Page 19 of The Last Call
Her gaze flits around the airy space. Taking in the pale yellow furniture and ocean blue accessories. She seems to approve from her slight smile. “Your grandmother’s house is amazing.”
“It’s my house actually. But I want her to be comfortable so it’s decorated the way she likes. Whatever she wants, she can have. Just like you.”
“So you’re taking me home immediately then?”
Funny. My girl brings the jokes. I return her smirk. “Anything you want, as long as it’s what I want too.”
“Of course it is you selfish lunatic.” She murmurs under her breath, but I still catch the drift of her insult. “So do you kidnap all the women you want to date or is this a new level of crazy for you?”
She hasn’t seen crazy yet. And, if she pushes me too hard, she’ll understand how really crazy I can be. But I’ll keep that admission to myself. “I do whatever I need to do to get what I want.”
A frown pulls down her smooth lips, mulling over my comment. Surprising me that she seems confused rather than angry like usual. “Why do you even want me? I’m pretty sure there are plenty of willing women that you could have very easily.”
True. “Because this…” I love her stuttered little gasp when I step closer, forcing her to look up to me. I can’t help myself and stroke her graceful cheek bone. “…is fun, piccolo leone.”
Furious aquamarine eyes bore into mine. “That’s the second time you’ve said that. What does it mean?”
Always so suspicious. “You are my tiny lion. So small yet so fierce. I love how hard you battle despite knowing you’ll never win.”
“I will win.”
With her tiny hands balled into fists at her narrow hips, for a fleeting second I almost believe she just might. But then I remember it’s me she’s fighting against. “No.”
“Yes!”
Her emphasis makes my coat swing apart again, showcasing the unbelievable beauty underneath. That unfortunately I need to cover. For now anyway. With Nonna waiting for us downstairs, I have to get her and myself under control.
Even without eyes in the back of my head, I have zero doubt a blazing gaze follows my steps to the closet where I yank out a plain black dress. Looks a bit big but it will work for now. “Put this on. We’ll go shopping later and you can pick out everything you need.”
“I’m not wearing your girlfriend’s clothes!”
Always with the argument. I stalk to her and grab her tiny wrist. Damn she’s fucking gorgeous under my domination yet still fighting my possession of her. “Fine. I’ll put it on you myself.”
Our mutual understanding increases again as she yanks the silk fabric out of my hand. I guess she’s not ready for me to strip her down yet. Which is fine. Tonight will be worth waiting for. “See you downstairs.”
“Go to hell.”
All for show. She doesn’t even bother to raise her voice with her admonishment so I know she’s not that mad. At least not at me anyway. Probably at herself for being so ornery and difficult for no real reason. Unwilling to admit I’ve won yet again.
I leave her seething and jog back down to the kitchen. Where a warm satisfied smile and a steaming creamy coffee waits for me. A little too sweet for my taste, but I suck the latte down anyway. Got to keep Nonna happy too.
“She’s so very beautiful mio nipote, but I worry how angry she seems with you. You have upset her somehow.”
A proclamation rather than a question. The cliché of ‘upset being an understatement’ swirls in my mind. Nonna’s still sharp, and she knows I’m the guilty party in this relationship because I’m always the guilty one. Luckily she loves me despite my flaws. Just like Sydney will—once she accepts us. “Yes, but I–”
“You will fix it. You will make her happy.”
Definitive and final. No room for an argument or question. Any other person would get a bullet to the head for trying to control me. Or having the balls to interrupt me. But she gets away with too much. Hell, she gets away with everything. I let her because I love her and because she’s right. She’s always right. “Yes, Nonna. I will. I promise.”
A curt nod to confirm she accepts my vow, and then she’s on the move again. Busying herself with loading the table in her most favorite way of showing her love—massive amounts of delicious food. All the fixings of a traditional Sicilian breakfast, including her perfect brioscia. I swipe on a smear of peach jam and take a huge bite. Her head bobs again in approval of my enthusiastic appetite, and she returns to the task of steaming milk for Sydney’s coffee. Standing next to the dishwasher she refuses to use and ignoring the housekeeper she refuses to allow to assist her with the meal. Shooing her away to go sweep the terrace or something to get her out of the kitchen.
Now it’s my turn to nod. Approving the dismissal Nonna issues to the nervous maid. Who I’ve hired and I know wants to please me as her boss, but Nonna sees the help as an insult. A real woman doesn’t allow another woman to mess around with her man or her kitchen, she likes to say. I roll my eyes. This damn woman is more stubborn than I am. But no one’s going to change her after all these years. Might as well let her have her way for the time she has left.
I smile from the other stubborn woman now in my life and in my home. She’s going to help me give Nonna the other thing she desperately wants—making her only grandchild a husband and a father.
Piccolo leone.
That’s so dumb. Not at all sexy or charming. Neither is he. Most of the time anyway.
