Teddy said nothing as he guided her to the elevator bank where they were whisked to the top floor. Down the hall he took her, past offices and cubicles. The incessant hum made the air sizzle. People were talking fast, they were scurrying around. Everything was urgent, needing to be handled right away. The positivity was outright contagious.
“You like it here, don’tcha?” Teddy asked.
“How can you tell?”
“You’re smiling. It’s crazy, huh? It’s like Lulu releases his power into this space and they gobble it up. If I didn’t know better, I’d say they were all on something.”
Simone laughed.
Teddy ushered her into a small waiting room at the end of the hall. On the other side were two offices. One had its door closed, the other open. A pleasant-looking man emerged wearing a suit, a black shirt, and a bold orange, yellow, and red tie.
He grinned at Teddy and hurried over. “There he is. The man of the hour.”
“Are you keeping the boss man in line?”
“He’s doing a million things at once. I don’t know how he does it. He’s got another new line coming out, so it’s been nonstop all morning. We’ve got the contingency here from Milan.” He smiled at her. “I’m Dominic, Mr. Santini’s assistant. Who have you modeled for?”
“This is Simone,” Teddy said.
“I’m not a model,” Simone replied.
Dominic’s mouth dropped open. “What a complete waste of stunning beauty. Wow.” He shook his head. “You would look fab—totally fab—in anything from our new line.”
A door opened, Luciano stepped into the waiting area. His attention slid from Dominic to Teddy to her, and in that split-second, his expression changed. His eyes softened, the look of love impossible to miss. It was as if he was projecting his power into her. The light shining from his eyes made her want to jump into his arms, kiss him for days, and never, ever leave his side.
In that moment, she melted from the intensity of everything Luciano.
“Ms. Redding,” he murmured as if no one else was in the room. With his hands bracing her shoulders, he kissed one cheek, then the other. His smile turned her inside out, but it was the fire in his eyes that scorched her soul.
“Mr. Santini.” She extended her hand because she had to touch him. Had to feel his skin on hers, his fingers against hers.
He slipped his hand into hers, but he didn’t shake it. He just held it. For those few glorious seconds, everything faded away. Nothing mattered, but the man in her direct line of sight. Handsome, powerful, and sizzling with unparalleled energy. Being in his presence made her believe that everything would be okay.
As she tugged her hand away, she offered a little smile.
“Okay, so I’m gonna need a cold shower,” Dominic said. “Whew, there is some crazy thing happening between you two. Tell me this isn’t the first time you’ve met.”
“No,” Luciano said. “Not the first time.” He hadn’t even acknowledged his brother, his attention still anchored on her. “Are you hungry? Can we get you a coffee?”
“I’m starving,” Teddy blurted. “Not feeling a coffee, though. How ‘bout one of those protein drinks you’ve got in the cafeteria?”
“I’m on that,” Dominic said.
“Simone,” Luciano said. “Are you hungry?”
The morning had been intense, but the donut was keeping her hunger pangs at bay. “I’m fine,” she replied.
“We’ll eat when we return.” Luciano shifted his attention to Teddy. “I’ll drive.”
“Ohmygod, what the hell was that?” Teddy barked out. “That’s how you greet me?”
“Oh, boy.” Dominic smiled at Simone. “Lovely to meet you.” He retreated into his office.
Luciano directed them to a different elevator near his office. Hisprivateelevator. On the ride down, Luciano clasped Simone’s hand, gave her a tender squeeze, and let go. A bolt of electricity shot through her. He could send her to the moon with very little effort.
She was a goner. A forever goner.
They left through the parking garage in Luciano’s Range Rover. Through the streets of DC he drove. His focus was on the road, his lips slashed in a thin line. After a few minutes, he broke his silence. “What did Hirzog say?”