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Sawyer stilled. The words had slipped out before she’d had an opportunity to censor herself. Mio Dio, what had she done? He didn’t belong to her. Never would. This was a contract—pure and simple—and though they had extended it to one more night, there was no relationship possible.
Was there?
An array of emotions flickered over his face. His voice came out rough and gravelly. “I believe you. The man you choose as your own is one lucky son of a bitch.” He cleared his throat and the crackling tension eased. “Come with me.
you must be hungry.”
He intertwined her fingers with his and led her back to the bedroom. They feasted on crisp crackers, creamy cheese, and sweet peppers, washing it down first with water and then champagne. Sawyer lifted her feet into his lap and massaged the tender insteps, sore from the high heels. Surprised she didn’t feel awkward after the various intimate encounters, Julietta relaxed into conversation about work, then chatted about her upbringing with a protective older brother.
Swirling the golden liquid in the delicate flute, she broached her next question with care. “How long have you known Wolfe?”
His fingers paused. “About a year.” She fought a groan as he kneaded the tight muscles in her hamstrings. “I never thanked you for giving him a chance. Most see his appearance and believe he’s useless.”
“you’d never hire an employee who didn’t own incredible skills. especially with Purity. He told me a little bit about his past.”
Sawyer gave a half laugh. “yeah, he told you he came from a tattoo parlor, didn’t he? Tells everyone that story.
Wolfe doesn’t talk about his real past.”
“He said you kept him from jail and took him in. Gave him a chance to prove himself.”
He looked up in surprise. “I can’t believe it. He never— he never shares.”
Julietta smiled. “He admires you. Hides it behind a smart-ass attitude. He’s got some incredible business skills for someone so young. No wonder you brought him to Italy.”
Sawyer shook his head as if trying to clear it. “yeah, he’s a smart kid. Got lost in the foster system and was trying to make it on his own in the streets. I caught him trying to pickpocket me, and I gave him a choice. Jail or an internship at my company.” A flash of pain lit his eyes. “The first few months he gave me so much shit I was tempted to throw him out. But he was so damn smart it was eerie. He has a photographic memory and knows how to talk to people once he gets over his initial insecurity. every time I gave him a task, he finished it before my regularly paid employees.” Sawyer shrugged. “So I kept increasing his workload, paid him a salary, and waited for him to run. He hasn’t yet.”
“you care about him.”
He flinched and pulled his hands from her leg. Her skin cooled as fast as his tone. “This has nothing to do with emotion. I decided to bring him with me to test his skills. He listened to that rosetta Stone thing and learned the language in record time. But if he fails, I’ll let him go.”
Julietta studied the man before her. odd, he was able to give so much in the bedroom, but normal relationships seemed impossible for him to accept. Sawyer was lying.
He obviously cared more about Wolfe than he was ready to admit. Probably had no clue how to deal with a broken teenager, and Julietta suspected they shared a similar past.
But this wasn’t the time or place to push.
“Understood. After all, business is business.”
His gaze warmed and the ghosts receded. She sucked in her breath as the familiar heat took hold. Sawyer wrapped his fingers around her ankles and dragged her close.
“exactly. I think it’s time to get back to our own negotia-tions.”
Julietta ignored the rush of joy and chalked it up to sexual hormones. “I thought we had concluded our business.
Three orgasms definitely wins the bet.”
He gave a wolfish smile. “Then just call me an over-achiever.”
He covered his body with hers. Julietta had never known losing could be so sweet.
Chapter Ten
Sawyer paced the unfinished lobby of Purity with the team. The roar of power tools filled the air, and the scent of wood, oil, and paint rose in his nostrils. The empty building of the popular Le Méridien had been abandoned for years: a lonely, sprawling piece of architecture that created a longing in the heart of the city. After years of working on buying the building, he’d finally won. He’d taken the first step in making his mark in the world and obtaining a slice of immortality. It was the best he could ever hope for.
The structure owned the old-world grace he needed to make his mark here. The marble winged horse in front led to an elegant building with a crumbling white facade amidst the bright red doors lending distinctive character. The full restaurant and lounge would be replaced by a modernized version of entertainment and the best of technology brought in for a media suite for business. Already furnished, each room needed to be made over and renovated while decisions of what furniture and structures should remain and what should be ripped out boggled his team of designers.
Pride surged as he led the team through the slowly de-veloped rooms. They chattered as Wolfe took notes and Sawyer guided them toward his vision, pointing out where each of their respective spaces would be housed. When he stopped in front of the bakery area of La Dolce Famiglia, he paused to direct his attention to Julietta.
She had cried for him.
The memory of her tears wrecked his concentration.
other than a few flashes of being held by his parents, he had no soft memories to hold on to. Touch usually meant punishment or something to avoid at all costs. He’d learned brutally early that tears were useless and looked upon as weakness. How many times had he been beaten bloody, starved, humiliated, or punished in various ways and not one person had given him a second glance? even his foster siblings were too busy looking after themselves, and any kindness to him was always severely punished.
Sawyer never blamed them. He would’ve done the same. But the moment he saw Julietta’s tears, a strange yawning emptiness rose up and tried to strangle him. She had actually cared. Kissed his scars. yelled at him for even mentioning she might want to leave. She’d demonstrated everything kind and good and he didn’t know what to do with it.
The endless women before her blurred into a line of nameless faces who’d only seemed interested in his scars to make sure he got them off. He’d never had a lover kiss him with such tenderness, let alone shed tears over something she didn’t know or understand. His heart squeezed with so much emotion he couldn’t process the flood. Sawyer refused to analyze the weakness. Much better to concentrate on her stinging anger and insults than on such an intimate gift. He might never recover.
