Tempted in the City by Jo Leigh Page A

father, and Tony was courteous to each one, despite the fact that they barely slowed to talk.
    The second stoop was also gorgeous, and it made her very excited about the possibilities for her home. But by the time she opened her front door, she was thinking more about the evening that lay ahead than the prospects for her stoop.
    â€œI’m going to make coffee,” she said. “And while we wait, why don’t we go up to the roof? You can take a look at the setup and I’ll talk you through my initial plans.”
    â€œI think that’s a great idea.”
    â€œGreat, huh?”
    â€œWell...” His voice dipped as his mouth curved into a heart-stopping smile. “I figure anything that ends in cannoli is bound to be something special.”
    God, she hoped that was innuendo.
    The idea that she didn’t know made her nervous, but maybe not being able to read Tony was part of the thrill?
    It didn’t take long to get their coffee started, and then they went through the attic exit to the rooftop.
    The sun had set, but the lights she turned on illuminated the space adequately for the purpose. “I’m thinking six raised beds,” she said, waving her hand across the breadth of the roof. “We’ll have to do something about that horrendous air-conditioning unit, but that shouldn’t be too challenging. And I’d like to have some hedges and a few good, sturdy conifers that will make winter more appealing. A pergola perhaps, over a deck where people could sit, eat, enjoy the view, the change of seasons. And then I was—”
    Her words froze as Tony took her by the arms and turned her around to face him. She had the advantage of the light, and she thought, for a moment, that the look in his eyes was want.
    He pulled her close, opened his mouth to speak, but no words came. Instead, his right thumb brushed her cheekbone as his gaze swept across her face. A faint smile lifted the corners of his lips. It vanished just as quickly, as if he’d come to his senses or something equally disappointing.
    And then he kissed her.
    Kissed her as if he’d wanted to for ages.
    She’d been unprepared, even though the brush across her cheek had been a substantial clue. Her response, though, was slow. She simply let him go on kissing her, trying and failing to make sense of anything but the way he moved his mouth. Wider, tighter, gentler.
    A groan escaped and she parted her lips, kissed him back, touched his side with her hand before grabbing on to his shirt.
    When he pulled back, he studied her expression, his gaze moving rapidly. When she smiled, she felt him relax before he stole her breath with another kiss.
    Somewhere, a door slammed. The sound didn’t come from her roof, but close. Tony froze as if it had been a gunshot, and he backed away from her as quickly as he could. “Jesus, I’m sorry.” He shook his head. “The plans for the garden are great,” he said, moving toward the door. “I’ll write it all down before I call the designer I have in mind. I really am sorry.”
    â€œTony—”
    He held up a hand. “Won’t happen again. I promise you.”
    And then he was gone.
    She heard his shoes hit the first few steps of the attic stairs, then nothing.
    She, on the other hand, stood there blinking. Wondering how she’d been caught so off guard, when she’d been flirting with him from the moment they’d met at the bakery. She wished she’d told him to stay. That he didn’t need to be sorry. That they were supposed to have dessert downstairs.
    What the hell was it about Tony Paladino that turned her knees weak and her mind to mush? He wasn’t even the type of man to whom she was usually attracted. This. Him. Her. Nothing made any sense at all. But she hoped like crazy that he’d break his promise because she really wanted to kiss him again.

5
    T ONY HAD BEEN up at the crack of dawn. Not because of