Page 3 of Secret Match
They made it to the elevator, alone, where it seemed especially quiet after the party noise. The moment the doors closed, she looked up at the Italian god that somehow stood next to her and asked, “What were you doing at the party?”
His brown eyes flashed with emotion but he quickly reverted to the dazzling man who made her heart quicken. “I was invited by a fashion magazine owner who wouldn’t take no for an answer.”
She elbowed his abdomen playfully but could tell instantly he was a wall of muscles. “You tell women no?”
His hand went to her lower back as they walked out of the building and onto the dazzling white boulevard across from the Champs de Elysee. “Not the beautiful ones.”
“Flirting really is in your nature,” she joked and waved for them to cross the street.
He directed her to the pedestrian walkway and pressed the button to wait for the “walk” signal. “It’s only natural to want to kiss the prettiest woman around. Your eyes are a deep chocolate, accentuating the perfect bow of your lips, which beckon me closer with your smile.”
Her pulse quickened. Kissing him might be the most fun she’d had in years. His regal nose and chiseled jaw made her long to touch him.
Pedestrians passed them and she glanced beyond his shoulder and realized the sign had turned. He walked beside her as she took a breath and asked, “And what if you don’t like what happens after we kiss? What if I turn into some crazy stalker?”
They reached the sidewalk on the other side and he pressed that warm, hard body of his against her side. “And what if I turned out to be married or some criminal?”
“Wait.” She pushed away and crossed her arms. The last thing she needed in her life was trouble. “Are you?”
“No.” His hand brushed against her hip and she dropped her arms as warm goosebumps followed where he touched her. “I was just pointing out the dangers of kissing strangers.”
Toe to toe, she looked up as her eyelids fluttered closed. She hadn’t known that was really a thing. “Which is probably why we shouldn’t.”
Her mouth parted and in a flash his hot, hard lips met hers--something inside her soul melted.
The kiss ended and all she could do was sigh. He pushed her thick curls behind her ear as he peered down at her. His shoulders were so strong, like he could hold all her problems without a worry. “I’m glad we did. I now know for a fact you’re sweet and probably more innocent than I’d hoped for.”
Her hands brushed against his chest. “And I know you qualify as a bad idea.”
He leaned down like he’d kiss her again, but their eyes met as he asked, “How is that?”
“You smell too good.” She closed her eyes, puckering her lips.
His hand traced her neck and back. “What?”
Wow. Her insides fluttered too. Her arms wrapped around his neck. “You smell too good. You taste sweet and act like the world is yours for the taking. It’s attractive, but dangerous—so, being with you is a bad idea.”
He continued to kiss her beneath the lights of the Champs de Elysee. Every part of her felt lit up just from his kiss.
If only this could last forever…when the kiss ended he asked, “Why deny yourself?”
She didn’t want to let go. Her hands hugged his waist as she said, “I fly back to Mia…” If she said Miami, she broke the rule of revealing too much about herself and mystery felt like a game tonight. She swallowed and changed her sentence, “the States this weekend. We’ll probably never see each other again.”
He whispered into her ear and awareness zipped through her. “Then let’s make the most of the time we have.”
She met his gaze. He wasn’t on her plan, or schedule, not even one of her to-do lists, but she never really made time for romance or men. She took a breath and nodded. “Okay. No one will ever know about this.”
“Si, bella.” He kissed her again.
One night in Paris might be all they’d ever have, but there was nothing more that she wanted right now. Her show was a success. Models and photographers had cheered her shoes on the catwalk. So tonight, maybe she could have a little magic too. Here, even romance seemed possible.
Chapter 2
Giorgio Morgan, known as Gio to his friends, left his private jet and instantly felt the heat and humidity of Miami like a boiling hot soup that was nothing like the warm Italian climate he loved.
His phone dinged and he read the screen. Piper Lacey. Again. He’d spoken to her last night and she hadn’t really gotten to the reason why she’d called. It had been an awkward conversation so he sent the call to voicemail as he didn’t need to talk to his ex-girlfriend from over a year ago.
The driver put his bag in the trunk and Gio relaxed as he slid into the black limo that was already cold from air conditioning. Piper had been a beautiful woman, but he hadn’t thought about her in a long time.
