Page 70 of Broken Deal

Aria

Only $10? You’re rich. Up that bet!

Aria

And you seriously don’t get the name of the chat? That was funny, Sophia. Good one. I love it.

Isabella

I’m not rich. My family is. There’s a difference. And no, I don’t get it.

I put my phone down with a laugh, opting to ignore them and get ready for the day. Lorenzo and I haven’t exactly talked about how this deal is going to go, so telling the girls would be a terrible idea. Aria would get too excited if I told her, only to end up disappointed, because whatever this is between Lorenzo and me has a hard expiration date. This is the perfect way to have fun this summer and get each other out of our systems before we go back to normal. Who knows? Maybe we’ll even stay friends. He’s a fun and good guy to hang out with, so I can see it happening.

Then what is this crawly feeling you have on your chest?

I don’t know, but I’m choosing to ignore it and focus on having fun instead.

After a quick breakfast, we arrived at the restaurant, where the construction team was already hard at work with Diego barking orders left and right. He was working his butt off, too, alongside them, not scared of getting dirty and helping where they needed it the most. That’s why Diego is the best in the business; he’s not afraid of getting to work, despite his less-than-sunshine personality. It’s why he’s so successful—he didn’t let his fame or money change him. From the research I’ve done about him, he’s still the same down-to-earth guy from a small town, just expanding his business at an abnormally fast pace.

The place has been quickly coming together. They were able to finish installing the kitchen appliances, and now they are working on the outdoor part of the restaurant as Lorenzo and the head chef are giving a tour to the employees and talking about the idea and expectations for this place. I’ve been silently following them, taking notes, and witnessing how Lorenzo works in his day-to-day.

“The idea is to keep the local feel of Panamá, with typical foods and drinks, but also give it a little bit of an Italian spin,” Lorenzo says, leaning against one of the industrial kitchen tables. “We want customers to feel comfortable and welcomed, and give them a time they will never forget.”

The way Lorenzo commands a room with his presence and his voice is something out of this world. Everyone is looking at him and hanging on to every word he says like it’s some sort of gospel. But he’s also laid back and nice, making everyone feel comfortable.

“I will leave Roberto here to talk more about the menu and what the training before the official opening will look like, but if anyone has any questions or concerns, you have my contact information. I’m always available.” Lorenzo finishes with a bright smile as everyone mumbles their thanks.

He and Roberto talk for a few minutes before he walks back to me. “Having fun?”

I nod, flapping my notebook in the air. “Yup. Took lots of notes, too.”

“Good,” he replies as we’re both walking out of the restaurant. “I think we can head out for Chicago tomorrow. Do you have any idea what you would like to do on our last night here?”

“Actually, I do.” I grin. “I want us go out so you can showme what a night out as Lorenzo Mancini, the billionaire player, looks like.”

“I was expecting more of likelet’s have lots of sex and then cuddle.” He wiggles his eyebrows playfully.

“Cuddling?” I raise an eyebrow, hitting his arm with my shoulder playfully. “Are you going soft on me, Ace?”

He shrugs, a knowing grin plastered all over his face. “What can I say? I can’t get enough of you.”

My cheeks heat at his comment, but I manage to pull it together and not read too much into it. “Maybe you’ll get lucky. Let’s see where the night takes us.” I wink before continuing to walk back to the villa, him trailing behind me.

I need this night out. Even though he’s told me he doesn’t enjoy it like he used to, I still have to see both sides of his life for myself. That was always the point of following him around. But there’s also a selfish reason. Watching him in his usual element serves as a reminder of why our deal has to stay casual.

Because after just one wild night, I’m already hooked. Under Lorenzo’s touch, I feel alive, and that’s a feeling I could easily get used to if I don’t keep my heart in check. I’ve always avoided love like the plague, but it doesn’t mean I’m immune to it. I used to be the girl who wished for love, who dreamed of it. But little by little, as time goes on, I keep telling myself I don’t deserve it. The uncertainty of love is overwhelming, and my clusterfuck of a life can’t handle the heartbreak.

“Where are we going?” I ask as I walk out of my room, putting on my usual gold earrings. I’m wearing the only night-out dress I have, the one Lorenzo talked me into getting at the boutique. It’s a simple white dress, with off-the-shoulder flared sleeves, and it stops about mid-thigh. I paired it with some chunky brown heels. My hair is down, a little frizzy from the humidity, but its usual waves are there, falling over my shoulders just the way I like it.

“You said you wanted the Lorenzo Mancini experience, so we’ll be going to one of the hottest clubs around here.” He’s sitting on the couch, looking at his phone, but when he looks up and finds me standing in front of him, his eyes flare with heat as they roam every inch of my body. A simple look from him makes my body feel like it’s been lit on fire, creating a need so powerful in my lower belly that I don’t know how long I’ll be able to hold on tonight.

He stands, and even with my heels, he still manages to tower over me. He’s wearing a black, short-sleeve, button-down satin shirt, with three buttons open, and a pair of black pants and boots. My eyes eagerly roam his body, and I absentmindedly lick my lips.

He places his hand around the nape of my neck, the touch possessive yet gentle as he guides my gaze to meet his. “You look exquisite. I hope you weren’t expecting me to stay away from you, because that will be an impossible task.”

I bite my lip for a moment, holding back a smile. “You don’t look half bad yourself, Ace.”

His thumb runs across my bottom lip, the one I just bit, before he closes the little distance between us with a kiss. He slides his tongue inside of my mouth slowly, exploring and taunting. And just like that, the need I have for him intensifies.

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