Unraveled (Guzzi Duet Book 1)(8)

Cara, he thought her name was. Wasn’t that what Constantino had said before about his cousins—Lea and Cara.

Gian didn’t pay attention to names, unless it served him some purpose to.

Her ice-blue eyes looked him over, and Gian was taken aback by the lack of makeup on her pixie-like features. Most woman put too much makeup on instead of too little, determined to make a man focus on attributes instead of imperfections. But all she wore was just enough to shape her wide eyes, and a red tint on her full lips that matched the color of her hair.

From what he could see, her tight black dress fit to her curves perfectly, and guessing by the way she crossed her legs out to the side, she was not a short woman.

Beautiful.

Natural.

Sexy.

All of that and more came to mind.

“You stare a lot, don’t you?” the woman asked.

Gian came out of the daze with a bang. “Am I not allowed to stare?”

Bambi glanced away from the two, hiding her smile. “I think I’ll go find Stephan and see what’s taking him so long.”

Do that, Gian wanted to say.

He said nothing until Bambi was gone. The two men left at the booth, quickly followed her lead, leaving Gian alone with the beautiful redhead. He didn’t sit, though, simply stayed where he was.

“It’s Cara, right?”

She glanced up, her blue eyes widening further. “How do you know my name?”

Gian smirked. “Family friends.”

“Right.” Cara flashed him one of her own smiles. “It’s Gian, right? Gian Guzzi.”

He lifted a single brow. “My name is well-known around this place.”

“The owner—I know. Constantino told me.”

“Oh?”

“And Guzzi isn’t exactly a … little name, either.”

“Would you like a drink, Cara?”

She didn’t even think about it before saying, “No.”

“A dance?”

“No.”

“Then why are you here?” Gian lifted a hand, waving at the club behind him. “That’s sort of what you do in a club, bella donna.”

“I do speak some Italian.”

“Good, then you know what I think of you. A very beautiful woman.”

She did manage a smile that was slightly truer than her first. “You’re terribly arrogant. Flash a smile, say a few pretty words, and I bet most women eat out of the palm of your hand.”

“The men of my family like to say it’s a learned talent, actually.” He grinned, and didn’t miss how for a moment that Cara was silenced by the sight. “And as of right now, I’m not trying any of those things on you.”

“How do you hold all that cockiness and those damn grins in then?”

“I don’t.”

“And everyone melts.”

“I’m not looking at everyone. I’m looking at you.”

Cara laughed lightly, a sweet sound that helped to light up her pretty features. “Smooth, Gian.”

“That was nothing, only the truth. But seriously, if you don’t want a drink, you don’t want to dance, and you don’t have a date …” Gian left that one hanging for Cara to finish for him.

“No date, either.”

“Then what are you doing here?”

“I wanted to feel normal for a night. Not so suffocated, I guess, or out of control. Also, someone showed up at my place and wouldn’t take no for an answer.”

Had someone else said those words, Gian might have been confused. He thought, considering this woman had recently lost someone important in her life, that her statement made a hell of a lot of sense.

“Your sister—your twin.” Her lips turned into a frown, a question in her stare. He quickly added, “Her face was all over the news, and Constantino is a very old, and good friend of mine.”

“Huh.”

“That’s what you meant, though, isn’t it?”

Cara shrugged. “I’m supposed to be having fun, not being sad tonight.”

Gian knew better than to engage Cara in any more conversation than what he already had done. He certainly didn’t have the time to invest to be interested in the woman, never mind struck by her unassuming beauty. It would be different, if he wanted nothing more than a quick ride and little else from a woman, but in that moment, he wasn’t looking for that, either.

He was, of course, but not right then. Cara was still sitting, staring at him, and waiting. He wouldn’t usually bother to talk at all.

“Are you going to sit?” Cara asked.

He knew better.

Gian took a seat in the booth when Cara moved in farther.

Knowing better meant nothing to Gian.





Cara wasn’t entirely sure how she had gotten tucked into a booth at a club with a man that she had no business talking to.

It wasn’t that Gian Guzzi was off-putting. In fact, he was the exact opposite. Cara was sure the man knew exactly how he came across to those around him, and had no qualms about using it to his advantage.

Charming.

Gorgeous.

Sharp lines, dark eyes, a chiseled jaw, carefully styled hair, and that was only the surface. That was what he greeted a person with at first glance. It was the second glance, and then the third, that Cara was sure won a woman over. He brought out the Italian pet names, and then murmured a quick line in French with such perfect precision that it was simply shocking. Tan skinned, a three-piece, fitted suit that showcased his athletic form, a smile that surely made most women weep, and an attitude that begged for attention.