Seduced by the Tycoon at Christmas Page 5

  “Before I go, I want you to check out these outfits I designed specifically for you.” Jiovanni grabbed the garment bag off the chair, unzipped it and marched around the desk. His confidence was evident in his broad I’m-the-man grin. “Mi amore, prepare to be blown away...”

  Finding clothes that fit her hourglass figure in local stores was impossible, but Zoe could always count on Jiovanni to hook her up. Raised by a single mother and three older sisters, he understood women and appreciated the female body. From the moment Aurora had introduced them they’d clicked, and when his mother died unexpectedly last summer they’d grown even closer. He’d said she was his rock, the only person he trusted explicitly. His words had touched her heart. They’d never be lovers, but they’d be friends for life.

  “What do you think? Did I hit it out of the park, or completely miss the mark?”

  Zoe admired the outfits. Each one was impressive, and she couldn’t decide which one she liked best—the beaded dress with the plunging neckline; the one-shoulder gown with the frilly red bow, or the navy pantsuit with the floral-print design along the waist. Overcome with emotion, Zoe gave him a hug and a kiss on the cheek. “Thanks, Jiovanni. I love all of them, and I’m honored to wear your amazing designs.”

  Dropping into a chair, he clasped his hands behind his head and crossed his legs at the ankles. “Prove it. Try them on, mi amore. Go ahead. Give me a show.”

  “With pleasure.” Zoe grabbed the garment bag, draped it over her forearm and entered the bathroom. Much to Jiovanni’s delight, she modeled each outfit, but when she sashayed out of the bathroom in the navy pantsuit, he cheered.

  “That’s it,” he said, jumping to his feet. “That’s what you should wear tonight.”

  “Are you sure it’s not too sexy?” Zoe adjusted her cleavage.

  “You have a great body and beautiful décolletage, so flaunt it.” Jiovanni wore a proud smile. “I love to see you in my clothes. You make them come alive.”

  To complete her look, Zoe opened the closet and searched through her wooden jewelry box for the right accessories. Zoe often went straight from work to industry functions, and had everything she needed at her disposal. Taking Jiovanni’s advice, she selected teardrop earrings and a rhinestone necklace and bracelet. As she did her hair and makeup, he snapped pictures of her with his cell phone. With billions of people on social media every day, Zoe knew how important it was to give fans an intimate, behind-the-scenes look at Casa Di Moda and encouraged him to upload the images immediately.

  “You look incredible,” Jiovanni praised. “All eyes will be on you at the premiere.”

  Putting on her stilettos, Zoe admired her appearance in the full-length mirror beside the bookshelf. She felt sophisticated in her chic ensemble, and Zoe was so anxious to hit the red carpet at Anteo spazioCinema, she decided to call it a day. The premiere didn’t start for another three hours, but she wanted to get there early to live-stream interviews with the cast. As publicity director it was her job to promote Casa Di Moda, and she couldn’t pass up the opportunity to rub shoulders with A-list celebrities, entertainment reporters and TV personalities.

  Her desk phone buzzed, and the receptionist’s voice filled the office.

  “Hi, Zoe, sorry to bother you, but I need you at reception. You have a visitor.”

  Jiovanni rose to his feet. “Duty calls, huh?”

  “Hopefully it’s the blogger I spoke to yesterday,” Zoe said, logging off her computer. “I want her to do a piece on Casa Di Moda and invited her to come by today for a tour.”

  Zoe grabbed her purse, turned off the lights and waved goodbye to Jiovanni. Hustling toward the reception area, she mentally rehearsed what she was going to say to the popular fashion blogger. Zoe hoped the online article would help boost sales, because just the thought of losing the best job she’d ever had made sadness fill her heart.

  Chapter 5

  The Casa Di Moda reception area was noisier than a train station, and the scent of coffee and expensive perfume wafted through the air. Telephones buzzed and staff members chatted in the hallway. Deliverymen shuffled in and out, carrying oversize boxes and packages.

  As Zoe reached the entrance, she noticed a gift bag, a flower bouquet on top of the U-shaped desk and a mountain bike with a gigantic red bow propped against the far wall.

