“Fischer,” Sam said, refusing to give him her full name. Because she desperately wanted to hear it on his lips. Really, she was acting strange. “Of course I was invited. I’m not some petty thief,” she said, before adding, “Now, please do me the courtesy of telling me who you are.”
“Who invited you?”
“You’re rude.”
“I simply want to understand why you are here, Ms. Fischer.”
She rubbed a finger over her temple. “Matteo invited me.”
“Tonight?”
“Not specifically. He invited me months ago. It was an open invitation. I decided to surprise him. Now, tell me who you are.”
“I’m Alessandro Ricci.”
She recognized his name immediately. “You’re the CEO of Ricci International Finances. You made that big deal recently with the software company my dad works for in California.”
“Sì.”
It was all starting to make sense. The extravagant wealth outside. The surname. Ricci International Finances. The resemblance between Alessandro and Matteo…
“And Matteo is…?”
“My younger half brother.”
Sam pressed her hand to her neck, backing away. “So Matteo is rich, like you?”
“Sì.”
Her foot caught on the rug, and the man caught her, even though he’d been several steps away. His hand landed on her lower back. The bare patch of skin between her top and her jeans burned at the abrasive texture of his fingers. Heat from the small contact arced through her, pooling in her lower belly.
How would those fingers feel against more bare skin? Against her aching breasts? Against her belly? Against her—
Jerking away from him, she tried to corral her uneven breath.
Damn it, this man was a strangerandMatteo’s older brother. A man so far out of her league that he might as well have been the alien overlord in one of her cousin’s romance novels.
“You didn’t know that Matteo comes from a wealthy family,” Mr. Ricci added behind her.
“It’s been years since we first met,” Sam said automatically. “He did mention Lake Como but not an estate on the shores of it.”
“My family owns most of the town.”
She turned to face him. “Thanks for clarifying that.”
His sharp gaze assessed her relentlessly. “How do you know him?”
“I’ve answered enough of your questions. I want to see Matteo.”
“Not unless you tell me why.”
“Or what?” she said, hunger and sudden exhaustion dialing up her frustration. “You’ll throw me out?”
“I’m trying to save you from a potentially embarrassing situation.”
Laughter burst out of Sam. “You talk just like he said you do.” Matteo had talked about his brother from time to time, but he’d never mentioned his name.
“How is that?”
