Seduced by the Tycoon at Christmas Read online

  Not wanting the elderly woman to wait, Zoe rushed into the foyer and opened the front door. Her mouth opened, then closed, and her knees wobbled under her striped sweaterdress. Zoe knew she was staring at Romeo, but she couldn’t help it. Couldn’t take her eyes off him.

  “Good evening, Zoe. It’s great to see you again.”

  The sound of his voice jolted Zoe back to the present. “What are you doing here?” she blurted out.

  “I’m here for Davide and Aurora’s dinner party, of course.”

  “What dinner party? I’m the only one here.”

  Romeo licked his lips, and desire rippled across Zoe’s clammy skin.

  “Great, so I won’t have to compete with anyone else for your attention,” he said, his deep brown eyes dark with mischief. “I can have you all to myself tonight. How wonderful.”

  Flabbergasted, Zoe couldn’t think of anything to say in response and fidgeted with her hands. It was either that or use them to caress his broad chest. God help her. Dark and brooding, with a smoldering gaze, she couldn’t help checking him out.

  Narrowing her eyes, she noticed the unique style and fit of his tan sports coat. It was one of Casa Di Moda’s bestsellers, and that morning Zoe had mentioned it on the fashion house’s social media pages. Stylishly dressed, he’d paired it with a ribbed flex-collar shirt, slim-fit pants and leather shoes. One look turned her on, but she had to keep her head, knew she couldn’t fall victim to his piercing gaze. Like all of the women in his past, she was nothing more than a challenge to him. She deserved more than a one-night stand with a bad-boy bachelor.

  “How do you do it?”

  Blinking, Zoe wore a blank expression on her face. “Do what?”

  “Manage to look more beautiful every time I see you.” Leaning forward, he kissed her on each cheek, then took her hand in his. “I’m glad you’re here, Zoe. I’ve missed you.”

  “Missed me? You don’t even know me.”

  “Not yet, but I’m working on it. In my defense, you’re not making it easy for me.”

  Romeo winked at her. He looked pleased with himself, and the expression on his face made a giggle tickle her throat. Damn him! He was suave and flirtatious, and knew how to make her laugh. His boyish smile and his scent aroused her body.

  Soft music filled the apartment, creating a romantic mood. The air smelled of spices and freshly baked garlic bread. Zoe wondered what else Aurora and Davide were cooking up. She loved them, but she didn’t appreciate them tricking her.

  “Romeo, you made it. Welcome to our humble abode.”

  Davide appeared in the foyer, grinning from ear to ear.

  “Thanks for having me. It’s great to be here,” he said politely.

  “Come in. Aurora’s just finishing up in the kitchen. She’ll join us shortly.”

  “This is for you and your lovely wife.”

  For the first time, Zoe noticed Romeo was holding a gift bag. Davide opened it and nodded in appreciation at the bottle of Cristal. Listening to the men make small talk, questions rose in Zoe’s mind. Was Romeo the only guest? Had they invited other potential investors? Was she expected to help the couple close the deal? There was only one way to find out.

  Excusing herself, Zoe marched down the hall, intent on speaking to Aurora before dinner. She spotted Aurora standing in front of the sink and sprang into action. Gripping her shoulders, she steered her into the walk-in pantry and closed the door.

  “What are you doing? I have to take the vegetables off the stove or they’ll be soggy.”

  “Dinner can wait,” she said, folding her arms across her chest. “You lied to me.”

  Making her eyes wide, Aurora wore an innocent smile. “No I didn’t.”

  “Why didn’t you tell me you invited Romeo to dinner?”

  “Because if I told you he was coming tonight you wouldn’t have shown up and I need you. You’re my good-luck charm.”

  “Why is he here? Is this a business dinner? Have you invited other potential investors?”

  “We don’t need anyone else,” Aurora said. “Romeo can single-handedly save Casa Di Moda, so be nice to him tonight, okay? Flirt with him, laugh at his jokes and quit playing hard to get. Guys hate that, especially wealthy men.”

