Jay glanced at Laura and smiled. “Aren’t they great?” She heard the pride in his voice.
“They’re wonderful, Jay.” It occurred to her that without these people, Jay never would have known love. “No wonder you hung out here.” His smile widened, as though her approval of his extended family pleased him immensely.
With ten chairs around the table, Laura assumed they had one heck of a large clan. As she sat herself on a wooden chair padded with plush red velvet, the smells from the kitchen made her stomach rumble with hunger.
Tony came back with a bottle of Chardonnay and five glasses. As he poured the wine, Isabella smoothed back her silver hair, pulled off her apron, and sat beside Jay.
It was easy to tell how much she adored him. Laura knew the feelings were reciprocated.
Dino placed a loaf of fresh bread and whipped butter in the center of the table. The scent made her ravenous.
“Mmmm, that smells wonderful,” Laura said.
Dino sat beside her. He leaned in and pitched his voice low. “Dig in. You may be here for a while.”
As she shared a private chuckle with Dino, Laura felt Jay’s eyes on her. She angled her head slightly and found him smiling. They exchanged a long lingering look. Warmth and familiarity rushed through her. God…when he looked at her like she was the most important person in the world, her knees turned to pudding.
An urgent flash of possessiveness rushed through her. Her heart reached out to him. Just below the surface, her blood simmered with need and desire and something else. Something she didn’t dare wish for. Something “Wildman” Jay Cutler had no intentions of handing her. Her stomach knotted like a pretzel. She never should have allowed herself to feel anything for him.
God, it frightened her how much she wanted him. She hungered to have him look at her with passion-imbued eyes, to touch her naked skin with his mouth, his tongue, and his fingers. To run her eager hands over his body in return and to finally finish what they had started in the director’s bathroom.
Chest tight, she drew a breath, pushing down her wistful longing. Laura knew she needed to pull herself together. She sat back in her chair, sipped her wine, and nibbled on bread as Isabella carried the conversation, enlightening her to Jay’s childhood antics.
Spending time with Jay outside the lab certainly played havoc on her emotions and pulled at her heartstrings. He was so easy, so comfortable. Being with him was as natural as breathing. Just watching him, his eyes bright with laughter as he refuted every wild story Isabella embellished, warmed her from the inside out. Reality disappeared when she was with him, making her forget they weren’t really playing for keeps.
Laura marveled at the way his deep, sexy laugh curled around her and stirred her insides. She knew she was getting in deep. Way too deep. If she didn’t soon erect a wall to protect her vulnerable heart, she’d need a compass to find her way out.
Something told Laura that they’d barely scratched the surface on Isabella’s stories when a young, handsome dark-skinned man stuck his head out from the kitchen. “Isabella, you’re needed.”
“Yes, Carlos, I’ll be right there.” Exasperated, she threw her hands up in the air. “What would they do without me?”
“Well, if you would share your secret family recipes with Carlos, he could make the sauces for you,” Tony said.
She wagged a warning finger at Tony, then turned her attention to Jay. Before rising, Isabella captured Jay’s face in her palms. “Ah, Jay, you have grown into such a handsome, respectable man. People still come into the restaurant looking for you. Looking for your specialty.”
He looked down shyly and reached for his glass. He drained his wine as a blush rose up his neck.
Laura’s heart turned over in her chest. She couldn’t believe the adorable sight before her. Jay Cutler blushing? Well, hell, now she’d seen it all.
Laura took a small sip of her wine. “What specialty?” she asked, not really sure she wanted to hear the answer, especially after experiencing his personal brand of specialty.
Isabella kissed her fingertips and threw her hands in the air. “Jay makes one primo linguine noodle.” Her chest puffed up proudly. “I taught him everything.”
“But you still haven’t taught me how to make the sauce that goes with it,” he teased.
She made a face and wagged her finger at Jay. “Why, you…” Isabella rose and retied her apron.
Laura arched a brow. “Really? A primo linguine noodle?” Impressive. Especially for someone who could screw up a box of macaroni and cheese. “Now, that I’d like to see.”
“Then you must,” Isabella said.
Tony set his wineglass down on the table. “Issy, leave the boy alone.”
Ignoring Tony, Isabella stood. “Come, Jay. Show Laura what you can do.” Isabella’s grin widened. The affection the older woman felt for Jay radiated off her and warmed everyone at the table.
Jay caught Laura’s glance. When a hesitant frown crossed his face, Laura reached out and touched him. “I would love to watch you make linguine, Jay,” she reassured. “In fact, I’d love for you to teach me.”
His eyes met hers and held. Something intimate, tender passed between them and made her breath catch. Her pulse kicked into high gear. For a fleeting second he gazed at her like he really was playing for keeps.
Could it be possible?
Did she dare hope?
“That settles it, then. Come, both of you.”
Laura followed Isabella into the kitchen. The fresh scent of spices assailed her senses. She’d never been privy to the inner workings of a restaurant kitchen before. She took a moment to catalogue her surroundings. Taking stock, she watched a few male cooks mill around. The men shot her a smile as they prepared scrumptious platters of pasta. One man slid what appeared to be a double cheese, meat lover’s pizza, or, as Laura preferred to call it, the coronary, in a brick oven, then resumed his position
