Hot in Here (17 page)

presented, and even seemed enthusiastic about helping pick the location of the shoots and the magazines

they wanted to target. All seemed to be back on course, and Jenna couldn’t have felt more relieved.

The conference with Gabby had been a success, but clearly she could not say the same about this

meeting with the supermodel Eduardo.

They’d been talking for nearly half an hour. And a couple of espressos and ricotta-filled cannolis later,

they were still no closer to a deal. And Jenna so desperately needed to close this deal.

When she took a second cannoli—she was starved from the long flight—the hunk looked at her like she

was an alien. His gaze skimmed over her figure for a third time and she wondered if he didn’t approve of

her taking another pastry. Bryce, on the hand, wouldn’t have batted an eye. He loved to be around

people who loved food as much as he did. And Jenna really loved food—and Bryce, damn him.

Biting into the rich custardy filling, Jenna realized she really needed to stop thinking about Bryce and

focus on the matters at hand.

“So this is an ad with big women. Could be lucrative. Who is the woman?”

Jenna popped the last bite of pastry into her mouth and brushed the crumbs from her hands. As she

chewed she looked at the handsome god and couldn’t deny that with his face and body, he could drive

up sales of lingerie. Too bad his attitude sucked. He was a little too sulky for her tastes, but then it wasn’t

her preferences she was worried about. What mattered was what the women who would buy Duchess

Lingerie would desire. Jenna had a feeling that this guy’s looks would satisfy even the pickiest woman’s

palate.

“I’m not certain who we’ll be using. We’re still searching through portfolios.”

“But she’ll be big?”

Jenna gritted her teeth. “Voluptuous.”

Eduardo shrugged in deference. “But beautiful, yes?”

“Very.”

“And what is in it for me?”

“A chance to work for Giancomo Designs.”

He held up a perfectly manicured hand. “The daughter of the house of Giancomo. Not the same thing.”

“The belovedonly daughter of Giancomo,” Jenna reminded him, “and a protégé of her papa. Trust me, if

you make Gabriella happy, and her undies sell like hotcakes, Don Giancomo will make you the star of his

runway.”

Eduardo seemed to take that little tidbit into consideration.

“I leave tomorrow, but you have my number. Give it some thought. This is a good opportunity for you,

and I won’t lie: It’s a fabulous opportunity for Duchess Lingerie.”

Nodding, he stood to his full height. He was tall but not as tall as Bryce. Why couldn’t she stop thinking

about him? She blamed it on fatigue and lack of food.

“Thank you for meeting with me on such short notice. I really do appreciate it.”

“Thank you for the invitation to pose. I’ll do it, but I’d like to have input into the woman who will pose

with me. Chemistry is very important for making something like this believable. If you want a sexy ad, I’ll

need to be attracted.”

Surprise set her back. “Even with a plus-sized model?”

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“I’m Italian.” He smiled. “I love women with curvy bodies. And I like blondes, if you’re interested in my

preferences.”

Jenna swallowed hard as he looked down at her. He reached for her hand and brought her knuckles to

his mouth for a kiss. “No ring?” he asked as his gaze slipped down to her ring finger.

Jenna felt herself flush. He pulled her a bit closer and kissed one cheek, then the other one before

whispering in her ear, “Perhaps we might talk some more. My apartment is only a few blocks from here.”

Jenna’s first impulse was shock. Then a little thrill shot through her. Wow. Eduardo was a hot fashion

model who was obviously interested in her. Her confidence shot up, but then her blood cooled as an

image of Bryce came into focus. Eduardo was hot, but Lord, oh Lord, Bryce was hotter.

And she missed him. Even though she was still steaming from their fight the other night.

“I’m sorry. I can’t. I really should go.”

“Previous commitment?” he asked silkily. “Perhaps later this evening, for dinner.”

“Thebella signorina will be busyall night.”

Jenna fought the urge to faint. No way, she could not be hearing Bryce’s deep velvety voice. She took a

steadying breath . . . and smelled him. He was standing right behind her. Here. In Milan.

