AllFreeNovel
Share Us
She shrugged. “And that’s it.”
“That’s what you didn’t want to tell me?”
Her gaze moved to the cobblestone walkway. “It’s just that I got comfortable around you and forgot to watch what I was saying.”
“Oh, I see. Since I’m the boss, you feel like you have to screen what you say to me?”
She nodded.
“How about this? For the duration of this trip, I’m not your boss. We’re just business associates or how about friends? Would you like that?”
Her gaze met his and she found that he was being perfectly serious. “But what about when we return to New York?”
“Obviously things will have to change then, but for right now, I’d like to just be Angelo, not Mr. Amatucci. I’d forgotten what it’s like just to be me again.”
“And I like you calling me Kayla.” Her gaze met his. Within his eyes she found a comforting warmth. “Consider yourself a friend.”
He held out his hand to her. She accepted it. A shiver of excitement raced up her arm. They continued to stare deep into each other’s eyes, even though it was totally unnecessary. She knew she should turn away. She knew that it was the proper thing to do with her boss. But as he’d just pointed out they were friends—for now.
His voice grew deeper. “I couldn’t think of a better friend to have.”
Her heart fluttered in her chest. What had just happened?
Angelo turned and tucked her hand back in the crook of his arm. Why did it suddenly feel as though their relationship had just taken a detour? How would they ever find their way back to just being boss and employee now?
* * *
Monte Calanetti is a diamond in the rough.
Had that thought really just crossed his mind?
Before he’d left the hotel a few hours ago, he’d envisioned Monte Calanetti as he had when he was a child—suffocating with its traditional ways and its resistance to growth and to modernization. But somehow, with Kayla by his side, he’d seen the village from a different perspective—he’d seen it through her very beautiful, very observant eyes. With her passion and romantic tendencies, she might just be the key he needed to pull this wedding pitch together. But did he dare ask for her help?
Sure, she had talent. He’d witnessed it firsthand with the Van Holsen account. But did he trust her with a project that was so important to his family? After all, his brother and sister, not to mention the entire village, were counting on him to represent them properly to the royal couple. But how was he supposed to do that when he kept hitting one brick wall after the other?
They walked some more before Kayla turned to him. “Thank you for showing me your hometown. I love it.”
“Really?” He failed to keep the surprise from his voice.
“Of course I do. How could you not? Not only that but it has the most delicious aromas and it’s so peaceful.” Just then two scooters whizzed by them. “Okay, so it isn’t totally peaceful.”
“You’ll get used to them. Scooters are very popular around here.”
A couple more scooters zoomed down the road causing Kayla to step into the grass. She took a moment, taking in her surroundings. “Is this where you went to school?”
Angelo glanced at the back of the building off in the distance. The years started to slip away. “Yes, it is.”
“I bet you were a handful back then.”
As a young kid, he’d been the complete opposite of the way he is now. “I believe the word they used was incorrigible.”
Now why had he gone and admitted that? Letting down his defenses and opening up about his past would only lead to confusion and misunderstandings, because sharing was what people did when they were getting serious. And that wasn’t going to happen. He refused to let it happen. No matter how ripe her lips were for a kiss. Or how her smile sent his pulse racing.
“You probably picked on all of the girls and pulled on their ponytails.”
He shook his head. “Not me. I didn’t have time for girls, not until I was a bit older.”
“And then I bet you broke a lot of hearts.”