  “Great, you’re here,” the receptionist said brightly, gesturing to the items with a nod of her head. “These things are for you. Do you want me to help you carry them to your office?”

  “They are? But I didn’t order anything online. Where did they come from?”

  A slim man with a thick mustache appeared at Zoe’s side and bowed in greeting. “Ms. Smith, these gifts are from Mr. Romeo Morretti. His sincere hope is that everything is to your liking.”

  Stunned, all Zoe could do was nod in response. Peeking inside the bag, she pushed aside the tissue paper. Her eyes wide with disbelief, she admired each item—the crocodile leather, Chanel handbag with the shiny diamond clasp, the floral-print dress almost identical to the one she was wearing that morning, and a Samsung cell phone and tablet. Why would Romeo do this? I caused the accident, not him, so why did he buy me thousands of dollars’ worth of gifts? Her head was spinning as she struggled to understand what the gentleman was saying.

  “Mr. Morretti wishes to extend his deepest apologies for the incident that happened this morning, and hopes that you will accept these presents as a sign of his deep remorse.”

  “What incident?”

  Aurora appeared at the reception desk with Davide at her side. The couple wore designer outfits and sidled up beside her, asking a million questions.

  “What’s this about?” Aurora asked, flinging her cashmere shawl over her slender shoulders. “What happened between you and Romeo Morretti this morning?”

  Zoe hadn’t planned to tell anyone about her ill-fated run-in with the business tycoon, not even her family. Images of her parents, Reuben and Collette Smith, and younger sister, Shelby, popped into her mind. Her mom and dad were happily retired from their jobs, and her twenty-six-year-old sister was a graduate student. During the staff meeting, Aurora had made it clear there wasn’t enough money for a Christmas bonus. Without it, Zoe wouldn’t be able to go home for the holidays and didn’t know how she was going to break the news to her family.

  As Aurora questioned her about Romeo Morretti, Zoe’s thoughts wandered. In September, she’d returned home to celebrate her parents’ thirty-fifth wedding anniversary, but three days after arriving in Long Island she’d wanted to cut her one-month vacation short. Had actually considered returning to Milan to attend Fashion Week instead. Zoe couldn’t go anywhere without her ex-boyfriend, Khalil Tisdale, nipping at her heels. Worse still, her mother adored him and his parents, and invited them over for dinner every evening. It didn’t matter how many times she told Khalil that they were over, he wouldn’t let her be. He was a successful orthodontist with a thriving medical practice. But he called her several times a day, showed up at her parents’ house unannounced and wrote her love letters. They were over, and nothing he said or did would ever change that; still he pursued her relentlessly.

  Fond memories filled her heart when she thought about her first love. Zoe was proud of Khalil and everything he’d accomplished, but she had no desire to rekindle their romance. All her life, she’d longed to travel abroad and experience different cultures and she’d refused to let anyone—not even her college sweetheart—stand in the way of her dreams.

  “Earth to Zoe.” Aurora waved her bejeweled hands in the air. “Tell us what’s going on. We’re dying to know about your run-in with Romeo Morretti.”

  Feeling trapped, she reluctantly told the couple about the accident, but left out the part about Romeo’s dinner invitation. The less they knew about her interaction with the financier, the better. Aurora was obsessed with the rich
and famous, and Zoe didn’t want her boss to get the wrong idea about her and Romeo. “Thankfully, I wasn’t hurt,” she said with a sad smile. “My bike was totaled, but that was the worst of it.”

  Aurora gasped. “Good God, Zoe, how terrible! Why didn’t you say anything?”

  “It sounds worse than it was. I’m fine.”

  “Grazie a Dio!” she exclaimed. “I can’t believe you were in a car accident this morning, but still came to work. You should have gone to the hospital to get checked out.”

  Zoe shook her head. “No way. I’m a New Yorker. I’m strong and resilient.”

  “Thank God you’re okay. I don’t know what we’d do if anything ever happened to you,” Davide said in a solemn tone of voice. “You’re an important part of the Casa Di Moda family. We don’t want to lose you.”

