Page 143 of Niccolo

Without warning, I grabbed her and kissed her passionately.

Shemmphedand struggled for a second –

But then she gave in.

After a few more seconds, I pulled away. “I’ll make it up to you, I swear. Just let me get rid of them, and I’ll come right back. It won’t take more than an hour.”

She glared at me again. “Youbettermake it up to me.”

I grinned. “I will. I swear on my brothers’ lives.”

She gave me the tiniest smile. “Okay… now you’re obligated.”

I kissed her again – but tenderly this time. “It’s a date.”

“Hm,” she grunted in annoyance as I turned back to the elevator and pushed the button. “I’m under no obligation to wait foryou,though.”

“But then you’d miss out on all the fun,” I teased her.

“Would I.”

“Yes – I swore on my brothers’ lives, after all.”

She half-smiled in spite of herself.

The elevator dinged.

“Arrivederci, bella,”I said, blowing her a kiss, as I got on the elevator.

The last thing I saw was her shaking her head ruefully as she headed towards her room.

59

Sofia

Annoying as hell.

That’s what Niccolo Rosolini was:

Annoying ashell.

Too bad he washotas hell, too.

When he’d propositioned me down at the poker table, I’d been shocked –

And immediately turned on.

He had the thing I wanted the most in a man: intellect.

But he was also funny, and charismatic, and smooth –

And audacious.

He reallydidlike pushing the line…

And I realized that Ilikedthat.

So when he asked me to go to bed with him –

---