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She looks ravishing in the new dress I picked out for her, one I hoped might make her feel both sexy and sophisticated, just like she is. The satin clings to her curves in the most flattering way. The thin straps and low neck reveal a tantalizing amount of her cleavage anytime she leans forward. And the slit that runs to nearly the top of her left thigh entices me to turn this into an evening spent right here in our bedroom.
But rather than giving in to temptation, I lift Tia into my arms. Her teasing words from earlier brings a smile to my face. And I love the fact that she’s growing more comfortable with accepting my help.
“What are you smiling about?” she asks suspiciously, narrowing her eyes.
“Oh, nothing. Just, from this vantage point, I can see what you’re wearing beneath your dress,” I tease.
“No, you can’t!” she gasps, pulling rather aggressively at the edges of the slit.
“No, I can’t,” I agree. “I just wanted to see how you would react.”
“Yeah, well, you nearly convinced me to change,” she warns darkly.
I chuckle. “Like I’d give you the opportunity now that I’ve got you at my mercy.”
Tia shivers delicately in my arms, making my pulse quicken. Luigi opens the front door for me a moment later, offering a polite nod as we depart. At the foot of the stairs, my canary-yellow Ferrari convertible sits waiting, the top off, and the passenger door is already open so I can set Tia inside. It looks brand new now, all the bullet holes expertly repaired.
I glance at Tia from the corner of my eye, curious if she might not be upset by the reminder of our first night together. But if it bothers her, she doesn’t show it. Instead, as I set her gently into the passenger seat, she smiles up at me, her look pointed as she adjusts her dress to smooth it lower.
I laugh darkly, loving her feisty behavior.
“Now, do I get to know where we’re going?” Tia asks as I slip behind the wheel and close my door.
“I thought we might take a drive around town,” I suggest. “Do a bit of sightseeing.”
Her confession that she hardly knows the town of Piovosa makes me want to introduce her to it, to expand her horizons. Because after spending more time with her in the bedroom, I’ve come to realize I enjoy showing Tia something she’s never experienced before.
It doesn’t take long to make it into the center of town, and I drive slowly so she can fully appreciate the gothic architecture and the old-timey feel of the town center. I point things out to her as we go—the best restaurants around town, the businesses that are under the protection of my family, and now hers.
When she grasps the top of her door and turns to admire the grand opera house, I pull up to the curb.
“Have you ever been to a show?” I ask.
“Yes, but it’s been years. We stopped going when…” Tia’s voice trails off.
Her eyes dart in my direction before turning back to the proud stone structure, its columns giving the front entrance a Roman pantheon-type feel.
“When what?” I press, suddenly intensely curious.
“W-Well, when the conflict between our families began to escalate. I think my father believed it best to keep me and my sisters hidden from sight so we wouldn’t become a tempting target…”
My gut twists as I realize why Tia would hesitate to finish her sentence. In short, I’m the reason she stopped going to the theater. My conquest began five years ago, the start of what many have dubbed my reign of terror.
“Well, we’ll have to rectify that,” I state, fighting my discomfort as I realize just how many ways I’ve hurt Tia without even trying. “Perhaps, now that our families have been united, we can all attend a performance together sometime.”
“Really?” Tia turns to settle back into her seat, her face lighting up as she meets my eyes fully.
I smile, shaking my head. “Always with the note of disbelief.”
Tia flushes as she gives me a shy smile. “I would love that,” she murmurs.
“Good.” Pulling away from the curb, I head to our next stop.
Somewhere along the line, I’ve come to realize that the innocent enthusiasm with which Tia approaches life is far more appealing than I realized on the night I met her. And while I’ve always been drawn to her more fiery, rebellious side, my attraction to her only seems to intensify when I accidentally land on something that reveals her vulnerability.
It’s a strange, new attraction but one that makes me increasingly more curious about the deeper emotions that run beneath Tia’s impressively still, composed exterior.
Pulling up in front of Pascal’s, one of my family’s favorite upscale restaurants that has resided under our protection for years, I park near the side entrance. It’s a showy place with phenomenal food, but I don’t make Tia get out of the car.