  “I second that.” Nodding, Aurora gave Zoe a one-arm hug. “You’re the hardest-working employee we have, you’ve established a strong online presence for the company, and you’ve made the brand cool among millennials. We’re fortunate to have you on board, Zoe.”

  Zoe was embarrassed by the couple’s effusive praise and wished they’d stop showering her with compliments. The receptionist was listening in, and she was afraid the loquacious single mom would gossip to the rest of the staff about what Aurora and Davide had said. That would be a disaster. Jiovanni and the other associate designers were already upset, and Zoe didn’t want them to feel worse.

  “Now, back to you and Romeo Morretti.” Aurora linked arms with Zoe and dropped her voice to a whisper. “What’s he like? Does he smell good? What was he wearing this morning? Armani or Kenneth Cole?”

  “I-I-I don’t know,” she stammered. “We only talked for a few minutes.”

  “Ms. Smith, Mr. Morretti wanted you to have this.”

  The gentleman reached into his jacket pocket, took out an envelope and offered it to Zoe, but Aurora plucked it out of her hand.

  “I’ll read it to you. You’ve had a stressful day, and I don’t want anything to upset you.”

  Before Zoe could protest, Aurora ripped the envelope, took out the card and shrieked in a high-pitched voice in Italian about Zoe being rich.

  I’m rich? What is she talking about? Zoe thought, bewildered by her boss’s odd behavior.

  Aurora was gesturing wildly with her hands, speaking so fast in Italian Zoe didn’t understand a word she was saying. “What is it? Why are you screaming? What does the card say?”

  Everyone in the reception area was watching them, and the gentleman’s face was red.

  “You struck pay dirt! Literally. Romeo Morretti just financed your future!”

  What? Perplexed, she shook her head. Prying the envelope out of her boss’s hands, Zoe realized the piece of paper she’d been waving around was a bank draft, and stared at the check. Zoe choked on her tongue. Rubbing her eyes, she counted the number of zeroes—twice—to make sure she hadn’t made a mistake. A hundred thousand euros? What for?

  “I have to return this. I can’t keep it.” Zoe glanced around, searching the reception area for Romeo Morretti’s employee, but he was gone. Unsure of where Morretti Investments was, Zoe asked the receptionist to find the address online and waited patiently for her to locate it.

  Drumming her fingernails on the desk, Zoe imagined what would happen when she saw Romeo again. Would she be calm and composed this time, or a tongue-tied fool? It was hard not to get flustered when he stared at her. His gaze was unnerving and intense, and his boyish smile could melt the ice around any woman’s heart.

  “Keep the gifts and the check. You earned it.”

  Earned it? It was an accident, not a setup! Again, Zoe was bewildered by Aurora’s words. Surely she didn’t mean it. Furthermore, what kind of person would Zoe be if she took the money? She wouldn’t be able to live with herself if she did; guilt would eat her alive.

  “Romeo Morretti struck you with his car, and you deserve to be adequately compensated,” Aurora continued in a haughty tone of voice. “To be honest, a hundred thousand euros isn’t enough money for your terrible pain and suffering.”

  Zoe frowned. What pain and suffering? I’m fine!

  “I second that,” Davide agreed. “Call Romeo Morretti and demand ten million euros.”

  “No way! That’s crazy. I could never do that.”

  “If he refuses to pay, take him to court.” Dollar signs flashed in Aurora’s hazel eyes, and a smirk curled her lips. “You’ll definitely win, and when you do, you can use your settlement money to invest in Casa Di Moda. It’s a win-win for everyone!”

  In businessman mode, Davide confided in Zoe about his meeting with bank officials yesterday, and the stress he was under to find new investors. Listening to him, Zoe was convinced that Aurora was making a mistake about the plus-size line. If they launched the line, and it did well, investors would come running. It wasn’t the time or the place to broach the subject, but she decided to speak to her boss again tomorrow in private.

  “Rosannah, can you do me a favor and put these things in my office before you leave?”

  “No problem,” the receptionist said with a curt nod. “I’ll do it now.”

  “Thanks. I better get going or I’ll be late for the premiere.” Anxious to leave, Zoe took the piece of paper the receptionist gave to her and waved goodbye. “I’ll see you guys later.”

