Jo Leigh - Daring In The City

Why take a bite of the Big Apple when there’s bachelor Luca Paladino?

Luca Paladino is moving into his Little Italy apartment now, and nothing—not even incomplete renos—will stop him. Well, except maybe for the incredibly sexy redheaded stranger he finds standing in his unfinished bedroom. In her underwear. Who is tempting him beyond all belief…

April Branagan’s been in New York for exactly a minute, and she’s already been swindled. Fortunately, she’s talked the extra-hunky-with-a-side-of-abs bachelor into letting her stay in his apartment—in return for helping out. But when April and Luca’s sexual attraction goes from a simmer to full-on piccante, their little deal turns into a whole lot more than either of them bargained for!

“You’re driving me crazy…”

Luca gave April a slight tug but it was enough to bring her too close.

He stared at her as if she was made of secrets. “Do you have any idea—” he said, his words so low she might have missed them if she hadn’t been just inches away. He opened his mouth once more, only to pull her into a searing kiss.

Oh, God. His lips, warm, urgent, on hers. His arms suddenly wrapped around her, holding her tight. His tongue seeking entry, teasing her to open her mouth.

All coherent thought vanished. It was what she’d wanted since the second night. This kiss, this heat, this urgency between them.

She tasted a hint of wine and something that belonged to Luca. Him. His scent, his hard body pressing against her, his erection growing and pulsing between them.

He wasn’t her dream man, he couldn’t be, not after all that had happened. She knew better than to believe that fairy tale. But he sure kissed like him.

His guttural moan was so intimate and erotic…and April knew she wasn’t going to be the one to say no.

Dear Reader,

Now, here’s a real welcome to New York: a long bus trip, stolen savings, breaking and entering (well, not so much breaking), a looming arrest and meeting the hero for the first time in nothing but your bikini panties!

That’s April Branagan’s first day in the Big Apple.

Lucky for her, she’s crash-landed at Luca Paladino’s new apartment. Somehow she convinces him to let her stay. Then he can’t bear to see her go! But things get complicated when Luca tries a little too hard to help fiercely independent April, and it almost tears them apart. In the end, though, love saves the day. Thank goodness.

I hope you enjoy the second book in my NYC Bachelors miniseries! Look for the final book in the trilogy, madly handsome Dominic’s story, coming in April 2017!

Oh, and did I tell you I was in Little Italy last October? After writing this book I’m more than ready to go again. I ♥ NY!

Ciao,

Jo Leigh

Daring in the City

Jo Leigh

www.millsandboon.co.uk

JO LEIGH is from Los Angeles and always thought she’d end up living in Manhattan. So how did she end up in Utah in a tiny town with a terrible internet connection, being bossed around by a houseful of rescued cats and dogs? What the heck, she says, predictability is boring. Jo has written more than forty-five novels for Harlequin. Find her on Twitter, @jo_leigh.

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Contents

Cover

Back Cover Text

Introduction

Dear Reader

Title Page

About the Author

The Paladino Legacy

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Chapter 20

Chapter 21

Extract

Copyright

The Paladino Legacy

IN THIS GENTLY reimagined tale of Little Italy, the Paladino family has lived in their house on Mulberry Street in Little Italy since 1910. When Antonio Paladino, the brothers’ great-great-grandfather cobbled together some money working as a skilled mason, the first thing he did with it was buy property.

By the time Joseph Paladino had his three sons, the Paladinos owned a great deal of what is now the very heart of Little Italy. The Paladino Trust had been set up years ago to protect the properties and the family’s privacy in the hope of preserving Little Italy. Each of the three sons owns property within the Trust, comprised of both commercial businesses and housing.

But none of the family has any intention to sell. The people in the tight-knit community have no idea that the Paladinos are their landlords, hidden behind the name that had been assigned to the Trust. They believe they have a rent-control situation that keeps their rents reasonable—unlike the rest of the newly gentrified Lower East Side of Manhattan.

1

“WATCH IT!”

Luca followed his brother’s gaze across the gutted floor of the Grasso home and let out a breath. “It’s okay. She’s got it.”

“She almost hit Frankie with that beam,” Tony said.

“She did not. You’re just worried because she’s a girl.”

“Hey, up yours. You know better than that.”

Luca laughed. If his brother didn’t know when he was screwing around by now, then that was his problem. Luca had enough of his own.

“Whoa, is that the famous Tony Paladino?” Sal’s booming voice came from behind them, and they both turned around. “What’s got you in a hard hat, boss? You felt like slumming today, or what?”

“I thought I’d take a break from the office. That okay with you?”

Sal grinned and slapped Tony on the shoulder. “I’m just messing with you. I bet you came by to check up on my niece. The girl’s got chops,” he said, glancing over at her. “Carlita’s still green but she’s gonna do a good job.”

“I’m not worried,” Tony said and ignored Luca’s snorting laugh.

“Yeah, I know,” Sal said. “I heard that you’re too busy looking for wedding rings to bother with remodels.”

Luca turned on Tony. “You’re looking for rings? Why didn’t you say anything?”

Tony took off his hard hat and ran a hand through his hair. “One ring,” he said, shaking his head. “I saw a ring in a window and I asked about it. That’s it. What I want to know is who’s spying on me and shooting off their mouth?”

Luca, along with Sal and several others on the construction crew laughed. As if anyone could get away with anything in their tight-knit neighborhood. Gossip ran like wine through Manhattan’s Little Italy and no one was safe.

“Hey, Tony, while I’ve got you here,” Sal said, “I’m going to change the schedule on the Hester Street apartments. We’ve got two vacancies there so we can go in and take care of the plumbing before they’re occupied again.”

Tony nodded, and Luca thought about the last time he’d been the subject of gossip—way back during his junior year at Columbia when he’d bought his first motorcycle and rode it home one weekend. Pretty lame as far as gossip went. But when had he had time to get into any real trouble?