Seduced by Mr. Right Read Free

Emilio joked.
    â€œYou know it!” Antwan popped his shirt collar. “I couldn’t have said it better myself!”
    Chuckling, the men bumped fists and bottles. Emilio couldn’t remember the last time he’d laughed, and it felt good to crack a joke with Antwan. His reprieve didn’t last long, though. His mind wandered, filled up again with thoughts and images of Lucca, and his good mood fizzled.
What am I doing?
I shouldn’t be yukking it up. My nephew died, and it’s my fault.
    The doorbell rang, and Antwan jumped to his feet as if his bar stool were on fire.
    â€œI’ll get it,” he said, leveling a hand over his suit jacket.
    Emilio put down his beer. “Who is it?”
    â€œYour new life coach.”
    â€œMy new
what
?”
    â€œYou need someone to help you get your life back on track, and Sharleen Nichols is the perfect person for the job.”
    To thwart his escape, Emilio stepped in front of Antwan. He folded his arms across his chest and stared him down. “Are you out of your mind?” he asked. “What were you thinking inviting some strange woman to my estate?”
    â€œSharleen isn’t a stranger. I’ve known her for years. She’s worked with several of my other celebrity clients, and they all sing her praises.”
    Emilio wasn’t impressed, not one bit. He sensed Antwan was romantically interested in this life-coach friend. That surprised him, because in all the years they’d known each other, he’d never seen Antwan excited about anyone. Not even the models he routinely hooked up with.
    â€œSharleen graduated from Duke University with honors,” he boasted, checking himself out in the mirrored wall behind the bar. “She’s one of the most passionate, energetic people I’ve ever met, and gorgeous, too. You’re going to get along great. I can feel it.”
    â€œDon’t count on it,” Emilio mumbled.

Chapter 2
    P eace and tranquillity showered over Sharleen Nichols as she drove through the private gates of the lakefront estate on the edge of Greensboro, Georgia. A light breeze whistled through the magnolia trees dotting the manicured grounds, and sunflowers perfumed the morning air. The stone-and-brick mansion was nothing short of perfection, and the property screamed of opulence and wealth.
This isn’t a house;
it’s a compound,
Sharleen thought, driving up the long, winding driveway.
No wonder Emilio Morretti rarely goes out. This place is a dream. If I lived here I’d never leave!
    Sharleen parked behind Antwan’s SUV and turned off the engine. Last night she’d reviewed her notes about Emilio Morretti—the troubled race-car driver with the jaw-dropping good looks—and although she was prepared for their consultation, butterflies danced in the pit of her stomach.
I can’t blow this. My boss is depending on me. And if I want to be considered for the vice-president position, I have to prove that I’m a go-getter, a closer.
    To calm her nerves, Sharleen closed her eyes and breathed deeply through her nose. News articles and magazine covers scrolled through her mind. Emilio Morretti was a third-generation race-car driver, and one of the most electrifying World Series Racing competitors of all time. Championships and fame had come fast and furious, and during his fifteen-year career he’d shattered one world record after another. According to the press, he was a quick-tempered man with expensive tastes who fancied models as much as exotic sports cars. At thirty-five, he was one of the most eligible bachelors in the country and also a bona fide star in his native Italy. Or at least he used to be. Two years ago, he’d walked away from the sport that brought him fame, fortune and international prestige, and he’d turned his back on his fans.
    Sharleen grabbed her leather Birkin bag and got out of the car. She knew better than to believe everything she