Eduardo’s hand still held hers while Jenna did a little half turn to look over her shoulder. There was no

denying it was Bryce. There was also no disputing that Bryce was way more gorgeous than the man

holding her hand. One look at Bryce with a five-o’clock shadow was enough to make her thighs quiver.

Oh God, what was she supposed to do now?

The color from Jenna’s face drained to a pasty white and Bryce felt immense pleasure at the sight. What

the hell was she thinking letting this guy put his hands and lips on her?

“Do you know this man?”

“Oh, she knows me,” Bryce growled. His response left no room for misinterpretation. The man knew just

how well acquainted Jenna and he were, and if he was too stupid to hear it in the words, then he would

definitely pick up on it from the way Bryce glared at him as he pulled Jenna’s hand from the Italian stud’s

grip.

“Ah, the previous commitment, I assume.”

“Yeah.”

“I will be in touch soon. I like your offer,” he said to Jenna, before flashing Bryce an enigmatic smile.

And just what the hell was that supposed to mean? Had Jenna offered this guy the same deal he’d

gotten?

Oh hell, no! Over his dead body.

Mr. Tall, Dark and Handsome left the table and Bryce finally turned his attention to Jenna, who was

staring at him as if she couldn’t quite believe what she was seeing.

“I love Italy. You should have told me you were coming. I would have kept you company on the flight.”

“What are you doing here?” she snapped, finally collecting herself.

“Coming after you. And just in time, too. That guy was about to devour you whole.”

“That guyis business,” she said mutinously, her beautiful blue-green eyes turning a shade darker. And that

pissed him off.

“Oh, the same kind of business I am?”

“What is it to you?”

“It’s a whole lot to me, Jenna. That’s what I’ve been trying to tell you, but you won’t listen.”

“Let go of me,” she grumbled, trying to shake off his hold.

“Hell, no. I’ve flown all the way here, and it wasn’t for you to dis me.”

“Yeah, I know. It was for sex.”

Bryce felt his skin stretch tight over his jaw. He didn’t know if it was jet lag or the remnants of his anger

at seeing Jenna with another man that had him seeing red, but that comment sent him over the edge.

“Well, that was our agreement, wasn’t it? Anytime, anywhere, no-strings sex.”

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Her gaze narrowed. “You spent money on airfare and took time away from your beloved restaurant just

for sex?”

“Hey, I told you the next time I felt like getting laid, I’d let you know. So, consider this your notification.”

She gaped at him, and he pulled her by the hand toward the sidewalk and a small car that was idling. This

was not the way he had imagined greeting Jenna in Milan. When he’d closed his eyes and dozed off

during the flight, he had imagined a somewhat more welcoming Jenna. He also hadn’t imagined himself

being such a jerk. Why had he said such a thing?

Because he was still seething from finding Jenna—hisJenna—being kissed by another man. Bryce didn’t

care that it was really only a chaste kiss, not to mention the national way of saying hello or goodbye.

Formality and tradition could go to hell for all he cared—he didn’t want anyone groping Jenna.

“Get in,” he said more gruffly than he’d intended, and she balked. She folded her arms across her chest

and glared at him as he held the door of the little economy compact open for her.

“And where are we going?” Jenna asked.

“Where do you want to go?”

“Take me back to my hotel. Please,” she added as an afterthought before she slipped into the car. Bryce

watched the way her skirt rode up her thigh. He couldn’t wait to get his hand up it and feel the smooth

creamy expanse of skin.

When he climbed into the driver’s seat he was aware of Jenna’s eyes on him. When he reached for the

gearshift and put the car into first, he glanced over at her and saw that she was still watching him.

She looked damn gorgeous in her fashionable business attire. Her hair was pulled up, exposing her neck

and the cleavage spilling from her blouse. His gaze dropped to the exposed part of her thigh and he

gripped the gearshift to avoid touching her.