  Zoe didn’t speak for a long moment. She couldn’t. Didn’t know how to react to her boss’s statement, and feared if she spoke, she’d lose her temper. Was Aurora drunk? High on seasoning salt and garlic? She’s crazy if she thinks I’m going to sleep with Romeo to save Casa Di Moda from bankruptcy. As if. I’m a public relations director, not a whore.

  “Italian men like bold, assertive women. Don’t be afraid to make the first move,” Aurora advised. “He’s quite the catch, Zoe...”

  I know, she thought sourly. How can I forget? You keep reminding me!

  “Invite Romeo back to your place at the end of the night, toast your newfound friendship with an expensive bottle of wine and do what comes naturally. I would!”

  “Are you suggesting I sleep with Romeo Morretti to save Casa Di Moda?”

  Aurora scoffed, wore a skeptical expression on her heart-shaped face. “As if you don’t want to. He’s hot, successful and ridiculously rich. What more could you want in a man?”

  What more indeed? Biting her bottom lip, Zoe dodged her boss’s gaze.

  “Exactly. That’s what I thought. You want him, so stop fighting your attraction.”

  “I’ve never had a one-night stand—”

  “Who says it has to be just one night?” Aurora asked, raising an eyebrow. “You have the entire weekend to explore the mysterious wonders of Romeo Morretti.”

  “I can’t. That’s not me. Sex without love is meaningless.”

  “Says who? I sowed my wild oats before I married Davide, and I’m glad I did. How are you supposed to know what you like sexually if you don’t date a variety of men? Hooking up with Romeo Morretti is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Don’t blow it.”

  “Don’t blow it?” Zoe repeated. “If you want Romeo to invest in Casa Di Moda so bad, then you sleep with him.”

  “He doesn’t want me. He wants you.”

  Opening her mouth, she realized she didn’t know what to say, and closed it.

  “You have to help us,” Aurora begged, clasping her hands together. “Romeo’s not only insanely popular, he also has billionaire friends with deep pockets. If he throws his support behind Casa Di Moda, we’ll finally make it to the top.”

  Hearing voices in the kitchen, Zoe pressed a finger to her mouth to silence her boss. She didn’t want Davide or Romeo to overhear them, or worse, figure out they were hiding in the pantry and come looking for them. How embarrassing, she thought, expelling a deep breath.

  Zoe looked down at her outfit and scrunched up her nose. Her dress was cute, just not snazzy enough to have dinner with the sexiest man on the planet. If she’d known Romeo was coming, she would have done her hair and makeup and worn something fancy.

  Hoping the coast was clear, Zoe cracked open the door and peered out to the kitchen. Thankfully, Romeo and Davide were in the living room, watching football on the flat-screen TV mounted above the fireplace. “The coast is clear.”

  “Let’s go. It’s time to wow our millionaire guest,” Aurora whispered, tiptoeing out of the pantry. “Remember what I said. Be warm and friendly and flirt like crazy.”

  Zoe didn’t know whether to laugh or to cry.

  “Romeo, how nice for you to join us for dinner. You’re looking well...”

  Standing, Romeo greeted Aurora, but his gaze was glued to Zoe’s face. The Casa Di Moda logo was visible on the pocket of his dress shirt, confirming her initial thought. Romeo was trying to impress her, and she liked seeing him in her favorite designer label.

  God help her. He was across the room, but her attractio
n to him was so strong her body trembled at the sight of him. Zoe pulled herself together. Refused to crumble under pressure. She could do this. It didn’t matter that Romeo was all man, all muscle. Zoe had a job to do, and although she disagreed with Aurora’s strategy, she was going to help her boss save Casa Di Moda—even though it meant befriending a man who made her weak in the knees.

  Chapter 10

  Romeo picked up his glass, noticed Zoe watching him from across the dining room table and met her gaze. He read the question in her eyes and smiled to reassure her he didn’t bite. That he’d never do anything to embarrass her in front of her boss. Arriving at the Bordellio apartment an hour earlier, he’d discovered Zoe didn’t know he’d been invited to dinner, so he’d made small talk with Davide and given her some space.

  Sitting back comfortably in his chair, he sipped his drink and savored the sweet, fruity taste. Romeo wished he had something stronger to drink than orange iced tea, but his doctor wanted him to limit his alcohol intake, and he didn’t want to do anything to jeopardize his health.

