The Moretti Heir by Katherine Garbera Page A

still mad at you.”
    “I know,” he said. But seeing the passion and anger in her had turned him on. And now that he knew she wasn’t a corporate spy, he wanted her again.
    “I think you owe me an apology,” she said.
    He leaned down and pressed his lips to hers, seducing her with his mouth. He didn’t let go of her, but he felt her soften against him.
    “You hurt my feelings,” she whispered when he lifted his head.
    “I did?”
    “Yes. I don’t like that. I don’t want you to have the power to hurt me, but you already do.”
    He held her closer. He’d never thought of Virginia as fragile. The way she’d come to him and strategized to have his child spoke of strength, and he didn’t like the thought that he might be a vulnerability for her.
    “I’m sorry,” he said at last. “We’ve known each other only a short time, but I know you wouldn’t lie to me about your involvement.”
    He kissed her again, trying to say with actions the things he had no words for. He couldn’t— wouldn’t —tell her that she had made him vulnerable. Vulnerable men made mistakes, because they had something to lose.
    Marco was just realizing that he did have more to lose than just money for Moretti Motors, and he didn’t like that. He had to figure out a way to insulate himself from the feelings Virginia evoked in him.
    Virginia didn’t want to stop being angry at Marco, but she did. Life was too short, and her time with Marco was limited, so she let her anger go. She knew that he’d asked because he didn’t know her—four weeks was hardly enough time to build complete trust—but she’d hoped that they were working toward that. Regardless of what happened between them as a couple, she knew that once they had a child, they’d have to depend on and trust each other.
    She twined her arms around his neck and held him close, resting her head against his shoulder. She wanted to pretend that falling for Marco wasn’t going to adversely affect her, but it already had. She was changing in an attempt to please him, and letting go of her anger was just a little thing—one of the many that didn’t really matter to her as much as time in his arms did.
    “Mi scusi, il Signore Moretti,” Vincent said from the doorway.
    Virginia liked Marco’s butler. The man traveled with Marco and made sure that Marco had everything he needed.
    “Sì, Vincente?”
    “Your parents are waiting for you in the study.”
    “Tell them we will be right there.”
    “Sì, signore.”
    Vincent left and Virginia felt a sense of reluctance to meet Marco’s parents. They had to know that her grandmother was the reason for their family curse.
    “I think I’ll go freshen up first,” Virginia said.
    “You look fine. There’s no need to do anything.”
    “Yes, there is.”
    He arched one eyebrow at her. “What reason?”
    “I don’t want to meet your parents unless I look my best.”
    He leaned over to kiss her and she let the caring that she felt for him surround her. She felt safe with Marco, which was silly, considering he had the power to ruin her life.
    “You look wonderful. They aren’t shallow people.”
    She suspected that. Marco couldn’t be the man he was without having been raised by two extraordinary people.
    “I just…”
    “What?”
    “Do they know that I’m Cassia’s granddaughter?”
    “Yes, they do. Why does that matter?”
    Virginia pulled away from him. There was no way for him to really understand the bitterness her nonna had felt toward the Moretti family. It was impossible to think that the Morettis wouldn’t feel the same way toward her. That they wouldn’t resent the fact that her nonna had ruined any chance at complete happiness for them.
    “What are you thinking?”
    “Why?”
    “Your eyes are suddenly very sad,” Marco said, carefully running his finger over her eyebrows.
    “I’m thinking that if my grandmother hadn’t cursed Lorenzo, your family would be a lot happier and so would mine. I don’t