Page 91 of What About Love

“And who is this?” The tall, ageless beauty, whose vivid features were replicated on her son’s handsome face, walked toward her. “Joanna told me you have a girl detective now. Introduce us,bello.”

T’s head came up. She was caught. No taking the back exit now.

For a moment, they stared at each other. Watching as the impatience left his face and was replaced by a warm, knowing grin, she knew he was thinking about that morning in bed. Her face flushed as her mind quickly conjured up a different image of him slamming into her while his hands gripped her ass cheeks and his tongue ravaged her mouth. All of it taking place against the wall not thirty feet behind her.

His mother cleared her throat. Angie’s cheeks heated another few degrees when she rounded to face her, while T frowned as he took in his mother’s delighted grin.

“This is Angela Hixson, and she’s thirty, hardly a girl,” T grumbled, clearly not enjoying his mother’s visit. “Angie,mia madre.”

“Lovely to meet you, my dear. I so rarely get to meet Antonio’s friends and associates. If you don’t mind my saying, you are much too pretty to be a commando.”

“We’re security specialists, Ma. Not commandoes. We are also quite busy, including Angie. I’ll walk you out.”

“Such rudeness.” She shook her head. In an aside to Angie, she added, “He used to be his mama’s sweet boy, always giving the best good-night hugs and kisses.”

Glancing up at him, Angie tilted her head to the side, suppressing a grin as she murmured, “Is that so?”

“Si, but the Army, they made him hard. Now, he’s brusque, sour rather than sweet, and has no time for his dear old mama.”

“You make it out like you’re nursing home material. You’re not old, plus you’ve got more energy than most twenty-year-olds I know. Regardless, Angie isn’t interested in your beef with me or the Army.”

The grin she flashed his way said the opposite.

“On Sunday, bring your new girl, Antonio. I’d love to get to know her better.”

Sensing T’s unease at the invite and with worlds of unresolved issues between them, Angie doubted this was a good idea.

“I’d love to join you, Mrs. Minelli, unfortunately—”

“No,” she held up her hand, cutting in. “I won’t accept excuses. I hear enough from Antonio. Supper will be at five o’clock sharp, though come early so we can chat. And call me Sophia, please.”

She then strode back to her son. Stopping in front of him, she gave him a satisfied smile, her red-tipped fingers reaching up to pat his cheek.

“You got your way, Ma, don’t push it.” He uttered his warning under his breath. “I’ve gotta run”—he glanced over at Angie—“again. I only stopped by to pick up some equipment.” Dutifully, he kissed his mother on the proffered cheek and with a nod to Angie strode down the hall.

“It was nice to meet you, Mrs. Minelli.”

“It’s Portman, actually. I remarried when Tonio was five. His papa passed when he was very small.”

“I’m so sorry. I didn’t know.”

“My boy, he’s had a lot of loss for one so young. It’s why he is like he is.”

“How is that?”

“Closed down.” She gazed down the hall where her son had disappeared, a look of sadness and longing on her face. Glancing back at Angie, she queried, “Are you two close?”

Her eyes gleamed with hope. Angie could hear it in her tone as well. His mother obviously knew what in his past made him so reserved and skittish when it came to relationships, and she strongly suspected it had nothing to do with the Army. Those relationships, with Cap and the others, were sound, strong, and had endured for a decade. No, there was something more, and she’d do almost anything to find out what it was.

Not wanting to get her hopes up, she replied, “We’re friends,” not really knowing what else to call them. “What can I bring for supper on Sunday?” Angie’s attempt to change the subject worked like a charm.

“Absolutely nothing, except your pretty face and my boy. Getting stood up for lunch with him is bad enough. Dinner would be wholly unacceptable.”

“I’ll do my best to get him there, Sophia, and on time.”

She grinned at that. “If you can, Angelina, you’ll have more pull over him than me, which would be promising.”

Heat crept into her face again, and her stomach fluttered. If that were only true. She ended their impromptu visit quickly. “Well, I must be getting back. He was right. I have tons to do. I’ll look forward to Sunday.”

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