Читать книгу Decadent - Alexx Andria, Alexx Andria - Страница 14

I LEFT DANTE, my knees a little weak from our kiss, but I kept my back straight and my smile fixed. I would die before letting him know that his lips had stolen my breath.

God, how long had it been since I’d felt this wild need to sleep with a man? Too long. Castello di Baroni consumed my every moment from sunup to sundown, leaving little time for personal pursuits. I wasn’t complaining—the winery was my passion—but the touch of a man who knew what he wanted and went after it wasn’t to be ignored.

Dante said he was no longer interested in purchasing the winery. His story made a certain amount of sense—his father had been the interested party, not him. Dante had no vested interest in the winery and had been pursuing the sale only as a courtesy to his aging father. I understood familial loyalty and the urge to make something happen for their benefit.

If Dante was truly no longer interested in purchasing the winery, that made him no longer a threat.

Which made him fair game for my bed.

A quick look to my father revealed he’d missed my kiss with Dante, for which I was grateful. I didn’t want to explain why a strange man was kissing me in the courtyard. Sophia, on the other hand, had seen everything.

I rejoined her, and she met me with a curious expression. She led with, “I have questions…so many questions…”

I laughed, leaning over to whisper so my father didn’t overhear. “Would you believe he was in my office earlier today with an offer to purchase Castello di Baroni?” Sophia’s expression mirrored my own at the audacity. “I know. I turned him away.”

“And he shows up here? How did he get an invitation?”

“Mia gave him her ticket.”

“Mia?” Sophia looked surprised. “Why?”

I shrugged. “Likely, he charmed her but she did manage to sell a case of the Riserva so I can’t be too irritated with her. Besides, Mia is sweet and probably had good intentions at heart.”

“You think she was trying to play matchmaker?”

I pursed my lips in thought. “Perhaps. I think she may be sweet on Como but he hasn’t the sense God gave a goose to notice.”