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“I am the owner”

Mari unclenched her fingers, relieved they were back to the safe topic of talking about the hotel again “As I’ures again, if they are, as you say, correct Find a way to trim costs somewhere else” She didn’t add that she blamed him for the extra work; there was no need He never seeed ahead hatever schereat one for schemes

“Mariella, you are going to worry yourself into the ground Take the day Enjoy it” He reached over and put his hand over hers “You’re no good to me or the employees here if you’re out on stress leave because you’ve pushed yourself too hard”

Words seele when she tried to talk and she paused He wasn’t goading her or criticizing His eyes were sincere He actually sounded like he cared

He was so hard to resist when he was this way It had been easier for her to deal with the work thisthan think about the what-if’s with Luca But he was here now and work didn’t solve a thing If anything it only served to increase her awareness of hiether To reht To reed to trust someone, to have the

Luca saw her face change, saw that little hint of vulnerability she tried to keep hidden He recognized that look Gina had had it, less now that she had her own fa up In his days here, he hadn’t seen Mariella with any friends She never talked about her family She was, to his recollection, thetold him she had it that way on purpose

It would be good for her to have a day with Gina Moreover, it would get them both out of his hair for a blessed few hours so he could work in peace

“I want to do this for you, Mariella I want you to take the rest of the e or a wrap or whatever you like” And he lifted her hand and kissed the back

It was a mistake The scent of her skin as he touched it with his lips ht, soft and pliant in his arms It had affected hioing to her on the balcony There was nothing brash about her, she had no agenda, and that set her apart from most of the women he escorted to various functions But that wasn’t all

It would be very easy to care for Mari, to care too ive it He would be leaving She was different He knew she wasn’t the kind of woive her anything more

He dropped her hand and sauntered to the door As he reached the threshold, he turned his head back “Oh, if you could, be back at two-thirty I’ve allery”

He shut the door behind hi very real for hiht now he needed to keep things simple

At two-thirty Mari met Luca in the lobby