Year of Living Blonde (Sweet Life in Seattle, Book 1) (53 page)

The three of them sit down to talk. People come by the table, congratulating Anthony. Natalie listens to the brothers. Apparently, Giovanni just flew in from Africa where he works with a doctor’s organization that helps children. From what she can gather, he’s a pediatric plastic surgeon who specializes in fixing hare-lips and other birth deformities. While his work is certainly admirable, Natalie has to admit he doesn’t come across as very doctor-like, or even very likable. He seems like an arrogant womanizer. The whole time they’re talking, Giovanni is checking out every female in sight.

Finally, Natalie excuses herself to go to the bathroom, cutting across the dance floor where everybody is getting down with some Lady Gaga.

On the way back, she happily runs into Lindsay and Blair.

“Hey!” Natalie is relieved to see them. She’s having fun, but this evening has been an experience. “I’m so glad you came,” Natalie tells Blair. She hopes seeing her here means she isn’t mad anymore.

“I can be very persuasive,” Lindsay says with a grin, tossing her wavy brown hair over her shoulders. Her chandelier earrings glimmer. She looks dazzling in a tight black dress that has a slit on the side, showing off her long tan legs.

“I can’t believe she broke up with Oliver even though he would have saved her from the banditos,” Blair tells Natalie. Blair looks gorgeous in a dark green dress that sets off her auburn hair.

“I know.” Natalie shakes her head. “She’s never satisfied. He was such a good guy.”

“Hello?” Lindsay says. “I’m standing right here.”

Lindsay and Blair decide to get some drinks, so Natalie points over to where she’s sitting with Anthony. Natalie is glad the ice between her and Blair has thawed. Or at least she hopes it has.

Anthony and Giovanni are still sitting at the same table, except much her to annoyance there’s a crowd of women surrounding them now.

Great. Anthony’s groupies.

Natalie pushes through the crowd. Some college girl wearing too much pink lip gloss is sitting in her chair. “Excuse me,” she says. “That’s my spot.”

Pink Lip Gloss gives her a smug look. “I don’t think so.”

Anthony is talking with Giovanni and doesn’t notice her standing there.

Natalie moves closer and puts her hand on the back of the chair. “Get up,” she tells her. “Now.”

“I’m sorry,” Pink Lip Gloss says, raking her eyes over Natalie. “I don’t know who you are, but I’m sitting next to Professor Novello.”

Unbelievable.

Natalie considers telling Anthony to get rid of her, but decides on a different strategy. She pushes her way over and then without a word, sits on his lap.

Anthony pulls back for a moment until he realizes it’s her. His eyes drop from her face to her cleavage and then back to her face. “Why, hello, Miss Natalie.”

“Hello.”

His arms slide around her waist. Glancing around, she sees how all the fawning young women are frowning at her. Pink Lip Gloss’s mouth is hanging open in surprise.

Natalie slips her arms around Anthony’s neck. “Why don’t you introduce me to all your groupies?”

“I have a better idea,” he murmurs, then captures her mouth, kissing her slow and deep, and long enough to make a point.

When they pull apart, he gazes into her eyes. Anthony tastes like scotch and she suspects he might be a little drunk.

“I think that worked,” he says. “I should have you come by during my office hours.”

Natalie glances around. The crowd of girls has thinned considerably. Not all are gone, though. Pink Lip Gloss appears to have shifted allegiance and is now talking to Giovanni. He’s leaning back in his chair with a drink in his hand, watching her with a bored expression.

Suddenly, something catches his eye in the crowd. He looks down at his glass and then slowly looks up again. He’s still pretending to listen to Pink Lip Gloss, but Giovanni is definitely captivated by someone. Natalie leans forward out of curiosity, trying to see who it is. And then finally, she understands.

It’s Lindsay.

Natalie groans.
It figures.

And, of course, Lindsay’s walking right toward them.

Giovanni is openly staring at her sister now, a smirk on his face. He obviously thinks she’s coming for him.

“Congratulations, Anthony!” Lindsay says when she’s finally up to them.

“Thanks.”

