“None of them, what?” She squeezed my shoulder, so I’d bring my gaze back to hers.
“I saw women for fun. But then I saw you, and something in me wouldn’t let you leave. I cleaned out my kitchen trying to get you to stay, in fact.” My thumb slid back and forth over her jaw. “I’ve never been drawn to someone like that. I actually never thought it was possible.” I remembered what Owen said about being “hit.” I didn’t believe him at the time, but now there was no other explanation. “You were everything I didn’t know I was looking for. And I don’t think I can let you go.”
Her eyes watered as she sank her teeth into her bottom lip. “I don’t think I can let you go, either. This sucks.” Her sad laugh didn’t mask the crack in her voice on the last word.
I pulled her into my chest. “Yeah, it sucks. But we’ll find a way.”
“What way is that?”
“I don’t know. Why I said we’d find it.” The sides of my mouth curled up until I spied the brokenhearted defeat in her eyes.
“We have an uncomfortable steak dinner to go to.” I stepped back and grabbed her hand. “You said you wanted to stop by the rental and change, come on.” I brushed her lips with mine. “Faster we go, faster we could come back and get naked until tomorrow morning.”
* * *
“What wasyour favorite part of today?” I asked Caterina as we pulled into the steakhouse parking lot. She wore a red dress that hugged every part of her, matching red lips and glasses. I hated myself for agreeing to see my parents tonight.
“Well, the pier was beautiful. This town is so much bigger than it seems. I love how you know all the ins and outs and backroads, like that beach you took me to for our first date.”
“You count that as our first date?” I cast a quick glance at her. “Not the night you came into the restaurant?”
In my periphery, I saw her shrug. “That was more…fated. The beach was planned.”
“So, you’re saying we’re fated.” I picked up her hand and threaded our fingers together.
She rested her chin on my shoulder. “What else would you call it?”
“Good point. What else did you like?”
“Honestly, being with you. You were my favorite today.”
I pulled into a spot and covered her mouth with mine the second I put my truck in park.
“You know,” I panted against her lips, her lipstick smeared across her swollen mouth. “You don’t have to say nice things to get into my pants later. I’m a sure thing. Averysure thing.”
“Oh, I know that.” The side of her mouth curved up before she kissed my cheek.
“You were my favorite, too.” My thumb skidded along the delicate curve of her jaw. “You’ve been my favorite since last Thursday.”
She could be my favorite for a lot longer, like maybe forever.
If I could just figure out how.
25
Joe
My parents were sooverjoyed I’d brought a woman to dinner with me, they fell all over Caterina from the second she sat down. They asked her question after question, but not in an intense inquisition sort of way. They were so happy she existed; they wanted to know all about her and barely uttered a word to me since we’d arrived.
“Where do you work? I know you said you were in advertising. Our son doesn’t tell us much,” my mother said to Caterina while arching an eyebrow at me. While that was true, this thing we had was such a whirlwind I didn’t tell anyone except Owen when he dragged it out of me. I hoped he hadn’t mentioned it to my sister, but now I wondered if my parents’ oddly timed visit wasn’t only for a good piece of steak. If Bella had told them about Caterina—like she told them everything else—I wouldn’t be surprised if their spur-of-the-moment visit was for a little intel.
“I work for an agency in Midtown. I was just promoted to account manager.”
“I used to be a marketing manager at Copeland. I worked with agencies all the time. I’m still there, but I work from home part-time, and I take full advantage of all six weeks of vacation I’ve earned.”
“Something this one needs to learn how to do.” I nudged Caterina with my shoulder.
“I know.” She nodded. “My boss is always after me to take more time off. With the rollover from the last two years, I have almost three months of vacation days. I’m an HR nightmare.”
