Without warning, I grabbed her and kissed her passionately.
 
 Shemmphedand struggled for a second –
 
 But then she gave in.
 
 After a few more seconds, I pulled away. “I’ll make it up to you, I swear. Just let me get rid of them, and I’ll come right back. It won’t take more than an hour.”
 
 She glared at me again. “Youbettermake it up to me.”
 
 I grinned. “I will. I swear on my brothers’ lives.”
 
 She gave me the tiniest smile. “Okay… now you’re obligated.”
 
 I kissed her again – but tenderly this time. “It’s a date.”
 
 “Hm,” she grunted in annoyance as I turned back to the elevator and pushed the button. “I’m under no obligation to wait foryou,though.”
 
 “But then you’d miss out on all the fun,” I teased her.
 
 “Would I.”
 
 “Yes – I swore on my brothers’ lives, after all.”
 
 She half-smiled in spite of herself.
 
 The elevator dinged.
 
 “Arrivederci, bella,”I said, blowing her a kiss, as I got on the elevator.
 
 The last thing I saw was her shaking her head ruefully as she headed towards her room.
 
 59
 
 Sofia
 
 Annoying as hell.
 
 That’s what Niccolo Rosolini was:
 
 Annoying ashell.
 
 Too bad he washotas hell, too.
 
 When he’d propositioned me down at the poker table, I’d been shocked –
 
 And immediately turned on.
 
 He had the thing I wanted the most in a man: intellect.
 
 But he was also funny, and charismatic, and smooth –
 
 And audacious.
 
 He reallydidlike pushing the line…
 
 And I realized that Ilikedthat.
 
 So when he asked me to go to bed with him –