Stepping on the gas, he refocused. Surely he could keep his libido in check for the hour or so it was

going to take to get to Tuscany. But the urge to see if she still belonged to him was strong.

Jesus. Did Jenna want him even half as much as he wanted her? On the flight over, Bryce had done a lot

of thinking. He’d come to conclusions that he’d refused to even think about these past years.

Somehow chasing Jenna halfway around the world had made him face the facts. No way would he run

after a woman for sex, no matter how hot it was. He’d dropped everything, even his restaurant, to go

after her.

So, the truth, while not surprising, had come swift and hard. He wanted more than sex. He wanted Jenna.

For always.

“How do you know which way to go when I haven’t even told you where I’m staying?”

“I’ve already been to your hotel. Your luggage is in the back.”

“What?”

She swiveled in her seat, exposing more thigh, and he felt his jeans grow tight. He really needed to keep

his eyes on the road, but that patch of creamy skin was playing havoc with his concentration. All he could

think of was tonguing it—making little circles on that soft skin with the tip of his tongue until he got closer

to the apex of her thighs. Then tonguing something completely different.

“Bryce?”

Lifting his gaze from her lap, he looked into her face. No help there. She was so beautiful. He wanted to

pull her hair down and let it tumble around her shoulders. Then he wanted to put her seat back, strip her

bare and climb on top of her and fill her with one hard thrust.

“How did you even know I was here?”

“That’s the thing, Jenna. Don’t ever think to do this again, because you should know I’ll just be right

behind you.” She blinked as if she couldn’t understand what he was saying. His hand left the shifter and

landed on that sexy patch of skin. “How could you think I wouldn’t want to know where you’d gone?

How could you think I wouldn’t be worried for your safety?”

She snorted and looked away, directing her gaze to the buildings of Milan. “Please. You were never

worried before we started sleeping together.”

He squeezed her leg until she looked at him. “Why do you think I called you every night?”

“Habit?”

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He was growing angry at her nonchalant attitude. “No! To make sure you got home from work okay.”

“Oh, because the country girl is too stupid to spot danger in the big city—is that it?”

Bryce turned off the main street that led out of Milan and into a narrow alley between two office

buildings. He put the car in park, then turned to glare at Jenna.

“Why are you being so fucking pigheaded?” he snapped. “I’ve never thought that way about you and quit

insinuating that I do. I called you every night because I did want to make sure you were okay, but mostly

I called you because I needed to hear your voice before I went to sleep.”

She didn’t answer. Just blinked and stared at him as though she thought he’d lost his mind. He touched

her hair, pulled out the clip that was holding it up, and watched the strawberry blond strands slide to her

shoulders.

“I’ve always needed to hear your voice at the end of the day. You’re my calm, Jenna. I would have gone

out of my mind if I hadn’t known where you were. Thank God your sister realized that and called my

brother. Trey is the one who told me where you were going.”

“And you came here for me?”

“Yeah, I did.”

“Why?”

“We’re going to Tuscany. I have an old farmhouse there.”

“You do?” Her beautiful eyes were big as saucers. “I had no idea.”

“I actually just bought it. I wanted you to see it.”

“Bryce, I really do have business to tend to.”

“I know. But you can do that from the house.”

Bryce put the car in reverse and pulled out of the alley. He was back on the main road and heading out

of the city toward the countryside.

“Why are you really doing this?”

Why did she have to be so stubborn? Bryce thought. “Why do you think?”

She shrugged. “You must have the urge to get your freak on in Italy.”

He groaned in frustration. “Why do you have to be so unpleasant?”

She had the decency to look abashed. “I’m sorry. I’m jet-lagged, and I just have so much to do. . . .”

“Why don’t you lie back and sleep for a little bit?” he muttered. “It won’t take long to get to San

Gimignano. Then we can talk.”

Nodding, Jenna closed her eyes. “You know, Bryce,” she said sleepily, “I didn’t think it was part of the

deal that we would have to tell each other our plans for every minute of our lives.”