Page 77 of Wild Card

My heart races when I hear his voice behind me. I turn around, mouth open.

Gio smiles at me and holds out his hand.

“I’m Giovanni DeLuca. My grandmother and I just moved from Providence, and we’re opening a bakery.”

I stare at him but slowly reach to shake his hand. He gives me a sultry smile and presses a kiss to my knuckles instead.

Butterflies alight in my stomach at his touch.

“When did you do all this?” I ask.

His smile slides into a crooked grin.

“I kept thinking about how I wanted a fresh start. That I wished we’d met in some uncomplicated way. And what could be less complicated than a new business owner asking for help from someone with your connections and media talent?”

When the movers get the oven inside, I see a sign above the door: Primrose Bakery. The butterflies go wild and I press my hands to Gio’s muscular chest.

“How did you manage it?” I ask. “Gio, this is incredible.”

“I sold my contracting business and the land the burnt-out bakery was on. We’re in the midst of selling the building in Providence, too. My grandmother is happy to be back. She’s moved in with some cousins in the North End, and I’m living up there.” He points to the two stories above the bakery. “Do you want to see it?”

I nod, and he takes my hand, leading me through the space.

The building is far bigger than it looks from the outside, the lot extending back pretty far from the street. He shows me where the front of the bakery will be, and where all the production and baking will happen. There’s a separate entrance that goes up into the living quarters. It’s a gorgeous industrial-looking loft, with tall ceilings lined with metal beams, and floor to ceiling windows. He’s brought some furniture, but it’s still pretty empty. I move from room to room, taking it all in. A spiral staircase connects the two floors, and I climb up to the second floor. The view is astonishing.

“It’s gorgeous,” I say.

Gio moves closer, almost but not quite touching me.

“I promised myself I’d give you time.” He licks his lips. “But I can’t stop thinking about you, Catriona. I’ll stay out of your life if that’s what you want, but…”

I slide my arms around his waist. “No. I want you in it, Gio.”

Saying it feels so good.

He wraps his arms around me, crushing me to his strong body.

“I’ve been dreaming about touching you. I can’t stop thinking about that sassy mouth and all the incredible things you can do with it.”

“Is that so, meatball?” I ask, pressing against him.

“You little minx.” He laughs and cups my ass. “We’re going to have so much fun.”

He kisses my neck and I giggle as he hugs me, practically lifting me off my feet.

I see something in the corner of the loft, by one of the big windows, that makes me freeze in his arms.

Gio senses the change and immediately goes into protector mode.

“What is it, sweetheart? What’s wrong?”

He cranes his neck so he can see what I’m looking at.

“Oh,” he says, “so you have met?”

“She was there that night,” I murmur.

Gio sets me down so I can get a closer look at the big, fluffy calico cat who dozes in a sun patch by the window.

---