Amedeo, Her Italian Billionaire by Susan Westwood

convenience store. I had no idea he was going to do it. He said he was stopping to get a soda. I was waiting in the car. I was driving because I had just gotten my license.”
    “He robbed the place. Was he an adult?”
    “He was eighteen at the time.”
    “You must have been scared,” Amedeo said.
    “I was. My mother had no money for bail so I spent two weeks in the juvenile detention hall.”
    Amedeo wasn’t mad? He squeezed her hand. “What happened to the guy?”
    “He went to jail. I never saw him again. I never wanted to. That time in jail scared the crap out of me. I wasn’t going to depend on a man.”
    “Ironic that you have to depend on me,” Amedeo said.
    He sipped his wine. Violet watched as his Adam’s apple went up and down.
    “Yes it’s difficult.”
    “You can stop worrying. I believe you. I’m going threaten Tory with a restraining order to leave us alone,” Amedeo said.
    Not only had he believed her, he was siding with her. Tory was going to be history. Violet let out a breath. The food settled in her stomach. She smiled at Amedeo. “Thanks for believing me.”
    “Not a problem. You haven’t lied to me yet.”
    She nodded. “Shall I do dishes?”
    “I have something better in mind.”
    He led her to the bedroom. Her body was ready just thinking about it. He undressed her like a fragile doll. No one had ever seen her that way. She felt cherished as he kissed her up and down. He lit fires as his lips touched her.
    “You’re so soft, Violet,” he whispered.
    His voice came out ragged. She liked that she could do that to him. She had barely touched him. She took his erection in her hand. He gasped. He was hard. “You’re so hard, Amedeo.”
    “Then things are as they should be,” he said, chuckling.
    “I can’t wait any longer. Get inside of me.”
    He braced himself over her the slid into her. She arched up to meet him. This man who was powerful, but so vulnerable when she was naked. She knew he couldn’t resist her. “I want to be on top.”
    He rolled them both so that she was straddling him. She set up a slow, torturous rhythm. His eyes fell closed. She couldn’t help smiling. Then she was close. Damn. She’d done that. He lifted his hips to meet hers, but she was in control and her orgasm was just on the horizon.
    She had her hands on his chest her hips moving up and down, faster now that she was close. He put his hands on her to move her fast. She fell off the cliff as he scrunched up his face and followed her. She slumped onto his chest.
    They were so good in bed. How would she ever leave him?
    ***
    Amedeo left Violet sleeping in his bed. He liked that she would be there when he returned. He shouldn’t get used to her being there. Her presence was temporary. He had to remember that. Not that he would fall in love. He doubted he’d ever love anyone again. Not after how Tory had treated him.
    He had to insist that she stop harassing him. He had his driver take him to her apartment. This was done. After his visit, she would either agree to leave him alone or he would get a restraining order. He didn’t want to see her again and he didn’t want Violet to be upset. Not in her condition. He wanted his child happy and healthy.
    Tory coming around wouldn’t help that. Besides, Violet had a job to do. Amedeo didn’t want her distracted.
    Tory lived in a cottage on her parents’ estate outside of Princeton. They’d met at a Christmas party three years ago. Her parents and his mother had nudged them. He’d been attracted to her, but it took him awhile to really get to know her.
    Tory worked at a public relations firm her father had started fifteen years earlier. She’d never had a job that her father hadn’t gotten for her. That fact had never bothered Amedeo until now.
    Violet got through life on her own. Tory didn’t know how to stand by herself. The woman had done him a favor when she broke the engagement. She might have been too clingy. She might never have