Read Online Sweet Seduction by Jennifer St George - Free Book Online
Authors: Jennifer St George
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won’t change overnight,’ she said, reaching for the other earring.
‘A man can dream.’ He crooked his arm. ‘
Signorina
.’
She hesitated just a moment, then took it.
Chapter Four
Sienna slid, dazed, into the luxurious restaurant chair. Antonio settled himself in across from her.
‘You did well,’ he said.
‘How do you stand living like this?’ Sienna said, shielding her eyes from the relentless camera flashes. The paparazzi crowded at the front window of the restaurant, jostling for position. Antonio snapped his fingers and the hotel staff moved quickly to erect a screen to conceal them from prying eyes.
She blinked until the red spots stopped dancing before her eyes. ‘It’s such an invasion of privacy.’
‘Great publicity though.’
Wow. Is this man made of stone?
The only thing he seemed to care about was business. Nothing touched him emotionally. Except for the briefest moment when Antonio had rescued that little boy – he’d seemed a different man.
‘Shall I order for you?’ he asked.
‘No,’ she said.
‘I come here a lot,’ he pressed.
‘But you have no idea what I like.’
‘Trust me.’
‘That’s rich,’ she countered.
His eyes flashed from the menu. ‘What does that mean?’
‘It means I have no idea what the plans are for this wedding. You haven’t talked to me about anything. You keep springing things on me.’
‘Just enjoy the ride.’
‘No,’ she said forcefully. ‘Don’t you trust me?’
Antonio sighed. ‘I’ve had a busy day. Why don’t we have a casual dinner and then we can talk?’
The waiter arrived before she could argue. ‘Sir?’
Antonio ordered for her. He handed his menu and hers back to the waiter.
‘Actually,’ she said, before the waiter took his leave. ‘I’ll have the salmon, not the lamb.’
The waiter looked anxiously at Antonio.
‘Sir?’ he asked.
‘The salmon,’ Sienna repeated.
Antonio simply shrugged and the waiter scurried from the table.
‘Does everyone do your bidding?’ she said, watching the waiter’s retreat.
‘Yes.’
‘It must get very boring.’
He cocked his head and considered her, a quizzical smile on his lips. ‘Do you ever just do what you’re told?’
She thought about all her shelved dreams. About how important it had been for her to take over management of the hotel. To help her father. ‘Sometimes,’ she said. ‘When family is involved.’
‘Excellent.’
She raised her eyebrows. ‘We’re not family.’
‘But we will be in five days.’ He rose from his chair.
‘Five days, honestly . . .’
He knelt down next to her. Her eyes widened as he pulled another small box from his jacket pocket. Her ability to speak vanished.
‘I wanted to do this properly.’ He took her hand. Her heart constricted as she registered the tenderness of his expression. Did the man have feelings after all? She glanced about. They were completely alone. Even for the great Antonio Moretti, this moment meant something. Men didn’t drop to their knees if they felt nothing, did they?
‘Antonio . . .’ She needed to protest but found she didn’t want to. Even though the marriage was a sham, she could read from his expression that this was special. She loved that he’d made such an effort. He could have simply given her the ring at the hotel.
‘I just want you to know that I appreciate everything you’re doing,’ he said. He flipped open the box’s lid. She gasped and her hands flew to her mouth. The most enormous diamond she’d ever seen glittered from a band of white gold.
He eased the ring from its box and took her hand. ‘Sienna De Luca, will you marry me?’
Her heart jumped to an irregular beat. She blinked hard. This was the most bewildering moment of her life. How could she hate a man who proposed so beautifully?
Antonio eased the ring onto her finger. She held her hand up to admire the twinkling stone.
She looked past the diamond and met Antonio’s eyes. He took her hands
‘A man can dream.’ He crooked his arm. ‘
Signorina
.’
She hesitated just a moment, then took it.
Chapter Four
Sienna slid, dazed, into the luxurious restaurant chair. Antonio settled himself in across from her.
‘You did well,’ he said.
‘How do you stand living like this?’ Sienna said, shielding her eyes from the relentless camera flashes. The paparazzi crowded at the front window of the restaurant, jostling for position. Antonio snapped his fingers and the hotel staff moved quickly to erect a screen to conceal them from prying eyes.
She blinked until the red spots stopped dancing before her eyes. ‘It’s such an invasion of privacy.’
‘Great publicity though.’
Wow. Is this man made of stone?
The only thing he seemed to care about was business. Nothing touched him emotionally. Except for the briefest moment when Antonio had rescued that little boy – he’d seemed a different man.
‘Shall I order for you?’ he asked.
‘No,’ she said.
‘I come here a lot,’ he pressed.
‘But you have no idea what I like.’
‘Trust me.’
‘That’s rich,’ she countered.
His eyes flashed from the menu. ‘What does that mean?’
‘It means I have no idea what the plans are for this wedding. You haven’t talked to me about anything. You keep springing things on me.’
‘Just enjoy the ride.’
‘No,’ she said forcefully. ‘Don’t you trust me?’
Antonio sighed. ‘I’ve had a busy day. Why don’t we have a casual dinner and then we can talk?’
The waiter arrived before she could argue. ‘Sir?’
Antonio ordered for her. He handed his menu and hers back to the waiter.
‘Actually,’ she said, before the waiter took his leave. ‘I’ll have the salmon, not the lamb.’
The waiter looked anxiously at Antonio.
‘Sir?’ he asked.
‘The salmon,’ Sienna repeated.
Antonio simply shrugged and the waiter scurried from the table.
‘Does everyone do your bidding?’ she said, watching the waiter’s retreat.
‘Yes.’
‘It must get very boring.’
He cocked his head and considered her, a quizzical smile on his lips. ‘Do you ever just do what you’re told?’
She thought about all her shelved dreams. About how important it had been for her to take over management of the hotel. To help her father. ‘Sometimes,’ she said. ‘When family is involved.’
‘Excellent.’
She raised her eyebrows. ‘We’re not family.’
‘But we will be in five days.’ He rose from his chair.
‘Five days, honestly . . .’
He knelt down next to her. Her eyes widened as he pulled another small box from his jacket pocket. Her ability to speak vanished.
‘I wanted to do this properly.’ He took her hand. Her heart constricted as she registered the tenderness of his expression. Did the man have feelings after all? She glanced about. They were completely alone. Even for the great Antonio Moretti, this moment meant something. Men didn’t drop to their knees if they felt nothing, did they?
‘Antonio . . .’ She needed to protest but found she didn’t want to. Even though the marriage was a sham, she could read from his expression that this was special. She loved that he’d made such an effort. He could have simply given her the ring at the hotel.
‘I just want you to know that I appreciate everything you’re doing,’ he said. He flipped open the box’s lid. She gasped and her hands flew to her mouth. The most enormous diamond she’d ever seen glittered from a band of white gold.
He eased the ring from its box and took her hand. ‘Sienna De Luca, will you marry me?’
Her heart jumped to an irregular beat. She blinked hard. This was the most bewildering moment of her life. How could she hate a man who proposed so beautifully?
Antonio eased the ring onto her finger. She held her hand up to admire the twinkling stone.
She looked past the diamond and met Antonio’s eyes. He took her hands
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