Page 35 of Something Borrowed, Something You

When the kiss broke, Hunter leaned his forehead against mine. “That’s five, sweet pea.”

He must have sucked the brain out of my head along with my tongue, because I smiled back at him like an idiot instead of telling him to shove it up his ass. His damn, sexy ass, I might add.

“I can’t believe you’re here.”

“Me, either. But get used to it. I took an assignment out here for a while.”

“How long are you in town?”

He looked into my eyes. “Two months. And don’t bother to try to hide anymore. Your mother gave me your number a week ago.”

Seven at one blow.

I remember reading the Brothers Grimm fairy tale where the giant is impressed because he thinks the tailor slayed seven men with one blow. The tailor had nothing on Hunter Delucia, who’d charmed seven Rossi women and one disgruntled teenager over one dinner. Okay, so maybe it was eight Rossis, including me, but who’s counting anyway?

After dinner, both of my sisters and my mother peered out the front windows to watch Hunter play basketball with Izzy in the driveway. I sat in a chair across the room, attempting to pretend I had no interest in looking.

“Jesus Christ, every time he does a jump shot, his shirt rides up. I hope he scores a lot, even if it means he kicks poor Izzy’s ass,” Alegra said.

“I haven’t seen a V like that in… well, I don’t think I’ve ever seen one like that in person.” Nicola swooned.

Mom was Team Hunter all the way. “He’s a handsome man. But I invited him to dinner without even seeing him. So that should tell you something. He’s just as attractive inside as out.”

I rubbed my temples. “How long did you talk to him?”

“Long enough to know he’s had one serious girlfriend, his mother died when he was seventeen, he had one brother who died a few years ago, and his hobbies are scuba diving, surfing, and rock climbing.”

My jaw hung open. “He had a brother who died? Rock climbing?”

“Yes, his name was Jayce. He’s also Catholic. He hasn’t been to confession in quite a few years. You should work on rectifying that. It’s good for the soul to ask the Lord for forgiveness.”

Why in the world did this man show up at my mother’s door? Any other man would have run as fast and far as he could without looking back. Instead, not only did he survive the interrogation by my mother—a woman who because of her own experiences was leery of all men—but I got the feeling my mother might have had a bit of a crush on the man herself.

I stood and walked to the window where she was still gawking. Standing behind her, I placed a hand on her shoulder. “He sounds great, Mom.”

“He does.”

“You have my blessing.”

“Good. Wait. What?”

“You have my blessing to go out with him. I know he’s a few years younger than you, but I think you two will make a great couple.”

My sisters smirked at me behind my mother’s back.

Mom actually blushed. “I’m not interested in him for me. I meant for you!”

“Uh-huh.” I hid my smile and made a face that said sure you are.

“Natalia Valentina Rossi. You need to get back out into the dating world, and this man has flown all the way across the country to get to know you better.”

“He has a job out here, Mom. He travels for work, and his job happens to be in New York this time.”

“It didn’t happen to be in New York. He requested the project so he could be closer to you.”

I was taken aback. “He told you that?”

Izzy blasted through the front door. “He’s better than my coach!”

---