Page 89 of Niccolo

“And the devil can cite Shakespeare for his own purpose,” I said, making a play on Shakespeare’s line,The devil can cite scripture for his purpose.

He laughed in delight. “Are you saying I’m a devil?”

“Are you?”

“Ahandsomedevil, some people would say. Hopefully you’re one of them.”

“Jury’s still out on that one.”

“Nooooooo,” he said playfully, as though I had insulted him. “Surely thine eyes do not deceive thee, madam.”

“I’m more about a man’s brains than his looks,” I said coolly.

“Oh – a sapiosexual!”

A sapiosexual is someone sexually attracted to intelligence.

I’d always thought I was asexual, but my reaction to Niccolo’s banter – and his looks – was proving otherwise.

Damn him.

“I am, too,” he said, his voice dropping as he leaned in close. “Sapiosexual, I mean. Which is why I think our connection is undeniable.”

It’s true: Iwasattracted to him.

The verbal sparring –

His intelligence –

It awoke something inside me that I had never felt, or at least never so powerfully:

Desire.

Which unnerved me.

He was my enemy.

I was here to observe him –

Not the other way around.

“Or do you deny our mutual attraction?” he murmured as he leaned in closer.

“I think…” I said, trailing off.

“…yes?” he whispered, his face so close to mine that I could feel the heat of his body.

“…that you’re no Aurelio.”

His eyes opened wide in surprise –

Until he saw the tiny smile that lifted the edge of my lips.

Then he threw his head back and guffawed.

“Thank God for THAT!” he said, laughing. “I tell you what – why don’t you inform my cousin you’ve found a new date, and you and I can go somewhere private and talk a bit more?”

“Is that all we’re going to do?” I asked sardonically.

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