Gio Zanetti is hugely successful but not in relationships. Sadly, he starts falling for a lady, who has been badly bitten on the relationship front as well and she keeps on walking away. Treat em’ mean, keep ’em keen, might have been written for this heroine.

She is not looking for love again but love has a way of finding you whether you want it or not. In the midst of all the misunderstandings, Leah’s half-brother, Ari Stefanos finally tracks her down and tells her that she’s his half sister, which is yet another complication that Gio doesn’t need.

Will this well-matched couple ever learn to trust each other?

UPDATE (Nov 2021): Leah and Gio’s story will be called “The Heir His Housekeeper Carried“.

Excerpts From the Book

A naked mermaid in his pool

Gio walked through the hall, noting the abandoned cleaning box and he suppressed a sigh as he strode upstairs. The cleaner was still here which was hardly surprising when he had arrived earlier than he had expected. He, however, wanted the house to himself. He would tell the cleaner to come back tomorrow to finish. He peeled off his jacket, removed his tie and was about to embark on his pants when he thought he felt something nip at the back of his leg. He swung round but there was nothing there, only a faint suspicion of movement from the throw draped across the foot of the bed. Gio bent down and peered under the bed.

A small frightened yelp sounded and something brown shot out from below and pelted full speed for the door. It was the size of a rat but rats didn’t have purple bows in their hair so it had to be a dog. The cleaner had brought a dog in with her. Gio frowned, thinking that his dogs in Italy would have made a snack of the wretched little creature. He cast aside his jacket and started back down the stairs again. For the first time he noticed that the door to the pool complex was ajar and he strode down the corridor towards it.

From the doorway he was able to see that he had a naked mermaid in his pool. A mermaid with a top knot of cascading black curls and a pale pink bottom as ripe as a peach showing through the water as she swam. Gio grinned, amused but annoyed because instead of reacting with the humour he was struggling to restrain, the onus was now on him to play the censorious boss and lay down the law, spelling out what she had done wrong and why she shouldn’t be doing it.

There’s something I have to tell you

‘Give me ten minutes,’ Gio bargained.’ There’s something I have to tell you.’

What on earth could he have to tell her? Oh my goodness, was he about to confess that he had a girlfriend?   Even worse, a wife?  Her empty tummy hollowed out sickly. Was it weak of her to feel like telling him that she really didn’t want to know now that it was too late to change anything?  Conscious of him on her heels, she stowed the cleaning box in the pantry and went back to retrieve the vacuum. She put away the vacuum, knowing that she just wanted to run but that that would be gauche and she wasn’t still that immature, was she? Perspiration had broken out on her short upper lip as she returned to the kitchen, her car keys jangling in her pocket.

Do you think I wouldn’t know

‘Do you think I wouldn’t know?’ Leah laughed.’ Of course, I’d know!’

Bracing herself, a cold glass of water clasped in one hand, Leah entered Ari’s opulent office. She wouldn’t have admitted it to anyone but she was not feeling well and she assumed the nausea and the occasional blurring of her vision meant that she had overdone it a bit. Gio was lounging back against Ari’s desk with a drink in his hand, the very picture of relaxation. Clearly having spoken to his wife, Ari, however, was better prepared. He raised both his hands in a surrender movement and grimaced.’ I know. Don’t say it…I messed up!’ he groaned.