The Playboy of Rome

by Jennifer Faye

  Dante eyed her up as though attempting to gauge her sincerity. She sent him a pleading look. Under the intensity of his stare, her insides quivered. But she refused to turn away.

  “Even though he insists on meeting you, I will leave you behind if I feel I can’t trust you.”

  “So he does want to meet me.” This time she did smile.

  “Don’t go getting all excited. I still haven’t made up my mind about taking you with me. You know it’s a bit of a ride.”

  Meaning Dante didn’t like the thought of spending yet more time alone with her. To be honest, she couldn’t blame him. She’d basically dropped into his life out of nowhere with absolutely no warning. How could she possibly expect him to react any different?

  But then again, she had noticed the way he’d looked at her last night. As if she were an ice cream cone on a sweltering hot day and he couldn’t wait to lick her up. To be fair, she’d had similar thoughts about him. No one had ever turned her on with just a look.

  She halted her thoughts. It wasn’t worth it to go down this path. It’d only lead to heartbreak—her heartbreak. In her experience, men only wanted an uncomplicated good time. And she couldn’t separate her heart and her mind. It was so much easier to remain detached. If she was smart, she’d turn and leave now. But she couldn’t. Not yet.

  “You can trust me,” she pleaded. “I won’t upset Massimo.”

  “I don’t know—”

  “If you won’t take me to him, then give me his address. I’ll find my own way there.”

  Not that she had any clue how she’d get from point A to point B without a vehicle, but she was certain that Italy had public transportation. That was one of the things she’d discovered when she’d researched coming here. So now Dante wouldn’t stand between her and meeting Massimo.

  * * *

  Dante hated being put in this position.

  All he wanted to do was protect his grandfather—well, that wasn’t quite the whole truth. He didn’t relish the car ride with Lizzie. He was certain she’d keep at him, trying to convince him to change his mind about the television spot. His jaw tightened. He had other priorities with the sale of the ristorante to negotiate.

  Then this morning when he’d phoned his grandfather to verify that he’d agreed to this television segment, his grandfather had come to life at the mention of Lizzie’s name. After weeks of Nonno being in a black mood, this was the first time he’d sounded even remotely like himself. Dante made every excuse to get out of taking Lizzie to meet him. His grandfather would have none of it.

  Unwilling to disappoint his grandfather, he said, “You can come with me on one stipulation.”

  Hope glinted in her eyes. “Name it.”

  “There will be no talking about the contract or the cooking show this weekend.”

  “But the camera crew will be here Tuesday morning expecting to begin filming before the restaurant opens. What will we do? We haven’t even decided how to proceed.”

  “Let me deal with them.” He’d already called his solicitor that morning. Even though it was the weekend, this couldn’t wait. He’d pay the exorbitant fees. Whatever it took to find a way out of this mess.

  She narrowed her gaze. “You’re going to break the contract, aren’t you?”

  “Why wouldn’t I? I never agreed to give up two months of my life.”

  “But I...I can’t repay the money.”

  “What money?”

  She glanced away and moved to the window that looked out over the street. “They paid me a portion of the fee up front. And it’s already been spent. I can’t repay them.”

  That wasn’t his problem. But his conscience niggled at him. All in all, Lizzie wasn’t bad. In fact, she was smokin’ hot. And when she smiled it was as though a thousand-watt lightbulb had been switched on. But when she opened her mouth—well, that was a different story. She knew instinctively which buttons of his to push.

  He wanted to think that she was lying to him just to gain his sympathy, but his gut was telling him that she was being truthful. Those unshed tears in her eyes—those were genuine. There had to be a compromise but he didn’t know what that would be at this point.

  Until he figured out what that was, he had to say something to ease her worry. “I can’t promise you this will work out for you. But if you quit worrying while we’re away, I give you my word that I’ll share what my solicitor uncovers before I make any moves.”

