Page 6 of Her Dirty Secret

But he steps forward, prying my arms away from my chest, holding my hands in his. “Of fighting against what you really want.”

He might as well have poured a bucket of ice water over my head for how shocked his words leave me.

“You’re right,” I whisper, more to myself than him.

His hand slips under my chin, prompting me to look up into his eyes. “I know.”

I give him a mock frown. “And you’re arrogant.”

He laughs. “I know that too.”

His honesty makes me laugh with him. “I’ll let you drive me home on one condition,” I say with a sneaky smile.

“Go on,” he replies.

“Show me what this baby can do.”

With a grin, he walks around and opens the passenger door for me. I slide into the buttery-soft red leather seat. And when he gets in and takes off, holy shit does it take off. It takes half the time it usually would to get home, and I can barely direct him there for laughing gleefully as he whips around at high speeds.

As he idles outside of my building, the adrenaline speaks for me.

“Come upstairs,” I say.

He looks over at me intently.

“Any other time I would,” he says carefully, “but I must be on a flight to Napoli in a couple hours.”

Shit. That’s right. The whole reason Bryce and Sera are honeymooning in Italy is because she’d originally planned to go on a group trip to the Amalfi Coast with Alessandro.

“Ah, yes, that,” I reply. “Some other time then.” I give him a wan smile. “Thanks for the ride.” I turn to leave, but he leans over and covers the hand I have on the door latch with his. I turn toward him, and his face is dangerously close to mine.

“Give me your phone,” he says urgently.

I only hesitate for a moment before handing it over. He quickly programs something in, then hits a button. His phone, tucked behind the stick shift, vibrates. He presses another button, then hands it back.

“Now you have my number, and I have yours. I’ll call you when I have a moment,” he promises.

That one I’ve definitely heard before. “Yeah, okay,” I reply, unconvinced. “Bye then.”

He laughs and shakes his head. “You’ll see.” He gives me a wink but doesn’t stop me leaving this time.

Two

Emily

I’m not even in the apartment for five minutes when he calls.

“I’m an idiot,” he says without preamble.

“I won’t disagree with that,” I reply. “A pretty girl asks you to have sex with her and you say no.” I tsk at him.

He laughs loudly. “Well, I wasn’t sure that’s what you were asking, but I guess I am now.”

I shake my head. “Is that why you called? To ask what I meant by, ‘Come upstairs?’” I tease. “I know there might be something of a language barrier, but—”

“Come to Italy with me,” he interrupts. And I’m rendered speechless. “I’m downstairs. You wanted to be spontaneous, no?”

My heartbeat thuds in my ears. I should have a million questions.