The Sicilian's Proposition Read Online Free PDF Page B

passed away a fortnight ago, still talking to everyone he knew about that special day.
    Dante Alphonso was an amazing man. Not to mention handsome, attentive, and sexy. That Carla woman was so lucky to have someone as selfless and appreciative of women as him.
    She’d never had much luck with men. Her career had come first, something potential suitors couldn’t seem to cope with. She loved her job at Life Today . It was ethical and empathic toward people who achieved a lot with their lives, taking special interest toward those who gave back to society. Perfect for Dante Alphonso, in fact, as the magazine had a high readership and was held in great esteem among the publishing world.
    She continued working on the bare bones of the article for about an hour. That was the great thing about her editor, she allowed her the freedom of working from home when possible.
    She was disturbed by her phone ringing.
    “Hello, Joanne Smith…speaking…”
    “ Buona sera , Joanne.” There was no mistaking Dante’s deep, resinous tones, sending a shiver down her spine. “You wanted me to fill you in on some facts?”
    “Yes, please…you can do so over the phone right now if your schedule is too busy to meet me?” she prompted.
    “No, not at all…I would much prefer it if we met up in person. How about I send my driver to collect you and bring you to my hotel suite? In about an hour?”
    Her mouth parched and, at a loss for words, her heart thudded beneath her blouse. “Yes, yes…that would be fine…” Her hand shook as she replaced the receiver on its cradle.
    Joanne took a quick shower and slipped into a royal blue silk dress that flattered her curves and a pair of strappy high heels. All the while asking herself why she was dressing up just to go check out some facts?
    Because she fancied him, of course!
    She didn’t need a reminder. When was the last time she was alone in a bachelor’s apartment? Not for a long time. The last one had been in university, and the man in question, if you could call him that, had dirty laundry, newspapers, empty beer cans, and carryout wrappers strewn all over the place. Not conclusive to romance.
    She heard Dante’s Mercedes draw up outside at six p.m. on the dot. Fair play to him, when he said he would do something, he did it and it was on the dot. Her last romance, if you could call it that, was with a man who kept her waiting. That was ten months ago. He’d thought nothing of turning up twenty minutes late for a date, or on one or two instances, not at all. The final straw had been when he promised to escort her to a West End play she’d been longing to see and phoned at the last minute to let her down. That was the death knell for their relationship.
    After that, she vowed to remain a bachelorette for the rest of her days.
    She took one last glance at her appearance in the hall mirror and headed for the car.
    ***
    Dante let out a breath as Joanne walked into the room. She no longer looked like the sporty girl in a tracksuit with hair scraped back in a ponytail he had seen that first day, or the smart, savvy business-suited lady at the hotel restaurant the second day. Now she looked…well…all woman.
    Her chestnut hair fell in waves on her shoulders; the silk dress she wore skimmed her well-placed curves like a second skin and displayed an impressive cleavage. A woman any man would be pleased to have on his arm. He inhaled a deep breath and let it out again. “Welcome to my humble abode.”
    She smiled. There was such warmth behind her eyes. “It’s anything but humble, Dante. This has to be the most luxurious suite I’ve ever seen in my life!”
    Her eyes widened as she looked right and left. He liked that. She seemed awestruck by her opulent surroundings. Whereas, someone like Carla took all this for granted.
    “One of the perks as owner of this hotel, but if I am honest, there is an even better suite of rooms on the top floor.”
    He admitted he took a lot for granted too. This