Wanton Heat (A Feel the Heat Novel) (Entangled Brazen) by Nicola Marsh Read Free Book Online

her and grasp her hand. “You should’ve told me.”
    “I didn’t see the point ’til now.” She squeezed his hand in return. “You need to make your own decisions, Nicci. Based on what you want, not what you think your father would’ve wanted.”
    Nonna was right. But couldn’t she see what she’d told him made him feel more indebted to his father than ever?
    There was no way he could approve the Kaluna Resort worldwide ad campaign, now more than ever. But he’d promised Catarina to consider what they had to offer, and she could out-stubborn him, so unless he went through with this farcical charade of listening to the rest of Zoe’s pitch, she’d make his life hell.
    “You should take Zoe to Ancora. Let her finish her proposal. Then make an objective decision.”
    Great, just what he needed, to take that upstart to his favorite place in the world. He knew she’d need to see it at some stage but had planned to fob her off onto a guide. But now he realized he’d need to hear the rest of her ideas to ensure he could refuse with a clean slate.
    The e-mails the developer had sent hadn’t inspired him with confidence, so he was glad he now had a PI digging into Kai Kaluna’s business plans. With a little luck, he’d get some concrete evidence to back up his stance in ultimately refusing Zoe Keaton.
    Catarina continued. “If you hear her pitch on the island, see what she has planned firsthand, maybe you’ll be more open-minded when it comes to moving ahead?”
    As if. The part where an instant image of Zoe on Ancora in a miniscule caramel bikini, the same color as her eyes, popped into his head? Not helping.
    She better not pack a frigging bathing suit.
    “Okay, I’ll take her over later.”
    He didn’t understand Catarina’s triumphant grin. “Good boy. You should head down to the docks, clear your head, make sure the boat’s ready.”
    “Maybe I should apologize to Zoe first?”
    He’d acted like a prize ass, and knowing the confident woman, she probably wouldn’t let him forget it.
    “I’ll find her and let her know what you intend to do. Probably best you give her some time to forgive your rudeness?”
    Dominic managed a wry grin as he kissed his grandmother on the cheek. “How did you get so wise?”
    “When you live through as many long, hot Osturo summers as I have, you get to know a thing or two.” She patted his cheek. “Now go get organized for your trip to Ancora.”
    Dominic needed no encouragement to head to his favorite place in the world. Having Zoe along for the ride? Challenging at best. At worst? The two of them alone at the secluded royal enclave on the island…sparring and annoying each other and causing some serious fireworks.
    Damn it, he didn’t want to be attracted to her. She was only here for one thing: to get the go-ahead on her proposed ad campaign. One of the many countless people over the years who wanted something from him. He should be used to it. He’d honed his instincts to read people over the years, unsurprised to discover most who hung around him did it only because they had an agenda.
    So what was it about Zoe that crept under his guard a little?
    He knew she was only here for business, so why couldn’t he stop thinking about mixing it with pleasure?
    He could take the heat, could take whatever she dished out.
    But was she ready to accept the consequences of playing with fire?

Chapter Three
    Zoe had a bad feeling about this.
    Agreeing to Catarina’s madcap scheme to kidnap Dominic had sounded crazy at the time, but now that she was on the boat, lying in wait for the unsuspecting prince, it seemed a thousand times nuttier.
    Luckily, her dad had been an accomplished sailor, so she knew how to handle a boat courtesy of their frequent trips to San Diego. While the prince’s seemed sleeker and faster than anything she’d operated before, she’d taken a crash course with the captain, who was now firmly ensconced in the harbor cafeteria, a small five-table