Page 13 of His Beautiful Revenge
Norah felt her spirits soar only for them to plummet again when Seb continued, “Jack’s just having an argument with the dragon at the moment. Sorry, I mean hisgirlfriend. Hopefully, he’s dumping her—we can but hope.”
Right on cue, the door opened and a beautiful but icy blonde stalked out. Norah recognized her, but couldn’t place her. The blonde met her gaze and they sized each other up. The blonde’s eyes narrowed and she stalked out. Seb cheerfully gave the finger to her retreating back.
“Seb,” Giacomo was at the door of his office, trying to hide a grin. Seb shrugged good-naturedly.
“Sorry, I have Finger Tourette’s. Anyway…here she is!” Seb indicated Norah flamboyantly and Norah burst out laughing. God, how did these two ever get any work done?
Giacomo shook Norah’s hand. “Come on in before you’re scared off by this lunatic. Sebastiano, can I trust you to field calls for a little while?”
“Take as long as you need,” Seb said, a wicked gleam in his eyes. Norah couldn’t help but grin at the man. He was fun and she loved that he had already singled her out to be his friend.
And as for the man in front of her …lord, she would have to try hard not to be distracted by his sensual presence. He was wearing a light blue shirt tucked into dark gray trousers that fit him perfectly. Giacomo smiled at her. “Ready to start work?”
She grinned back at him. Really, his smile was like sunshine. “You bet.”
By the end of her first week, Norah was flying. It had been intense, exhausting, and high-speed, but she had loved every exhilarating moment of working with Giacomo. He had very fixed thoughts about what he wanted for the campaigns, but he never dismissed her own ideas, listening to them carefully so that in the end, the first draft of the very first advertisement was a fifty-fifty collaboration between them.
More than that, she found him to be great company. He was relaxed, flirtatious without being creepy, and comfortable with himself in a way that Norah envied. But, then again, she supposed that when you looked like Giacomo did, youwouldbe comfortable. It did border on arrogance some of the time, especially when dealing with people she could tell he didn’t like, but, never, ever with his employees, or with her.
He came unexpectedly to theAnthology one afternoon when she was working upstairs and she felt shocked at how happy seeing his face made her.Don’t fall for your client, girl.But she had to admit that she didn’t think she could stop herself.
Norah introduced Giacomo—she just couldn’t get on board with calling him Jack; it was too generic for a man like him—to Zulika, who liked him immediately, and to Ziggy who greeted him like an old friend. Norah almost groaned – looks, class, fun, and likes dogs?Yes, please …
When he invited Norah to come for drinks after a meeting with two of his friends, this time she agreed, and now, as they took a cab into the city, Norah felt nervous—excited nervous, to be sure. Giacomo’s arm was across the back of the seat behind her as they rode in the back of the cab. He was chatting easily, but she couldn’t help but feel the tension that had been building between them. Giacomo held her gaze as he talked to her, but she barely heard a thing. He seemed to sense the turmoil in her. He stopped talking and let the back of his finger drift down her cheek.
Norah felt her skin vibrating with longing and his warm fingers brushed her collarbone. She closed her eyes, reveling in the feeling of his touch. She felt him move closer, then his lips brushed hers softly. She didn’t dare open her eyes. She didn’t want to break the spell or have to deal with the fact that she knew this was wrong. He had a girlfriend. He was her client.
His lips were firmer against hers now and she gave a soft moan of desire. His fingers knotted in her long hair and his tongue massaged hers gently. Her hands had a mind of their own, sliding along the length of his hard-muscled thighs.
Norah opened her eyes. Giacomo was gazing at her, his green eyes dark with desire, drinking in every detail of her face. His lips moved against hers so naturally, their breath mingling. Finally, they drew apart and Giacomo smiled ruefully. “I have wanted to do that since we met.”
She flushed with pleasure. “Me too …but, Giacomo, we can’t. We work together. You have a girlfriend.”
Giacomo nodded sadly. “I know ...and I assume you have a partner at home?”
God, the shock of the reminder sent a pain through her stomach. Lucian. She shook her head. “No. Not anymore.”
Giacomo stroked her hair. “Bella…we should talk. Not here, obviously,” he half-smiled. “But soon. Soon …I will not have the other …commitment, and believe me, not just because of the way I am feeling about you. It had been over long before I was aware of your existence. The work thing …I understand your reticence, but we can work around that. For now, just know …you are all I think about.”
She could hardly breathe. This gorgeous, beautiful, unattainable man wantedher.She knew the truth of it in his gaze, his words, and the tenderness of his touch.
She was still glowing when they reached the bar and she was caught up in the introductions. Orlando and Carmel Price, both strikingly beautiful African-Americans, tall, and with the friendliest smiles, were waiting for her. They introduced themselves to her and teased Giacomo, who clearly adored them.
They ordered drinks and sat in a corner booth. Carmel, a human rights lawyer, chatted to Norah amiably about her work, Norah’s work, and Ferma, their daughter. Norah liked the other woman immensely. Orlando was a riot; funny and erudite, his gentle teasing of Norah made her feel at home with them. Giacomo was relaxed, and at one point, Norah noticed him raising his eyebrows at Carmel, who nodded back approvingly. Norah tried not to blush at the obvious sign of approval she was receiving.
The evening went on longer than anyone expected and it was only at ten o’clock that Orlando looked ruefully at his watch. “Sorry to say, we have to get back for the sitter. She’s probably sitting in the corner, sobbing and rocking back and forth because Ferma’s been on a tear.”
Norah nearly snorted her drink out of her nose at the image. “I must meet Ferma. She sounds like my kind of anarchist.”
Carmel and Giacomo laughed and Orlando nodded. “She is that. Norah, it has been an absolute delight to meet you and I hope it’s just the first of many such evenings.”
“Hear, hear,” said Carmel as they all stood. She hugged Norah and whispered in her ear. “I shouldn’t say this, but Jack’s crazy about you.”
Norah felt tears prick her eyes. “I like him too,” she said, slightly embarrassed, but Carmel grinned at her and squeezed her hand.
“You’ll be good for him, sweetie. I can tell.”
Orlando gave Norah a bear hug too. “If everyone is free one night next week, can I suggest dinner at our place?”