  “Would anyone like more chicken cacciatore?” Aurora asked, gesturing to the round ceramic bowl beside the bottle of Cristal he’d brought for the couple as a gift. “Don’t be shy. There’s a lot more food in the kitchen, so eat up.”

  Before Romeo could decline, Aurora scooped more pasta onto his plate, and enough sautéed vegetables to feed a family of five. “Godere!”

  Romeo gulped. His stomach groaned in protest at the thought of eating more food, but he smiled at his eager-to-please host. Italian women took cooking very seriously, and since he didn’t want to offend the fashion designer he said, “Thank you, Aurora.”

  Pride shimmered in her eyes, but she gave a dismissive wave of her hand, as if whipping up a seven-course meal on her day off was no big deal. “It’s my pleasure. I love cooking. If I weren’t a fashion designer, I’d probably own an Italian restaurant.”

  Romeo nodded. That explained the extravagant meal and romantic ambience in the dining room. The lights were low, classical music was playing on the stereo system, and rose petals bordered the swan-themed centerpiece. Scented candles perfumed the air with a floral fragrance. Romeo wondered if Aurora was a serial matchmaker who got a kick out of setting people up. Or had she invited him over tonight to persuade him to invest in Casa Di Moda? Romeo was used to people wanting things from him—loans they had no intention of repaying, managerial positions within his company even though they weren’t qualified, a meeting with one of his brothers or cousins—but he hoped for Zoe’s sake that Aurora wasn’t using her as bait.

  His brother’s words came back to him, filling him with guilt. You think the worst of people, and the older you get, the more pessimistic you are about life and relationships. Enrique was right, but it wasn’t his fault. Friends and lovers had burned him too many times to count. After everything Lizabeth had put him through, he’d shut himself off to the world. Had stopped giving interviews to the media. Quit attending social functions and events. Kept the opposite sex at arm’s length.

  Then why are you sweating Zoe Smith? his inner voice broke into his thoughts. Why are you pursuing a woman who doesn’t want to date you?

  Romeo sighed. It was a good question. One he didn’t have an answer to, but wished he did. Her natural beauty had caught his eye. It was what drew him to her that fateful morning. But after attending the movie premiere with her and the after-party, Romeo knew Zoe was more than just a pretty face with God-given curves. Women with a sense of humor who weren’t afraid to laugh at themselves always impressed him. He enjoyed the PR director’s killer wit. These days, everyone was sensitive about everything, but Zoe wasn’t afraid to speak her mind. It was a turn-on, what made him want to be around her, even though she was playing hard to get.

  Again, his inner voice mocked him. Who says she’s playing?

  Romeo picked up his fork and forced himself to finish the food. The chicken was dry, the vegetables were overcooked, but he acted as if it were the best meal he’d ever had. It was a small price to pay for spending the night with the object of his affection. Zoe was quiet, only gave one-word responses to his questions, but Romeo wasn’t discouraged. He had two concert tickets in his wallet, and Zoe was going to jump for joy when she found out he was taking her to see her favorite group in December.

  “Zoe, tell me more about your day trip to Florence.”

  “Yes,” Davide agreed. “Fill us in on the photo shoot in my beloved hometown.”

  Clearing her throat, she fiddled with her napkin and shifted nervously in her chair.

  To put her at ease, Romeo touched her hand, giving it a light squeeze. Electricity singed his skin. Feeling her soft flesh against his caused his mouth to dry and desire to shoot through his veins. “Was the weather nice, or was it gray and rainy as usual?”

  Lines wrinkled her forehead. “How did you know I was in Florence yesterday?”

  “Social media, of course.”

  Freeing her hand from his grasp, Zoe picked up her glass and took a long drink.

  “By the way, your post about the Duomo was spot-on. You’re right. The city should do something about the pigeons and those sleazy scam artists loitering outside the Duomo cathedral. They’re rude and aggressive, and they drive tourists away.”

  Her face brightened. “I agree. It’s a terrible situation. Those scam artists give Milan a bad name. Something has to be done about them.”

