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an amazing view of Venice, lit for Carnevale with breathtaking splendor.
    “This is unbelievable.” There were no other words. Vincenzo’s palazzo had been in his family since the time of the Medici but it couldn’t hold a candle to this one. “I had no idea anything like this still existed in Venice.”
    Matt’s mouth twisted into a semblance of a smile. “Keeps the rain out.”
    “Whoever owns this place hit the jackpot. You’re lucky they agreed to rent it out. It’s amazing.”
    He shot her a quizzical look. “I’ll be sure to pass on the compliment.”
    “Do you have all three floors, or just the piano nobile ?”
    “Top two. The bottom floor isn’t restored. The bedrooms are upstairs. Would you like to see them?”
    “Was that a line?” She grinned at his chagrined expression. He was endearing in a way that shouldn’t be possible in conjunction with his forceful, compelling personality. “If so, I must say it worked extraordinarily well. I not only want to see the rest of the house, purely for aesthetic reasons of course, but I want to get out of this dress in the worst way.”
    She took a step toward the twisting staircase, but he tugged her back and pierced her with his beautiful crystalline eyes, capturing her gaze with his and refusing to let her go.
    “Angie, I didn’t invite you here solely to get you naked. When I said no rules, I meant no expectations. If nothing happens, that’s all right. I don’t mind if we talk until dawn. Whatever feels right. Remember that.”
    “Matt—” The rest froze in her throat.
    He was nothing like the people in her world. He carried a hint of vulnerability, a depth that pulled at her. And his restraint—that she couldn’t fathom. All the men she knew took what they wanted, when they wanted it.
    Not this one. He was very clearly telling her she still had choices, regardless of how brazenly she’d thrown herself at him all night. He didn’t just see her as an outlet to slake his thirst but as a valued companion. That was powerful. And seductive.
    She whispered his name again. “I don’t mind if we talk, either.”
    She never talked. Talking sucked, especially when the sound of her own voice made her cringe. But they both deserved to have choices.
    “Is that what you want?”
    She craved the attention of this man, who seemed to understand exactly what she needed, when she needed it. To understand the weight of loss and the pain of being adrift, desperate for an anchor.
    Something momentous swelled in her chest. “I just want to be with you.”
    “You’ve got me. For however long you’d like. I’m not going anywhere.” As if to prove it, he lowered the lights, creating a romantic ambience instantly. He sat on the couch and spread his hands. “Think of me as a smorgasbord.”
    She laughed, and it blew away all the thick implications of the moment.
    “Now that’s something I’ve never had before. By the way, I wasn’t kidding about getting out of this dress. I can hardly breathe, and it’s heavy.”
    “Would you like a T-shirt?”
    “Um, not really. What I’d really like is your help.” She stepped out of her heels, crossed the room and sat on the couch facing away from him. “The laces in the back are too hard to reach.”
    “What would you have done if we hadn’t connected? Slept in it?”
    Connected . That hit her in all the soft, warm places again. This was a connection, a greater one than she’d been looking for, or had expected, and far more precious—thanks to the custom of wearing masks for Carnevale. She’d never have let her guard down otherwise.
    “I would have figured out something,” she murmured as he gently lifted her curls and swept them up over her shoulder. Her skin prickled as she felt his gaze on the bare expanse from her hairline to the strapless bodice.
    His hands skimmed down her back on either side of the wings, stoking the fire he’d built on the balcony, which hadn’t extinguished at all. Those strong