Propositioning the Rich Italian Read Free Page B

nerves of being alone with the sexiest man on the planet.
    He stared at her for a moment. When the moment increased to two, she began to wonder if he’d heard her.
    “Just trying to figure out why you walked away from me after we shared the most earth shattering kiss I am positive either of us has ever experienced.”
    His level of smugness embarrassed her. She should deny his claim, act like her reaction to him was normal for her. Instead, she told him the truth. “Because I had no idea I was swapping saliva with a Carabelli.”
    One corner of his mouth tilted upward into a smile, and her breath caught in her throat.
    Lord, this man is handsome.
    “Is that such a bad thing?”
    She blinked at him, wondering if she’d spoken aloud. He gave her a puzzled look, and she realized he referred to her earlier statement. She closed her eyes and nodded. Maybe she would be able to focus if she wasn’t looking at him. She spoke softly.
    “Yes, it is.” She couldn’t keep her eyes closed. “You are more than I bargained for.”  
    As soon as the words tumbled out of her mouth, she knew she should have chosen better ones. His gaze became even more heated, but she held up her hands before he could say anything and they ended up in more trouble than they already were.
    “What I am trying to say is I want my affair to be with someone less risky.”
    The other corner of his mouth went up, and she had a sinking feeling she would be in for a long night. She couldn’t think with this man around.

    * * * *

    Antonio studied the woman across from him for a moment, trying to figure out how he should handle this. She looked as if she wanted to bolt at any instant, and he couldn’t blame her for being skittish. This overwhelmed to him as well, but she intrigued him, and curiosity only made him want to explore the possibilities.
    “ Cara , I hate to tell you this, but any affair is risky. It is what makes it exciting.”
    He took a step toward her, but the flash of vulnerability in her eyes made him stop. He forced himself to remember she’d just been hurt by the man she planned to marry. She wasn’t one of the fast-paced women he typically dealt with. He closed his eyes briefly before reopening them.
    “What is it about me being a Carabelli you find so threatening?”
    Her eyes widened, and she stared at him as if he’d lost his mind. “ You own a five-star hotel in Rome, Italy .” She winced. “Sorry. I didn’t mean to shout.”
    He smiled, doubting anyone heard her. The rooms were made to keep sound in. Her expression became slightly irritated, and he remembered the corners of his mouth still curved upward in amusement. He cleared his expression, not wanting her to think he was laughing at her.
    “And this is a problem because?”
    “I am from Boulder City, Nevada.”
    His eyebrows furrowed together in confusion. “It is about twenty miles outside of Las Vegas, no?”
    She nodded mutely.
    The corners of his mouth curled upward. “I haven’t been there before, but I have been to Las Vegas a few times.”
    He left out it tended to be a location a woman he dated in the past enjoyed.
    “For the exception of my flight here, I haven’t,” she stated in a small voice.
    His eyes widened as he grasped the meaning behind the statement. He didn’t think anyone who lived so close to Las Vegas wouldn’t go at least once. It only confirmed for him the woman standing in front of him couldn’t be described as anything but special. Not to mention different, very different.

    * * * *

    Tierra tried hard to keep her head up and not collapse from embarrassment. Nothing was wrong with her or that she’d never been to Las Vegas. She wasn’t drawn to the flashy lights of the city. Las Vegas appeared less attractive if one lived near it their entire life and she knew so many people who lost everything they had by being attracted to the famous strip. She blinked when Antonio spoke.
    “How long have you lived in Boulder City?”
    “All