Page 14 of Business Temptations

She wondered what Matteo would think if he knew that only one wall separated them from seeing each other. What would he think if he realized what she wore to bed? Would he laugh at her? Or would he get that tight-jawed look that she’d witnessed several times over the years.

Bailey was extremely good at reading Matteo’s moods and facial expressions, but that jaw-clenching thing was relatively new and she didn’t understand it. It was almost as if he were angry with her, but Bailey knew that Matteo never held back when he disagreed with something she said or did. Nor did she. So, what did that new facial tick mean?

Sighing heavily, Bailey padded barefoot back into her bedroom. Staring at the bed for a long moment, she wondered what Matteo’s bedroom looked like. They’d bought identical condos next door to each other because they appreciated the convenience of having the other close by.

However, Bailey had hired a designer that added more feminine touches to her condo. Her bedroom was done in shades of soft greens with hints of gold. What color had Matteo chosen for his bedroom? Even after all the times she was in his place, she’d never ventured down the long hallway to his bedroom. Nor had he ever peered into hers.

Was he even curious? And why was she so curious about his bedroom? They were friends! Just friends. Was it wrong to wonder about a male friend’s bedroom?

Perhaps. She’d never contemplated what Tim’s bedroom might look like. She didn’t care. Tim was just a friend. So why was Bailey so curious about Matteo’s bedroom décor?

And what was he like when he made love to a woman? Bailey was painfully aware of how many mistresses Matteo had enjoyed throughout the years.

However, all of Matteo’s girlfriends were the complete opposite of Bailey. Matteo preferred tall, statuesque women. Brown haired beauties, who wore heavy makeup, didn’t eat, ever, and had perfected a look of blasé indifference about everything.

Bailey was short and…okay, not fat, but she definitely wasn’t as slender as the models that Matteo preferred. She wore only enough makeup to enhance her features, but usually forgot to reapply her lipstick after lunch.

Sighing at her silly contemplation of Matteo’s preferences, Bailey slipped between the soft, smooth sheets, turned off the light, and stared up at the ceiling to play her nightly game of “Let’s figure out how to get to sleep”.

Tossing and turning, she tried deep breathing exercises, meditation, opened the book she’d saved on her phone and, finally, around midnight, fell into a restless sleep. Her rest was disturbed by wild images of some man with dark hair and a jaw with dark scruff.

As soon as Bailey disappeared, Matteo stopped pretending to work, tossing the contract onto the low coffee table. Instead, he leaned his head back and closed his eyes, listening to the soft sounds of Bailey as she got ready for bed.

He wondered what she was doing, what she wore to sleep in, and if she slept with a pillow pulled close to her chest or if she preferred sleeping on her stomach. In his mind, he contemplated the benefits of various sleeping positions and different sexual positions. All of them featuring Bailey!

Moments later, Matteo jerked awake when he realized that he’d dozed off on her couch and was dreaming about making love to Bailey. No, not just making love to her, but also sleeping with her cradled in his arms. Yes, that was the actual focus of the dream. The making love…that was a constant theme for his dreams. And yeah, it bothered him that his erotic dreams always featured Bailey. They were just friends, he reminded himself over and over again. The information wasn’t really sinking in, he thought with a grimace.

Opening his eyes, he looked around, startled to discover that it was well past midnight and he’d been thinking about Bailey for the past hour.

No, that wasn’t true. He was always thinking about Bailey. During the day, Matteo’s mind was constantly wondering what she was doing, what meeting she was in and if she was eating enough. At night, he wondered if she was sleeping well or what it would be like to hold her in his arms, to make love with her and hear her moans of pleasure.

Sighing, he stood up and reorganized the papers he’d been working on earlier. He should probably spend a bit less time around Bailey. After he and his previous mistress had broken up, he’d stopped looking for another woman to take…Matteo muttered a curse when he couldn’t remember the woman’s name. He couldn’t even picture her face in his mind. Every time he thought about making love, Bailey’s smiling, determined, adorable features beamed up at him.

That was going to have to stop, he told himself firmly.

Leaving the contracts, he grabbed his keys and slipped quietly from Bailey’s condo. Matteo whistled as he walked down the short hallway to his own place. Unlocking the door, he tossed his keys onto a side table, then made his way into his bedroom. After doing fifty pushups, he jumped into the shower, brushed his teeth, then tossed the wet towel into the hamper. Sliding between the sheets naked, he stuffed a pillow behind his head and stared out the large window. He’d had his decorator install blinds and curtains, but Matteo preferred gazing out at the Philadelphia skyline while he fell asleep.

While he waited for sleep to take over, he wondered what Bailey wore to sleep in. As his eyelids slowly grew heavier, he wondered if she’d mind sleeping naked with him.

Chapter 2

“Hurry up, Bailey!” Matteo called out, tugging at his white shirt and adjusting the cufflinks. “We’re going to be late.”

“I’m ready!” she called back, hurrying down the hallway as she finished putting an earring in.

Turning, Matteo’s breath caught in his throat. She was wearing a strapless red gown that clung faithfully to her curves. Wasn’t there a movie about a woman wearing a dress similar to that one? Matteo just wished that he had a diamond necklace to offer her.

Instead, Bailey wore a double strand of pearls, which he recognized. She’d bought the necklace the day after they’d signed the contract with one of the biggest distribution companies in the country. It had been her reward to herself.

He’d also remembered the fury he’d felt as he’d watched her choose the necklace, wishing that he had the right to buy her expensive jewels. He’d seen the joy on her face when she’d fastened the clasp, then looked into the mirror at the jewelers.

She was wearing the matching earrings, he noticed, and his anger eased. He’d bought her those earrings. The small diamonds on the side of each pearl caused the light to sparkle. Bailey wore those pearl earrings often, even during business meetings. The style meant that she could wear them with a business suit or an evening gown and he completely approved of her choice tonight.

“You look lovely,” he grumbled, wishing he could pull her into his arms and kiss her. She’d admonish him about messing up her lipstick, so he’d focus his teasing kisses on her neck and her bare shoulder.

That’s when his eyes moved to her breasts. Madicion, they were magnifica! Not too large or too small. Her figure was perfect in his mind. Every part of her was emphatically feminine. Her soft curves, the subtle curve of her stomach, and the lushness of her thighs and hips.

Then she turned to pick up the matching clutch purse and he had a moment to appreciate her bottom as well. The heart-shaped perfection was mouthwatering.

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