The haze of pleasure was only slightly infiltrated by the deep voice that drawled, “I see now why you turned down my offer for dinner.”
Chapter 10
Damiano stilled, recognizing the voice instantly, but not as quick to believe that he’d heard the words right. Disbelief and irritation at the interruption warred inside him.
Merda.
It couldn’t be true. Rachel’s little story had been real?
Without acknowledging the other man just yet, he lifted his head to stare down at Rachel. Her eyes were still closed, her parted lips a bit more swollen now. His entire being resented the fact that he’d had to abandon exploring the sweetness of her mouth.
Her lashes swept up. The look of dazed pleasure was slowly replaced by dawning comprehension. Then came the shock and the panic. Damiano’s jaw clenched as she tried to push out of his arms, and he made no effort to release his hold on her just yet.
Her gaze moved to his and there was a blatant incredulity in her eyes now.
“Damiano,” she hissed, pushing against his chest.
He released her, but only enough to slide an arm around her waist and turn to face the man behind them.
“A pleasure to run into you here, Lionelli.” He flashed an easygoing smile. “I didn’t realize you were interested in my assistant.”
The hotel mogul shoved his hands into his pockets and gave a wry smile. “Well, if it’s any comfort, it was on a personal level, not a business one.”
“I’m not sure either would be a comfort.” Damiano infused a hint of icy warning into his words.
The two of them weren’t enemies, by any means, but to call them friends would’ve been a stretch. They’d met several times when Damiano had stayed in one of his hotels on business.
Rachel shifted, glancing up at him with apparent confusion. She opened her mouth, and then closed it again.
“Duly noted.” Lionelli’s gaze turned equally hard and cool. “Had I known she was involved with you, Mantovani, I would’ve avoided poaching on your territory.”
“Territory?” Disdain dripped from the word, as Rachel clearly decided she was unable to keep silent anymore “Excuse me—”
“A good idea,” Damiano continued, his focus only on Lionelli now. “Because I don’t take kindly to others setting their sights on what belongs to me.”
Rachel made a choking noise, while a bit of humor flickered in Lionelli’s eyes. The other man nodded, gave Rachel a considering glance that still held far too much interest than Damiano cared for.
“Touché. And with that, I’ll wish you both a good evening then,” Lionelli murmured, before disappearing back into the building.
So Lionelli was the magnate who’d been so eager to seduce Rachel. The one who’d offered to take her to Masa. Clearly the man knew nothing about Rachel and how that offer had more than likely turned her off than on.
Oh, he knew Samuele Lionelli’s type all too well. Actually, they had a lot in common when it came to women. And he knew without a doubt that any interest Lionelli had in Rachel would’ve been for the span of a few rounds of sex, before she’d be tossed to the curb like every woman before her.
If Damiano was considered an affluent womanizer, than Lionelli was at master level.
“Okay, I don’t know what kind of pissing match that just was,” Rachel began, her voice shaking with fury. “But there was so much wrong with the last five minutes, I cannot even begin to list them all. But, let’s be clear about one thing. I’m not a stapler on your desk, Damiano. I do not belong to you. I can quit my job anytime I wish.”
His lips twisted into a wry smile as he nodded. When he’d made that remark, he wasn’t even entirely sure he’d meant in the employee form. Rachel might’ve been his employee, but the idea of her sleeping with one of his business associates didn’t settle well with him at all.
“My apologies,” he murmured. “I was a bit worked up at the moment when I said it.”
“Clearly.” She pressed a hand to her forehead. “Didn’t you think kissing me as part of the lesson was a bit extreme? I mean, you don’t have to fill in every little detail of what I should expect. It was a little—”
“It wasn’t part of a lesson.” He fought to choose his words carefully.
She turned to face him. “What do you mean?”
He decided to be blunt. “I mean, I didn’t think your billionaire love interest was real.”
Her brows drew together, disbelief flashing in her eyes. “I don’t understand. If you didn’t think my story was real, then why did you offer to take me tonight? Why this dress? These lessons?” She swallowed visibly. “Why did you kiss me?”
“Because I wanted to,” he said simply, “and I assumed your story was a ruse.”
She just stared at him for a moment, and he could imagine the gears in her head working.
“And please tell me just what you think it was a ruse for?” Her tone had lowered, her words unsteady.
“To get us into bed together.” He lifted one shoulder in a shrug. “It seems, however, that I was wrong. My apologies.”
She went completely still and her cheeks slowly began to fill with color. She made little choking noises and shook her head.
“Rachel—”
“You thought I was making all this up so you’d go to bed with me?” Her voice rose in disbelief. “How do you even go through a doorway with such a big ego? Of course it wasn’t a ruse! Do I look like the type of woman who would jeopardize her job for a fling with her boss?”
He didn’t reply, because he knew the answer to that. If he’d really used more than his hormones to think with, he would’ve realized Rachel never would’ve made the first move.
Merda, but he’d really made a mess of things.
“And you were going to sleep with me?” she continued in dismay. “You kissed me, hoping it would lead to more?”
“Tell me I’m wrong and there’s not this attraction between us, Rachel.”