  She hitched a slender hip and tilted her head to the side. He couldn’t help but smile at the way she was eyeing him, trying to decide if she should trust him. He supposed he deserved it. He had just done the same thing to her.

  The strained silence stretched on, making him uncomfortable. “Okay, you’ve made your point. I’ll trust you not to pull the poor pitiful me card around my grandfather, if you’ll trust me not to take any action without consulting you.”

  Why did he feel as if he’d just struck up a losing deal? For a man used to getting his way, this was a very unsettling feeling.

  CHAPTER SIX

  THIS WOULD IMPRESS HER.

  Dante maneuvered his low-slung, freshly waxed, candy-apple-red sports car around the street corner and slowed to a crawl as he approached the front of the ristorante. Lizzie stood on the sidewalk with an overnight bag slung over her shoulder and her face lifted toward the sun. She didn’t appear to notice him. The sun’s rays gave her golden mane a shimmery glow. He wondered if she had any clue how her beauty commanded attention. Something told him she didn’t. There was an unassuming air about her.

  Without taking time to consider his actions, he tramped the brakes and reached for his smartphone to snap her picture. It wasn’t until he returned it to the dash that he realized how foolish he was acting. Like some schoolkid with a crush on the most popular girl in school.

  Back then he’d been so unsure of himself—not knowing how to act smooth around the girls. That all changed after he moved to Rome. Away from his father and brother, he’d grown more confident—more at ease with the ladies.

  His older brother, though, always had a way with the women...but Stefano had eyes for only one girl, even back in school. They’d been childhood sweethearts until it came to a devastating end. The jarring memory brought Dante up short.

  He eased the car forward and parked next to Lizzie. He jumped out and offered to take her bag, but she didn’t release her hold. In fact, her grip tightened on the straps. What in the world?

  “I just want to put it in the boot. There’s no room inside the car. As you can see, it’s rather compact.”

  She cast him a hesitant look before handing over the bag. He opened the door for her. Once she was seated, he stowed her bag with his. He was surprised how light she packed. He’d never met a woman who didn’t need everything including the kitchen sink just to go away for the night. Lizzie was different in so many ways.

  And now it was his chance to impress her with his pride and joy. Anytime he wanted to make a surefire impression on a woman, he pulled out Red. He’d bestowed the name upon the luxury sports car, not just because of its color but because the name implied an attitude, a fieriness, and that was how he felt when he was in the driver’s seat.

  “Ready?” He glanced at her as she perched a pair of dark sunglasses on her face, hiding her expressive eyes.

  “Yes. I’m surprised you’d choose to drive.”

  “Why wouldn’t I drive?” He revved the engine just because he could, and he loved how the motor roared with power.

  Who complained about riding in a fine machine like this one? He’d dreamed about a powerful car like this all of his life, but his father made him wait—made him earn it on his own without dipping into his trust fund. At the time Dante had resented his father for standing in his way. Now Dante found himself grateful for the challenge. He’d learned an important lesson—he could accomplish whatever he set his mind to. Even his father had been impressed with the car, not that he’d said much, but Dante had seen it in his eyes the f
irst time he’d driven up to the villa.

  Lizzie adjusted her seat belt. “I thought I read somewhere that people utilize public transportation here.”

  He glanced at her as he slowed for a stop sign. Was she serious? She’d prefer the train to his car? Impossible. “I thought the car would be more convenient. We can come and go as we need.”

  “Oh. Right. And do you always run stop signs?”

  “What?”

  “There was a stop sign back there. Didn’t you see it?”

  “Of course I did. Didn’t you notice how I slowed down and checked that there was no cross traffic?”

  “But you didn’t stop.”

  His jaw tightened as he adjusted his grip on the steering wheel. “Are you always such a stickler for rules?”

  “Yes. Is that a problem?”

  “It depends.”

