It was a tough call, and in the end balance won out. Mandi packed some fun and lively sundresses that she hadn’t worn much. They were colorful, vibrant, flirty, and should be practical. She decided on her hot pink bikini, and just in case things got more adventurous she also threw in her black thong bikini.
The Leon family villa just outside of Rome was said to be spectacular and Sophia had always talked about how amazing the zero gravity pool was there, almost looking like it fell into the Atlantic Ocean that it overlooked. The finishing touches to the wardrobe would be a few pairs of jeans and some fun sandals, along with t-shirts that accented her ample breasts and cleavage nicely. As for undergarments, they had always been Mandi’s weakness and she didn’t hesitate to pack the sexiest ones she could find. There was something about how sexy lingerie could make a woman confident even on a day where she may not be feeling that way. It was her guilty pleasure, and one that she usually got to experience alone.
Mandi also decided to throw in a sketch pad and pencils just in case she was inspired to draw. Her talents were average at best, especially compared to her mother’s, but she knew that her mom would have probably filled that sketch book with the beautiful sights of Rome. She could at least do one thing. When she was done packing, Mandi looked through her suitcase and realized that she had definitely packed with some expectations in mind, and she wanted them to be met.
The next day at the gallery seemed to last forever, and Mandi’s excitement was building up as the day progressed. Sophia and Andre had stopped by to get a quick run-down on the basics of the gallery and assured Mandi that they’d be there to open it up the next morning on time, and take great care of it. Although the gallery wasn’t Mandi’s passion she wanted to be a good business owner, and admitted that Sophia and Andre could probably run the gallery as good as she could.
Just as 5 p.m. rolled around a sleek shiny silver Jaguar XKR-S coupe pulled up, and Mandi’s jaw dropped. The car was definitely as sexy as its driver, and she waved through the glass window of the gallery to Sergio as he came to the door. Oh my gosh, did he look hot. He had on jeans that hugged his hips and a fitted grey v-neck tee that showed every muscle that he obviously worked diligently at keeping in shape. His hair hung down loose, and framed his chiseled jaw. He was nothing short of model material.
Without skipping a beat Sergio came right up to Mandi and pulled her to him in a tight hug where every inch of his hard body pressed closed to hers, whispering in her ear, “I’ve been thinking about this trip all day, and how beautiful you looked last night. You’ve certainly grown into a sexy minx of a woman, haven’t you? You had every man’s attention in that room. And today it gets even better because we’re headed off to Rome for the week.”
Mandi’s heart was racing and she could barely respond. He was talking about how she looked and all she could think about was how amazing he smelled and felt as he embraced her. Every place where their bodies touched was tingling, as well as a few other spots. Realizing that she’d grown so easily distracted by his touch suddenly put Mandi on alert, and she wondered why she was suddenly so self-conscious. It got worse when Sergio took a step back and looked her up and down, not bothering to hide that he had a certain amount of lust in his eyes. Suddenly the short mini skirt and clinging silky blouse seemed a bit too obvious, as his eyes drank her in appreciatively.
It was definitely in Mandi’s best interests to change the subject. “You are in a great mood. You must have had a very productive day.”
“Indeed I did, as I do every day,” he said matter-of-factly. Sergio looked around the gallery briefly, and then asked, “Where’s your bags?”
“Right over there,” Mandi pointed, showing the Louis Vuitton suitcase by the door. It was small, but held everything she needed for her adventure. It had been inherited from her mom too, which meant a part of her mom was going to Rome and that was a good thing like a good luck charm.
Sergio didn’t bother to hide the surprised look on his face about only having one bag for a week in Rome. “This is it, nothing else, Mandi?”
“It holds more than you’d think,” Mandi said, not bothering to hide her annoyance by the comment. What concern of Sergio’s was it that she was a light packer?
“I just want to make sure that I was clear. This is going to be an event-filled week, and part of the reason I agreed to help Sophia out was because I needed a date for the factory’s fiftieth anniversary party. It’s a huge deal to the local community and the factory workers, which means I have to present my best. It’s a very traditional affair designed to show them how much they are appreciated. I just need to make sure it’s special for them.” Sergio looked at Mandi and stopped talking immediately. He could see anger flashing in her eyes, and that was no way to start the week in Rome off.
Mandi didn’t want to lose her temper with Sergio right now, even though it seemed like it would make her feel better. Who did he think he was? Just because he was a billionaire didn’t mean that he could cast certain expectations on her like he was a reprimanding father. She took a deep breath and chose her words cautiously. “I apologize, Sergio. Maybe I can repack, and find a fancier dress for the occasion than what I’ve picked.”
“We don’t have time to do that now, Mandi. Once we’re in Rome one of my assistants can find something that’s suitable for you to wear and really makes you stand out like you did last night.”
Realizing that Sergio was all business at the moment and not the playful flirt just a minute ago was discouraging, making her want to change her mind and stay back in New York. A week in Rome watching a workaholic conduct business didn’t sound all that adventurous or exciting to her. “Sergio, I’m perfectly capable of picking out my own clothes and have fashion sense enough to choose something good for your factory’s big celebration. Besides, it seems like you’ll be busy working a lot on this trip and that’ll give me something to do.”
Sergio was instantly embarrassed by Mandi’s statement and he realized that his direct manner had happened to offend the girl he was just saying he wanted to protect the night before. Damn, that was not what he wanted to come off as. Why did he sounded so abrupt and business-like? Had he truly become such a workaholic that he couldn’t turn it off, even in the most private and personal moments? Damn, he needed a vacation. Damn, he needed someone to help him forget about all the stress he had to deal with…Olivia used to do that for him. Fun with a single-minded purpose of having him fuck her brains out, Olivia’s sex drive and persistent need for sex was enough to take his mind off work. That was the problem with her, though, when she couldn’t get sex from him, or when he worked too many hours; she found a way to satisfy her cravings…with his friends, apparently. Now if only he could forget Olivia and try to have fun, if only for a week with sweet and non-pretentious Mandi. With a body like hers, and a face like that, it wouldn’t be hard to imagine the possibilities of being distracted by her.