I hope he doesn’t think I mean that. I don’t know what she wanted, and I sure don’t want to judge a woman I don’t know.
I don’t think having some stability in my life and making sure I don’t screw up the chance I’ve been given to make a normal life for my daughter is hard to understand.
But the smile he gives me washes away all my worries like a sudden storm on a sunny day. “You’re going to do it,” he says. “I can feel it. I got a good sense about you, Eden. You’re a smart cookie.”
I point to the listing sheet and think back to Robert’s house. “Smart enough to make this work?”
“Is that the one?” he asks. His voice is low, and I’m suddenly aware of his knee gently touching mine.
I don’t move away. “Yeah,” I say. “I feel like it is.” I look into his eyes. “I just hope I’m putting my trust in the right things this time.”
“Things?” He scoots closer to me, until he’s so close I feel the heat radiating from his arm beside mine. “Things are going to break, Eden. Dishwashers and roofs and sinks.”
My heart starts hammering in my chest, and my palm gets sweaty. “I’m talking about the stuff that’s harder to fix once it’s broken.”
His fingertips push my hair away from my neck, and he leans down to murmur against my ear. “Hearts,” he guesses. “Broken hearts can be fixed too.”
All I can focus on is the pressure of Vito’s thigh alongside mine and his sweet, light breath as he whispers against my skin.
“I’m a trained professional, you know. First aid, basic lifesaving. If you’re going to put your trust in anyone, it might as well be me.”
I shift a little and lift my face so our noses nearly touch. “I’m sure you’ve stopped plenty of hearts too,” I say with a grin.
He snakes a hand behind my neck and slides his fingers into my hair. “You’ve got my heart and some other parts of me going haywire right now.”
He tightens his fingers lightly, the slight tug on my roots sending a wave of arousal from my head all the way to my toes. I close my eyes and shiver, feeling the tiny hairs on my arms stand at attention. “Vito,” I breathe.
“Yeah, babe?”
“Remember when you gave me permission to kiss you?”
“Uh-huh.” He growls a laugh. “You’ve got an open invitation with me. You want it, you take it.”
“Oh, thank God,” I say, then I turn to him, lift one thigh, and straddle his lap.
9
VITO
The minute Edensettles into my lap, I slide my fingers under her hair, grip her neck, and pull her close.
I kiss her lightly at first, tasting her lips and getting used to the soft feel of her cheeks against my stubble.
Unlike when she kissed me in the car, she’s not shy now. She closes her eyes and opens her mouth, nibbling my lips and panting sweet breaths against my mouth.
She opens her lips and flicks her tongue against mine, and that’s when I know I’m fucked. A goner.
Her tongue dances against mine, and I swear I see sparks behind my eyes. A feral groan slips out of me. As if my arousal gives her permission to give in to hers, she laces her fingers behind my neck to pull me even closer.
She wiggles her hips against my lap, the denim of my jeans providing so much friction, I’m starting to get uncomfortably hard.
I pull my head back to catch my breath. Her cheeks are flushed, and her lips look swollen and bright red. I lower my face to her neck and nibble kisses along the sharp corner of her jaw.
She tips back, but I tighten my arms around her back and pull her toward me. I want to pick her up and lay her on this couch and do unspeakably dirty things to her, but I’m getting way too close to the point of no return.
She’s sweet, she’s smart, and she’s seen some shit. She’s got plans and priorities, and if her thick curves didn’t have me hooked, everything else I’m learning about her would seal the deal.
“You’re fucking hot, and you’re all mine,” I say.
