Matteo

by Cassie-Ann L. Miller

  He looks at me, his smile mirroring my own. He leans back in his chair and loosens the knot of his tie. “Ready.”

  I hit ‘record’ and pull my pen and paper into my lap. “So, Matteo – you were the head of the Real Estate law team at the prestigious Cartwright Moretti Stevenson at the young age of 31. And you decided to leave it in order to launch your own legal practice. Tell me a little bit about how you came to that decision.”

  A pensive expression takes over his features as he thinks of his response. “Cartwright Moretti Stevenson was my father’s law firm. He and his partners built it from the ground up and I respect that. But the firm had a practices and policies that didn’t resonate with me as an individual. I became tired of living in the shadow of someone else’s dream. I wanted to build my own. From scratch. Just like my father did.”

  I look into those dark brown eyes and I can see that the answer came straight from the depths of him and that he meant every word that he said. And in this moment, I develop an even greater sense of respect for this man. He wants to live a life that he believes in. He risked it all to make that happen and he’s moving fearlessly to the next level.

  “How did you know that it was the right time to take this huge step in your career?” I ask, still jotting down his previous response.

  He’s silent for a while, so I glance up at him. He’s looking at me – no, into me. “I met a woman – she’s beautiful and brave and she plays by her own rules. She built her own world from scratch instead of waiting to inherit the life that her father had built. She’s proud and determined and inspirational and her love gave me the incentive to be the same way.”

  I feel my heart pitter-patter in my chest. “So, are you saying that New York City’s most eligible bachelor is taken? Matteo Moretti is off the market?” I feign ignorance.

  He plays along. “I am taken.”

  “Tell me a bit more about this lucky woman.” I know that this line of questioning is completely self-indulgent and I’m going to have to put a big, fat disclaimer on the article letting readers know that Matteo Moretti is my man, but for the sake of my own ego, I need to hear him tell me again what’s in his heart for me.

  I listen, blushing, as he paints me with beautiful words. He speaks from the heart about how he feels for me. And it’s the mirror image of the things I feel for him.

  I’m so lucky that this man came into my life.

  I love him for loving me.

  I love him for fighting for me.

  I love him for breaking all the rules just to make me his girl.

  I was broken when he met me. Although I appeared to have it together on the outside, I was in shards on the inside. And he was man enough to put me back together again. He’s the piece of me that was missing and now that I’ve found him, I’ll never let him go.

  Matteo Moretti made me whole.

  He’s the reason I left the New York Flame in Dove’s very competent hands and am gearing up to launch the Manhattan Social Digest, a blog dedicated to publishing exclusive interviews with members of New York high society. I’m not digging through people’s trash trying to find their dirty little secrets anymore. I’m sitting face-to-face with them and asking them the burning questions everyone wants answered.

  And Matteo is my first interview.

  “Next question,” he says to me with a smirk, his dimples clefting his cheeks.

  “Let’s talk about your new law practice for a bit. How does your family feel about your decision to strike out on your own?” I chew on my fingernail as I wait for his answer.

  His relationship with his family has been strained ever since he and I made our relationship official. Things are on the mend, but I foresee a difficult road ahead. His sisters resent him for dating a woman that they basically view as a spy. His father and brother hate the fact that they’ll have to name an outsider to manage the law firm when Michael enters politics. And his mother? She’s just cranky in general.

  Matteo pulls in a sharp breath. “My family’s incredible and I love them very much. I won’t pretend that my decision to go solo hasn’t caused tensions but the Moretti kids are very close. And we support each other in everything.” He chuckles to himself. “As a matter of fact, Michael offered to stop by my office the other day to bring me lunch. He showed up with two peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and a couple of juice boxes. We had a good laugh about that.”

  I slap my hand to my mouth to stifle a giggle.

  Just then, there’s a light tap at the door. “Yes?” Matteo calls out.

  Anna-Maria pokes her head into the room. “Sorry to interrupt, Matt but, do you have the Strombolis file in here?”

  “Yeah – here you go,” he says scooping a file from the corner of his desk and handing it to his assistant. My eyes meet hers and we share a weak smile. Anna-Maria has been cordial with me every since Matteo convinced her to leave Cartwright Moretti Stevenson to work with him and that’s really all I can ask for under the circumstances. Matteo says he can’t do his job without her and from what I’ve seen of their work relationship, I believe him. She’s reliable, efficient and she makes him a better lawyer. So, I’ve got to respect her for that.

  He returns his attention to me once his assistant pulls the door shut. “Last question,” I say, glancing down at my notepad. “So, we all know that employees tend to sneak away with little ‘souvenirs’ when they leave their job to strike out on their own. What’s the most valuable thing you stole from Cartwright Moretti Stevenson when you left?”

