Page 53 of Royally Roma
“Seven.”
Did she really want to go through this for another full day? Besides, he still hadn’t even paid her for the day before.
“Six.”
“Nico,” she said.
His eyes narrowed. A warning. “Five.”
“I don’t think this is...” Before she could finish, his mouth came down on hers. Hot and hard.
Julia didn’t have time to think, and maybe that was a good thing. Or possibly bad—theworst, actually—because all she could do was react. Before she knew what was happening, her arms were draped languidly around his neck, Nico’s leg had slipped between her thighs and the hem of her dress had somehow hiked itself dangerously high.
She was kissing him back like every cell in her body was weeping in relief at the touch of his lips. Which it sort of was.
But that was beside the point. She shouldn’t be doing this.Couldn’t, according to Nico himself.
She pulled away and promptly banged the back of her head against the church’s stone wall. “Ouch.”
Nico’s brow furrowed. “Are you all right?”
“No.” Honestly, the goose egg on the back of her head was the least of her concerns. “I am most definitelynotall right. Why are you kissing me? I thought we decided this was a bad idea.” Technically, he’d been the one who’d made the decision. But Julia wasn’t about to draw attention to that embarrassing fact.
“Is that what I said, exactly? Because I remember it a bit differently.” He shrugged. “In any case, it seemed the best way to keep you quiet.”
If she hadn’t enjoyed the kiss so much, she would have slapped him. “If you’re serious about hiring me again, this has to stop. No more kissing. I mean it this time.”Liar.She meant nothing of the sort. But she wanted to mean it. Did that count?
He nodded with exaggerated seriousness. “Very well.”
“Plus, I’m going to need payment. Not just for yesterday, but for today, too. In advance.”
“I’m afraid that’s not possible.”
Of course it wasn’t.
She was going to kill him. She’d already plunged headfirst into the world of crime when she’d kidnapped him. Why stop there? Especially when he was so impossible. “You don’t have my money, do you?”
“Not yet.” He at least had the decency to look contrite this time. She almost wished he didn’t, though, because the tender expression in his gaze took the edge off her fury. “The banks are closed today, hence the change of plans.”
That’s right. Today was a bank holiday. She’d forgotten all about it, given the absurd turn her life had taken since yesterday.
Still, she’d be crazy to sign on for another day of showing him around when he still hadn’t paid her a dime.
“I’ll pay you triple for today,” he said.
“It’s a deal,” she blurted. She couldn’t turn down that kind of money. Not now.
Of course, she was assuming he’d eventually pay her. Because triple the amount he’d given her already was still zero.
Ugh, she’d just fallen for a con again, hadn’t she? Hook, line and sinker.
“Good. I’ll have your money for you when the banks open first thing in the morning.”
Wait.
What?
“Do you actually think you’re spending the night at my flat again?” No. That was definitely not happening. She’d practically begged him to sleep with her last night. What mortifying thing would she do if he stayed there tonight?
