Page 80 of The Sexy Billionaire

“I asked them for a selection of gala, evening, and cocktail,” Natalia explains—I didn’t realize there was a difference—before continuing. “Business attire for meetings, then casual dresses, smart casual, new lingerie now that you're single as well as accessories. We are turning you from Paige Johnson of New York to Countess Paige from Italia.”

“Countess Paige, it will never get old hearing you called that,” Savannah says, bursting into the room full of excitement.

Rushing over to her, I greet her with a hug. “Can you believe all this?” I whisper to her.

“Natalia, this is one of my best friends, Savannah. She owns some of the hottest bars and clubs in the city, you’re going to like her,” I say.

Savannah and Natalia greet each other warmly and quickly chat about where Natalia went last night. When Savannah learned it was one of her places, she was excited, loving it. Sav tells her to let her know next time she’s there and she’ll look after her, which makes Natalia squeal and hug her again. I think those two are going to get along. A staff member hands Savannah a glass of champagne, which she gladly accepts.

“So, what are we dressing for?” Sav asks.

“Natalia is transforming me from plain Paige to Countess Paige.”

Savannah breaks out in a wide smile. “Yes! I’m here for it. Paige is so beautiful, but her ex hated that she was and always made her wear these drab clothes. He never wanted to see her in anything sexy. Under all that, Paige has a banging body. She also needs to get back some of that confidence her ex took from her.”

I had no idea Sav felt that way.

“Also, we have to find the sexiest dress possible as she’s got a date with your brother tonight,” Savannah adds.

“Wait, what?” Natalia squeals and looks over at me, upset that I never told her that.

I glare at Savannah for dropping that tidbit. “It’s not a date. And after last night, I don’t think we need to catch up, we did that last night.”

“She’s embarrassed because she threw herself at your brother in public and he knocked back her advances,” Sav adds.

I groan and scrub my face, lamenting my best friend’s loose lips.

“Wait, you did what?”

“It was nothing. Wow, look at this dress, it’s stunning,” I say, changing the subject.

“Paige?” Natalia questions me.

I huff and throw back the rest of my champagne. “Thanks, Sav,” I grumble. “Look, it wasn’t anything. He rescued me froma dangerous situation with my ex. I was so relieved when I saw him that I stupidly kissed him on the sidewalk in the middle of the street,” I explain before switching to Italian.“And I know that was incredibly stupid as I could have created a scandal for him if anyone had seen.”

“No fair, I don’t speak Italian, come on.” Savannah pouts.

“I wish you had because those bitches don’t deserve my brother protecting them,”Natalia states angrily, which surprises me.

“It was stupid. We’re friends. He’s been a fantastic strength for me since my breakup. I’m not ready for anything with anyone.”

“I’m just going to look at these clothes. Let me know when I can come back into the conversation,” Savannah adds as she walks over to one of the racks.

“He’s lighter around you. I saw it last night. Gio can be uptight. He has a lot on his shoulders with the family business, plus pressures from my parents, who want grandchildren, and with my father’s health not the best, he doesn’t want to let them down. That’s why he decided to marry her, like I said last night, not because he loved her. She didn’t want anything from him, especially not his heart, so that made it easy for him.”

“He wouldn’t have asked her to marry him if he didn’t love her a little,”I say.

Natalia shakes her head.“I was there when he told her he never loved her.”

My mouth falls open in surprise.

"They were only together for three months when he proposed.”

Three months?

“Papà had another turn, and his wish in the hospital was to see Gio married, so he could pass on the business to him. He’s old school, like that,”she says, rolling her eyes.“Our sister reallypushed for her, for them, and he liked that being with her his life didn’t change. That she looked good on his arm for events, that she knew how to work the room. That woman loved the spotlight more than him.”

He wanted someone to be his arm candy.That could never be me.I saw her picture; she is stunning and as I look up into the suite’s mirror and see myself, I deflate. Why would someone like Giorgio want me? It’s because we have history. If he met me in the street as is, there would never be a chance.

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