  Silence settled over them as Dante navigated them out of the city. Every now and then he sneaked a glance at Lizzie. She kept her face turned to the side. The tires clicked over the brick roadway as Rome passed by the window. The cars, the buildings and the people. He’d never been to New York City and he couldn’t help but wonder if it was as beautiful as Rome. The lush green trees planted along stretches of roadway softened the view of block-and-mortar buildings. Thankfully it was Sunday, so the roadway wasn’t congested with standstill traffic.

  They quickly exited the city. Now was his chance to find out a little bit more about her before she met his grandfather. His gut told him there was a lot she was holding back. It was his duty to make sure there weren’t any unpleasant surprises that might upset his grandfather. Dante assured himself that his interest was legitimate. It had absolutely nothing to do with unraveling the story behind the sad look in her eyes when she thought no one was watching her.

  “Where in New York do you come from?”

  Out of the corner of his eye he noticed how her head swung around quickly. “The Bronx. Why?”

  “Just curious. I figured if we’re going to be spending some time together, we might as well get to know a little about each other.”

  There was a poignant moment of silence as though she were deciding if this was a good idea or not. “And were you raised at this vineyard we’re going to visit?”

  Fair was fair. “Yes, I was. It’s been in my family for generations. But it has grown over the years. And now our vino is a household name.”

  “That’s an impressive legacy. So how did you end up in Rome helping your grandfather run a restaurant?”

  How in the world did this conversation get totally turned around? They were supposed to be talking about her—not him. “It’s a long story. But I really enjoyed the time I spent working with my grandfather. I’ll never forget my time at Ristorante Massimo.”

  “You make it sound like you’re leaving.”

  Dante’s fingers tightened on the steering wheel. He had to be more careful with what he said. He could feel her puzzled gaze as she waited for him to affirm or deny her suspicions. That he couldn’t do. He hadn’t even told his family yet that he was planning to sell the place. There was always one excuse or another to put off the announcement.

  But now that the negotiations were winding down, he was out of time. He needed to get his grandfather’s blessing to include the family’s recipes as part of the sale. Dante’s gut tightened.

  And the other reason he hesitated to bring it up was that he knew his father would use it as one more thing against him. His father always blamed him for Dante’s mother’s death during childbirth. Though logically Dante knew he wasn’t responsible, he still felt the guilt of playing a part in his father’s unhappiness. The man he’d known as a child wore a permanent scowl and he couldn’t recall ever seeing his father smile. Not once.

  When they communicated it was only because Dante hadn’t done a chore or hadn’t done it “correctly.” Who could blame him for moving away to the city?

  But over the years, his father seemed to have changed—mellowed. He wasn’t so critical of Dante. But was it enough to rebuild their relationship?

  “Dante, are you planning to leave the restaurant? Is that why you’re hesitant to help me?”

  What was it about this woman that she could read him so well? Too well. “Why would you say that?”

  Before she could respond, the strums of music filled the car. He hadn’t turned on the stereo and that certainly wasn’t his phone’s ringtone.

  “Oh, no!” Lizzie went diving for her oversize black purse that was on the floor beneath the dash.

  “Something wrong?”

  “I told my sister to only call me if there was an emergency.” She scrambled through her purse. With the phone pressed to her ear, she sounded breathless when she spoke. “Jules, what’s the matter?”

  Dante glanced at Lizzie, noticing how the color had drained from her face. He wasn’t the sort to eavesdrop, but it wasn’t as if he could go anywhere. Besides, if she was anything like his younger cousins, it was most likely nothing more than a romantic crisis or a hair emergency—at least he hoped so for Lizzie’s sake.

  Most of the time when he was out in public, he grew frustrated with people who had their phones turned up so loud that you could hear both sides of the conversation. Lizzie obviously felt the same way as him, as hers was turned down so low that he couldn’t hear the caller’s voice. Lizzie wasn’t much help as she only uttered things like: “Okay.”

  “Yes.”

  “Mmm...hmm...”