  He tosses his head back and laughs. “That’s a controversial question,” he says. “I could get into a lot of trouble for answering that.” He’s silent of a moment. “I guess I’d say Anna-Maria. She’s excellent at her job. She’s loyal to a fault. And I can depend on her to make me look good to our clients.”

  I snicker a bit. “Thanks so much for giving this interview, Matteo,” I say as I stop the tape recorder.

  He eases out of his chair and rounds his desk. “Of course,” he says as he takes me by the wrists and pulls me to my feet. “Anything for you.” He perches himself on the corner of is desk and kisses me softly. “Absolutely anything for you.”

  I throw my arms around his neck and straddle his hips. “So, are we gonna christen this desk today or what?” I say, smiling against his mouth.

  He kisses me again. Deeper this time. “I really wish we could, but I have a client coming in –“ he lifts his wrist to glance at his watch “ – 11 minutes.”

  I pout as he sets me down on my feet. “That’s too bad. I’m disappointed.”

  “Don’t be,” he says as he kisses me on my forehead before starting back towards his seat. “If business keeps going the way it’s been going, we’ll christen this desk. Then, another. Then, another. Before you know it, I’ll have offices all over this country. All with desks waiting to be christened by you and me.”

  I giggle. He’s so silly. But I’m so excited for him. I can’t wait to see where his legal practice goes. And where my new blog goes.

  I love this man. He’s made me better.

  We’ve made each other better.

  I slip my notepad into my bag and grab my sweater from the chair next to me. “I’ll get out of your way, then.”

  He takes me by the wrist. “I have something for you.”

  I cock an eyebrow at him. “Really. What?”

  He slides open the drawer of his desk and hands me a laminated card hanging from a lanyard strap. ‘Press pass’ is printed across the front.

  “What’s this?” I ask, running my fingers across the plasticized paper.

  “Exclusive access to Madison and Domenic’s wedding. You can take as many pictures as you want. You can interview any of the guests. And you can publish it all on your new blog.”

  I think my jaw just hit the floor for a second.

  I eye him suspiciously. “And, your sister’s okay with this?”

  He scratches his eyebrow. “I won’t lie – it took some convincing but ult
imately, my siblings want me to be happy. I told them that you’ll be around for the long haul whether they like it or not so they’re trying to adjust to the idea.”

  I push a puff of air out of my mouth. “Okay…” I nibble on the nail of my thumb. Matteo has forced me to lunch with his sisters twice over the past few weeks. It’s been pretty awkward both times, but I could tell they were making somewhat of an effort. Still, this offer is much more than I could have expected from Madison. “Inviting me to the wedding is one thing. But letting me write a story on it is quite another,” I note.

  Matteo just shrugs one shoulder as he rakes a hand through his hair. “I think it’s Maddie’s way of extending an olive branch. My sister comes across as standoffish but she has a good heart. She knows that she was rude to you when you first came around – and she would never apologize outright for that – but she wants to show you some goodwill. Plus, I think that, because of my relationship with you, she trusts you to cover the story more than she’d trust a complete outsider.”

  “So, I’m not a complete outsider?” I tease.

  He comes close and wraps his arms around my waist. “No, Ms. Parker. It appears that you’ve made it to the inner circle.”

  I snuggle my face to his chest. “That’s really good to hear.”

  That’s when Matteo’s phone rings. It’s Anna-Maria informing him that his appointment has arrived. I take that as my cue to get out of his space. He has work to do.

  And I have to go shopping for an outfit for the wedding!

  Chapter 50

  Gosh – her strut still makes my cock do somersaults.

  I watch Ellie make her way over to the dessert table, her fingers interlaced with Tilly’s. She looks fucking spectacular in that short, hip-hugging navy blue dress. It’s covered in lace and glittery things that make her eyes sparkle. She lets go of Tilly’s hand just long enough to grab her camera and take a few snaps of the food laid out on the table. Then, she lets Tilly pick out her favorite treats and stack them high on a plate. They giggle together when a chocolate éclair falls off of the plate and tumbles under the table. Then, Ellie stoops down and kisses Tilly on the crown of her head.

  I can’t believe that beautiful woman is all mine. I’m one lucky bastard.

  I glance up just as Michael circles the bar and slides into the stool next to me. “Hey man.” He sets down a beer in front of me.

  “Hey,” I say punching him in the shoulder. Our relationship has been much better since I left Cartwright Moretti Stevenson and hung out my own shingle. Going our separate ways professionally has relieved a lot of the tension in our personal relationship.

  He chugs back nearly half of his beer in one gulp. “Can you fucking believe that little brat just got married?” He tips his beer bottle in the direction of the dance floor where Madison and Domenic are slow dancing to a fast song, staring at each other like there’s nobody around for miles.

  “It’s crazy. I still can’t believe it,” I say, feeling a silly smile curl my lips. I glance over at Ellie. She and Tilly are sitting with Aunt Margret; Ellie’s scribbling away on her notepad. I chuckle. I doubt she has enough paper – Aunt Margret will talk until the sun comes up tomorrow morning. Chatty old hag.

