Chapter Four
Quinn
The next week starts off with a bang, all because of a particularly high-powered client who can’t be bothered to settle his bill.
My brothers and I try to avoid doing business with men like him who think that their status is payment enough. Over the years, we’ve become more selective when it comes to our clients, precisely for reasons like this. But even despite our best efforts to weed out the stingy pricks, every once in a while one of them worms his way into our system. In those cases, we’re forced to track him down and remind him that the pretty little thing on his arm is only there because he’s paying her, and by paying her, I mean paying us.
When I suggest that we stay late one night to put an end to this issue, the two of them exchange a look.
“Can’t,” Cooper says, rubbing the back of his neck. “Corinne’s making lasagna tonight. It’s one of our traditions.”
I groan and roll my eyes before turning to Gavin. “What’s your excuse?”
“No mushy traditions.” Gavin shrugs. “I just want to fuck my wife, and she’s less in the mood when I get home late.”
I shake my head. “Fine. Let’s take a problem that could be solved in one night and drag it out for the rest of the week. Great plan, douchebags.”
But not even my sarcasm can pop the bubble of happiness both my brothers are in because of their marriages. Those little fuckers. Gavin and Emma are coming up on their second anniversary, and Cooper and Corinne are newlyweds, but things have changed so much already.
Cooper, Gavin, and I spend the next few days playing phone tag and negotiating with the client. In the old days, we would have been able to knock it all out in one night, but Cooper and Gavin are both so happily married, they choose to drag the process out a few days just so they can go home to their wives each night at a decent time and revel in their wedded bliss.
I’m happy for the assholes, but marriage has definitely made them soft.
• • •
By Thursday, I realize that the sting of jealousy I feel toward my brothers has everything to do with Alessandra. We’ve only been on a single date, but I can already tell there’s something different about her.
Hell, the fact that we went on a date at all is evidence enough that she’s special. I’ve had plenty of experience with women, but those escapades rarely ever made it out of the bedroom. It’s not that I don’t want to do those same things to Alessandra—you can’t imagine the things I’ve fantasized about doing to her—but no matter how powerful my desire is for her, I can’t silence the small voice in the back of my head telling me I’m in serious danger of falling.
That’s why I’m determined to take it slow with this girl. Or, at least, slower than I would normally take it.
Sitting at my desk, I hear a gentle knock on my office door. Six p.m. on the dot, right on time. I stand up to open the door, but I’m immediately stopped by a strange feeling in my stomach.
Were those butterflies? Jesus, Quinn, get your shit together.
I take a deep breath and stretch out my neck. For as excited as I am to spend more time with Alessandra, I’m not too pleased with the effect she’s having on me.
When I open the door to my office, it takes everything in me not to immediately sweep her into my arms and place a kiss on her lips. She’s intoxicating. Her dark hair is piled loosely on top of her head, and a few stray curls perfectly frame her face. She looks up at me with cautious-yet-playful eyes, obviously waiting for me to invite her in.
“Benevenuto.” I smile, stepping aside and ushering her in.
As Alessandra walks past me, I can’t help but take in every inch of her nubile body, the way her perfect ass fills out her dark blue jeans. She even smells amazing, somewhat floral and sweet. She sets her bag in one of the chairs by my desk and stands by the windows, just like she did the first day she came here.
I close the door behind me and take a moment before joining her. As I take in the full sight of her, my cock twitching in approval, I rack my brain for the small bit of Italian I’ve been practicing all week for this very moment.
“Tu mi toglie il fiato,” I say, closing the distance between us. You take my breath away.
Alessandra turns and smiles at me, her eyes wide and playful. “Grazie mille,” she replies, sizing me up. “You’ve been practicing.”
“You make me want to practice,” I say, my voice low and serious.
The smile fades from her face and she arches a single perfect brow. “Do I make you want to do anything else?” she asks, taking a step closer so our faces are only inches apart.
Holy fuck.
Without speaking, I wrap her slender frame in my arms, crushing my mouth against hers in a hungry, searching kiss. After a moment’s hesitation, Alessandra responds by pressing her hips into me and moving her tongue in rhythm with mine. It’s beyond perfect.
We continue kissing, our hands moving over each other’s bodies, until Alessandra suddenly pulls back and looks at me with wide, concerned eyes.
“Should we be kissing in your office?” she asks, looking nervously over her shoulder. “I just realized I know nothing about office etiquette, and I really don’t like the idea of you getting in trouble because I’m too horny to keep my tongue in my own mouth while I tutor you.” As soon as the words leave her mouth, she grimaces, obviously embarrassed by what she just said.
I chuckle softly, trying not to make her feel any worse, even though she has no reason to be embarrassed. She has no idea how adorable she is. Or how fucking sexy it is to hear the word horny come out of her mouth.
I pull her back into me and place a hand on her cheek. “Alessandra,” I whisper, running my thumb over her jaw, “you’re forgetting one very important thing. I’m the boss around here. You’d have to do many worse things with your tongue for either of us to get in trouble.”
She smiles, looking down for a moment before her gaze flits back to mine. When we lock eyes, I imagine all the things she could do with her tongue. My cock twitches again, and by the way she arches her brow, this time Alessandra can feel it. She wraps her arms even tighter around me, pressing her body more purposefully against my bulge. Within moments, her lips are moving feverishly against mine, soft moans escaping from her lips as I move my thigh between her legs.
Suddenly, we’re interrupted by Alyssa’s bright and chipper voice over the intercom. “Quinn, your brother is here to see you.” She may be the world’s most efficient assistant, but her timing is horrendous.