Her gaze slid from his, but she shook her head. “I could probably kiss the next guy who walked out onto this balcony and have the same response.”
His teeth snapped together. There was no chance she would’ve melted in some stranger’s arms the way she just had with him.
“And now you’ve gone and ruined any chance I had with Samuele with that silly little display of dominance.”
She was angry, and she had every right to be. He sighed and caught her hand when she moved to walk past him.
“The damage is done, Dolcezza. And in all honesty, I’ve done you a favor tonight.”
Tugging at his hand, Rachel tried to pull away. “You’ve destroyed any chance I had at finding someone else—” She broke off and bit her lip. “It doesn’t matter.”
“It does matter. And if you truly want to pursue a relationship with Lionelli, then maybe tonight could work in your favor.”
Rachel narrowed her eyes, wondering just what on earth he could mean by that.
She’d almost spilled the beans. Had almost outright admitted she’d seen dating Samuele Lionelli as a way to escape her growing attraction to Damiano. He’d asked her to deny their attraction to each other, and she couldn’t, but neither would she confirm it.
No good could come of that. She wouldn’t act on it. And this little kiss tonight had been a mistake. A wonderful, toe curling mistake, but a mistake nonetheless. And he still held her hand, so why wasn’t she trying to remove it?
“Lionelli will never take you seriously, Rachel. He may think he will, but I know the man too well. Right now you’re a dainty elusive flower he wouldn’t mind plucking—”
“Oh lovely. Some poorly phrased innuendo that I’m a virgin.” She couldn’t help but grimace.
“I said plucking, not—”
“Oh, please do stop. You don’t need to be crude.”
Damiano laughed softly. “I apologize. But once he’s bedded you—yes, sorry, I promise this is the last bit of crude—he’ll move on soon afterward.”
“Well, I’m hardly the type to hop into bed with a man on the first date.”
His brows rose. “Are you waiting for a marriage proposal before sex?”
“Don’t be ridiculous. It’s just,” she hesitated, “Love, or being halfway there, would be nice. And, yes, maybe I’m a little old fashioned, but I’d like sex to mean something more than a physical release.”
“Those are the words of a naive romantic.” His mouth thinned and the hand that held hers tightened. “And this is why Lionelli will never take you seriously.”
She flinched, feeling a bit stung. “You think I don’t realize that? This is why I came to you for advice in the first place. It was a terrible idea.”
“You should’ve given me his name to begin with and we could’ve avoided,” he waved his hand, gesturing to nothing, “all this.”
All this being the kiss. The idea twisted her heart a little, and she knew she wouldn’t regret it. Maybe brush it under the virtual rug, per say, but never regret it. And she would take that little secret to the grave with her.
“I knew you both moved in the same circles. I didn’t want you to get weird about it.” When he looked about to argue she lifted her free hand. “Don’t deny you wouldn’t get weird, when it literally just happened.”
His expression darkened. “You must up the stakes.”
“And how do I do that?”
“A man loves competition. Make him fight to win you. Make him want to keep you beyond a night, and more toward forever. Because that’s what you want, is it not?”
Rachel hesitated. Did she? In her head she hadn’t even gone that far. Samuele had been a distraction. A nice man she should have said yes to immediately, but had turned down because of her own insecurities.
“Honestly, I couldn’t even begin to tell you at this point,” she admitted wearily. “And I hate this competitive stuff, Damiano.”
“For men like us, we thrive upon it.”
“I know you do. Say I did decide your advice was sound—which I’m not saying it is—there’s a small problem. I’m blatantly single right now. Samuele has no competition.”
“After what just happened between us, that is not the impression he has.” Damiano stepped closer and tugged her hand to his lips. He brushed a kiss across her knuckles, sending another wave of warmth through her. “He thinks you are my lover now.”
Her heart pounded at the words. The illusion they painted. “But I’m not, it was all a mistake, and he’ll probably realize that sooner or later.”
“He saw us in a passionate embrace, Dolcezza. There is no mistake in that.
Her heart pounded faster as she tried to figure out what he was implying. Before she could say anything, though, several people spilled out of the doorway onto the balcony, laughing and chatting loudly.
“Come, I think it is time we leave.” He cupped her elbow and steered her back inside and through the crowded room.
Soon they were away from the event, in the back of the Rolls Royce, and being whisked back toward her apartment in Brooklyn.
She turned her head slightly, to glance at him through lowered lashes. His profile displayed a brooding demeanor. Lips pursed and eyes narrowed, as if he were deep in thought. Did he regret tonight and all that had occurred?
He must’ve felt her gaze on him. “What I was trying to say earlier is the damage is done, but maybe we can use it to both of our advantage.”
“I couldn’t possibly see how.”
“Look, I wasn’t completely honestly with you, Rachel.” He sighed. “When I invited you tonight, my motives weren’t all together altruistic. Yes, I intended to give you a glimpse into what it would be like on the arm of someone like me, but I had an ulterior purpose.”
“And that purpose would be?” The hairs on the back of her neck lifted.
“I wanted us to be photographed together tonight entering the gala. And I intended to inform my mother that you were no longer just my assistant, but my inamorata.”
