She’d come up empty each time, except for one blaring item.
The women.
Michael was a well-known womanizer. She’d bet in Italy that females had lusted after him, and that hadn’t changed in New York. He was one of the most eligible bachelors in the Hudson Valley. Never a harsh comment regarding his behavior could be unearthed, even from the gossip columns. Yet, one fact remained.
He never got serious.
His longest relationship in the past year was two weeks. Maggie smothered a humorless laugh. In a way, she felt as if she’d met herself, only in male form. She could only come up with one solid reason for why he wouldn’t commit.
Alexa.
He was so in love with Alexa that he refused to give himself completely to another. Thank God he hadn’t taken her up on her proposition for another date. The memory still embarrassed her. She’d never been rejected by a man before, especially one she initially wanted.
Maggie poured herself a glass of cabernet, then wandered through the elegant dining room. She noticed the removal of certain antiques and sharp edges, the beginning of baby proofing in her brother’s mansion.
Alexa swooped down on her with a plate filled with food. “Why aren’t you eating? I need support. I’m trying to lose the baby weight but these appetizers are too good.”
Maggie grinned at her best friend. “You look fantastic. God, your boobs are huge. I’m so frickin’ jealous.” The black dress emphasized her curvy figure with the scooped neckline and knee-high length.
Alexa stuck out her tongue. “The benefits of breast-feeding. Let’s hope I don’t leak and ruin my sexy effect. Where’s Lily?”
Maggie fought a satisfied smirk. “With Michael. He’s changing her diaper.”
Alexa groaned. “Why did you do that to him? You’re always giving him a hard time. I have to go help.” She put down her plate of food, but Maggie grabbed her arm.
“Oh, all right, I’ll go check on him. I’m sure he gave Lily to your mom. He’s not stupid, Al, and he’s a man. Men don’t change diapers.”
“Nick does.”
Maggie rolled her eyes. “Rarely. He gave Lily to me because he knew she pooped.”
Alexa glared at her husband from across the room. “Why am I surprised? The other night he asked me to hold her for just a minute and when I went to look for him, he’d gone out. Out of the actual house. In his car. I mean, are you kidding me?”
Maggie nodded. “I’ll schedule a shopping trip with you soon and we’ll make him pay. Literally.”
Alexa laughed. “Go save Michael. And be nice to him, for God’s sake. I don’t know what’s up with you two. It’s been almost a year since you went out on that blind date. Did something else happen you didn’t tell me about?”
Maggie shrugged. “Nope. I told you, I think he’s secretly in love with you. But no one believes me.”
“This again?” Alexa shook her head. “Maggs, we’re just friends. He’s like family. Trust me, even Nick came around—there’s nothing between Michael and me. Never was.”
“Right.” Maggie looked at her friend, whom she loved like her sister. Alexa never knew how beautiful she really was, on the inside and outside. Nick finally won her heart, and Maggie never wanted them to forget how important they were to each other. They’d fought a hard journey but she’d never seen a happier couple. Her brother finally discovered his happily ever after. He hadn’t let their screwed-up family life affect his future, and she was proud of him for taking the leap.
At least one person in the family found peace.
Maggie hugged her. “Enjoy your food, birthday girl, and don’t worry. I’ll go rescue him.” She took her time, expecting to find Michael nursing a Scotch, child-free. She climbed the winding staircase and padded quietly down the hall. A low laugh, then humming drifted in the air. She peeked her head around and took in the sight before her.
Michael held Lily in his arms as he rocked her. He crooned a lullaby in Italian, and Maggie realized it was “Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star.” Lily gazed up at him with sheer adoration, gurgling in time to the melody. The nursery added to the almost mystical quality of the scene, with large moons and stars painted on the ceiling, and bright yellow paint splashing the walls like the sun.
Her heart stopped. A fierce longing shook through her core, and Maggie half closed her eyes in a battle to push away the emotional storm. He’d shed his jacket, which hung neatly on the back of a chair. Lily wore a different dress of yellow roses, her dainty tights and matching yellow shoes pristine and cleaned of drool. The scent of vanilla hung in the air.
