Page 1 of Whatever Lola Wants

CHAPTER ONE

Lola Wright tossed her duffle bag over her shoulder and headed for the exit. “See you next week, Marcello,” she called and sent her jujitsu instructor a wave.

“Wait,” he called back, and she paused at the door. He jogged over, coming to a stop in front of her. At five feet, nine inches, he wasn’t a tall man, but she was an even shorter woman, so she had to tip her head back to look at him. He had warm brown skin and curly black hair, hazel eyes that twinkled with humor, and deceptive strength in a wiry build. Newcomers to the gym sometimes thought he would be an easy takedown, though it usually took less than a minute for the smarter ones to realize his lack of bulk didn’t translate to lack of strength. The more stubborn ones had to hit the mat a few times before the message got through.

She shoved at her platinum blonde hair, still damp at the roots from her post-workout shower. “What’s up?”

“You look good, gatinha.” His words carried the music of Brazil. “You got a hot date?”

Only her great affection and respect for Marcello—as both an instructor and a friend—kept her from rolling her eyes. “No, just dinner with friends.”

He grinned, a quick flash of teeth. “Is that like Netflix and chill?”

Lola snickered. “No. My friend Anna and her boyfriend just bought a house. They’re having me over for dinner.”

He shook his head, giving her an up-and-down look. “You take the time to look this good for friends?”

She cocked an eyebrow. “It’s a skirt and blouse and some lipstick, Marcello.”

“And it looks good on you, gatinha,” he replied with a flirtatious smile. “All that smooth skin calls to a man. And this?” He tapped a finger on the subtle curve of her biceps, bared by the sleeveless white blouse. “Softness over strength. Irresistible.”

She controlled the twitch of her lips. “Is that right?”

“Of course.” He winked. “What do you think attracted me to my Flavia?”

“Oh, I know what attracted you to her,” Lola said drily. A professional beach volleyball player and a former Miss Brazil, Marcello’s wife was easily the most beautiful woman Lola had ever seen. “I’m still trying to figure out what attracted her to you.”

He spread his arms wide, his grin alive with charm. “My handsome face and winning personality, of course.”

Lola let the laugh loose. “I’m sure that was it.”

“You should come for dinner, and you can ask her yourself. You haven’t seen my Gabriela in weeks. She’s getting so big, and is as beautiful as her mother.”

Lola thought of the little girl with her mother’s looks and her father’s charm. “I can imagine.”

“Don’t imagine.” He bumped his hip against hers. “We have a birthday party for her next month, and Flavia wants you to come.”

Lola bit back a wince. She’d landed on that hip more than once during their sparring match, and it was sore. “I can’t believe she’s a year old already.”

Marcello’s chest puffed with pride. “She’s walking and talking, too. The other day she said ‘Papai’, clear as day, but I didn’t tell Flavia. She will be upset if she knew her baby said Daddy before she says Mama.”

Lola laughed. “A daddy’s girl already, huh?”

“Of course,” he said with a grin and another wince-inducing hip bump. “All the ladies love me best.”

“The fact that you sneak her candy every chance you get has nothing to do with it, I suppose.”

He shrugged, unrepentant. “She only sees me a few hours a day, while her mama is there all the time. I have to create an advantage.”

“You better hope Flavia doesn’t catch you.”

“I am very stealthy,” he assured her with a wink.

She snickered. “Yeah, stealthy. Okay.”

“Flavia will email you the details of the birthday party. You will come.”

“I will come,” she agreed with a smile, thinking of tiny, adorable Gabriela, with her bouncy curls and big brown eyes. “I wouldn’t miss it.”

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