Those were the very qualities he desired in the mother of his child. The fact that Nia was the sexiest, feistiest woman he’d ever met were added bonuses.
What on earth had propelled her to step outside of her character and offer to sell herself for four million dollars? It had to be more than the fact that she was buried in debt—a debt she’d incurred recently by making several large cash advances on her credit cards.
What kind of trouble was she in? Who had she borrowed from and had to repay? Was it a loan shark or some other questionable individual? New York City was rife with shady characters ready to pounce on inexperienced, innocent young women like Nia. Had she had the misfortune of falling prey to one of them? She was only twenty-three, and although she put on a brave act, her youth and innocence rendered her defenseless against the harsh realities of life.
A consuming need to protect Nia surged through Massimo’s veins. The reason she had sought him out to solve her financial problems didn’t seem important anymore. He didn’t care, just thankful she’d come to him. Another wealthy man might not have been as honorable and considerate as he, even though she might not think him honorable at all.
His arms tightened possessively about her. He buried his face in her hair where traces of ginger and grapefruit from her shampoo and conditioner still lingered. Simple and refreshing —a nice change from the strong nauseating fragrances a lot of women used. He liked the fact that she was different.
“You’re suffocating me,” she said, struggling to break free.
“Sorry, pussycat.” He relaxed his hold and stepped back to gaze into her hauntingly familiar eyes. Since she wasn’t conspiring against him with Galen, he could not have seen her in the background of any surveillance photos. She wasn’t a model or a movie star, so he would not have seen her in a magazine or on TV. So where had he seen her, and why was it only her eyes that were familiar? He would have remembered her entire body if he’d seen it once. It was just her eyes. “Are you sure we haven’t met before, Nia?’ he asked as frustration gnawed at his insides.
She dropped her gaze to the floor, just as she’d done yesterday when he asked her the same question.
“I’m positive, Massimo. We have never met,” she said raising her head to smile at him wide-eyed.
Little liar , he thought on a smile. They had met before. It was up to him to find out where and when. As he gazed at her, he realized there was only one possibility. He had to have met her just before he set out for Kenya to scatter his father’s remains in the Serengeti. He wondered if she knew she talked in her sleep. She’d been tossing and mumbling during the early hours of dawn, but he’d been too tired to make sense out of her nonsense. He smiled inside, deciding to keep that bit of knowledge to himself. He might be able to coax the truth out of her tonight.
“Our breakfast is getting cold,” she said, her eyes twinkling with eagerness. “We should go eat. It smells delicious.”
You smell delicious . Massimo had a long day ahead of him, starting with an international satellite conference in a couple of hours. He placed his hand on the small of Nia’s back and steered her into the direction of the dining room. Bliss crept through him. He faltered at the unexpected emotion.
In less than twenty-four hours, Nia Sylk had managed to spin her silken threads around his head. Now that he knew she was not involved with Luciano’s bastard son and that she was who she said she was, and even though he was certain there was a lot more Nia wasn’t telling him, his thoughts about her were nevertheless heading in a different direction.
He just had to be careful that her silken threads didn’t extend to his heart.
CHAPTER FIVE
Nia pulled the wool dress from the hanger and slid it over her
What on earth had propelled her to step outside of her character and offer to sell herself for four million dollars? It had to be more than the fact that she was buried in debt—a debt she’d incurred recently by making several large cash advances on her credit cards.
What kind of trouble was she in? Who had she borrowed from and had to repay? Was it a loan shark or some other questionable individual? New York City was rife with shady characters ready to pounce on inexperienced, innocent young women like Nia. Had she had the misfortune of falling prey to one of them? She was only twenty-three, and although she put on a brave act, her youth and innocence rendered her defenseless against the harsh realities of life.
A consuming need to protect Nia surged through Massimo’s veins. The reason she had sought him out to solve her financial problems didn’t seem important anymore. He didn’t care, just thankful she’d come to him. Another wealthy man might not have been as honorable and considerate as he, even though she might not think him honorable at all.
His arms tightened possessively about her. He buried his face in her hair where traces of ginger and grapefruit from her shampoo and conditioner still lingered. Simple and refreshing —a nice change from the strong nauseating fragrances a lot of women used. He liked the fact that she was different.
“You’re suffocating me,” she said, struggling to break free.
“Sorry, pussycat.” He relaxed his hold and stepped back to gaze into her hauntingly familiar eyes. Since she wasn’t conspiring against him with Galen, he could not have seen her in the background of any surveillance photos. She wasn’t a model or a movie star, so he would not have seen her in a magazine or on TV. So where had he seen her, and why was it only her eyes that were familiar? He would have remembered her entire body if he’d seen it once. It was just her eyes. “Are you sure we haven’t met before, Nia?’ he asked as frustration gnawed at his insides.
She dropped her gaze to the floor, just as she’d done yesterday when he asked her the same question.
“I’m positive, Massimo. We have never met,” she said raising her head to smile at him wide-eyed.
Little liar , he thought on a smile. They had met before. It was up to him to find out where and when. As he gazed at her, he realized there was only one possibility. He had to have met her just before he set out for Kenya to scatter his father’s remains in the Serengeti. He wondered if she knew she talked in her sleep. She’d been tossing and mumbling during the early hours of dawn, but he’d been too tired to make sense out of her nonsense. He smiled inside, deciding to keep that bit of knowledge to himself. He might be able to coax the truth out of her tonight.
“Our breakfast is getting cold,” she said, her eyes twinkling with eagerness. “We should go eat. It smells delicious.”
You smell delicious . Massimo had a long day ahead of him, starting with an international satellite conference in a couple of hours. He placed his hand on the small of Nia’s back and steered her into the direction of the dining room. Bliss crept through him. He faltered at the unexpected emotion.
In less than twenty-four hours, Nia Sylk had managed to spin her silken threads around his head. Now that he knew she was not involved with Luciano’s bastard son and that she was who she said she was, and even though he was certain there was a lot more Nia wasn’t telling him, his thoughts about her were nevertheless heading in a different direction.
He just had to be careful that her silken threads didn’t extend to his heart.
CHAPTER FIVE
Nia pulled the wool dress from the hanger and slid it over her
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