“yes.”

relief cut through him. He didn’t want to remind her she owed him another night. The admission of her own desire to be with him was a sweet gift. Sawyer helped her off the table, took her hand, and led her out. Before he let her go, he bent his head and whispered in her ear.

“you may not be helpless or clingy, but you will beg. I promise.”

He nipped her lobe, grinned, and took off. The curse word that drifted in the evening air was blistering, but well worth it.

…

“Julietta, are you feeling well?”

She paused chopping tomatoes and looked at her mother. A suspicious frown marred her brow, and her stare probed past the surface. Mio Dio, was it possible Mama knew she was having sex? Julietta dropped the knife and adjusted her sweater, hoping there weren’t any telltale bruises or bites evident. Her second encounter with Sawyer the other night had continued to blow away all images of normalcy. He pushed every boundary she erected and took pleasure in proving her wrong about who she imagined she was. Handcuffs. Shower sex. And now toys. She fought a shudder when she thought of all the delicious ways a vibrator could be used. Soon, she’d be into orgasms into the double digits. Who would’ve thought?

She swallowed and refocused on chopping. “Sure. Why do you ask?”

“your skin looks different. And you were humming.”

Horror flooded through her. She did not sing or hum.

This was getting bad. “Umm, no, I went to the spa the other day. Got a facial and massage. I feel better.”

“Hmm.”

The tomato rolled across the chopping board and she grabbed for it. Did sex actually make a woman glow? of course, she’d been majorly backed up for years, so maybe her body needed to catch up a bit before settling down again. Made sense. Time for a subject change. “Have you spoken to Michael or Carina lately?”

Her mom turned back to the stove. The scent of garlic, onion, and escarole filled the air. “yes, they want to come out for a visit.”

“All of them?”

“Si. They will bring all the bambinos. Alexa and Nick may also join them.”

Julietta smiled with pure joy. Her mother looked so happy and excited, she hoped it would happen. Imagine all of them together, with her nephews and siblings by her side.

Like the old times, but even better. “oh, Mama, that would be wonderful.”

A knock sounded on the door. Her mother wiped her hands on her apron and shooed her away. “Do not keep them waiting, Julietta. Answer the door.”

The two men stood side by side behind a cheerful bou-quet of blooms. Sawyer’s eyes darkened with erotic memories, and it took all of her control not to blush. Wolfe looked nervous, a thin figure beneath his bright blue button-down shirt and leather jacket. He shifted in his stiff, heeled shoes, and her heart broke when she realized he had actually dressed a bit conservatively for the occasion. She ushered them inside and toward the warm kitchen.

“Mama, this is Wolfe, Sawyer’s assistant. He’s been an amazing help in putting this deal together.”

Mama Conte gave Sawyer a noisy kiss, cooed over the flowers, and approached Wolfe. He looked terrified as he stood before her, just waiting for her comment. His earring winked, and his tattoo crept past the conservative collar of his shirt and spilled black ink onto his neck. Her mom took it all in, her sharp gaze assessing, and a welcoming smile curved her lips. “Welcome to my home, Wolfe. It is an honor you took the time from your busy schedule to keep an old woman company.”

She ignored his don’t-touch aura, reached out, and placed a kiss on his cheek. Then turned and walked back to her station. “I hope you both brought your appetite.”

Wolfe blinked and glanced at Julietta. After a moment, his aura lightened and a smile curved his lips. His snarkiness was just a shell to hide a softer center he was probably scared to deal with. He only needed someone to push him a bit to get there. She grinned back and led him into the cozy kitchen.

Big wooden bowls of freshly made ravioli with sauce came out, along with crusty bread and bottles of red and white wine. Julietta urged them to take seats at the heavily carved pine table, and they fell into a comfortable rhythm of eating and small talk.

“Tell me more of this deal.” Mama Conte settled back and lingered with her usual precision and enjoyment over her plate. “I understand La Dolce Famiglia will be exclusive to Purity hotels. When is the opening?”

Julietta spoke up. “Sex months.”

Silence dropped. The three of them stared at her as if she’d sprouted horns, and suddenly, she realized what she said. Holy crap. Talk about a Freudian slip of epic propor-tions.

“Scusi?” Mama Conte squinted as if her eyes were failing instead of her ears.

Sawyer tightened his lips, but those amber eyes danced with delight.

She leaned over and raised her voice. “I said six months, Mama.”

“oh. Very ambitious.”

“yes, it was an ambitious undertaking.” Sawyer sipped his wine and dragged his thumb around the rim of the glass.

“But quite worth the effort.”

Her belly dropped. He got that same look on his face whenever he was intent on teasing her to orgasm. That talented thumb had done wicked things to her clit, her nipples, and her mouth that should have been illegal. Thank God it wasn’t. Heat crept under her skin and made her itch. She crossed her legs to try and relieve the ache. “Sawyer has a way of getting what he wants,” she offered. “He doesn’t take no for an answer when he has a certain vision in mind.”

“your papa was like that.” A soft smile ghosted Mama Conte’s lips. “He believed we would make a success of the bakery, even though we started so small. When he focused on a goal, he took down any obstacle in front of him.”

Julietta sighed. “I still remember being fascinated by the kitchen. I’d sit at the chair and watch Mama mix and knead dough for hours, hoping to get a taste of everything.

She was always covered in white powder. When papa would go to a meeting in his suit, he always complained everyone knew he was coming from the cloud of white dust he brought with him.”

Sawyer grinned. “Did he bake, too?”