“Don’t you two look cozy,” she refers to Natalie, who is still sitting on Anthony’s lap.

“Where’s Blair?” Natalie asks.

“Oh, she ran into someone who used to be in her sorority.”

Lindsay glances casually over at Giovanni. Her gaze lingers, but then she pointedly turns away. “I’m going to go dance. Can I leave my drink here?”

And then she’s gone.

Giovanni studies her departure with raised eyebrows. He puts his drink down and gets up. Pink Lip Gloss is still talking to him, but he ignores her. “I’ll see you two later,” he tells them and then disappears into the crowd.

Natalie turns to Anthony. “I think he’s going after my sister.”

“You’re probably right.”

She’s not sure which one of them to be more concerned about.

Anthony is studying her. “The mayor came up to me tonight after I won the medal. I thought he was going to congratulate me, but do you know what he said instead? He told me I have a smoking hot girlfriend.”

Natalie laughs, embarrassed, though not entirely surprised. “Really? What did you say?”

“I said, I know.” Anthony drains his scotch and sets the glass down. “I’m ready to get out of here.” His lips brush her ear as he whispers, “I want to be alone with my smoking hot girlfriend.”

Sitting in the back of the limo on the way to their hotel, Natalie texts Lindsay and Blair to let them know she’s left. “Do you want to tell Giovanni we’re leaving?” she asks Anthony.

“He’ll figure it out.”

Natalie checks messages and discovers another text from Peter.

She stares at it with surprise.

Thinking of you. Need to talk about something important.

“What is it?” Anthony says.

“Nothing.”

“You got another text from that
testa di cazzo
didn’t you?”

“What’s a
testa di cazzo?
”

“Let me see your phone.” The limo changes lanes to get onto the Interstate. “I want to see what he said.”

Natalie hesitates, but then hands it over.

Anthony’s jaw tightens as he reads it.

“I have no idea what he wants,” Natalie says as the car picks up speed. “Why the sudden change?”

“I already told you. I know exactly what he wants,” Anthony growls. “He wants you back.”

“No, he doesn’t. He has Lena.”

Anthony shakes his head then thumbs something in, pushes send before she can stop him.

“What did you just do?” Natalie grabs her phone in annoyance. “You can’t send messages without asking me.”

“Someone needs to set him straight.”

Natalie finds the text Anthony sent Peter from her. It says,
Fuck off, asshole.

“Seriously? What are you thinking?” Natalie stares at him in frustration. “Now I’ll to have to apologize.”

“Don’t apologize. Not after the way he’s treated you.”

Natalie is quiet. “He’s still Chloe’s dad and I have to deal with him on a regular basis. I’m trying to be civil.”

Anthony leans forward to pour himself a drink from the limo’s bar. “There are limits to civility.”

She brings up the thread on her phone and starts typing in an apology to Peter, figuring she might as well get it over with. She spins a story about someone else getting hold of her phone, but doesn’t mention who.

Anthony leans back and tenses when he sees what she’s doing. “You better not be apologizing.”

Natalie ignores him and continues her text. The next thing she knows, Anthony is opening his side window. Cold air rushes in. Suddenly, he grabs the phone from her hands. “Hey!” she says. And then without hesitation, he throws it outside.

“Oh, my God!” she shrieks. “What are you doing?!”

“I’m solving a problem.” The glass slides shut and they’re encapsulated once more.

“You’re crazy!” She’s practically standing in her seat now, trying to see where it landed. They’re driving in the diamond lane on the freeway, headed toward downtown Seattle, and her phone is now lying somewhere on the side of the road in pieces.

“I can’t believe you did that!”

“I’ll buy you another phone.”

“You better!” She stares at the drink in his hand. “Are you drunk? Is that it?”

He rolls his eyes. “No, I’m not drunk. I’ve had two fingers of scotch all night.”

“You should stop drinking anyway.”

Anthony sneers. “Guess what, Natalie? Unlike your
mammone
ex-husband, I don’t take orders from you and I definitely don’t want you to be my mother.”

She glares at him. “I should throw your phone out the window.”

