I love your smile.
“The food seems to be perking you up,” he noted.
“Yeah, but it’s temporary. I’m exhausted. Saturday and Sunday did me in.”
He reached over and tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear. “I’m sorry I came down so hard on you about Saturday night, but all of that scared the hell out of me.”
She gave him a curious glance. “That’s what my family always used to say. But this is the first time there were really big consequences. Normally, things turn out just fine.” She frowned. “But I’m sorry I scared you, and Eden and Asher.”
“But if I want to be truly honest, I have to say what you accomplished was pretty amazing. And I learned a very important lesson.”
“What’s that?”
“I don’t think I ever want to play poker with you.”
Her laughter shot through him like the sun on a rainy day.
“I got really lucky on a couple of those hands.”
“I’ll tell you a secret, Miss Brooks.” He leaned forward so that their noses were almost touching.
“What?”
“That’s why it’s known as gambling.”
Again, with that laugh.
“Oh my God, Ezio. I was thinking that same thing when I went all-in on one of those hands. That’s great that you just said that.” Her eyes were an iridescent blue as they shone up at him. God, what was he thinking? He wanted her in his bed, so badly.
He noticed her wine glass was almost empty. “Do you want more?” he asked as he tilted his head toward her glass.
“No, I better not. If I do, then I’ll never be able to call into work in the morning.” She put aside her plate and his, then scooted next to him. “And I surely wouldn’t have the energy to finish what we started earlier today.”
She wound her hand to the back of his neck and pulled his head down to hers. Surely, one kiss wouldn’t hurt?
Her eyelids fluttered shut before his lips touched hers and that’s when he saw the dark shadows under her eyes again. Yes, one kiss would hurt. She didn’t need his passion tonight, she needed his care.
He brushed his lips ever so lightly against hers. Softly. Tenderly.
She opened her lips in a hesitant response that he found achingly lovely. He cupped her cheeks and kissed her again, then he kissed her forehead, and on top of each closed eyelid.
“Samantha?”
“Hmmm?” she didn’t open her eyes.
“Honey, it’s time to get you into your bed.”
“Don’t you mean your bed?” This time she did open her eyes. He didn’t see any hurt feelings, just curiosity.
“No, sweetheart, your bed. But I desperately want you in mine. You have to know that.”
Then the cheeky woman looked down at his lap and saw the very clear erection in his jeans and her eyes met his and she grinned. “Okay, you want me. I’ll let you in on a secret, I want you too.”
Then she sighed.
Then he sighed.
“But let me guess—we’re waiting. Right?” she asked.
He nodded.
“But I’m still staying here?”
“God yes. I want you here in my house. I want to spend time with you. You’ve captivated me, now I want time to get to know the real Samantha Gail Brooks.”
He watched as she played with the tip of her braid. “I’m not very interesting.”
Ezio couldn’t help the laugh that roared out of him. “You’re kidding, right?”
She frowned. “It’s true.”
“In that case, God help me if you ever get interesting, I’ll have a heart attack.”
Ezio talked to at least one of his family members every day. He didn’t seem to mind that Samantha was around to hear the calls on Monday and Tuesday. Today’s turn was Anthony—he was the baby at seventeen.
“So which school do you want to go to?” Ezio asked patiently.
He had the phone on speaker because they were in the kitchen, both of them prepping food for dinner.
“I want to go to Northwestern, but every time I mention that school to Mom, she seems to freeze up.”
“Yeah, I could see that. Most everybody went to some school in New York or New Jersey.”
“Not you,” Anthony said. “You joined the Navy.”
Samantha saw Ezio wince. “Yeah, I did, and I still hear shit about it, and it’s been over twelve years. Anthony, you can’t let Mom stop you from going to the school you want to. Why Northwestern?”
“They’ve offered me a great scholarship, and their math program is strong. It would be the perfect steppingstone for an electrical engineering degree.”
Ezio smiled. “You’ve thought this through. I’m impressed.”
“Mom thinks I should take the scholarship I got to NYU.”
“Of course, she does.” Ezio threw the bell peppers and onions into the wok. “Did you just call me to be a sounding board, Anthony?”
Samantha could tell by the sound of Ezio’s voice that the conversation had just turned serous.
“No, I was wondering if you could put a good word in with Mom for me.”
Ezio laughed. “Sure thing. But have you thought through how it’s going to be living so far away from home, from family, from your girlfriend?”
Tony didn’t say anything.
Ezio laughed again. “Let me guess, Greta got accepted to Northwestern too, right?” He started to vertically cut some summer squash.
“Kind of,” Anthony answered.
“For a kid who’s good at a black and white subject like math, that sure was a shitty answer,” Ezio responded.
“Yeah, she got a drama scholarship,” Anthony admitted.
Samantha could tell how excited he was. Sounded like he really liked his girlfriend. But they were both really young. She knew from
