The Playboy of Rome

The words sparked a rush of tempting images to dance through her mind. Dante leaning in and pressing his very tempting lips to hers. His long, lean fingers grazing her cheek before resting against the beating pulse in her throat. Her leaning into him as he swept her up in his arms.

“Lizzie, are you okay?” Dante’s eyes filled with concern.

She swallowed hard, realizing that she’d let her imagination get the best of her. “Umm, yes. I’m just a little jet-lagged. And things were busy tonight, keeping me on my toes.”

His eyes probed her. “Are you sure that’s all it is?”

She nodded.

Where in the world had those distracting images of Dante come from? It wasn’t as though she was looking for a boyfriend. The last man in her life had believed they should each have their own space until one day he dropped by to let her know that he was moving to California to chase his dream of acting. No I’ll miss you. Or Will you come with me?

He’d tossed her aside like the old worn-out couch and the back issue

s of his rocker magazines. He hadn’t wanted her except for a little fun here and there. She’d foolishly let herself believe that they were building something special. In the end, she hadn’t been enough for him—she always came up lacking.

“I’d really like to get some rest.” And some distance from Dante so she could think clearly. “It’s been a long evening and my feet are killing me.”

Was that a hint of color rising in his cheeks? Did he feel bad about putting her to work? Maybe he should, but she honestly didn’t mind. She liked meeting some of the people she’d hopefully be cooking for in the near future. That was if she ever convinced Dante that this arrangement could work.

“Putting you to work was a total mix-up. My apologies.” He glanced down at the floor. “I owe you.”

“Apology accepted.” She loved that he had manners. “Now, does this mean you’ll find me a bed?”

CHAPTER FOUR

THE QUESTION CONJURED up all sorts of scintillating scenarios.

Dante squelched his overactive, overeager imagination. Something told him that there was a whole lot more to this beautiful woman than her desire to be on television and to brush up on her skills in the kitchen. He saw in her eyes a guardedness. He recognized the look because it was something he’d witnessed with his older brother after his young wife had tragically died. It was a look one got when life had double-crossed them.

Lizzie had traveled to the other side of the globe from her home without knowing a single soul, and from the determined set of her mouth, she wasn’t about to turn tail and run. She was willing to stand her ground. And he couldn’t help but admire her strength.

He just hoped his gut feeling about this woman wasn’t off target. What he had in mind was a bold move. But his grandfather, who’d always been a good judge of character, liked her. He surely wouldn’t have gone out of his way for her if he hadn’t. But that didn’t mean Dante should trust her completely, especially when it came to his grandfather.

Nonno had enough on his plate. Since he’d been struck down by a stroke, he’d been lost in a sea of self-pity. Dante was getting desperate to snap his grandfather back into the world of the living. And plying the man with problems when Nonno was already down wouldn’t help anyone.

“Have you told me everything now? About your agreement with my grandfather.”

She nodded.

“You promise? No more surprises?”

“Cross my heart.” Her finger slowly crossed her chest.

Dante cleared his throat as he forced his gaze upward to meet her eyes. “I suppose I do have a place for you to stay.”

“Lead the way.”

With the main doors locked, he moved next to her on the sidewalk. “It’s right over here.”

He led the way to a plain red door alongside the restaurant. With a key card, the door buzzed and he pulled it open for her. Inside was a small but lush lobby with an elevator and a door leading to steps. He’d made sure to give the building a face-lift when his grandfather handed over the reins to him. That was all it took to draw in eager candidates to rent the one available unit that he’d been occupying until he’d moved into his grandfather’s much larger apartment.

“Where are we going?” She glanced around at the new furnishings adorning the lobby.

“There are apartments over the ristorante.”

A look of dawning glinted in her eyes. “Your grandfather mentioned those. It’s where he intended for me to stay while I am here. Are they nice?”

“Quite nice.” In fact the renovations on his apartment had just been completed.