They spend the rest of the limousine ride in silence. Natalie is furious. By the time they get to their hotel lobby, she decides she’s had enough and tells him, “I’m calling Lindsay or Blair to come pick me up. I’m not staying the night with you.”

“Why not just call Peter? I’ll bet he’d love to come get you.”

She lets out a shaky breath. “What on Earth has gotten into you? I don’t want to call Peter.”

Anthony is silent. Brooding. “Let’s not have this conversation in the lobby.”

Natalie goes with him up to the room, figuring she has to get her stuff anyway. Her overnight bag with a change of clothes is upstairs. Maya brought everything over and checked them in earlier.

The room is fantastic, a full suite done in tasteful pastel colors, soft lights, and elegant furnishings. Not a garish orange bedspread in sight. There’s a big basket of fruit and cheese on a table. There’s also a bottle of champagne with two glasses and gourmet chocolates from a local chocolatier Natalie admires.

If they weren’t having a fight, this would be amazing.

Searching for her bag, she finally finds it in the bedroom.

Anthony comes in, but she pointedly ignores him as she takes off her gold-chained purse, shoves it inside the bag then searches for jeans and a T-shirt to change into. She’s angry, but hurt, too. He’s acting like a jerk.

Suddenly she feels the weight of his hands on her hips. “Don’t go,” he says.

“Leave me alone.” She shoves his hands away.

“Please . . . don’t go,” he whispers.

Natalie stills. His tone is low and there’s something so utterly wretched in his voice. “Are you really that jealous of Peter?”

“Yes.”

She turns around to face him. “There’s no reason to be.”

“Maybe not. But you didn’t see the way he was looking at you.” He pauses. “And I know you once loved him.”

“Even if what you’re saying is true, I don’t want him back.” She puts her hands on his solid shoulders. He’s still wearing his tux with a loosened bow tie. Despite her anger, he’s so handsome it’s painful. “This night is special for you. We should be celebrating right now. Not fighting.”

“Don’t go back to him. Tell me you won’t.”

“Anthony, I’m not going back to Peter.”

His eyes are dark, imploring. For a moment, he looks completely vulnerable and Natalie’s anger melts away. She’s never seen him like this. But then something shifts and his eyes turn fierce. His hands grip her waist, pulling her in tight.

“I’m not giving you up!”

And then his mouth is on hers. Hot and demanding. Wanting things from her, things that go beyond their bodies. Electrifying the air.

She lets him ravage her mouth, her hands sliding through his thick hair, clutching those dark waves, always so surprising in their softness.

A moan escapes her when he dips his head and buries his face in her cleavage. Ribbons of desire unravel inside her and she can feel the last of her resistance slip away.

Anthony draws back. Their eyes meet and Natalie still sees a glimmer of vulnerability. But then he turns her around, so her back is to him. He pushes her hair aside, exposing her neck, and she assumes he’s going to unzip her, but instead, his hands are grabbing and pulling up bunches of fabric from her dress, trying to get at what’s beneath.

“What are you wearing?” he asks when he finally encounters her shapewear. “Take all this off.”

Natalie suppresses an embarrassed laugh. She reaches under her dress and tries to wiggle and peel all that nylon down. Anthony starts tugging at it, too, cursing with impatience.

“Damn, this stuff is like armor.”

When it’s finally removed, he stands behind her again. His mouth at her ear. “Where were we?”

Then he’s pulling up her dress, except this time, she’s naked beneath.

Natalie feels his hands on her hips then his fingers brush lightly between her thighs. She gasps softly when they dip inside. Her stomach goes tight. He’s pressing his body into her from behind and she can feel his erection, a hard column beneath his slacks.

“This is how I want you, Miss Natalie,” he says, his breath choppy. “Just like this.”

She wants him, too. Any way she can have him. Natalie feels his hand behind her working his zipper.

“Get on your knees on the bed,” he breathes. She does as he asks and then his cock is pressing right at her center. His hand tightens around her waist. “This is going to be so good,” he growls. And then without further preamble, he thrusts into her. She gasps from the pleasure. It’s hard and perfect. Exquisite.