Page 171 of Forced Vows

I should have worn a dress with a high neck and long sleeves. Not that it would have done any good. Having the underboss this close interrupts normal programming in my brain, even when we're not touching.

"Pusheen is our rescue kitten," Miceli says, answering a question.

"That's a pretty big kitten."

I reach down to pet Pusheen and my hand tangles with Miceli's.

He grins. "Róise connected to her immediately, so we knew we were taking her home."

Leaning down, he kisses my temple and I want to clobber him. My heart is having a hard time not believing the man-in-love-with-his-fiancée schtick.

And that makes me cranky.

"You make our relationship sound like the romance of the century," I whisper accusingly when our interviewer consults with one of the producers about moving to another location in the suite for the rest of the interview.

"Would you rather I pretended not to like you?" he teases.

Teases!

I look around to make sure the other people in the suite are still occupied with each other. "Did you get a personality transplant in Boston?"

He laughs, like I'm joking.

The interviewer and the producer choose that moment to return to us.

Miceli gives them both a measured look. "We're fine where we are."

We stay where we are. Of course. And I think maybe an alien didn't take over Miceli's body.

"Thanks for taking the time to meet with me," the interviewer finally says. "This is going to be a great piece. Spring romance. My viewers are going to love it."

I recognize wrap up words when I hear them and I perk up until I remember we still have the photo shoot to get through.

The photographer took several photos during the interview but wants more, and the De Lucas want formal engagement photos to go out with the press release.

The woman who interviewed us got her copy early minus the line about the six children I'm supposedly homeschooling. It's going out to all the other news outlets tomorrow morning.

A billionaire getting married is newsworthy. Even when most of the world doesn't know he's a Cosa Nostra underboss.

The Cosa Nostra are way better at flying under the radar than our mob, but then Shaughnessys have been part of the criminal underworld for generations. The De Lucas have too, but they didn't take over leadership until the 1980s, when the Cosa Nostra went into stealth mode.

Well, as stealthy as any criminal organization that settles their disputes with death and destruction can be.

Huh. Maybe teaching mafia history to Cosa Nostra kids isn't such a far-fetched idea after all. Moma could do it for sure.

"Did I lie?" he asks with a eyebrow raised mockingly.

Thinking back over the questions and our answers, I have to admit none were a lie. Except one. "You said you knew I was the one for you the first time you saw me."

"I did."

"If you'll remember, that was a one-night stand and neither of us planned to see the other again."

"That night, I knew you were the one I wanted in my bed. And after the amazing sex, I wished you could be the one on the other side of the contract."

Can I believe him? But why lie? It doesn't change anything.

Except how I feel. Darn it.

---