Present..."Congratulations!" I pull Grace, my brother's fiancée, in for a hug. "I'm so happy for you two!" My older brother, Matteo, has been popular with the opposite sex since he turned fifteen. An endless string of socialites and models have clung to his arm over the years. I don't remember seeing him with the same woman more than twice. I think my mother gave up on him ever falling in love. It didn't seem to be in his DNA.But Grace changed that. I've never seen my brother so besotted. And it's easy to understand why. His new fiancée is kind and sweet. Her easy nature draws people in. I already love her like a sister.Grace's smile widens. "Thank you!" She glances around the tent, which is filled with a hundred and fifty close friends and family. "It was so thoughtful of your parents to throw this party for us."I pat her on the shoulder. "It's adorable the way you think you had a choice in the matter." Snorting, I shake my head. "My mother has so much more in t
My fingers rise of their own accord and feather across my lips as our gazes stay locked from across the distance separating us. I've replayed that kiss on the staircase landing more than a thousand times in my head.Over a year later, I still don't understand why he kissed me. No matter how much I secretly longed for a repeat performance, nothing has happened. If anything, Roman's become colder and more standoffish. I didn't think it was possible, but it is.I keep hoping I'll outgrow my infatuation with Roman, but it hasn't happened yet. I'm beginning to wonder if it ever will, which sucks. I don't want to be hung up on a guy who can't even be pleasant when our paths cross.When I meet new guys, I automatically compare them to Roman. The kiss we shared has ruined me for all other men. And it blew every other kiss I've experienced into oblivion.If Roman intended to teach me a lesson, his attempt backfired spectacularly. Instead of driving me away, it's deepened my attraction
I blow out a long, slow breath.I'm irritated with myself for not thinking about the ramifications of my actions and for following my instincts instead of using better judgment. I say a silent prayer of thanks that I didn't stumble across him. The muscles in my abdomen clench uncomfortably at the thought because he wouldn't have been happy to see me.More like angry and irritated. Any conversation that would have taken place between us wouldn't have been pleasant. I rub my temples in frustration. When am I going to get over this stupid infatuation and get on with my life? My feelings for him aren't healthy. I should rejoin the party and pretend this little lapse in judgment never happened."What are you doing in here?" a voice thunders.I jump and whirl around, finding Roman looming in the doorway. His jaw looks like it's been carved from stone. The muscles of his body are coiled tight, as if he's on the cusp of attack. All the thoughts circling madly around in my head flee.
"Sofia, what's wrong?" My mother sets down the large platter she's holding on the kitchen island and takes a closer look at me. "Have you been crying?"She's not aware of the feelings I have for Roman, nor do I want her to be. I feel like a fool after what happened in Papa's office. The last thing I want is her pity. It will make me feel worse.I also know that if I tell her what happened with Roman, she'll have him fired immediately. Or worse. Roman has become a valuable asset to the organization over the years. My father heavily depends on him. My brothers assist Papa when needed, but none of them are interested in taking over when he decides to step down because they have their own business ventures to run. Causing problems for Roman will cause problems for my father if the person he wants to pass the reins to is no longer an option.And I'm not interested in going there. Roman Santori isn't worth the effort, and part of me recognizes I'm somewhat at fault for what occurr
I smile at the student sitting across the desk from me.Ella Michaels is eighteen years old and will graduate in less than two months. She's worked hard over the last four years and should end with close to a four-point GPA. She tested well on both the ACT and SAT, which she took at the end of her junior year and had her choice of top-notch universities all over the country. Since she's a state champion swimmer who lettered freshman year and broke two school records in the four hundred breaststroke and freestyle, universities with D1 swim programs have vied for her attention since she was a sophomore. After visiting her top three schools last year and talking at length with the coaches, she settled on Florida State.Intelligent, athletic, and talented, Ella is one of those students who make everything look effortless. She appears to have it all. It would be easy to hate her, but she's sweet, genuine, and goes out of her way to be friendly with everyone.Two months ago, she came i
Her mouth trembles. "I know. My parents keep saying the same thing.""I'm glad to hear that. Your mom and dad have been so supportive through all this."She blows out a breath. "Yeah, my mom and dad have been the best. I thought they'd be angry after they found out about the baby. I imagined they'd kick me out of the house or..." she trails off. "I don't know, hate me or something." Ella shakes her head before continuing. "But that hasn't happened. They were just really disappointed that Collin and I weren't more careful about birth control."I can only imagine what her parents are going through. To have your daughter all set to swim at the D1 level with a partial scholarship to pay for college and then have it disappear in the blink of an eye must be tough to stomach. Thankfully her parents are focused on the positives and have been wonderful about helping Ella through this pregnancy. Because Ella has such a strong support system, she'll be able to achieve anything she se
My father's biggest concern was not being able to surround me with the same level of protection I'd grown up with. The compound was heavily guarded at all times, and a driver escorted me to a nearby private school and anywhere else I needed to go.Naturally, Papa tried strong-arming me into using security at school, but I quickly shot down the idea. The whole point in going away was to experience life by spreading my wings and enjoying the freedom I'd never gotten a chance to taste as a child. I wanted out of the small, protective bubble I'd been forced to grow up in. Having guards on campus would draw too much attention. Which was exactly what I didn't want. For the first time in my life, I wanted anonymity. I wanted to be a normal college girl who lived in the dorms, studied at the library, and occasionally hit a party or two.The moment I step foot on campus, I stopped being known as Sofia Valentini and became known as Sofia Bianchi. Four years later, when I moved back to I
Drew picks me up at my house at six o'clock.He offers me a stunning bouquet of wildflowers after I open the door. Burying my nose in the blooms, I invite him in and arrange them in a vase, adding thoughtful to Drew's list of admirable qualities.We head downtown to have dinner at a popular steakhouse he's secured reservations at. Within the first five minutes in the car, we banter back and forth, cracking jokes and laughing. My concerns about not having enough to discuss over the course of the evening seem unwarranted.There's nothing awkward or stilted about being in his company.Which is a huge relief.As a colleague, I immediately liked Drew. He has a laid-back, affable manner that instantly puts people at ease. And he's knowledgeable and interested in a wide variety of subjects. From politics to musical choices, we run the conversational gamut during the drive.We share a bottle of white wine over dinner. The two glasses I consume don't make me feel intoxicated, just light