“I was thinking there were a few things we could do after dinner as well.”All it took was touching her, catching a whiff of her hair.Dinner could wait as far as I was concerned.
“Then I definitely don’t want to drink since it dulls my senses.”She snorted.“Makes it harder to come.”
“That just means I have to work harder,” I growled out.Her soft giggles at the touch of my lips to her neck were an aphrodisiac.They made my fingers dig into her flesh while I twitched against her ass.
“If I don’t eat something, I’m going to drop.”She twisted her head around, brushing her lips against mine before adding, “Wash up.”
“Yes, ma’am.You know I get all excited when you put your stern voice on.”That was surprisingly close to the truth.
While opening the wine, I asked, “How was your father today?”Because there was no sense in asking whether she had gone to the hospital.Nothing would’ve stopped her.
“Good.Better every day.”She pulled a pan of pasta shells from the oven, making my mouth water at the sight.When was the last time I had a home-cooked meal?Pulling something together using the food left in the refrigerator wasn’t the same thing.
She glanced my way, continuing, “You know, it’s funny.I meant to tell you last week, but it totally slipped my mind.It turns out he and my mother only got married because she wanted to go to America with him.Did you know that?”
“How could I have?”It surprised me, but not entirely.Stranger things happened.“How did you get on the topic?”
“He wanted to know how we were doing.”There was something she wasn’t telling me.Her voice was too bright.She was talking too fast.“And he wanted me to know that they were very much in love by the time I came along.”
What was the old man playing at?Trying to turn us into a love match?His methods weren’t exactly difficult to see through.“I’m glad it worked out for them,” I offered as I took a seat once I poured myself a glass of wine.She brought the shells, garlicky spinach, and extra sauce to the table.
“It made me see everything differently, you know?All of the notions I had about my parents flew out the window.”She plated food for herself, settling back in the chair across from mine at the small table.“He also said he wished they hadn’t waited so long to try for a family…”
Was that what was getting to her?Thinking about her dead mother, thanks to his little trips down memory lane?My attitude softened, but only toward Mira.Allesandro?He was a different story.“It wasn’t your fault,” I reminded her as gently as I could.“You know that, right?It was terrible, but terrible things happen.”
“Oh, I know.That’s not… I mean, it isn’t…” She waved her hands, shaking her head.“I don’t know what I’m trying to say.”
I was starting to see the light, and what I saw didn’t thrill me.It wasn’t enough for Alessandro to pressure her into marriage.He had to pressure her into giving him grandchildren now.Not that I was surprised.I figured it would happen.I was hoping we could have more than a month together before it did.
“I know how far you’ve gone to make him happy,” I pointed out while cutting into the cheese-stuffed cannelloni.“You have gone above and beyond as a daughter.I hope you don’t feel pressured to devote even more of yourself to what he wants from you.”
Misfire.Her brows drew together before I could find a way to soften my mistake.“Who said I feel pressured?I was only telling you what we talked about.I’m just making conversation.”
“I used the wrong words,” I admitted.Apologizing wasn’t one of my strong points.
“No, it came off the way you meant it.”She lifted a shoulder and lifted her glass of water.“I understand.I just don’t want you to think he’s being controlling.”
Was I supposed to feel otherwise?It was one thing for him to decide who his daughter was going to marry since it meant I was gaining control of his business, as well.
When I signed that marriage license, though, it didn’t mean I was signing my life away.Things were going well between us, and business was booming, of course.Wasn’t that enough?No, now he would put it in her head that she needed to give him grandchildren.And she would never stop trying to please him.I saw it.Why couldn’t she?
It was a good idea for us to change the subject.I settled for complimenting her on the meal, which was truly delicious.“I don’t know how I went this long without having someone to come home to,” I concluded, and I meant every word.So long as we were left to ourselves, things were good.Better than good.If only it were possible to shut out the world the way we had back in Tahoe when nothing mattered but us.I would have settled for another day like the one we spent in bed here at the house.That was already almost two weeks ago, and I had spent the time since then wishing we could do it again.
That was on my mind as I helped her clean up.“You should let me do this,” I offered.“The person who made the meal shouldn’t be the one cleaning up after it.”
“Listen to you.So domestic.”She might have laughed, but there was an emptiness to it.I had struck a nerve, criticizing her father.So this was what it meant to juggle in-law drama.
“Hey.”I approached her from behind again, like I had when she was cooking.She didn’t flinch at my touch or push me away, so I moved in closer until our bodies were flush while she rinsed a plate at the sink.“What’s on your mind?”
“Nothing, really.”
It didn’t seem like there was nothing.“Are you sure about that?”I couldn’t help taking a breath, inhaling the scent of vanilla that clung to her hair.“You seem tense.”
“I can’t imagine why.I’m still walking some of my people through the buyout.My father is in the hospital.Whatever could be on my mind?”She managed a faint laugh.
“What can I do to help?”As I asked the question, my thoughts drifted to the box in my jacket.That damn box was burning a hole through my mind.How long did Spencer wait until he gave Rowan her ring?If he managed to wait more than an hour or so after picking it up, he was a stronger man than I was.
“You can bring me the baking pan from the table,” she suggested.
