Return of the Italian Tycoon

Her gaze strayed to Angelo. What exactly had been his intention in giving her this magical day? Suddenly she decided she didn’t want to analyze it—she just wanted to enjoy it.

The maître d’ stopped next to a table by the railing. The view was spectacular, but even that word didn’t cover the magnificence of the sight before her. The sea gently rolled inland, lapping against the rocks below the balcony. The glow of the sinking sun danced and played with the water, sweeping away her breath. She didn’t know such a beautiful place existed on earth.

“If this is a dream, I don’t want to wake up.”

Angelo smiled at her. “Trust me. I’m having the same dream and I have no intention of waking up anytime soon.”

“You have made this a day I’ll never forget.”

“Nor will I.”

She continued to stare across the candlelit table at Angelo, who was decked out in a black tux that spanned his broad shoulders—the place where’d she’d been resting her head not so long ago. Even his dark hair was styled to perfection. Her fingers itched to mess up the thick strands while losing herself in another of his kisses. But that would have to wait until later. It would be the sweetest dessert ever.

The maître d’ presented the menus and explained the wine list to Angelo before walking away. Everything sounded delightful.

Angelo peered over the menu at her. “I hope you brought your appetite.”

She nodded, eating him up with her eyes. This was going to be a very long dinner.

However much Kayla wanted to throw caution to the wind, there was still a small hesitant voice in the back of her mind. And try as she might, it was impossible to ignore. She’d worked so hard to get to where she was at Amatucci & Associates—did she really want to jeopardize her dreams? And worse yet, if she did continue to thrive there, would she always wonder if her flourishing was due to the fact that she’d had a fling with her boss?

“Did I tell you how beautiful you look?” The flickering candlelight reflected in his dark eyes as he stared across the table at her.

“You don’t look so bad yourself.”

“You mean this old thing?” He tugged on his lapel. “I just grabbed it out of the back of my closet.”

His teasing made her laugh. Maybe she’d worry about all of the ramifications tomorrow. “Is it possible that we never have to go back to New York? Couldn’t we just live here in this little piece of heaven and never let the moment end?”

“Mmm...I wish. I’ve never enjoyed myself this much. But we can make the most of our time here.” His eyes hinted at unspoken pleasures that were yet to come. “You know if we weren’t in public and there wasn’t a table separating us, I’d finish that kiss we started back at the spa.”

Her stomach shivered with the anticipation. “Then I guess I have something more to look forward to.”

“We both do.”

* * *

Like Cinderella swept away in her carriage...

The limo moved swiftly over the darkened roadway back to the palace. All Kayla could remember of the dinner was staring across the table at her date. Angelo had presented one surprise after the other, and somewhere along the way, she’d lost her heart to him.

She didn’t know when her love for him had started. It was a while back. Maybe it was when she first witnessed how much Angelo cared about his family. Or maybe it was when he’d given her a tour of his village and told her about pieces of his past—finally letting down that wall he kept between them. Then somewhere, somehow, Angelo Amatucci had sneaked into her heart.

Kayla loved him wholly and completely.

The revelation shook her to her core. Part of her wanted to run from him—from these feelings. They had the power to destroy everything she’d built for herself back in New York. But how did she turn off the powerful emotions that Angelo evoked in her? And did she want to?

Just a look and he had her heart racing. Her body willingly became submissive to his touch. And she reveled in the way he’d looked at her back at the spa. He had no idea that her insides had been nothing more than quivering jelly when she stripped down to her undies. But when his eyes had lit up with definite approval and then desire, her nervousness was quickly forgotten.

In his eyes, she saw her present and her future. She saw a baby with Angelo’s dark eyes and her smile. Startlingly enough, the thought didn’t scare her off. In fact, she liked it. Maybe it was never the idea of a family that frightened her, but rather she’d had her sights set on the wrong man.

“Hey, what has you so quiet?” Angelo reached out and pulled her to his side.

“Nothing.” Everything.

“I hope you had a good day.”

“It was the best.” She turned her head and reached up, placing a kiss on the heated skin of his neck. There was a distinct uneven breath on his part.