  When her hand started waving around as she talked, Dante didn’t know if he should pull over or keep driving.

  “He can’t do that!”

  Who couldn’t do what? Was it a boyfriend? Had he done something to her sister? The fact that Lizzie might have a man waiting for her in New York gave him an uneasy sensation.

  At last, Lizzie disconnected the call and sank back against the leather upholstery. He wasn’t sure what to say because he didn’t have a clue what the problem might be. That, and he wasn’t very good with upset women. He didn’t have much experience in that department as he preferred to keep things light and casual.

  Unable to stand the suspense, he asked, “Problems with your boyfriend?”

  “Not a chance. I don’t have one.”

  He breathed a little easier. “But I take it there’s an emergency?”

  “That depends on if you call getting tossed out of your apartment a problem.”

  “That serious, huh?”

  “That man is so greedy, he’d sell his own mother if it’d make him an easy dollar.”

  “Who’s greedy?”

  “The landlord. He says he’s converting the building into condos.”

  Dante was truly sorry for Lizzie’s plight. He couldn’t imagine what it’d be like to get kicked out of your home. Even though he and his father had a tenuous relationship, leaving the vineyard had been completely Dante’s idea.

  He pulled the car off the road. “Do I need to turn the car around?”

  She glanced at him, her brows scrunched up in puzzlement. “Why would you do that?”

  “So that you can catch a flight back to New York.”

  “That’s not necessary.”

  Not necessary. If he was getting evicted, he’d be hightailing it home to find a new place to live. He must be missing something. But what?

  “Don’t you want to go back and figure out where you’re going to live? I can’t imagine in such a populated city that it’ll be easy to find another place to your liking.”

  She clucked her tongue. “Are you trying to get rid of me?”

  “What?” His tone filled with indignation, but a sliver of guilt sliced through him. “I’m just concerned.”

  “Well, you don’t have to be concerned because the landlord gave us plenty of notice.”

  “He did?” Lizzie’s gaze narrowed on him as he stammered to correct himself. “I...I mean, that’s great. Are you sure you’ll have time to find another place?”

  “My, aren’t you worr
ied about my welfare. What could have brought on this bit of concern? Wait, could it be that you thought this might be your out with the contract?”

  “No.” The word came out far too fast. He wished he were anywhere but in this much-too-small car. There was nowhere to go. No way to avoid her expectant look. “Okay, it might have crossed my mind. But I still wouldn’t wish someone to get kicked out of their home just to save me grief.”

  She laughed.

  The sound grated on his nerves. “What’s so funny?”

  “The guilty look on your face. You’re cute. Like a little boy caught with his hand in the proverbial cookie jar.”

  Great. Now he’d just been reduced to the level of a cute little kid. Talk about taking direct aim at a guy’s ego. He eased the car back onto the road. If he’d ever entertained striking up a more personal relationship with Lizzie, it just came to a screeching halt right there. How did one make a comeback from being “cute”?

  “So you aren’t mad at me now?” He chanced a quick glance her way as she shook her head.

  “I can’t blame you for wanting an easy solution to our problem. And after watching how much you worry about your grandfather, I realized that you aren’t the sort to revel in others’ misfortune.”

  Wow, she’d read all of that into him not wanting her to drag his grandfather into the middle of their situation? He was truly impressed. But that still didn’t erase the cute little boy comment. His pride still stung.

  After a few moments of silence passed, he turned to the right onto a private lane. “We’re here. Are you up for this?”

  CHAPTER SEVEN

  SHE WAS MOST definitely ready for this adventure.

  Lizzie gazed out the car window at the rolling green hills and lines of grapevines. This place was a beauty to behold. Did a more picturesque place exist? She didn’t think so.

  Of course, it didn’t hurt that she was in the most amazing sports car, being escorted by the sexiest man on the planet. But she refused to let Dante know how truly captivated she was by him. She couldn’t let him have any more leverage. They still had a contract to iron out.