  Aurora slid in front of her, blocking her path to the door, a defiant expression on her face. Looking chic in her backless ivory gown, she’d accessorized the dress with diamond jewelry, satin pumps and a chain-link purse. “Don’t be silly. We’ll drive you to Morretti Finance and Investments. It’s the least we can do. You’ve had a very rough day.”

  “No, thank you. I don’t want to inconvenience you. I’ll just take a cab.”

  Davide took his car keys out of his pants pocket. “It’s no trouble at all.”

  “We’re taking you, and that’s final.” Aurora linked arms with Zoe. “I’ve always wanted to meet Romeo Morretti, and this is my big chance.”

  “You have?” Making her eyes wide, she faked a look of surprise. “Why?”

  “Isn’t it obvious? He’s a smart, influential businessman with friends in high places, and we could use someone like him in our corner.”

  A cold chill stabbed Zoe’s body. Oh, no, she thought, panic rising inside her chest.

  They’re going to ask Romeo for a loan, or worse, beg him to introduce them to his billionaire clients. Either way, Zoe was screwed, and as the couple hustled her out the front door, she couldn’t help feeling like the sacrificial lamb.

  Chapter 6

  The offices of Morretti Finance and Investments was in a prestigious neighborhood in Milan on a tree-lined street teeming with fancy restaurants, supermarkets, art galleries and boutiques. Exiting Davide and Aurora’s SUV, Zoe noticed there were beautiful cars, people and buildings everywhere. The sun was low, the traffic was light, and the sidewalks were overrun with millennials in search of the perfect place to eat, drink and party.

  “Give my regards to Mr. Morretti!” Aurora shouted out the passenger-side window, cupping her hands around her mouth. “Convince him to invest in Casa Di Moda!”

  Zoe nodded, but she had no intention of fulfilling her boss’s request. In a stroke of good luck, the couple had forgotten their press passes for the movie premiere at the office, and since they had to return to the fashion house to get them, they couldn’t accompany Zoe inside Morretti Finance and Investments. “Bye. Thanks for the ride. See you soon.”

  “Remember what I said.” Aurora fervently nodded her head. “I’m counting on you.”

  Waving, Zoe escaped inside. On the drive over, Aurora had talked nonstop about her problems with the associate designers. As Zoe sat quietly in the backseat, she’d learned some valuable information about the fashion house. In
formation that made her body tense and her pulse race. Jiovanni was right. Casa Di Moda was on the brink of financial ruin, and if Aurora and Davide didn’t change for the better, the fashion house wouldn’t survive the next quarter.

  Zoe entered the reception area and took in her elegant surroundings. Designer furniture, gleaming wood floors, sultry lighting and a granite bar filled the space. It looked more like a gentleman’s club than an office, and the tantalizing aroma in the air made Zoe’s mouth water. The office was quieter than the public library, and the receptionist was standing at attention at the glass desk, her bright smile showcasing every tooth.

  Seeing photographs of Romeo with socialites and famous Italian actresses hanging on the ivory walls, Zoe wondered if everything she’d read about him online was true. Did he have a roving eye? Had he cheated on his ex-fiancée repeatedly? Was he deathly afraid of commitment?

  Zoe cleared her mind. It didn’t matter what Romeo did in his personal life; it was none of her business. Furthermore, she hadn’t come to his office to have a heart-to-heart conversation with him about his past. She’d come to return the check, and once she did she was leaving.

  Nervous anticipation coursed through Zoe’s body as she approached the front desk. Deep down, she was excited to see Romeo again. Odd considering how they’d met, but the articles she’d read about him had piqued her interest. Of course she was curious about him. Everyone in the country was; she was no different. He was a gorgeous specimen of a man who was as successful as he was charming. Although Zoe had no intention of telling him about the problems at Casa Di Moda, she sensed he was exactly what the fashion house needed. An investor who was tough and tenacious, who wasn’t afraid to take risks or shake things up. To please her boss, she’d get Romeo’s card and pass it along. But that was it. She was the PR director at Casa Di Moda, not the CEO, and it wasn’t her job to find investors.