Alessandra pulls away from me, her eyes wide and embarrassed. “Oh, my God,” she mutters quietly under her breath. She pulls a compact out of her purse and groans as she examines the state of her hair. “We’re so busted.”
“Everything’s fine. We’re not doing anything wrong,” I say, though to be honest, I find her little freak-out adorable.
“Yeah? Tell that to your tie. And you might want to wipe the lipstick off your face before letting your brother in.”
So full of life. So fucking sexy.
As Alessandra continues fixing her hair, I straighten my tie and walk to the door, while I surreptitiously run the back of my hand over my mouth in case Alessandra wasn’t just teasing me about the lipstick.
I open the door to find Cooper standing there, a bemused smile spreading across his face.
“Yes?” I say, deliberately blocking the doorway. I haven’t told my brothers about my new Italian tutor, and while I’m by no means ashamed of Alessandra, I’m more than a little aware of our age difference. I don’t want to put unnecessary pressure on her by introducing her to my family.
“Have a minute? I wanted to run the final numbers on this jackass so we can tuck his file away for good,” Cooper says, trying to walk around me into my office.
“Now’s not a good time. I’m in the middle of an Italian lesson.”
“Sal’s here? How’s he doing? God, I haven’t seen that guy in forever,” Cooper says, peeking around me.
I love my brother, but he can be a nosy little fucker sometimes.
“Not Sal,” Alessandra says from behind me, her voice light and playful.
Cooper raises his eyebrows. Without saying a word, he pushes past me into my office.
“I’m Alessandra. It’s nice to meet you,” she says, holding out her hand to him.
“Piacere di conoscerti,” Cooper says, shaking her hand and bowing slightly.
I know he only said nice to meet you, but the playful glint in his eye rubs me the wrong way.
“You Kingsley brothers must have been keeping Sal busy.” Alessandra chuckles, her eyes bright and cheery.
After seeing how nervous she was to be caught in the middle of making out, I’m in awe of how quickly she pulled herself together. Brilliant, beautiful, and good under pressure? This woman is making it nearly impossible not to fall for her.
Cooper laughs and shakes his head. “I had a particularly memorable vacation in Italy years ago.”
Alessandra smiles, and Cooper gives me a questioning look.
“I’ll get out of your hair. See you at dinner this Sunday,” he says, turning and walking to the door. Before leaving, he stops and looks back at Alessandra. “Will you be there? Sal never could make it, but it’s nice getting to know the people who are regularly coming in and out of our building.”
Alessandra looks at me, her eyes wide and curious. “Oh, I don’t think so,” she says, but I cut her off.
“No, that’s a great idea. You should come.” I give her my most reassuring smile.
Cooper nods, tells us he’ll see us Sunday, and promptly exits the room, leaving Alessandra and me to discuss what just happened.
“Quinn, if it’s too complicated to have me there, I really don’t have to come.” She plops herself down in one of the chairs in front of my desk and rakes her fingers through her hair.
“I think it’s a great idea,” I say, sitting in the chair next to her. “I understand if it feels like a lot, but I like spending time with you, and I want to do more of that.”
Alessandra nods, though she still looks unsure. “Okay. I’d love to.”
“Good. It’s settled.” I shift in my seat, so painfully aware of her that for the first time, I realize that actually concentrating on learning a foreign language is going to be difficult. “Iniziamo?” I ask. Shall we begin?
Alessandra nods, and we launch into a friendly conversation that I barely manage to keep clean.
I need to up my game at flirtatious Italian phrases.
By the time our hour is up, Alessandra rises to her feet, placing the strap of her purse high on her slender shoulder, and a rock settles in the pit of my stomach.
“What are you doing Saturday?” I blurt. “There’s an art exhibit featuring classic Italian artists at the museum. Want to meet for coffee and go check it out? Late morning, maybe? We could breakfast if you like.”
I smile and imagine the two of us huddled together at a small café table, laughing over my Italian accent. It’s a cheesy daydream, I know, but I can’t deny how much I’ve enjoyed this gorgeous woman’s presence in my life.
Alessandra smiles softly at me, but I note a touch of hesitation as she speaks. “That sounds lovely, Quinn,” she says, tucking her hair behind her ear. “But there’s something I need to tell you.”
I nod and wait for her to continue, bracing myself for another one of her adorable feisty quips.
“I’m leaving for Italy in a few weeks. It’s a one-way ticket. . .. I’m moving there, giving up my job as a nanny to start a new life. I’ve enjoyed spending time with you—truly, I have—I just think it’s important that I’m honest with you. This thing we have, it can’t develop into something more. I’ve wanted to move to Italy for so long, and now that it’s happening, I can’t let anything or anyone keep me from fulfilling that dream.”
Fuck. Her words strike right through me, so hard that I swear I actually flinch.
Though my mind is reeling, I hold myself together. After taking a deep breath, I lift her chin and look deeply into her soft brown eyes, stroking her cheek with my thumb. “All the more reason to enjoy your company now while I still have you stateside.”
Alessandra smiles, her eyes crinkling in the corners. “Pick me up at ten Saturday morning?”
“Ten, it is.”
I draw her face to mine and place a gentle kiss on her lips before she gathers her things to leave.
As Alessandra walks out of my office, my mind is racing with a thousand thoughts about what’s happening, what I will do, and how I should feel. Though I don’t know how to move forward with this woman who blows my mind a little more every time I see her, one thought rings loud and clear above the rest.
I’d better make the next few weeks worth it.