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squealed when she told him she’d be right down.
    Imagine, she thought, me, Patience Ellen James, running off to Italy with a man so gorgeous he should’ve been a model. Could’v e totall y been a model. A man so gorgeous, even Brad Pit paled in comparison. A man, she reminded herself, who was now her boss and off-limits.
    Oh, well, she thought, refusing to allow anything to ruin her mood . There’s a down side to everything . Pulling the handle up on her suitcase, she dragged it behind her, locke d the front door and threw her purse over her shoulder as she headed to the elevator. Thi s was the most exciting thing that’d ever happened to her, and she hoped she could do th e job well enough that Dion wouldn’t be sorry he hired her.
     
    ~ * ~
     
    "I told you it would work," Aurora said. "I know my children better than they know themselves."
    "Yes, mother," Ira agreed. "But it would be nice if just once you could refrain from saying, ‘I told you so’."
    His mother smiled brightly. "It’s simply one of the perks of motherhood."
    "So, what now? How do you know Dion won’t just fu-screw her socks off then dump her like he does all the others? He has never fallen in love in his life. He’s brought lust to new heights!"
    "And there is nothing wrong with lust, my boy. You should try a little of it once in a while," his mother noted. "But don’t worry about your brother; this woman is made for him. Literally. I saw to it myself."
    "Mother, what have you done?"
    "Nothing at all." She trailed her perfectly manicured fingers along the edge of his desk.
    "I’ve been planning my youngest son’s future since before he was born. The gods know if I wait for you to give me grandchildren, I’ll die a lonely, old woman."
    "Ha," Ira snorted. "First, you’ll never die. Second, you’ll never grow old, and third, you don’t know what lonely means. And as for me giving you grandchildren, if you’ll remember, I have responsibilities. I am your eldest son and you have left all of this on my shoulders. I’m the one who has to take care of all the personal needs of the lesser gods and goddesses, settle their disputes, and soothe their tempers and hurt feelings. I don’t have time for a personal life because I’m in charge of drama queens! And perhaps if my brother hadn’t been pampered all of his life, he would feel just a little more responsibility toward his family and not just his own desires. Perhaps, if he hadn’t been spoiled rotten by an over-indulgent mother, I wouldn’t have to do everything myself and would have the time to find a mate and have children of my own."
    "Fine, I’ll take over while you find a mate," Aurora said, looking at her son.
    Ira shook his head in exasperation. No wonder Dion was such a pain in the ass; he was exactly like his mother. To Aurora, he said, "Never mind, Mother, just deal with Dion, please. Otherwise, I’m afraid I will be responsible for you having only one son."
    "Why do you make such threats? You love him as much as I do."
    "Of course I love him, and I’d also just love to strangle him with my bare hands."
    Aurora’s laughter sounded like music, and then she kissed her eldest son and
    disappeared.
    ~ * ~
    "I’ve never been to Italy before," Patty said as they waited to go through customs. "I hope we’ll have time to go to the Vatican. I’ve always wanted to see it."
    Dion chuckled. "You’ll see it. You’ll have a guided tour like no tourist has ever had."
    "What? No! You mean… no!"
    Nodding, he said, "Yes, I do mean exactly that."
    Patty leaned into him and whispered, "You’re going to break into the Vatican?"
    "Not exactly. Here you go," he said and lifted her luggage for her. "I’ll explain it all when we get to the hotel."
    Dion had watched her on the long flight across the Atlantic as she’d made appointments, updated records, and even made a pot of coffee. He liked her coffee. She wasn’t his usual type of woman, no, but she was something he needed. He jerked