Page 5 of Beauty Of Her

“And just maybe, she’ll know someone for you.”

I stared at Stelvio’s meat heaven, salivating at the perfectly veined cuts of steaks resting on a bed of kale. Amelia was right. This place was amazing. But what she failed to mention to me were the prices.

Sky. Fucking. High.

I blew a low whistle, scanning the different cuts and their costs. The cheapest one was still way beyond my budget. But I needed this. I needed to treat myself and my girls to something nice, something we don't normally eat. After all, I was doing well in my new job and deserved a little splurge occasionally. But then again, did I want to spend almost two hundred dollars on dinner at home? I pushed aside my guilt, took a deep breath, and approached the counter. The butcher, a tall man with broad shoulders and cheekbones to die for, looked up from his work and met my gaze.

"Can I help you?" he asked with a smile that made my heart skip a beat. He sucked his bottom lip between his straight white teeth while crossing his muscled arms across an olive green T-shirt: a perfect coupling with his sun-kissed skin. He was a god.

"Yes." I cleared my throat, trying to quell dirty thoughts of pushing this guy against the wall and begging him to take me. "I want to buy some steaks."

The butcher's smile widened. "Sure thing. What kind of steaks do you like?" He pushed off the wall behind the chilled display and draped his arms over the counter.

"I'm not sure," I admitted. “My kids are such picky eaters. I don’t even know if they’ll eat what I make half the time.”

The butcher laughed. Ugh, that rich sound flooded my ears. “Oh, if it’s from here, they’ll eat it. I’ve been told whatever you find in here is irresistible.”

He wasn’t joking, either. I wanted to devour this man as I fought a rush of heat between my legs. What the hell was going on with me?

He walked me through the different cuts of meat, explaining their texture, flavor, and best cooking methods. As he talked, I found myself drawn to how his hands moved, his lips formed words, and how his eyes sparkled with passion for his craft.

“How’s the butcher department going?” said a bubbly female voice from behind.

I spun around and had never seen a woman quite so happy. Her bouncy beach blonde curls, flawless fair complexion, and ocean blue eyes made this real-life doll come to life. She must have been my age or in her early forties, max.

“Hi, Mom.” The butcher’s eyes beamed at his…mother? How in the hell was this guy the son of this woman? There was no way.

But as I looked closer, I realized the woman had the same dazzling blue eyes as the butcher. They also shared the same strong cheekbones and the same perfectly sculpted lips. The only main difference was his light brown messed hair.

"Working hard as usual?" the butcher boy quipped. I did a double-take as his dimples blossomed.

"You know it," she replied, turning to me. "What do we have here? A new customer?"

I blushed furiously at her sudden attention. "Uh, yeah," I stammered. “I’ve always wanted to come here.”

“What took you so long?” she laughed. “I’m just kidding. Anyhoo, I’m Natalie. It’s very nice to meet you, and welcome to our market.” Natalie outstretched her thin hand, which was warm, to my surprise.

I shook her hand, feeling starstruck by her beauty and charm. "I'm Julia. It's nice to meet you, too. Your son was actually just helping me pick out some steaks."

Natalie looked at me with a small smile on her face. "Ah, that's my boy. He's quite good at what he does, isn't he?"

"He really is," I agreed, as a foreign warmth flooded my cheeks as I gazed at the butcher boy again.

"You know, if you need any help picking out cuts of meat or even recipes for your steaks, just let me or Brett know." Natalie gestured to her son, Brett. Even his name was sexy. And then something startling happened.

Was this what I heard of but never actually experienced? It wasn’t love. But it was something at first sight. I drowned in Brett's eyes as Natalie rambled about their family-run business. He had a way of looking at me that made my entire body tingle with desire. I hadn't felt like this in years; it was both exhilarating and terrifying. I was a single mom with trust issues, and he was a carefree young man just starting his life. This would never work.

Wait, what? Backup. What was I even saying? Thinking?

“How old are your kids?” Brett asked.

My eyes shot up from the floor, lost in a daze, and it was the first time I noticed a small scar running across his left eyebrow. It was funny how this imperfection only added to his ruggedness and raw appeal. I cleared my throat, taking a step back from the counter. "Oh, uh, my daughters are twelve. They’re twins.”

“Twins?” Brett’s eyes popped. “You must be busy.”

“It’s not that bad. When they were babies, it was harder, but now it’s second nature.” I crossed my arms, fighting the cold rolling off the frosted glass.

“I always wondered how you can tell twins apart.” Brett ruffled his already bushy head of hair, adding the next level of adorableness.

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