She swallowed hard and clenched her fists.
He looked up.
Their gazes met and locked. For a moment, a raw, lustful chemistry shot between them. Then it was gone, and Maggie wondered if she’d just imagined the look of want on his face. “What are you doing?” she asked sharply.
He cocked his head at her accusation. “Singing.”
She sighed with impatience and motioned toward the changing table. “I mean, the diaper. You changed her? And why is she wearing that?”
He looked amused. “Of course I changed her, just as you asked, cara. Her dress was dirty, so I picked out a new one. Why do you look so surprised?”
“Figured you were raised with that old-fashioned attitude. You know, men are leaders and don’t cook, clean, or do diapers.”
Michael threw back his head and roared with laughter. Lily blinked, then babbled in response. “You haven’t met my mother. I grew up with three younger sisters. When a diaper needed changing it was my responsibility, and there was no game of pass-the-baby. I tried that once and paid dearly.”
“Oh.” She leaned against the white bureau. “Is your family back in Italy?”
“Yes. The original La Dolce Famiglia started in Bergamo, where we live. Then we expanded into Milan and have been quite successful. I decided to continue the tradition in America, and my sister runs the home base.”
“What about your dad?”
Naked emotion passed over his carved features. “My father passed on a few years ago.”
“I’m sorry,” she said softly. “It sounds like you have a close family.”
“Si. I miss him every day.” He studied her with curiosity. “And what about you? I guess you never had to change a diaper?”
She smiled and ignored the emptiness. “I had it made. Nick was older, so I had no younger siblings to worry about. Never had to lift a finger because we lived in a mansion with a maid, a cook, and a nanny. I was spoiled rotten.”
A short silence descended. She shifted uncomfortably as he made no move to disguise his pointed gaze as he searched her face, looking for something she couldn’t understand. Finally, he spoke. “No, cara. I think you had it harder than most of us.”
She refused to answer, hating the way he tried to get under her skin and figure things out. As if he already suspected more lurked beneath the surface. “Think what you like,” she said casually. “But stop calling me sweetheart.”
He responded with a wicked wink as he took in her form-fitting metallic top. As if he played with the idea of tugging down her shirt and bending his head to suck on her nipples. On cue, her breasts swelled in fierce demand, ready to play. Why did he affect her so intensely?
“Fine, la mia tigrotta.” His rich, lilting tone stripped her naked and wrapped her in crushed velvet.
Maggie inwardly cursed. “Very funny.”
He lifted a brow. “It is not meant to be funny. You reminded me of a little tiger the first moment we met.”
She refused to get in an argument about something so ridiculous. Maggie waved off his endearment and headed toward the door. “We better get out there. Alexa was looking for Lily.”
He followed with Lily tucked neatly in his arms and ran straight into Alexa’s mother.
“Maggie, darling, I’ve been looking for you!” Maria McKenzie kissed both cheeks and gazed at her with a warmth that always tripped up her heart. “Here is my b
eautiful granddaughter. Come here, my darling.” She took Lily and bestowed more kisses on Michael. “I heard she needed changing but it seems you make a good team.”
Why did the entire family hold the misconception they’d be perfect together? Maggie held back a sigh while Michael laughed. “Ah, Mrs. McKenzie, you know how wonderful Maggie is about taking care of her niece. I only sat back and watched.”
Guilt snagged her hard. She smiled but shot him a dirty look. Why did he always seem to come out the good guy?
“I’m having a small dinner for everyone this Friday and insist you both join me,” Maria announced.
Those family dinners used to belong to only Maggie, Alexa, and Nick. She almost sagged with relief when she remembered her schedule. “I’m sorry, Mrs. McKenzie, I’ll be flying to Milan this week. I leave in two days for a photo shoot.”
“Then I will reschedule for when you arrive back home. Now, let me take this little one back out to the party, and I will see you later.”
