He patted her back. “At least two. Only having sisters made me wishful for a brother.”
Heat rose in her cheeks. She pressed her knees to her chest as she said, “I never had sisters or brothers.”
He scooted closer and tapped on her leg to get her to lower them. She sat so her calves were to the side. Leo asked, “What happened to your parents? You told me my mom was friends with yours which seems strange. My mother is a stickler for decorum and rules, and you didn’t have parents to walk you down the aisle.”
She scratched her head. “Honestly, I’m not sure how they were friends. Your mom is the daughter of the Duke of Modena. Grandma told me the night before our wedding, which feels a lifetime ago now, but it’s only been two days.”
“When did you move in with Maria?” He studied her face.
She glanced up at him and her heart pounded. “My parents died seven years ago. I was a sophomore in college and after graduation it made sense for me to move in with my grandmother, who needed my help.”
“And Maria was the woman on the other side of the aisle next to my parents at the wedding?” He pronounced her grandmother’s name as a question. “You never introduced me but she was sitting where your family would.”
“Grandma and I were running late to the wedding, so I thought after the ceremony but then we just left….”
“At least she agreed and saved me from disaster.”
Anna nodded, thinking it was nice that he remembered her saying that she wanted her grandmother’s blessing. “Yes, she said I was allowed to marry you.”
He pressed closer and her body zapped with energy she couldn’t explain. “I will send her a thank you gift.”
Maria would probably never touch whatever he sent, unless it was a cookie. Anna had inherited her sweet tooth from Grandma. “You don’t have to.”
His lips came closer like he’d kiss her. “Where does she live?”
Talking about Maria wasn’t what she expected right now. She pressed her hand to his muscular chest unsure what she’d do next as she said, “She lives in a retirement community on Steeple Hill.”
His eyes widened but her hands clutched his shirt collar to keep him close—he reacted like she’d just told him that her grandmother lived in poverty. “We’ll have her moved to the dower house immediately.”
“Nothing happens on Steeple Hill…ever.”
“It’s crowded and harder to manage during a crisis.”
“There is no crisis.”
“Still, she’s family now.”
Family. Yes, Maria was her only family, besides him. Her lashes lowered and she studied his lips—she could hardly speak through her quick breaths. “Take your time with Maria. She doesn’t like change.”
He nodded. “She’s now related to royalty. She needs protection.”
Was there protection against how her body pulsed with thoughts that made her weak? She couldn’t ask, but instead nodded and said, “Let me talk to her.”
Finally his lips met hers. Oh, she knew better than to trust him with her heart, but he was good at this seduction game. She might not last much longer at all.
