Page 6 of Attraction (Mobsters + Billionaires 3)
I laugh and set the glass on the bar a little too hard, sloshing the contents.
“Oh shit!” I quickly lick the single drop of bourbon that found its way to the edge of the glass. “I’ve gotta be more careful.”
His eyes track my tongue, and suddenly, my handcrafted bow tie feels tight around my throat.
Fixing him with a glare that is pure theater, I take another sip. “So you were baiting me?”
“A little.”
“Gentleman mobster, my ass.”
He laughs again. “You’re kind of fun when you’re sloshed.”
“I’m always fun,” I say, gesturing to my floral Dolce and Gabbana blazer. I adjust my frames, which match the hints of lime-green found in the leaf print on my jacket.
Running a single finger over his bottom lip, he nods. “I’d have to agree with you on that. I don’t think I’ve ever seen you wear something straight off the rack.”
I shudder. “God, never.”
He opens his hand to me, and I’m not sure why, but I accept the wordless invitation and place my hand in his. It’s something we’ve just started doing—breaking the touch barrier.
“You are a wonder,” he says, lifting my hand to his lips. The kiss is warm and dry, and appropriate. The gesture sends a bolt of lightning up my arm, and I try and fail to stifle a gasp.
His lips on mine would be…
His arms so…
Get it together, Ford.
His eyes catch mine. He’s made no attempt to hide his attraction, but I’ve always sort of danced away from him, given his business dealings. Maybe it’s the fine liquor, but at this moment, I don’t give a shit about any of that.
He looks like he wants to devour me whole, and I want to let him.
Our eye contact stretches far past the normal standards of social interaction. I bite my bottom lip. His eyes track the movement, and he tilts his head, an invitation. A question.
“Sorry to interrupt, Mr. Stefano. But Mary said that I, uh, need to see you.”
The link between us snaps, and my attention is riveted to the very young man awaiting Luca’s attention. Now, I would never interrupt a mobster in the middle of a flirtation, but that’s just me. I wonder if I’m about to see Luca’s gritty underbelly.
In a word, no.
The barest hint of irritation flashes across Luca’s face as he releases my hand. His energy shifts from flirty bartender to…oh. That’s his mob-boss look. I shiver, wondering what it would feel like to get that look in bed.
Not helpful, Ford.
“I’m very sorry for interrupting you, but Mary insisted,” the young man says, shifting on his feet. He’s probably in his mid-twenties, wearing tight jeans and an even tighter T-shirt, his sculpted biceps straining against the material. Still, despite his rugged appearance, his voice is supplicant and soft. He looks like a hustler.
I wonder how much money his body makes for Luca, and that thought chills any warmth brought on by the expensive alcohol.
Luca’s eyes track down the young man’s physique. He nods. “Mary never lets me miss my Friday appointment. She thinks I work too hard.”
I don’t know if he’s talking to the young man or me, but the young man smiles, his entire demeanor flirtatious. “Well, we can’t have that, can we?”
The escort’s eyes flick over to me with the same ingratiating smile. “On the other hand, I don’t mind a little hard work.”
His invitation is even more obvious than Luca’s. I shift back, removing my forearms from the bar and resting my hands on my lap.
Luca notices and, maybe I imagine it, gives a small shake of his head. Unlike the young man, who could frankly use a little help reading the room, I have no doubt Luca knows exactly what I’m thinking. No, I will not be joining him, and yes, I’m well aware this guy is on his payroll.