Alexa’s mom disappeared down the hallway, and Maggie suddenly noticed Michael’s strange expression. “You’re flying to Milan? For how long?”
She shrugged. “Probably a week. I’ll take some time to make new contacts, do some shopping.”
“Hmmm.” Somehow, the uncommitted sound seemed ominous. He looked at her as if studying her in a new light for the first time, probing her face, then dropping to her body, as if searching under her fashionable outfit for something more.
“Dude, why are you looking at me like that?” She shifted her feet as a tingly warmth heated between her thighs. No way was she going there. If there were one man in the world she’d never sleep with if the zombies took over the earth and they were the only ones left to procreate, it was Michael Conte.
“I may have a proposition for you,” he murmured.
She pushed away the memory of their first meeting and forced a smirk. “Sorry, babe. That ship has sailed and left port.”
She refused to look back as she walked away.
* * *
Michael sipped his cognac and watched as the party winded down. Luscious chocolate chip cannoli cake and pots of strong coffee were served, and a relaxed atmosphere rippled through the rooms as family and friends began making their good-byes.
Tension swirled in his gut and fought with the lovely fire of the alcohol. This time he was in trouble. Big trouble. After the phone call with Venezia and Dominick, he decided to confront his mother with a well-placed battle plan.
Michael knew sticking with the family tradition was impossible. He also realized his mother believed strongly in rules and rarely broke them. He had decided on an alternate plan that seemed brilliant. He’d throw her a story about a steady girlfriend, with a wedding in the firm future, and even promise a visit. Then he’d calmly insist Venezia marry first because of her history with Dominick, and he would cite Papa’s heavenly blessing. Maybe he’d tell her he saw it in a dream, something to soothe her doubts.
Until his other sister Julietta blew his story to rubble with a simple statement.
His mind drifted to their brief conversation.
“Michael, I don’t know what you heard, but to use one of your American phrases, the shit is about to hit the fan.” Never emotional or pulled into drama, Julietta always acted with a clear plan, which made her the perfect person to run La Dolce Famiglia. “Mama promised Papa on his deathbed she’d continue the traditions of the family. Unfortunately, that included having you marry first, no matter how ridiculous it sounds.”
“I’m sure I can talk her out of it,” Michael said, ignoring the doubts slithering like snakes in his head.
“Not gonna happen. I think Venezia is planning to elope. If she does, disaster will be an understatement. We’ll be at war with Dominick’s family, and Mama threatened to disown her. Carina is going through a hard time right now, and she’s been crying nonstop thinking her family is falling apart. Mama called the doctor and told him she was having a heart attack, but he diagnosed her with a bad case of indigestion and sent her to bed. Dios, please tell me you’re seeing someone serious and can take care of this situation? Damn patriarchal society. I cannot believe Papa bought this crap.”
The truth slammed through him. He’d never win on a deathbed promise. His father lured him into the trap, and his own mother shut the cage door behind him. He needed a wife and he needed her fast if he was going to clean up this mess. At least, a temporary wife.
What options did he have? His mind worked with brutal efficiency until the only solution lay before him. Convince his mother he was legally married, get Venezia to rush the wedding, and then a few months later break the sad news that his marriage didn’t work out. He’d deal with the consequences. Right now, he needed to fix this. After all, fixing family dramas was his job.
“I’ll be married by the end of the week,” he said.
His sister’s sharp indrawn breath cut through the phone.
“Tell Venezia not to do anything rash. I’ll call Mama and tell her the news later.”
“Are you serious? Are you really getting married, or is this a scam?”
Michael closed his eyes. In order to make the plan work, everyone needed to believe it was real. Starting with Julietta. “I have been seeing someone, and was just waiting to make it official. She doesn’t like a fuss and doesn’t want a real wedding, though, so we’ll probably hit the justice of the peace and then I’ll break the news to everyone.”
“Are you telling me the truth, Michael? Listen, this may be a mess but there’s no reason to rush marriage just to calm down Venezia. You don’t have to fix everything all the time.”