Chapter 11
Rachel’s pulse was pounding just about as hard as her head now. Disbelief ran rampant through her.
“What does your mother have to do with this? And why on earth would you want her to believe I’m your girlfriend?”
“I made a promise, somewhat carelessly, that if I was not seriously involved with someone by my next visit, I would agree to take out a woman my mother has been trying to convince me to marry.”
“Now that is unfortunate,” she murmured, ignoring the sudden heaviness in her chest. “Because you don’t do serious.”
He gave a slow shake of his head. “No, I don’t.”
“And you’re going to Italy on Monday.” It all clicked in place. She’d scheduled his trip, which was a mix of business and pleasure. “And by taking me to the gala you realized it could work in your favor. You just tell your mother we’re together, and then you can back out of the promise to take out this other gal?”
“Something of the sorts.”
“Well she must be quite the troll.”
His mouth tightened into a grim slash. “You’ve no idea.”
“I wouldn’t be surprised if you only kissed me because you had a photographer ready to snap an image,” she muttered thickly.
When he didn’t immediately deny it, as she’d expected, she gave a small gasp.
“Okay, maybe I would be surprised.”
He grunted. “A photo of an intimate moment between us is evidence even my mother wouldn’t dispute.”
She flinched and looked away. In the past she’d appreciated his candidness, but right now she wanted to tell him where he could shove it
For a moment, she’d been convinced he’d actually wanted to kiss her tonight. That maybe he’d been driven past control by the same need she felt. But that had been incredibly naïve of her. Damiano never lost control. Every move he made was carefully calculated. Motivated. And right now, she was just a pawn in his world.
“If you want to tell your mother we’re a couple so you can avoid going on a date, then fine. No harm to me,” she said bitterly. The car came to a stop outside her apartment building and she reached for the door handle. “I think I’m done.”
“Done? How so? You’re not quitting, are you?” Visibly panicked, he caught her arm.
“Done for the night.” She shot him a loathing glance. “I’m sure you’d find it quite convenient if I quit my job, though, wouldn’t you?”
“I can’t lose you, Rachel.”
As his assistant, of course. When was it that she’d begun hoping for more? That night in Paris. It had to be it.
“Look, I only want to change out of this dress, wash my face, and go lie in bed and think about all the craziness of this evening.”
“Rachel, wait.”
Reluctantly, she released her hold on the door and glanced back at him.
“Come to Italy with me.”
It was more of a command than a request, but it would’ve shocked her either way.
“Why? To pretend to be your lover?”
“Yes. Just one week. Your presence will not only appease my mother, but it’ll be giving you exactly what you need. More training, shall we say, on what you can expect if you are to become serious with someone such as Lionelli.”
Just looking at him, and the complete lack of humor in his gaze, showed her he was completely serious.
Go to Italy with him. Pretend to be his girlfriend. All for what? To keep his mother off his back? To win Samuele Lionelli’s affection? She shook her head and looked away.
“Samuele won’t want me after this.” She wasn’t even sure what she wanted anymore.
“He will. Because once we return to New York, you’ll be the one to end our relationship, and we’ll make sure everyone knows.” He gave a brief smile. “You’ll be suddenly quite available, and even more desirable.”
“Or maybe he’ll see me as your hand-me-downs and have no interest whatsoever,” she murmured coolly.
“Ah, you stil
l have so much to learn, Dolcezza. Lionelli’s words may have been polite this evening, but now more than ever, he will want you. He will try and take you from me.”
I’m not yours to begin with. The words were on the tip of her tongue, but she swallowed them.
“Think about coming to Italy with me. I’ll not accept your answer until the morning.”
“I can give you my answer now,” she quipped, struggling against irritation.
“Tomorrow.” He caught her hand again and brushed a kiss against her knuckles. “A week away from the office will be good for us both, especially after tonight.”
As if she needed that reminder.
Her door was opened a moment later by the chauffeur, and she quickly made her escape. Even if she was relieved that he didn’t insist on seeing her to her door this time, he still waited until she’d entered the building.
Once she was back in her apartment and unpinning her hair, she let out a heavy sigh.
He wanted an answer by tomorrow? Well, it wouldn’t be any different than what it had been tonight. And that was a big fat no.
“Well, if it isn’t my celebrity roommate.”
Rachel glanced up just as Lexi sauntered into the room, an iPad under one arm, and her usual cup of tea in the other.
“Celebrity? What on earth—”
“Bam, check it out.” Lexi flipped the iPad around, revealing a giant picture of Damiano and Rachel on the red carpet.
“They have it up this fast?” she asked numbly, recognizing the website as a trendy celebrity gossip site.
“They sure do. And there’s a call out for any info on who you are.” Lexi grimaced. “Girl, they’ll probably know every little detail about you by morning. Where you went to college, who your kindergarten teacher was…”
Rachel’s stomach kept sinking lower and lower. “This is a mess.”
“Yeah it is. A hot mess with your hot boss.” Lexi’s grin slipped into a bit of a sympathy smile. “And this may make your life miserable at the office on Monday.”
Taught by the Tycoon Page 6