Page 44 of Reaching His Heart (The Sartoris 3)

He let her go, but his mood was black. As soon as Solette shut the door, it opened again, and Romy stood in the entrance. His oldest brother cringed and held up his hands in defense.

“I sense dark matter coming at me,” Romy said in jest.

Cason grumbled. “Don’t try to be funny, fratello. I’m not in the mood.”

Romy shut the door and leaned against it with his arms folded over his chest. “Want to tell big brother about it?”

“No.”

“Come on. You always feel better when you share.”

Cason ground his teeth, and Romy chuckled then grew serious.

“All right. I won’t tease you, but talk to me, Cason. You’ve been far happier with Solette. Every time I see the two of you together, I am thankful for how she’s given Ezio and me our fratellino back. I will love her forever for that.”

Cason slammed a fist on the arm of the chair and suffered for it. He suppressed a wince so Romy wouldn’t worry. “Then tell me how to convince her to move in. I don’t understand why she denies me. I know how she feels about me.”

“How does she feel?”

Cason blinked at him. “She loves me of course.”

Romy’s mouth fell open. “Wow, I never expected you to say that. I mean, I figured she does, but for you to admit it to me is unbelievable.”

Cason shrugged. “I don’t know why you’re confused. You know as well as anyone how I spent my time seducing women, and when it comes to work, no one can read our clients better than I can. Why wouldn’t I recognize Solette’s feelings for me?”

Romy listened in silence as he often did, but that didn’t stop the awkwardness that came over Cason. He was usually honest but went about it in a roundabout way, a way that left anyone he dealt with in little doubt as to how he felt. He stood and walked to the window to look out.

“I watch her, and I know what pleases her. I make sure to give her everything she wants. At least, everything she’ll allow me to give her.” He rubbed his painful fist, wanting to pound something again. “She won’t let me give her gifts or money, but in other way

s I’m sure I please her.”

“No lack of confidence there,” Romy said, and Cason looked around to see if his brother was being sarcastic. He wasn’t. “One thing you haven’t told me, Cason.”

“What’s that?”

“She loves you, right?”

“Yes.”

“Do you love her?”

Cason’s throat dried. His shoulders felt stiff, and he faced the window again. “Yes.”

“Do you? Or is it lust? Are you okay with her loving you while you’re just enjoying the physical benefits of being with her? I warned you before, she’s not the kind of woman you want to play around with.”

He clenched his jaw. “I’d give both my legs and my right arm for her. Love her? Fratello, I couldn’t breathe if she’s not there.”

“Then you know what you have to do.”

Cason whirled on him. “What? I’ve done all I know. What else is there?”

Romy grinned and shook his head. “I can’t believe you can be this dense and know people so well, Cason. You’ve spent so much time ‘working’ people that you are at a loss to close the real deal and as to what it takes to get there. I bet it never even entered your mind.”

Cason glared at him. “If it had, I wouldn’t be this frustrated.”

Romy held up his first finger. “One, you tell her you love her. Say exactly what you just told me—the arms, legs, breath, everything. Two, you ask her to be your wife. Nothing short of marriage will make Solette give into you, and it’s not because she wants our money, but because that’s the number one thing a woman like her needs.”

“To be cared for, to be protected.” Cason sank dumbfounded into his chair. His brother was right. Marriage to Solette had never entered his mind. Telling her he loved her didn’t either. Not because he didn’t want her to be his wife, but because he was still thinking he was the man who said he would never marry. Somewhere along the line he’d changed his way of thinking. He never thought that if marriage was what his little mouse needed from him, he would give it to her in a heartbeat.

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