“Don’t worry, baby. I won’t forget about you.” I snagged her ball, tossing it again only with a little more oomph than before. She took off running, her tail swishing back and forth. After shielding my eyes from the sun, I glanced at the sky, studying the beautiful formation of clouds.
It was a gorgeous day, the blue sky shimmering from the sun’s lower direction.
Woof!
Golden Angel’s sharp bark drew my attention and I was surprised she hadn’t returned with the ball in her mouth. Ugh.She usually never left my side for more than a couple of minutes at a time. I moved quickly, worried something might be wrong.
When I rounded a corner where a tree line met a row of grapes, I was shocked into silence while stopping in my tracks.
A man had just thrown the ball for my golden and she’d returned with joy in her eyes, her tail wagging even more. I stood where I was as the stranger, obviously a worker in the fields bent down, whispering something I could hear while scratching her behind the ear.
The little growls of happiness she made were usually reserved for me. She certainly wasn’t a fan of my father or almost any other male. To see the way she was responding to a stranger kept my interest.
As soon as he stood, he threw the ball again, much harder and farther than I could do. That allowed me time to see if I recognized Golden’s new best friend.
The stranger was completely unlike every other man I was used to seeing. While Italy had its share of gorgeous people, those employed by my father were rough around the edges. They were men not hired for their beauty or brains but for their brawn, many covered in scars from the violence filling their lives.
This man was entirely different. He’d stripped off his shirt, exposing broad shoulders and a barrel chest with insanely perfect six-pack abs so carved I wanted nothing more than to run my finger across the indentations.
He was tall, dark, and devastating.
Wow, I was breathless.
I certainly wasn’t immune to being attracted to someone, but the boys in my school had yet to fill out. The stranger was easily six and a half feet tall, his muscles toned in ways I didn’t think possible. His skin was bronzed, kissed by the sun and exertion, his long, muscular legs filling the ill-fitting cargo pants he was wearing.
On his chest was a huge tattoo of a wolf with ice blue eyes, the ink so intricate that it was almost impossible to draw my attention from the gorgeous design. On his shoulder was something else, a colorful star with several points. I longed to trace the designs as they added to the dangerous aura he was manifesting.
With my heart racing, I lifted my gaze to his face just as he scrubbed his hand across his jaw. My God. Every inch of him was gorgeous, his thick dark hair framing a chiseled face. I was breathless, daring to take yet another look at the full length of his body.
Woof. Woof.
Golden Angel broke the hypnotic spell, returning to the man and jumping. Seeing her paw placed on his chest, I finally groaned and rushed forward. “Golden.Spenta.” Off.
The little brat turned her head in my direction, wagging her tail. She’d never been this disobedient before. However, she was a girl dog.
With the sound of my voice carrying a distance, the stranger lifted his head while I walked closer, finally catching sight of his eyes. They were the color of sapphires glistening in the sun.
So luminous I was in awe.
My breathing remained labored, my pulse skyrocketing even though I chastised myself for being so silly. He stood where he was, stroking my dog as if this was completely natural.
A slow smirk spread across his face and he obviously had never worked with my father before or he wouldn’t dare allow his gaze to linger. I’d seen men beaten for less.
I was drawn to him in a way I couldn’t explain, not only because he was without a doubt the most handsome man I’d seen, but also because there was a magnetic draw to him that had to be chemically induced. Sheer electricity rocketed throughout my body, keeping my heart thudding and my nipples aching.
When I was only a couple of feet away, I reached for Golden. “Chi sei?”
He studied me intently before shaking his head. He didn’t understand Italian.
So I repeated myself in English. “Who are you?”
I could see the light shift in his eyes. “No one special.”
Holy shit. His voice was deep and husky, the sensual sound leaving a lingering trail. “Everyone is special in their own way.”
His laugh was as sultry as it was unexpected. “Not today. Not here.”
“Why?” Because the power he exuded couldn’t be hidden by sweat and dirt.
