Page 6 of The Roman's Woman (A Singular Obsession)

Then again, he was the biggest donor to her research. In her place, he would want to meet his benefactor, especially since the opportunity to do so had been missed at the dinner. In fact, he would have tried to get a meeting after the fact, if possible.

Or…perhaps she’d heard the damning rumors about him and wanted to avoid him. In any case, the good doctor was on vacation and probably wanted to be left alone. Drumming his fingers on the bar, he tried to picture surprising her and failed. The idea of chasing after a woman was too much for him. He started to say as much when his security chief forestalled him.

“Oh, and she’s single at the moment.” Enzo said with a hint of a smile, waving the documents at him.

Gio straightened, his attention caught.

Sophia Márquez wasn't married. An image of her in that white dress came to mind. She wouldn't stay single long…

“What cafe did you say she was at?”

****

Picking his way through the crowd on the Via Veneto, Gio marveled at his anonymity. For a man used to being recognized in his home country—and currently whispered about behind his back—it was a welcome change. Apparently all he’d needed to do was shed his standard suit and put on his gym clothes. The mirrored aviators he was wearing might be helping, too.

He stopped in front of the Doney Cafe and scanned the patio seating area first. Seeing no sign of his quarry, he stepped inside the crowded and noisy interior.

She was sitting alone in the corner, drinking a glass of Italian soda. As he watched her bring the glass to her lips, his heart did a funny little stutter, and the blood rushed out of his head in a hurry.

Her lips looked pink and full, even from across the room. Her dark hair was pinned up, and she was dressed in a loose white t-shirt and brown shorts that concealed her delicious curves from the other patrons. It occurred to him that he was disappointed she wasn’t wearing the sexy white dress from the dinner, which was ridiculous.

And if she wore that dress or something equally form-fitting, she definitely wouldn’t be sitting alone.

Walking over to her before he could lose his nerve, he skirted a group of German tourists talking at a near deafening decibel level. He wanted to ask them to quiet down, but unfortunately their volume was necessary to be heard above the din of other conversations and the sound of clattering dishes.

Wincing, he stopped in front of Sophia’s table, slipping off his glasses and opening his mouth to introduce himself.

She looked up at him, a relieved expression on her face, and he froze. Up close, she was even more appealing than her online photos or from a distance. Her eyes were remarkable, the color of gingerbread, a few shades more intense than the soft café au lait of her skin.

She smiled at him, and he became aware that he was standing there like an idiot with his mouth open.

“Bongiorno,”he said.

“Bongiorno, she replied in a mellow American accent. “Are you Gio?”

Shocked, Gio nodded, closing his mouth and blinking. Had she looked him up, too? Was she expecting him?

“Yes. Sophia Márquez?”

Leaning forward, she raised her voice to be heard over background noise. “That’s me. I’m so glad you were able to meet me. Kelly would be disappointed if we missed each other again.” She gestured to the empty chair in front of her. “Please, sit.”

Wondering if Kelly was one of the administrators in her lab, he sat, confused but relieved that she seemed pleased to see him. It had been a while since a woman had looked at him like that, without suspicion. Even his secretary had been giving him the eye lately.

“Am I speaking too fast?” she asked, enunciating each syllable when he didn’t say anything.

He laughed. “No, of course not,” he said.

Sophia flashed him another brilliant smile. Warmth streaked down his chest, ending at his groin. Shifting to relieve his sudden arousal, he smiled back.

Stop grinning like a fool and say something.

It was harder than he’d imagined. Every coherent thought had flown out of his head when their eyes met.

“Kelly said your English was good, which is a relief because my Italian is decidedly subpar. I’m terrible at languages. Anyway, I’m so glad I was able to catch you,” Sophia continued with a graceful wave of her hand before he could find his tongue. “I wasn’t planning on coming back to Rome yesterday, but when I heard you wouldn’t be able to get together later this month, I changed my plans.”

“You did?” he asked. Had she been in touch with his office, after all? He leaned in. “I’m glad I’m able to catch you, too. I was sorry to have missed you earlier this week. I was stuck at work and then in traffic.”

Her brow creased as if she was puzzled, but she smiled again, and he could feel his tongue thicken and a flush crept up his throat.

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