An Unexpected Attraction (Love Unexpected Book 3) by Delaney Diamond Page A

breathing.
    His face tightened. “Why did I do that? Why do you do that?” He shook his head and laughed, a humorless and angry sound. “Why do you always act as if my touch is the worst, most disgusting, most horrible thing you could imagine?”
    “You shouldn’t have kissed me!”
    “Maybe I couldn’t help myself!” he shot back. He let out a heavy breath and fell back against the car, scraping his fingers through his hair again. “Maybe I’m an asshole and not a fine, upstanding citizen,” he said in a tired voice.
    Closing her eyes briefly, Brenda gathered the resolve necessary to leave. When she lifted her lids, he was staring at her. She didn’t know what he thought. Nor did she care. He’d crossed a line.
    “Goodnight, Jay.” Her voice should have been firm, but it came out soft and throaty.
    A defeated slump to his shoulders, he stepped away from the car, giving her plenty of room. She edged to the driver door. Fumbling, she attempted to put the key in the hole, failing to accomplish the task three times while he watched. She finally opened the door and hopped in, eyes averted from his silent figure.
    She started the car and made a U-turn, driving away without acknowledging him but lifting her eyes to the rearview mirror just the same. Jay stood in the wet road, feet spread apart, arms hanging loosely at his sides. Dressed in all black with black hair and black shoes, he looked more like a shadow than a person standing there. He remained in the same spot even after she turned onto the next street.
    Brenda breathed easier once he was out of sight. Her muscles relaxed and the heat in her abdomen subsided. Being alone with Jay was never, ever a good idea, and she wouldn’t make the same mistake again.
    She tightened her hands on the steering wheel and focused on the road ahead. She couldn’t wait to get home and as far away from Jacopo Santorini as possible.

Chapter Six
    His staff hated Friday meetings, and hated them even more on sunny afternoons in June, but Jay couldn’t wait to give them the good news.
    “We’re having another great quarter.” The seven-member executive team seated around the glass conference table clapped and cheered. “The creative services department continues to do an incredible job with the ad campaigns and image rebranding. Feedback from our clients through the surveys continues to be overwhelmingly positive. Special thanks to Talia and her team for an outstanding job.” He inclined his head toward the only female in the room, and everyone clapped.
    Talia smiled her appreciation at the public acknowledgement.
    Jay then went down the list, complimenting the media buying department for negotiating impressive discounts, account services for excellent customer service, and finance for keeping everyone within budget. “Good job everybody,” he said when the clapping had died down. “Now get your asses back to work.”
    Chuckles filled the room, and the group filed out, talking amongst themselves. Jay was the last to leave. He stopped in the break room and filled a cup with herbal tea before heading back to his office. He passed his executive assistant’s empty desk, went into his office and closed the door. The first thing he did was call his father, Gino Santorini, in Italy and give him the same update as the staff.
    Gino had retired from the company years ago and, concerned about Jay’s playboy ways, hadn’t expected it to run so smoothly under Jay’s leadership. Ironic, considering his father hadn’t been faithful to Jay’s mother during their marriage and regularly traveled the world with his latest girlfriend. Yet he’d handed over the reins of his successful advertising firm, and to put his father’s mind at ease, he kept him abreast of goings on at the firm.
    Thirty minutes later, he was signing contracts when his secretary called.
    “Yes?”
    “Your ex-wife is on the phone.”
    Jay slammed the pen on the pile of papers. She still had the power to spoil his