“Can you please, for the love of God, put something on?” she says with disdain, as if my nakedness is annoying, something to be avoided.
She even sounds bored.
“Why?”
She scowls, her gaze not leaving mine. “Because it’s rude to run around naked.”
I cock my head to the side, taking her in from head to toe. I cannot help but smile. “What are you?”
“What am I?”
“A nun?”
For a moment she seems taken aback. “I’m sorry?”
“Are you a nun?”
She stares at me blankly before her brows shoot upwards. “Wow. You’re a jerk with a capital J. What are you going to ask me next? Whether I’m the maid? Because I bet that’s the fantasy playing right before your eyes now.”
I let out a snort.
She has no idea.
Really, I just can’t help myself. She isn’t just hot; she’s funny too. That’s a sexy combination.
“Well, are you?” I prompt.
She scowls. “No, obviously.”
“That’s too bad.” I cross my arms over my chest as I regard her with the kind of look that’s melted many panties.

Closing her eyes for a moment, Chase pressed her lips together and pulled a breath in through her nose. She opened her eyes, directing the happiness shining there right at him. “Thank you so much. An introduction from you was all it took. Lucinda’s beautiful, and her store’s amazing. We’ve made plans for some wonderful projects that’ll benefit both her boutique and the hotel.”

Chase’s enthusiasm went straight to his gut. He couldn’t help the smile that pulled at his mouth, even as dread weighed heavy in his chest. He’d have to cross Lucinda off his list of allies.

“She’s so warm and inviting. We hit it off as if we’ve known each other for years. That rarely happens for me.” She took a couple steps down the sidewalk, then spun back to him and grabbed the lapel of his shirt. “Grazie.”

In a flash, all his fantasies hit him at once as she pressed her hot mouth against his. The scent of mango and cocoa butter surrounded him like the Mediterranean itself. Without realizing it, he’d pulled her in high against his chest. She angled her head and sucked his lower lip into her mouth with a firm tug. Gesù, minchia. It was all he could do to keep standing. With one arm banded around her waist, he slid the other up into her hair and gripped it tight. Her moan almost sent him over the edge of decorum, and all he wanted was to press her up against the side of the centuries-old building and make history. It might be the kind that landed him in jail, but in that moment he couldn’t have cared less.

She slid her tongue along his lower lip and dove in to take more. But confusion didn’t even begin to describe his feelings as she pulled back and placed three quick kisses on his lips, then pushed at his shoulders to be put down.

“No.” His voice was sharp and low.

Laughing, she pushed at him again. “Drago, put me down. I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have kissed you like that, but I was so relieved.”

He went cold. “Relieved?”