  “If you ever decide to run for city council, you have my vote!”

  Zoe giggled. Romeo knew if he kept her talking and laughing about the things she was passionate about they’d be friends—and lovers—in no time.

  “Florence was lovely.” Her shoulders visibly relaxed, her tone filled with excitement. “The weather was warm and sunny, the crew was fantastic, and we had so much fun sightseeing, Jiovanni promised we’d go back next month for the tree-lighting ceremony.”

  Romeo almost fell off his chair. Zoe had a man? Since when? As he spoke, he tried to maintain his cool, but he heard the bass in his voice and wanted to kick himself for sounding jealous. “Jiovanni? Who’s that? Your boyfriend?”

  Aurora burst out laughing, and even though Zoe glared at her, she didn’t stop giggling.

  “He’s not her boyfriend. He’s an associate designer at Casa Di Moda,” Aurora said.

  Romeo sighed in relief, thanking his lucky stars that Zoe wasn’t spoken for.

  “Zoe’s interested in someone else, and it isn’t her BFF Jiovanni. He’s a successful businessman who knows how to treat a woman. Isn’t that right, Zoe?”

  Eyes narrowed, lips pursed, Zoe gripped her fork in her hands. If looks could kill Aurora would be slumped over her plate, dead. But the designer was so busy chatting a mile a minute she didn’t notice the murderous expression on Zoe’s face.

  Recognizing the tension in the air, Davide wisely changed the subject. He made everyone around the table chuckle when he poked fun at himself for eating so much food one of the buttons popped off his dress shirt. As they ate dinner, the mood lightened and conversation flowed. They discussed their plans for the holidays, their favorite traditions and Christmas events in Milan. Two glasses of Cristal helped Zoe loosen up, and by the time the group retired to the living room, she was in great spirits. She spoke Italian well, even knew slang and cultural jokes. The sound of her voice speaking his native tongue with such confidence and eloquence was a turn-on. A deep thinker who loved to discuss and debate current events, he was completely and utterly captivated by her.

  “Have you had an opportunity to review the business proposal I gave you on Monday?” Davide asked, setting his mug down on the coffee table. “I know it’s only been a few days since you visited Casa Di Moda, but I’d love to know your initial thoughts on the proposal.”

  Romeo wiped his mouth with a silk napkin. “Thanks again for having me. It was g
reat to have a behind-the-scenes look at a successful fashion house. I learned a lot about the day-to-day operations of your company. I read your business proposal, and although it was concise and well-written, I’m not prepared to invest in Casa Di Moda at this time.”

  Davide nodded, and Aurora hung her head.

  “We understand. Thanks for taking the time to read the proposal. We appreciate it.”

  “Davide, all isn’t lost.” To lighten the mood, Romeo spoke in a jovial tone of voice. “I mentioned the proposal to my sister, Francesca, yesterday and she expressed interest in the line. However, she was disappointed in the size chart—”

  “Oh,” Aurora said, interrupting him. “Why would your sister be disappointed in our size chart?”

  “Francesca isn’t a size two. She’s a tall, voluptuous woman who has trouble finding designer clothes that fit her shape. If you want her to consider investing in Casa Di Moda, you’ll have to revise your size chart.”

  Aurora’s face paled. Her mouth was open so wide Romeo could see her molars.

  “Casa Di Moda makes beautiful, fashionable clothes for all women,” Zoe explained, leaning forward in her armchair, her smile as captivating as her sultry voice. “Our Christmas ad campaign features models of all colors, shapes and sizes, but what we’re most excited about this holiday season is unveiling our new Chic and Curvy line.”

  Davide coughed into his fist, then an awkward silence descended over the room.

  What was that about? The couple was fidgeting and shifting around on the love seat, but Zoe looked pumped up, as if she were bursting with good news. Frowning, Romeo tried to recall what he’d read in the proposal Davide had given him days earlier. Swamped all week at the office, he’d reviewed so many documents and contracts that facts and statistics were swimming around in his head. “Really? I didn’t know Casa Di Moda was in the process of expanding its line. That wasn’t mentioned in the proposal.”