“Are you okay, beautiful?” he asked, the rumble of his voice hitting me smack dab in my core.

I nodded because once again words didn’t seem to want to form in this man’s presence. It was as if I had just morphed back to some stupid teenager, lusting after the captain of the football team who was paying attention to me for the first time.

I mentally shook my head, pulling myself together, and then pulled slightly away. I was better than this. I knew that, and I owned it.

“Yes, I’m fine. Thank you for catching me.” I removed my hands and dropped them to my sides, instantly missing the heat from his body. He was like a damn oven—hot and ready.

“Anytime.” His grin could melt my underwear right off my body, leaving me in a big puddle on the ground. How could one man be that sexy?

My brother’s words rang in my head. He wasn’t staying and was only here for a short time. Stay away. Then another voice spoke up, He’s only here for a short time. Better make it count. I thought I might listen to the second one. What the hell; we only lived once, and if he wanted to play for a while, I wouldn’t be opposed.

“Maybe I’ll see ya in there.” I winked seductively as I picked up the bottom of my dress and walked into the party.

Jag moved faster, standing in front of me in a flash, and my eyes widened at his boldness. He looked absolutely delectable in his dark gray, tailored suit. With no tie and the top two buttons of his crisp lighter gray shirt underneath undone, it gave me a nice view of the dusting of his chest hair. He was sex on a stick. The scruff of his dark beard was calling to me, and I wondered what it would feel like on my skin. My lips parted as I sucked in a slow breath as thoughts of his lips overtook me.

“You will absolutely be seeing me again. A lot.” He reached for my hand, lifting it from my side and planting a soft kiss on the top.

The kiss had a direct link to my clit, setting it on fire. My entire body ached immediately just from his light touch and the softness of his kiss. I should be nervous, but really, it excited the shit out of me. His eyes were glowing in the light outside, making my insides quiver.

I nodded because that was the best I could do, once again at a loss of words. Scraper led me into the house, not saying anything about the encounter, but I knew he would tell my father. It wasn’t an issue, but having someone go back and tell my father everything all the time was another thing I needed to discuss with my family.

My eyes focused on Uncle Vino across the wide expanse of the decked-out room before I headed straight toward him. He looked so much like my father I swore they could have been twins instead of Vino being a year older. His salt and pepper hair was brushed back, and his tan skin radiated life. For a man in his late fifties, he was undoubtedly still as attractive as he had been in his twenties.

Uncle Vino and Aunt Marnie had been married for more than thirty years now, and I had never once seen a frown on that woman’s face. She always glowed, and Uncle Vino would do anything for her. That was the kind of love I wanted to have some day.

“Catarina!” Uncle Vino boomed loudly, cutting off my thoughts as heads turned from every direction. He set his drink down then opened his arms wide, and I walked to him and fell into them, wrapping mine around him. “You look beautiful tonight,” he whispered in my ear.

“Thank you,” I murmured into his shoulder.

With Uncle Vino and my father being so close in age and the fact that they had a great relationship, Uncle Vino was a second father to me. Meaning I not only had one set of father and brothers hounding me in life, but an entirely different set of them, as well. I was hoping my father would talk to Uncle Vino; however Vino was never easily persuaded.

“I am proud of you, my girl.” He pulled away and looked into my eyes, love and adoration pouring from them, and I blushed. Being his only niece, he had always made me feel unbelievably special.

“Yes, sir.” I smirked with an evil gleam to it. “He won’t mess with me again.”

“No, he will not.” His words turned icy, making me shake a bit.

That was the side of Uncle Vino that unnerved me. No one messed with him. No. One. Hell, I didn’t even think the president with all his secret service would if given the chance. He was ruthless and got what he wanted. To me, though, his love was what was important.

I nodded, knowing Antonio would be lucky if his ass wasn’t six-feet under when this was all said and done. Of course, I would be happy with only a slice through his dick since I had stupidly left it intact.

“Come. You must meet some guests. Kiera is not here yet; she called to say she had to make a stop.” That sounded strange to me, considering she had left twenty minutes before I had. Then again, her guards didn’t leave her side, would protect her, and that thought helped me relax a bit. The trust in our protection was unbelievably important. Love it or hate it, we counted on it.

After meeting countless people, talking with my family, my cousins, and brothers, who gave me shit, and the arrival of Kiera—who seemed perfectly fine—I was damn tired.

Being dual CEOs with Kiera of Lambardoni Enterprises was the best job ever. We took people’s money and worked it in the stock market. We also invested it in companies we knew would show profit. We got our cut, and the clients got theirs. It was a seriously lucrative business. I loved my job, but it was the schmoozing that got me. Kiera was so much better at this part. I’d had to put on a professional front for the past three hours, and I needed a break.

“Catarina,” Uncle Vino called from the other side of the bar, and I looked up as he called out, “Come. Come here.”

My eyes drifted to the man he was standing with, all six-foot plus inches of Italian muscle. Jag’s eyes latched onto me, like I was his next meal, as I took steps toward them.

“Rina, meet Jag. He works with us in California.”

I wasn’t a stupid woman. When I had seen him with my brother and Ace, I had known he had to be part of the operations. I just didn’t know which part, and more than likely, I would never find out.

“Vino, we’ve actually met.” Jag’s eyes bored into mine, and I flushed from the intensity. “I was with Val last night when … Things needed to be dealt with.”

“Ah, yes. So you know my niece. She runs Lambardoni Enterprises with my daughter, Kiera.” Uncle Vino looked around the room, obviously searching for Kiera, and then turned back to us. “I’ll have to introduce you to her another time, yeah?”

“Sure, Vino,” Jag said.

The electrical sexual current that flowed between the two of us couldn’t be denied because it was twisting me in knots. My body was screaming at me to get closer, while my mind was telling me to stay back, and then my pussy was telling me to go for it. I was a screwed up mess in this man’s presence, my body and mind not getting on the same page.

“I need to run. I’ll be back in a bit,” Uncle Vino stated before he walked away, no doubt greeting other guests.

“Dance with me.” Jag held out his strong hand, and I took it without hesitation. The thought of being that close to him was too thrilling not to.

He pulled me through the crowd of people, each one staring as we passed, and onto the makeshift dance floor in the living room. Other couples were swaying to the soft music the string band was playing, many with smiles on their faces. Jag stopped, turned, and pulled me into his arms, my front plastered to his. One of my hands went to his shoulder, and the other he grasped in his as our bodies began swaying to the music. His arm around my back flexed with each movement he made as I followed his lead, the heat from it scorching my back.

“Catarina.” My name slithered from his lips like the finest silk against my skin, each syllable of it a warm caress. When our eyes met, I was dazed at the amount of passion and warmth that his held inside.