Page 507 of The Winslow Brothers

Remy: PS: Congrats on the sell. Dinner is on ME.

Me: You’re so stubborn.

Remy: Hello, pot. I’m kettle. Nice to meet you.

Me: I’m rolling my eyes at you again.

Remy: Yeah, but you’re also smiling too.

I both love and hate that he’s right.

Remy: See you at 6:30, Ria. I’ll be the guy at your door with the cutest baby in the world plus dinner from your favorite Italian restaurant.

Me: And which restaurant would that be?

Remy: Pfft. Like I’d ever forget your love for Buca.

How does he remembereverything?

The real question here is, how does he keep being everything you need?

Maria

The sight of Izzy perched on the kitchen island in her favorite bouncer chair is the first thing I see when I walk through the door. And the second is Remy pulling containers of takeout from a large brown paper bag that readsBuca.

The smell of garlic and cheese and pasta fills my nose and my stomach growls, but also, my mouth quirks up into a smile.

“Italian takeout was a glorious idea,” I comment as I lift Izzy out of her chair and into my arms. “I sure missed you today,” I whisper to my girl and place my lips to the soft skin of her cheek. “And Ireallyhope you behaved yourself.”

Izzy shuts her eyes in contentment when I nuzzle my face against hers.

“She was an angel,” Remy answers, and I look up to find him smiling at me over his shoulder.

My eyes can’t stop themselves from taking inventory of him. Dressed in black slacks and a white collared dress shirt that has the first two buttons undone and the sleeves rolled up his forearms, the man looks almost as delicious as the food.

Nice try. He looksmoredelicious than the food.

I want to smack my inner self for being so ridiculous. Obviously, I know he’s an incredibly attractive man. Hell, I’ve known that since I was a teenage girl who had hearts in her eyes every time she saw him.

But now is not the time to obsess over his physical attributes.

What about his other attributes? Like the fact that he saved your ass again? Or the fact that he just might be the most thoughtful, considerate man on the planet? Is now a good time to obsess over those?

“Hungry?” Remy asks, and I have to blink myself out of my thoughts.

Quickly, I realize I’ve just been standing here, holding Izzy, while also staring at the way the muscles of Remy’s forearms flex and stretch with his movements.

“Um…yeah. Starving, actually. I didn’t have time for lunch,” I finally answer and busy myself with inhaling Izzy’s sweet baby smell again. Surely a baby is the perfect distraction from the ride o’ randy thoughts my brain keeps trying to take me on.

“You didn’t eat today?” He tsks at me. “Am I going to have to start sending food to you during the day? Packing your lunch?”

“You’ve already hired a cleaning service for me. I’ll manage my own food, thank you very much.”

“You have to promise me you’re going to make sure you’re eating.”

“Okay, Dad. I promise I’ll make sure I eat.”

He smiles, but he also states, “I’m serious. Promise me.”

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