Mama Conte nodded. “We all helped in the kitchen. My children learned early, but none of them had the passion for baking needed to be a chef. Venezia suffered through it, always more interested in clothes and heels and makeup.

Michael did it out of responsibility. Carina was too young at the time and always attracted to her art.” Her mother gazed at her from across the table with a proud glint in her eyes. “Julietta showed great talent, but she is most like her papa. They were very close and seemed to enjoy the business side of La Dolce Famiglia more than the creation of pastries.”

Julietta chewed the last of her ravioli and blotted her mouth. “Papa started taking me to work with him when he finally bought the headquarters building. He always fought with Michael. Used to tell me his last hope was me, and I needed to be the rational one in the family.”

“Did you start working after college?” Sawyer asked.

She shook her head. “oh, no, there wasn’t time for college. I graduated high school and went straight to work.

Papa showed me everything I needed to run a successful bakery. By that time we were expanding and he needed someone to trust.”

“Did you ever want to do something else?”

Julietta whipped her head around at Wolfe’s voice. The boy had finished his ravioli and asked the question with a curiosity that puzzled her. She blinked, thinking about the question. Did she? No, she was never given a choice to do anything else. How many people did she know who whined and groaned about their parents choosing their future? Sure, she sometimes wished for a more carefree youth—with college dorm parties and late-night drinking.

When she remembered her teenage years, most of them were taken up with learning how to cope in the big world of business. Making sure she exhibited confidence, dressed appropriately, and brought honor to her family name.

Instead of going on dates, she pored over spreadsheets because Papa counted on her. There was no room for error or to disappoint her father. Michael and Venezia had already broken his heart with their refusal to work at La Dolce Famiglia. She always knew she needed to step up and make him proud. A choice?

No, there had been no choices. But she refused to disrespect her papa’s memory by whining about something she never had. Her opportunities and upbringing were a gift— one that Sawyer and Wolfe never experienced.

The table quieted, and she realized her mother and Sawyer also waited for her answer. Was that a glint of regret in her mother’s eyes or a trick of the light? Julietta lifted her chin with pride and spoke. “I’ve never been happier with my decision. And I have no regrets.”

Her mother cleared her throat and rose. “I will serve secondo corso.”

Wolfe cranked his head around. “Huh? There’s more?”

Mama Conte cackled with delight. “Silly Americans.

Pasta is first course only. There are three more to go.”

Julietta winked at Wolfe and helped clear. As each plat-ter was bestowed on the table, the fine tension in the young boy relaxed, and Sawyer let down his guard even more.

roasted, tender lamb with a hint of mint, bowls of escarole soaked in garlic and oil, and creamy polenta was passed around as Mama Conte talked of her youth and the antics of her children.

“Sawyer, you may get a chance to see Maximus again.

He is planning a visit soon. Ah, how Carina and Julietta had such crushes on him!”

Julietta snorted. “only for a bit. Carina was mad about him for years. They were meant to be together.”

Sawyer turned his full attention toward her. “Is that so?” he drawled. “Seems my old friend Max was quite the ladies’ man.”

She rose to the challenge. “oh, you don’t seem too far behind. I heard Sawyer courted Carina himself in Vegas, Mama. Maybe there was even an old-fashioned duel over your poor daughter.”

Mama Conte looked up from her plate with interest.

“yes, I think Max mentioned this to me before the wedding.

Something about a fight.”

“Did you lose?” she asked Sawyer. He lifted a shoulder in a half shrug, and Julietta clucked her tongue in mock sympathy. The knowledge Sawyer once lusted after her sibling and fought Max cut deeper than she thought. She tried to act disinterested and not embarrass herself. Now that their two nights were over, they hadn’t discussed another encounter. Perhaps it was even over between them. It wasn’t like they had a real relationship. Not the kind he had probably wanted with Carina. “Too bad. Though I’m sure you found a decent consolation prize in place of the real thing.”

His fork clattered to the plate. She lifted her gaze. His eyes snapped with male irritation and blazing heat. Her heart clamored while she fought to remain unaffected under the magnetized sexual tension pulling her in. The naughty part of her fantasized about crawling across the table, climbing onto his lap, and riding him hard.

Mama Conte clucked her tongue. “Julietta, what has come over you? That was a rude thing to say to our guest.”

She squirmed at the scolding. This man made her lose her temper in ways she’d never experienced. “Sorry,” she muttered.

“Accepted.” He pinned her with his merciless gaze. “But let me make something quite clear. I don’t settle for consolation prizes, Julietta,” he stated softly. “Understood?”

The hidden meaning behind his words soothed and aroused. Heat flooded her cheeks so she ducked her head and concentrated on her meal. Maybe this whole thing had been a bad idea. She’d only meant to invite Wolfe to a family meal, but now her complicated emotions regard-ing Sawyer were causing an undercurrent of tension. even her mother seemed to notice something off, her sharp gaze bouncing back and forth as if trying to figure it out.

Julietta stood and cleaned up, keeping herself engaged with the dishes and sorting the leftover food into contain-ers. Her mother chatted with Sawyer and Wolfe while she made the espresso and pulled out a variety of fruit, cheese, figs, and apple tarts.

What was wrong with her? Did she want a relationship with Sawyer Wells? The idea seemed impossible, but her body craved him on a regular basis. She’d never thought she’d be the type of woman to be comfortable with a purely sexual relationship, but then again, she’d never had a man able to give her an orgasm. And even if she was interested, Sawyer had clearly communicated his desire to avoid long-term commitments. It was probably best they end their whole affair now, before she got too pulled in. Julietta refused to allow herself to become one of those weak-willed women asking for affection. She had too much pride.