  Michael leans close to me. “She has no idea, does she?” A grin slides across his lips.

  “No fucking idea,” I say with a wicked chuckle.

  This ring is burning a hole in my pocket. The moment I saw that two-carat white gold antique-style diamond engagement ring, I knew it belonged on my Ellie’s finger. Yes – I know that we’ve only been together for a few months, but it feels like every minute that passes and she’s not my wife is a minute wasted…I don’t want to waste another second.

  That’s why I rented the penthouse suite at the Gingham Hotel tonight. I’ve had candles and rose petals set up. There’s champagne and chocolate-covered strawberries laid out for us. I’m going to get down on one knee and ask her to marry me.

  And she’s going to say ‘yes’.

  Then, I’ll make her my wife as soon as she’ll let me. And we’ll spend the rest of our lives together.

  There’s just something about that woman that makes me want to give her happily ever after. And nothing will stop me from doing just that.

  She sneaks up on me, coming from behind and lacing her arms around my neck. She places a kiss on the side of my face and I could drown in the scent of her. “What are you two over hear grinning about?” She eyes my brother and me warily.

  “Not a thing,” Michael says with a suppressed grin as he quickly jumps out of his seat, returning to the table where our parents are sitting with Mackenzie, Tilly and Ruth.

  “Well, fine then,” she mumbles, puckering her lower lip as she sits in my lap and looks into my face. “You’re not gonna tell me, either, are you?” She sets her camera and notebook down on the bar top.

  I chuckle. “Not a chance.”

  “Fuck you,” she mutters as she slides her lips over mine and her margarita-flavored tongue glides into my mouth.

  I pull away and smirk at her. “All night long, baby.”

  She throws her head back and laughs lightly. “You’re silly.”

  I let my eyes linger on her face. I let her beauty soak in. This love has changed me. It has shaped me into a man. I can’t even remember who I was before she strutted into my life. And now, there’s no turning back for me.

  My future is with her.

  Next to her.

  On top of her.

  Inside of her.

  Forever.

  Thank you for purchasing

  “Matteo”

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  &

  grab your copy of the other stories

  by Cassie-Ann L. Miller

  Esquire Girls Series

  Amber’s Story

  Up All Night (Amber – Book 1)

  In your Arms Tonight (Amber Book 2)

  Live for the Night (Amber Book 3)

  When the Night is Over (Amber Book 4) - (The conclusion to Amber’s story)

  Or get Amber’s full story, all in one boxed set: Amber Nights (Amber – Books 1, 2, 3 & 4)

  Madison’s Story

  Waiting, Always (Madison – Book 1)

  Yours Always (Madison – Book 2)

  Loving You Always (Madison – Book 3)

  Always & Forever (Madison – Book 4) – (The conclusion to Madison’s story)

  Or get Madison’s full story, all in one boxed set: For Madison, Always (Madison – Books 1, 2, 3 & 4)

  Ruthie’s Story

  Desire, Untamed (Ruthie – Book 1)

  Blinded by Desire (Ruthie – Book 2)

  Desire Ablaze (Ruthie – Book 3)

  Beyond Desire (Ruthie – Book 4) – (The conclusion to Ruthie’s story)

  Or get Ruthie’s full story, all in one boxed set: Ruthie’s Desire (Ruthie – Books 1, 2, 3 & 4)

  Hailey’s story

  Moment of Weakness (Hailey – Book 1)

  A Moment in Time (Hailey – Book 2)

  Beyond this Moment (Hailey – Book 3) – (The conclusion to Hailey’s story)

  Esquire HEAT Series

  A Very Eager Intern

  A Very Frustrated Attorney

  Chapter 1

  I swirl the red around in my long-stemmed wine glass, glaring at my buzzing cellphone on the mahogany coffee table. I sink back into the plush, beige cushions of the couch and with my free hand, pull the cream throw blanket tighter around my shoulders.

  The phone rings once more.

  Twice.

  Three times.

  My resolve breaks.

  I pounce on it and hit ‘Answer’ right before the call is filtered to my voicemail.

  When wrestling against my better judgment, my neediness wins out every time…at least when it comes to him.

  “Madison, I’m coming up.” His commanding voice rushes out of the earpiece before I even have the chance to say ‘hello’. “I’m entering t
he lobby,” he announces.

  “You’re here?”

  “I said I’m coming up, Madison.”

  “That’s a bad idea, Chase.”

  “Go unlock the door. I’m in the elevator.”

  “No, Chase.” I glance over at the tabloid laying on the coffee table. As many times as I’ve told myself that I am done with this bullshit, I always somehow end up underneath him, sweating and panting and screaming out his name. And he enjoys it. He gets high off of the power he has over me. “Not tonight,” I mutter under my breath tossing back the last of my red wine and setting the goblet down on the coffee table.