The Moretti Heir / Billionaire Extraordinaire: The Moretti Heir / Billionaire Extraordinaire

“This party, for one,” she said. “Oh, look, the elevator is here.”

The doors opened and Marco wondered at her vague answers. Was she hiding something? She wrapped an arm around his waist and squeezed him closer to her. “You did promise to show me your favorite sight in Melbourne.”

“Indeed I did. Ciao, Dom.”

“Arrivederci, Marco.”

Virginia didn’t say much as they got in Marco’s sports coupe convertible. She recognized it as a Moretti model. The car was pure luxury on the inside and all speed under the hood. She’d never feel confident enough to drive a car like this, but Marco handled it like the professional driver he was.

As they left the hotel behind he glanced over at her. “So you’re from the States?”

She’d known he was going to ask questions. She’d done a good job of keeping her past vague and the spotlight on him, but the conversation with Dominic had probably made him realize how little he knew about her.

“Yes. Long Island. Where did you grow up? I know Moretti Motors is based in Milan, but do you live there?”

“I have a villa in Milan, and my family has an estate outside of the city.”

“Do you like living in Milan? I’ve never visited there,” she said. She was very aware of the Moretti family estate in San Giuliano Milanese. Her grandmother had gone there to curse Lorenzo, and there was a faded picture of the Moretti estate hanging on her wall back home. Her grandmother had bequeathed it to her along with her journal.

“It’s a fashionable city and there is always something to do there.” He shrugged as he glanced over at her. “It’s home.”

She envied him the feeling of belonging in Milan. It was there in his voice and his words. Unlike she, who’d never fit in anywhere, he had a place that he called home. And that was a big part of why she was determined to break the curse her grandmother had placed on them by accident. She wanted—no, craved a home and a family. She was tired of always being alone. Her mother and grandmother were both deceased, and no matter how hard she tried, the bonds of family seemed to always be just out of her reach.

Having his child would give her a chance at happiness. A chance at that elusive dream she’d longed for. Once she broke the curse, she would marry and give her child a father and siblings.

“We’re here.” Marco’s words startled her from her thought.

She glanced out the window as a uniformed valet came to open her door. The high-rise building was a monument to modern architecture, its lines distinctive and clean.

“Good evening, Mr. Moretti.”

“Good evening, Mitchell.”

Marco led the way into the foyer and to a bank of elevators.

“I thought you were taking me to see your favorite spot in Melbourne.”

“I am. My penthouse has a spectacular view of the city. It’s amazing,” he said, glancing down at his titanium watch. “In about two hours, the sun will come up and you will be amazed at how beautiful the sunrise is here.”

“Will I?”

“Yes, I think you will,” he said. “Unless you’d rather I take you back to your hotel.”

She shook her head.

The elevator arrived and they entered. They were alone in the marble-floored car, and as soon as the door closed Marco entered a code on the keypad and the elevator started to move. He drew her into his arms and lowered his head, kissing her.

She felt the return of the passion he’d evoked in her on the dance floor. Her body longed for his. She’d missed his touch during the twenty-minute drive, and she wondered how much of this feeling was due to the magic spell she’d cast earlier to help her break the curse. She wasn’t a practicing witch, but she figured she’d better enlist as much help as she could before she came to Melbourne. How much of it was due to the fact that she needed him to be obsessed with her?

And how much, if any of it, was real?

When the doors opened, he broke the kiss and ran his hand down her bare arm, linking their fingers together. She squeezed her hand against his and followed him eagerly into the foyer of his home.

“I have this entire floor. Would you like a drink?”

“That would be nice,” she said.

He led the way into the living room. There were floor-to-ceiling windows that lined the wall and a sliding door that opened onto a huge balcony. Marco kept one hand on the small of her back as they walked across the room.

She felt a slight bit of panic as she realized this was it. She was going to sleep with this man, whom she’d known for less than five hours, and then she was going to walk away. It was what she’d planned for more months than she could count, but now that the moment was here…

She stopped in the middle of his living room as a surreal feeling swamped her. She was aroused, every inch of her skin sensitized from his kisses and touch. As she glanced at the Monet painting hanging on one wall and felt the thick Arabian carpet under her feet, she knew she was really here, that this wasn’t something she was imagining. Yet, at the same time…

“Would you like to step outside? We can sit in the hot tub and have that drink.”

She glanced at Marco, with his strong Roman features, and saw in him the glimpse of her future. She wasn’t going to let panic or doubt swamp her, and give up everything she’d ever wanted.

She needed Marco Moretti, and it seemed that he wanted her tonight. And that was all she needed. She repeated that in her head as she stepped out onto the balcony and let the warm air wrap around her.

Three

Marco poured a glass of champagne for each of them. He wasn’t inept when it came to taking care of the women in his life, despite the fact that Allie had often complained he paid no attention to her. The fact was, he was careful to pay only a certain amount of attention.

He was careful not to let his emotions get involved, always leery of falling for a woman and thereby ruining his life.

His mobile rang and he cursed out loud as he saw from the caller ID that it was Dominic.

“What do you need now?” he asked in Italian.

“Just wanted to remind you to be careful with Virginia. We can’t risk anyone falling in love, especially now.”

“Mordalo,” he said to his brother.

“I’m not jerking your chain, Marco. You know that falling for a girl isn’t something we can do.”

He glanced across his penthouse apartment to the balcony where he could see Virginia leaning against the railing. She didn’t look dangerous. He saw nothing in the woman to indicate she could bring about the downfall of Moretti Motors.

“She’s just a woman, Dom,” he said, even as, deep inside, a part of him protested. But the truth was, his priorities were simple—racing and winning. Moretti Motors and then enjoying life. And Virginia was a woman who would make his life very enjoyable tonight.

“Make sure you remember that.”

“I always do. I think you’re afraid that Antonio and I are too much like you.”

There was silence from his usually loquacious brother. Dom had fallen in love in college, and that one, brief lapse in his vigilance served as a constant reminder to Dom that all women had the potential to tempt any of the Moretti men.

“I don’t know what I fear. Just be careful, Marco. This is the year that everything will change. We have worked hard to get to this point. We are launching the revamped Vallerio model. You will surpass the Gran Prix record for most wins…”

“I am aware of that. Buona notte, Dom.”