Nico Bernardi’s intense look made her nervous.  Kara wanted to look away but found that she could not. An invisible force compelled her to endure his stare until she started sweating under his heavy-lidded gaze. She saw desire in his eyes. She remembered that day vividly in her mind when he told her that he wanted her.   It made her think that it was just a whim on his part.  But now she was having doubts.  Kara made a quick intake of breath and looked back at Nico’s face. The desire was gone.It made her think that she just imagined the whole thing.  By now, Nico Bernardi had this calculating look,  cold and dispassionate. He was inspecting her like a potential buyer and gauging whether the merchandise he wanted to purchase was worthy of his precious coins.“What do you think, Ms. Baxter? Should I sell you off?  I think I could get triple, e

Kara woke up early.Like in the past days, she went down for breakfast at seven a.m. sharp. “Ms. Baxter, Buongiorno.” Anna greeted in Italian when she entered the aquarium-like dining room. As usual, the dining room is lively until a few minutes later, when Nico Bernardi arrives with his triumvirate of assistants, Bruno, Frank, and Evan. Bruno, whom she had met a few times, and Evan used to follow her around while she saw Frank around the hotel. The ambiance in the dining hall became silent, and the atmosphere tensed as these four tall men sat at the dining table for breakfast. Kara joined them. She did not wait for an invitation because the last time she did that, Mr. Bernardi embarrassed her. Now, she learned her lesson. She did not wait for his invitation and sat in her usual place. “Buongiorno.” Nico Bernardi greeted them while he unfolded the table napkin in his place. The maids started serving. When they were done with the tasks, the maids left, and the five of the

Kara suffered through his embrace. Though it was uncomfortable and hot, with the sheet wrapped around her body, she did not squeak a pip. She lay there, letting him hug her. Kara did not know what was wrong with her. Maybe, it was because she wanted to prolong their interaction. It had been days since she last saw him. Often, he would come in late and leave the house before seven. It was always her and Evan at the breakfast table. “Where were you these past days?” She asked. She heard him draw a deep breath. It was like he was trying to restrain himself. Then, Kara felt his lips twitch. “Why, Ms. Baxter, do you miss me?” He was teasing her, and to her shame, she felt a blush warming her cheeks. “If I had known that you were waiting for me every night, I would have come home early and made sure to leave after breakfast,” he added. But she could feel its effect when her heart started thudding fast in her ribcage. “Of course not! I was just curious. We have not worked o

After they talked about her work, Nico did not pursue the subject anymore, and they continued with their breakfast. For Kara, it was awkward without the presence of the maid and his three assistants. A moment later, they heard a scraping sound on the floor as Kara pushed her chair back to stand. She was in a hurry to leave. The prospect of going out without Nico’s lackey breathing down her neck makes her excited. Her heart thudded at the possibility of fleeing. She threw Nico a glance. “Are you done?” He asked, looking up from his phone. She noticed he finished his breakfast as well, and was just sipping his coffee. She nodded.Nico put his phone away, dabbed his mouth with the tablecloth, and stood. He walked out of the dining table with Kara walking behind him. Kara admired the view of his back. Nico has wide shoulders and a firm back. She bit her lip when she remembered how her hands roamed that muscular back while being thoroughly kissed last night. She sighed.

After confirming that she did not receive the flowers he sent her, their conversation died down. Kara excused herself so she could start working, but at the back of her mind, she made a mental note to talk to Nico Bernardi. This is their chance. What is Nico Bernardi making it hard for the man to get close to her when it was what they wanted?Marco Bonacci is making his moves to get close to her. If they are smart, they should snap this chance up.But why is Nico Bernardi hesitating? Kara’s expectation meter shoots up at the possibilities that run around her head, especially when the image from her bedroom teases her mind. She shook her head to chase them away, but her body would not follow. The anticipation makes her excited. Marco watched her for a little while longer. He saw her mood lighten, and he assumed it was because she liked him, too. This makes his work much faster. Then, his phone rang. He excused himself before hurriedly going out to answer the call. When t