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The smirk does it, and I somehow recover my normal human functions. “Wait, did you hire a stripper for my sister?”
He shakes his head. “What? I hired a nurse, so you don’t have to worry about Annie all weekend.”
He remembers her name. A thousand butterflies soar in my stomach. “Yeah, but they sent a male nurse. He doesn’t even look like a nurse. She’s fanning herself upstairs. He’s so hot.”
Gio grabs me around my waist and jerks me to him with a smirk. “Don’t you fucking mention another man being hot in my presence.”
Oh, the dominance oozes through his eyes, and I let it wash over me with a tremor of anticipation. He seizes my lips, possessive and urgent. Claiming me.
“Do you want me to cancel the nurse?” He pulls back, leaving me breathless.
“No, Annie would kill you.”
He chuckles and opens the door for me.
* * *
“What is this place?” My feet sink into the plushest carpet I’ve ever stepped on. Soft wooden paneling mixes with silver silk padded walls in this luxurious room that could be a living room, if it wasn’t for the glass displays of jewels and watches.
When Gio threw his car keys to a valet, I wasn’t paying much attention, but we were at—or rather beneath—the flagship Saks Fifth Avenue store. Though I was pretty sure the store doesn’t have underground parking.
We took the elevator to the top floor and a woman—who was clearly expecting us—took our coats and ushered us to this room. A living room? I would sit on one of the soft-looking white leather couches, but the carpet is light brown, and it seems ridiculous to stain it with outdoor shoes.
I wipe my hands on the side of my thighs and consider taking off my boots. Gio doesn’t share my concerns and walks right to the double seat and makes himself comfortable.
“A store.” He shakes his head slightly, probably annoyed. This version of him I know and can handle better.
“Obviously,” I deadpan, and cross my arms over my chest. He doesn’t elaborate, but before I can tell him what I think about this date so far—okay, minus the Lamborghini ride, that was cool—another woman enters.
“Mr. Cassinetti, so nice to see you again.” She doesn’t acknowledge me.
She’s wearing a flawless blond bun at her nape, a haughty expression, and a black dress that looks simple but is clearly more expensive than anything I own.
Gio growls a greeting, frowning at her. “This is Ms. Ward. Open a file for her and get her packed for a weekend in the Caribbean.”
She still doesn’t look at me. A bitter taste spreads through my stomach. Gio’s indifference and her ignorance roll around undigested. I have half a mind to storm away, if I knew which way to go to escape this humiliation.
What? The Caribbean?
“Any formal occasions?” The Haughty Bun asks.
“No, it’s a casual weekend.”
“I’ll be right back.” She gives him a perfect, blinding smile, and without sparing a glance in my direction she leaves.
Gio’s eyes snap to me as soon as the door clicks behind her. “Come here, Princess.” He pats the seat next to him.
I trudge across the room to join him, no longer worried about the carpet. The Haughty Bun can clean it, bitch.
“You don’t enjoy shopping?” Gio pinches my chin between his finger and thumb and forces me to look at him.
Deep brown abyss. Full of softness.
I sigh. “I don’t enjoy being blindsided and treated like an accessory. She didn’t even look at me, and you didn’t really care to explain why we’re here.”
His eyes flicker with something while he takes in every inch of my face. His gaze is a gentle caress on my skin, and my apprehension melts against my will. God, this man sparks the entire scale of emotions in me, and he doesn’t even have to try.
“You’re a breath of fresh air, Mila.” He pulls me closer and captures my lips with such possessiveness that I gasp against him.
