Reaching for her barely touched wine, she took a sip. ‘So, this is your mother’s recipe? What’s that herb I can taste? It’s so fragrant but my taste buds are out of touch.’
‘Fresh basil, straight from the pot. My mother always says when in doubt add basil.’
Peyton smiled. When he was sitting here like this in her living room she could almost forget he was a smooth, seriously sexy playboythat dated supermodels. Here he was just an ordinary Joe, enjoying a quiet evening at home.
Oh, dear. Peyton slammed on the brakes. She didnotlike the direction of her thoughts. There was nothing domesticated about Valentino.
‘Alessandro told me that your mother’s deaf, right? Since birth?’
He nodded. ‘Maternal rubella.’
‘So… you’ve always signed?’
‘Sì.I’ve been signing since before I could talk. We all can.’
‘All?’
‘Me, my father, my five older sisters. Even Alessandro.’
Five sisters?Thatexplained his ease with women. She’d bet her last cent he’d charmed every one of them. ‘Was that hard? Growing up with a deaf mother?’
He shrugged. ‘It was the way it was. I never really thought about it. I’m sure it was a lot harder for her, having six kids to manage.’
‘So, you speak two languages and sign in them as well?’
‘I sign in three actually. I had to learn BSL, British sign language, when I went to London and then when I came here I had to learn AUSLAN, although it is very closely related to BSL so that was reasonably easy.’
Damn it, did the man have to be so perfect? She folded her arms tight across her stomach. ‘Has your mother ever expressed a desire to have an implant? She must be a perfect candidate.’
He nodded. ‘She is. And I really want her to have one but she doesn’t see that there’s anything wrong with her. She has a full life, she can communicate and is quite active in the deaf community back home.’ He shrugged. ‘And I respect that.’
Peyton remembered her struggle with this conundrum, trying to weigh all the pros and cons, hoping she was doing the right thing. ‘Does that make me an awful person? Do you think by going down this path with McKenzie, my daughter will think thatIthink something is wrong with her?’ She searched his face for an answer. ‘Is it wrong of me to want this for her?’
A frown pulled his dark brows together. Sitting forward, he placed his bowl on the table. ‘Of course not.’ He shook his head. ‘My mother is a firm believer in doing what you feel is best. As am I. I may be biased but it’s indisputable that implants increase options for the deaf. She would be proud of you.’
Peyton felt a trill of pleasure squirm through her belly at the thought of Senora Lombardi’s approval. ‘I bet she’s proud of you.’
He grinned. ‘But of course. Tells everyone about her son the surgeon.’
Peyton laughed. ‘That sounds familiar in any culture.’
‘There it is again,’ he murmured, regarding her with an intensity that simmered in Peyton’s blood. ‘That rare laugh.’
She grinned. ‘It might actually become a habit now.’
His gaze flicked to her shirt where it had fallen off one shoulder, and Peyton’s nipples responded blatantly to his interest, forming two tight points against the fabric.
Friends,Peyton– friends.They’d agreed to be friends.
Returning his attention to her face, he said, ‘Wouldn’t that be nice?’
Peyton sobered. So nice. And so very…novel. He held her gaze and it was like being bathed in warm, dark, mineral-laden mud. Pleasurableandgood for the body.
‘Did I thank you enough, Valentino?’ she asked, her voice stupidly husky. ‘I don’t know how to thank you enough.’
He shrugged. ‘You don’t have to. It’s my job. Plus, you know, theypayme.’
Peyton smiled at his flippancy, but money seemed like such an inadequate reward for the gift he gave every day. On impulse, she stood and took a step towards him. And then another, until she was standing in front of him.
