She bit my back, trying to stifle her laughter. Was it that humorous, or was she just easily amused? That simple statement made the issue with Nick Stone seem irrelevant. He probably made lame comments that she found funny.
She sighed, and the scent of almond wafted in the air. Eunice had had a protein shake ready for her after her workout. “It’s feels different when people are unguarded,” she whispered. “I haven’t even seen her, and I feel things between them.”
“Good things?”
“Ooh,” she said, stroking my stomach with her fingertips. “You’ll have to wait and see, Signor Fausti.” Her body shifted and she held on to me tighter. “I just don’t think I should make this decision for him, Brando. Who knows—”
I turned as she kept her arms around my waist, and I backed her into a corner, sliding my fingers into her hair, cradling her face in my hands. “You’re not.” I kept my voice low. “I made it clear. You’d tell him how you felt, but he would make the final decision.”
“All right.” She stood on her toes and kissed me, closing her eyes. She sighed after. “I’m going in now.”
She didn’t move, not for a little while. I wouldn’t rush her. When she made up her mind, she straightened, her chin up, grace the lingering perfume as she moved past.
As she crossed the threshold of the kitchen, she stopped, and her breath caught. “Oh,” she whimpered, but then composed herself. She had seen Carmen up close for the first time. She turned her face toward me, her face troubled.
I nodded.
“Sister,” Dario stood, going to her. “This is Carmen.”
“Hello, Carmen,” she said, holding out her hand. “It’s a pleasure to meet you.”
“I’ve heard a lot about you,” Carmen said, standing, taking her hand.
“Whatever it is, I assure you, it’s not all true.” Scarlett laughed. “Especially if Dario—” she messed his hair and he grinned “—was the one telling the stories.”
Carmen smiled. Her shoulders came down and her hands relaxed. Scarlett put her at ease. Carmen sat back in her chair, fixing Dario’s hair. He ate up the attention with a silver spoon.
“No,” Carmen said. “All good. Dario told me how wonderful of a dancer you are, and how good your French toast is.”
Scarlett snorted. “Those are the two rooms that I work my magic in. The studio and the kitchen.”
The room paused. Carmen laughed to herself. Dario cleared his throat.
No, not the only two rooms. The bedroom comes first.
Scarlett seemed to catch what she had said. Her cheeks flushed after she caught my eye, probably at my grin.
“I will leave you two so you can get better acquainted.” Dario gave Carmen a quick kiss on the top of the head. He grasped Scarlett’s hand, squeezing on the way out.
He met me in the shadows. We both watched.
Carmen gazed down at her hands. “Your husband is really nice.”
“Don’t tell him that.” Scarlett grinned when Carmen met her eyes. “He doesn’t believe it.”
“I noticed that.” Carmen nodded. “He saved me.”
“He does that without even knowing he does.”
I sniffed, hard. Maybe I was going soft.Fuck me.
“You are blessed,fratello,” Dario whispered.
“Is that how you feel?” I glanced at him.
He watched them, not comparing but studying the flow of their interaction. “I feel honored. Not yet blessed.”
His answer worried me, but some marriages started with much less.
