She had to have the job at the club. If she hadn’t needed it, she would have punched John Darby right in the nose. She might have done the same to his obnoxious, very drunk friends and the cameraman filming the entire setup. She knew they would have aired it on his reality show, and if she sued, they would have gladly paid her whatever she wanted. The episode would have been worth it to them.
She pulled out Pietro’s office chair and sank into it. “I told you I have an older brother, Sandlin, and that he was driving the car the night of the accident.” She pushed her fingers through her hair and then scrubbed her hand over her face. “He suffered a traumatic brain injury. Very severe. He …” She forced herself to say it aloud. “He doesn’t remember me. Not at all. He doesn’t remember anything of his old life. I bring photographs to him, but nothing sparks his memory. He can’t take care of himself and needs a full-time caretaker as well as rehabilitation. That doesn’t come cheap. I researched the country for the best facilities, and there was a really good one here in Chicago.”
“You pay for it yourself?”
“There’s some insurance. His Social Security. I tried to hire a lawyer to sue the woman who hit him, but there was so much to do and I haven’t had time. That’s coming next. You can see I don’t have the time or inclination to date anyone, let alone a man who has cameras following him around. My life is real, Giovanni.”
“Meaning mine isn’t?”
He straightened, and her breath caught in her lungs. He was back to looking like the lion, now stalking her. God, he was scary. He came close, towering over her, making her feel small. Making her feel like a snob. She was ashamed, but before she could take it back, he perched himself on the edge of the desk. He caught the arms of the chair she sat in and leaned toward her. Up close he looked more dangerous than ever. And he smelled delicious.
“I was shot twice a few months ago. The shot to my thigh shattered the bone and I’ve had to have several surgeries. I’ll need another to get rid of the plates and rods. I’ve been months in physical therapy and haven’t been able to do the job I was meant to do for my family. You don’t know the first thing about my life, Sasha, but I assure you, it’s very real.”
She wanted to look away from the intensity of his stare, but she couldn’t. She’d said it, and she’d been wrong to make such a statement. “I’m sorry. Of course, your life is real. I can’t imagine the things you have to deal with in your life any more than you can imagine what is a hardship in mine. It was really wrong of me to imply that I have things harder than you. I really am sorry.”
He caught her chin, his thumb sliding over her skin, sending little electrical pulses zapping through her like little lightning strikes. “You’re an incredible woman, do you know that? I don’t know many women who would apologize the way you just did. Right away. No beating around the bush.”
“It was wrong of me, and I didn’t even really mean it.” She licked her lips because he kept staring at her mouth and she was suddenly very hungry for his kiss. She craved it when she’d never so much as felt his mouth on hers. She could almost taste him on her tongue. It was ridiculous.
“Sasha, I want to see you. Take a chance on me.”
She wanted to. Especially when he was so close. His suit enhanced the muscles. It had to. The coat and vest and shirt just stretched across that wall of a chest and his wide shoulders. He looked amazing. He smelled even better. His mouth was … close. On hers.
At the first touch of his lips, she gasped. Firm. Cool. Heating rapidly, or maybe that was her, because the blood in her veins was suddenly scorching and rushing to pool low. His teeth caught her lower lip and tugged gently. His tongue soothed the tiny ache. Her heart thudded. Her stomach did a slow roll. She was aware of him moving, or maybe it was her, but she was in his arms, surrounded by him. Her mouth opened all by itself. She didn’t really have a thing to do with it.
He was unexpectedly gentle. That was her undoing. She couldn’t resist him. He appeared dangerous and tough as nails, although smoothly sophisticated. He took his time exploring her mouth, and all that fire he ignited in her grew until she felt as if he was pouring flames down her throat so they could spread through her body.
Her arms crept around his neck and she found herself kissing him back, her tongue tangling with his. Her body melted into his. She couldn’t think anymore. She wasn’t even certain of her own name. All that mattered was his addicting taste and the fire he created with just his mouth alone.
It was Giovanni who broke the kiss with a soft groan. He lifted his head, his breathing a little ragged. She realized she was standing between his legs, pressed tightly against him, her mouth chasing his.
“Baby,” he said very softly, “we have to stop. I promised myself I’d do this right with you. I want you more than you could possibly know, and this isn’t where we’re going to have our first time together.”
Sasha inhaled sharply and tried to pull back. What was wrong with her? One moment she was saying no and the next she was participating in the longest make-out session she’d ever been in. The best. No one kissed like he did. She touched her lips to make certain they weren’t actually on fire.
“I have to sit down.” She did. Her legs weren’t going to support her, and if she didn’t get away from his body, she was going to be touching parts of him that were definitely off-limits.
He held on to her until she was seated in the chair. She needed time away from his potency. She gave him a rueful smile. “I think that’s called being kissed senseless. My brain short-circuited.” She held up her hand before he could say anything. “It’s coming back. Slow, but it’s happening. I love the way you kiss. Obviously. That still isn’t saying I’m going to take a chance on you. I don’t want a broken heart, and you’re that man. You are, Giovanni. Seriously. You have to listen to me. I’m not like those other women you date.”
“I don’t date them, Sasha. I’ve never dated anyone. I don’t go to their place of work and plead my case. I fuck them. I walk away. They walk away. That isn’t how I want to live. I want a woman who actually loves me. I want to love her. I want a family. I don’t want to go to nightclubs every night and play stupid games. You’re that woman for me.”
“How do you know? You met me three days ago.”
He waved his hand around the room as if it was the world. “I’ve traveled everywhere. I’ve met many women over the years, too many. None of them were the right one. When you’ve looked as long as I have, believe me, baby, you know when you see her. I knew the moment I saw you.”
She had to get away from his charisma. He drew her in like a magnet and she couldn’t seem to find the strength to push him away. “I’ll think about it, but I have to get back to work. This job is important to me. It doesn’t pay anything like the club, but it’s forty hours a week solid. Sometimes, if I can do it, he gives me overtime. I like the people, and it allows me to make a few friends.”
His face darkened. “Tito Petrov is not your friend. If you think I’m a ladies’ man, he’s worn that title around here since the seventh grade.”
She frowned up at him, but there was the tiniest part of her that was a little thrilled. She knew she shouldn’t be, but it was there all the same. “You sound jealous.”
“I’m jealous as hell. Tito. Aaron. How many others?”
She shrugged. “A few men came in and asked me out. I think I’m new in the neighborhood. And Aaron just feels bad because he and his friend drank too much celebrating his victory and wanted to apologize. Aaron sent me flowers and a really nice note, and his friend, James, sent me a box of chocolates with a beautiful card. I was surprised either of them would do that. Tom came in to apologize in person, as did one of the men who had his camera taken away. I think his name was Sid.”