More Than a Mistress by Delaney Diamond

BLURB

Will their arrangement ever be enough?

Relationships are not a priority for restaurateur Esteban Galiano, and when he sees Sonia Kennedy at a party, he plans to make her a conquest in a long line of many. But she rebuffs his advances and forces him to adjust—determined to meet the challenge and do whatever he must to make her his. 

All her life, Sonia’s beauty has caused unnecessary problems, and right now she needs a job, not a suitor. When Esteban makes an indecent proposal, her first instinct is to turn him down. But soon she’s rethinking her response. Maybe it’s time for her to use what she’s got, to get what she wants. 

EXCERPT

She busied herself filling orders while he was gone, chatted with guests, and poured more of the very popular wine from Arturo’s own inventory, imported from his winery in Argentina. When there was a break in her duties, she took that moment to seek out Esteban. 

As he was over six feet, she spotted him easily, in what looked like an intense conversation with another man. He nodded without saying a word, while the other man spoke animatedly with rapid movements of his hands. 

Working for Galiano would be a great opportunity because of his restaurants’ reputations, and she was certain she could do an excellent job for him as a sommelier. Attending this event might turn out to be the perfect opportunity to make a connection and follow up on the application she’d filled out weeks ago. Maybe before the night was over, she’d get that chance. 

Sonia watched as Galiano grasped the arm of the other man with his large hand, said a few words, nodded, and smoothly excused himself from the conversation. 

He was sexy. Overtly so. Square-jawed and brunette, with dark, brooding eyes. He traversed the room with an elegant gait, striking up conversations with the other guests. But arrogance surrounded him in an invisible cloud, evident in the hard slope of his jaw, perfect posture, and the almost bored expression on his face as he surveyed the guests with whom he paused to say a word or two.

He may give extravagant gifts, but he didn’t wear his wealth in an ostentatious manner like the men and women in the room, with flashy gold rings and twenty-five-thousand-dollar purses. His wealth was undeniable in the subtleties. Like the fit of his navy jacket, tailored to his physique. He was well groomed, clean-shaven, and with his hair cut very short and hinting at a wavy texture if allowed to grow much longer. The only jewelry he did wear was a platinum watch she caught peeking out below his sleeve. She couldn’t see the timepiece clearly from here but suspected he wouldn’t have chosen an obvious brand, such as Rolex.

“Excuse me, what was that wine you poured for me earlier?” 

Sonia’s eyes veered away from Esteban to the woman standing in front of her, holding up a glass with less than an ounce of white wine at the bottom. 

“It’s from Arturo’s personal stock in Argentina.”

“White wine from Argentina?”

“Yes. You’re probably more familiar with Malbec, but Argentina is becoming well known for their Torrontés. What you drank was Torrontés Riojano, which ranks second in wine exports from Argentina.” 

“You don’t say.” 

Then Sonia got to do her favorite thing—share her knowledge and expertise about the wine she’d introduced to the guest. Hopefully, before the night was over, she’d have the opportunity to show off her knowledge to Esteban Galiano, too.