frustration of dealing with his father no longer etched so deeply into his expression. “I will walk you to your room.” He kissed her again, outside her door, and then smiled down at her. “I like your pajamas, by the way.”

“They’re not sexy.”

“Define sexy.”

“You know.”

“I do know. You have me hard and seriously tempted to ignore your need to rise early to show your love for your family through cooking. Definitely sexy.”

She was smiling when she closed her door with Vincenzo on the other side.

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

VINCENZO HAD NEVER experienced a family Thanksgiving dinner like the one Audrey orchestrated.

He’d worked this holiday and pretty much every other one each year since taking his first job at the bank. The American branch of the Tomasi family did not do traditional holidays.

He’d had to take a call from Europe early that morning, but the rest of the day was clear and Enzu enjoyed it. Audrey and Toby’s friends were a warm and boisterous family, the love between parents and children obvious and genuine.

They were all relaxing in the living room now that they’d eaten their feast. Danny’s youngest sister and Audrey were playing with Lego on the floor with Franca. The teen’s mother cradled a sleeping Angilu in her arms while the remaining children and their father played Monopoly.

Enzu didn’t even know he had board games, but Devon had brought a stack of them on Audrey’s request.

“She’s a natural mom,” Toby said as he sidled up to Enzu. “Audrey’s got a nurturing streak as wide as the Grand Canyon and just as deep.”

“Sì?” As if Enzu did not know.

It was one of the things he found most intriguing about Audrey Miller. She was so completely different than any woman of his acquaintance. Even Gloria, while an estimable PAA, could not be accused of being remotely family-centric.

“It’s how I knew…” Toby let his voice trail off.

But Enzu thought he knew what the teen meant. “That you could go to her when your parents failed so spectacularly at their job of caring for you?”

“Yes.” Toby’s shoulders drooped and then he made a conscious effort to straighten them. “You know, I never looked at it as a failure on their part.”

“Audrey didn’t fail you, but they did.”

“You’re right. It cost her so much, though.”

Vincenzo thought that was something Audrey would never count. “She’s made it clear to me that she considers the cost worth it.”

Toby shook his head. “I was just a kid, you know? I kept thinking they were going to change their mind and everything was going to be okay again.”

“It was a reasonable expectation.”

“Was it?” Toby asked.

“Audrey’s actions should tell you how reasonable. She is a very good stick by which to measure sincere family behavior.”

“She is, isn’t she? I never want her to think her sacrifice has been wasted.”

“It has not and I know she agrees with me.”

“I’m just glad she’s found you.”

Vincenzo felt an odd sensation in the region of his heart. “Why?”

“I may not be going to MIT, like we dreamed, but I am going away to college.” Toby had a very adult, very Audrey-like expression on his youthful face. “I didn’t want to leave her alone.”

“No?”

“She doesn’t know it, but I applied to universities in New York, too. I’ve been accepted.”

“I thought you and your friend planned to go to school in Massachusetts?”

“Not if it means leaving her on her own.”

“You are a good man, Toby.”

“Thanks. I think you are, too, Mr. Tomasi.”

&n

bsp; “Enzu.”

“You sure? Audrey drilled polite behavior into me even more strictly than Mom and Dad used to.”

“Sì. One day soon we may be brothers.”

“You think?” Toby asked, excitement barely contained in his tone.

“I do, but you will not say anything to Audrey.”

Vincenzo’s decision was made, but he felt completely alien nerves about informing her of that fact.

“My lips are zipped.” Toby made a zipping and locking gesture across his closed mouth.

Enzu grinned. “Good man.”

*

Later that night, after the children were in bed and the extra dinner guests had left for home, Enzu surveyed the scene he had set with a critical eye.

Everything was ready for the final seduction of a very sensual virgin. Except one thing.

There were too many shadows cast by the clusters of candles on the tables on either side of his bed and the large chest of drawers against the wall. Enzu wanted to see more than their flickering radiance would afford when making love to his biddùzza.

He turned on the recessed ceiling lighting, adjusting it to a muted glow.

Better.

Audrey wouldn’t even realize the luminescence from the multiple small flames had been augmented.