“Yes, I do,” he said quietly. The heaviness of responsibility fell over him and smothered his breath. He accepted the weight without question and moved forward. “I’ll give you the details after I talk to my fiancée.”
“Mama will insist on meeting her. She’s not going to take your word.”
His sister’s words locked the door on the cage with a final click.
“I know. I’ll arrange a visit home toward the end of the summer.”
“What? Who is she? What’s her name?”
“I have to go. I’ll call you back later.”
He disconnected the call.
The situation swirled with limited possibilities and too little time. He decided to look for one of those elite escort services that hired out companions for big events. Perhaps, with some luck, he’d find one willing to pretend to be his wife. Of course, delaying the meeting with his mother would take careful planning, and with the opening of the waterfront, he may be diagnosed with an ulcer by the end of the week.
Unless . . .
His gaze cut through the crowd and locked with a pair of cat-green eyes. A flare of lust lit low in his gut in automatic response to the challenge. She arched one perfect brow and tossed her head in dismissal, turning her back on him. He smothered a laugh. The woman was a prickly mass of sex and sarcasm. If there was a rose beneath, she surrounded herself with a thicket of thorns to warn any prince on horseback to stay way back.
Maggie Ryan was perfect for the job.
What if he bit the bullet—was that the American expression?—and got the whole charade over with immediately? What were the odds of another woman he knew traveling to Milan for a week? He trusted her. At least, a tiny bit. If she agreed, he’d be able to rush the encounter, plead work as an excuse to leave early, and allow Venezia to marry this summer. Maggie’s dislike for him was an asset—she wouldn’t get any romantic, moony ideas when she met his family and pretended to be a part of it. Of course, his mama would freak at his choice, probably expecting more of a traditional, nonthreatening spouse. Still, he’d make it work.
If she agreed.
He’d dated many beautiful women, but Maggie held a mysterious quality that hit a man like a sucker punch. Her cinnamon-colored hair shimmered in the light, a straight, silky mass that fell over her cheek and hit her shoulder in a fashionable cut. Her bangs only accen
ted exotically tilted eyes, reminding him of the endless misty green of the Tuscan fields, sucking a man in and allowing him to get lost in the fog. Her features were sharp and clear: a strong tilted jaw, high cheekbones, and elegant nose. The stretchy fabric of her top revealed well-defined shoulders and high, perky breasts. The pewter silk of her trousers glistened as she walked and showed off a perfectly curved rear and long legs that forced a man to imagine them wrapped around his waist. Her scent was a mix of earthy undertones of sandalwood and amber, sneaking into a man’s nostrils and promising him a trip to heaven on earth.
She was no shrinking violet. Her attitude was kick-ass and woman, hear me roar. She walked and breathed and spoke pure sex, and any male in her nearby area scented it. Michael watched as she threw her head back and laughed. Her face reflected an open happiness he rarely caught—only around Alexa or her brother. Even on their first date, a heavy wall of armor barricaded her from any real emotions, evident in her quick wit, sexy smolder, and distant gaze.
She was exactly what she wanted to be without apology. Michael admired and appreciated such women, as they were too far and few between. But something about Maggie pulled him to look closer and scratch beneath the surface. Some lingering pain and need glimmered deep within those green eyes, daring a man to slay the dragon and claim her.
His sudden thought startled him. He mocked the ridiculous image, but his pants still tightened around his erection. God, that’s all he needed—some misrepresented damsel-in-distress fantasy. He’d never be a prince and didn’t want the job. Especially against a woman who’d probably steal his horse and rescue herself.
Still, for a while, he needed her. He just had to convince her to take the part.
“Hmm, I wonder what put that expression on your face. Or rather, who.”
He looked up from his chair and met a pair of laughing blue eyes. His heart warmed at Alexa’s smile, and he stood up to give her a brief hug. “Buon giorno, signora bella. Did you enjoy your party?”
Corkscrew curls slipped out of her ponytail and lay against her cheek. Happiness radiated around her figure. “Loved it. I told Nick I didn’t want a party, but you know how he gets.”
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