“Do you have much experience with women’s lingerie? And exactly how will you know what sizes to get?”
Boy, this water was starting to get hot—really hot. “Fine.” His voice came out rough, and he had to stop to clear his dry throat. “I’ll give you the money and you can get what you need.”
She grinned at him. “I never thought of you as the kind to take the easy way out.”
He had the distinct feeling there was no winning this conversation. No matter which way he went, he was doomed. “I’ll make you a deal.”
“Oh, I like the sound of this. Tell me more.”
“We’ll go together. I’ll pick them out, but you have to promise not to wear them for anyone else.”
Her eyes widened and then narrowed in on him. “Why, Mr. Amatucci, are you hitting on me?”
“I must be losing my touch if it took you this long to figure it out.” He didn’t even wait for her response before his head dipped and he caught her lips with his own.
Their relationship was unlike anything he had known previously—he never tired of Kayla. In fact, he missed her when she wasn’t next to him. And her kisses, they were sweet and addicting.
What was wrong with him? He never acted like this. And he never took part in flirting. He never had to. Normally women gravitated to him and things were casual at best. But with Kayla it was different—he was different. He barely recognized himself. It was as if he’d let down his shield of Mr. Angelo Amatucci, Madison Avenue CEO, and could at last be himself.
However, Kayla had taught him that a relationship didn’t have to be turbulent like his parent’s relationship. She’d opened his eyes to other possibilities. She’d shown him through her patience and understanding that, with openness and honesty, things didn’t have to be kept bottled up inside until they exploded.
She hadn’t been afraid to voice her disagreement over ideas for the wedding pitch. Nor had she been shy about vocalizing her objection to his no-charity-projects rule at the office. And though he hadn’t agreed with her on some of the things, he’d been able to communicate it without losing his temper. Was it possible that he wasn’t like his parents? Or was Kayla the key to this calm, trusting relationship?
He wasn’t sure what it was, but the one thing he was certain about was that he wanted to explore this
more—this thing that was growing between them.
When their attendant entered the room, they pulled apart. Disappointment settled in his chest. But the thought of picking up where they’d left off filled him with renewed vigor. This wasn’t the end—it was just the beginning.
“I just have one question.” Kayla gave him a puzzled look. “What exactly are we supposed to wear when we leave here? Please don’t tell me that we’re going commando.”
He burst out laughing at the horrified look on her face.
“Hey, this isn’t funny.”
“Relax. I have another surprise waiting for you.”
The worry lines on her face eased. “You do? Aren’t you a man of mystery today?”
“I try.”
“So tell me what it is.”
He shook his head. “Just relax and let the water do its magic. You’ll learn about your next surprise soon enough.”
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
CINDERELLA.
Yep, that’s exactly how Kayla felt as she stepped out of the limo. Her nails were freshly manicured, her face was done up by a makeup artist and her hair was swept up with crystal-studded bobby pins. And that was just the beginning.
Angelo had surprised her with a gorgeous navy blue chiffon dress. Wide satin straps looped over her shoulders while a pleated bodice hugged her midsection. The tea-length skirt was drawn up slightly in the front while the back of the skirt flirted with her ankles. The thought that Angelo had picked it out for her and that it fit perfectly amazed her.
And there was lingerie—she wasn’t even going to ask how he got all of her sizes right. Heat tinged her cheeks. Some things were best left unknown. Her silver sandals, though a bit tight, looked spectacular. And he’d even thought to present her with a sparkly necklace and earrings. The man was truly Prince Charming in disguise.
She looped her hand through the crook of his arm as he escorted her into a very posh restaurant. Tall columns, a marble floor and white table linens greeted them. Palms grew in large urns. The soft lighting and instrumental music made the ambience quite romantic. When the maître d’ led them to the back of the restaurant and out a door, she wondered where they were going.
She soon found them standing on the terrace overlooking the Mediterranean Sea. A sweet floral scent filled the air. Kayla glanced up to find a wisteria vine woven through an overhead trellis. The beautiful bunches of delicate purple flowers were in full bloom. Lanterns hung from chains and gave off a soft glow. The whole setup was just perfect for a first date—this was a date, wasn’t it?