Page 49 of Gin & Trouble

What’s going on with you, Julia Carpenter?

She released my hand, stood, and rubbed her palms on the borrowed sweats. “I should let you get to work. Sounds like you’re going to have a long night.”

The logical half of my brain said she was right. She’d likely slow me down. However, the other half wasn’t quite ready to let her out of my sight. “Stay. I could use your help debugging the program.”

“Are you sure?” She hesitated. “I mean, I’d love the distraction.”

“Same here. When I get in moods like that, work helps clear my head.” Turning back to my monitor, I motioned to the spare computer beside mine. “Let’s dig in. I’ll pay you double time for the trouble.”

“You don’t have to do that. Think of it as room and board.” She hadn’t sat, but she hadn’t bailed either.

I considered it a win. At least until I figured out what the hell she was keeping from me, and to do that, I needed to keep her close. “Text your friend about your bag. You can’t go into work tomorrow in my sweats.”

She seemed flustered as she fumbled for her phone. “I don’t know what’s up with her. She’s usually very dependable.”

I ran through our previous conversation while she tried to call her friend. Julia hadn’t asked me anything about the mafia. In fact, I hadn’t gotten around to explaining that, with the exception of Marco, my family was out of the Cosa Nostra. Despite what she’d said, I didn’t buy that she knew so much because she monitored my family’s security feed.

If it’s true. We seriously need to rethink our procedures.

Julia set her cell on the desk. “Hopefully, she’ll call me back.”

“If not, I’ll send a courier to your place tonight.”

She tensed, likely to decline my offer, but sighed. “Thanks.”

“Don’t mention it. Let me know if you remember what you wanted to tell me earlier. It seemed important. Something about your family.”

“Dante?” Her soft tone surprised me.

I turned my head at the exact moment she leaned in. Our eyes meet for a micro second before she closes the distance and presses her soft lips to mine. I couldn’t help but wonder if she was kissing me to cover her tracks or if there was more to it. I’d told her I was falling for her before Marco called. That had to count for something, right?

I couldn’t bring myself to care, nor could I hold back any longer. Taking over the kiss, I tangled my fingers in her hair and pulled her closer. Julia replied with a quick breath and quicker moan. I felt the moment her center of gravity shifted. She stumbled and I tugged her into my lap.

Julia pulled back enough for me to see the war raging behind her big brown eyes. One moment she smiled a real freaking smile that had me wondering why I ever doubted her. The next breath she turned as if to pull away.

Me? I waged my own internal war between letting her go and throwing her over my shoulder, carrying her to the gaming chair, and tasting every square inch of her body. As much as I wanted her, I couldn’t let things progress.

Not while people I loved were in danger.

And certainly not when I couldn’t shake the feeling she’d kissed me to throw me off course.

I eased her off my lap. “We should get to work.”

She flashed me a look that was somewhere between relieved and hurt. “Work. Right. Good idea.”

15

Frankie

Monday morning washell decorated with Christmas lights. The entire office glittered and gleamed with tinsel and trees and ornaments.

Normally, I would have enjoyed the extravagant décor, but the blinking lights hurt my eyes. I’d stayed up until the wee hours of the morning helping Dante find the bug in his program and desperately trying to ignore the urge to touch him. I might have locked lips with the guy, but that was more out of desperation than desire—okay maybe half desperation and half desire.

Who am I kidding? I’ve been in love with him since before we met. Spending time with him only made those feelings stronger. Not that it mattered.

Whatever silly fantasies I had about Dante accepting me once he learned I was an Abruzzo ended the second he’d realized my brother had visited New Orleans. Call it a curse or a blessing, but I thanked my lucky stars I’d overheard his half of the conversation with Marco. Good guy or not, Dante Marchionni loathed the Abruzzos. Myself included—only he didn’t know it yet.

Adding another layer of suckage to my morning, I had to wear the same dirty clothes that I’d worn in on Saturday. Who knew couriers didn’t work on Sunday evenings?

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