Educating Gina (20 page)

“Not that.” He laughed. “I’m hungry. I had to skip breakfast because you got up late, remember?”

“Sure. Blame it on me.” Her eyes flashed with mischief as she stood up from her desk.

He knew that look well. It meant big trouble. “Gina, we have a meeting with the Chamber of Commerce at two, so don’t get any ideas.”

She came around her desk toward him, playing with the top button of her blouse. “Such as?”

“Gina.” His body immediately reacted. How could she still do this to him after nearly two years of marriage?

Their West Coast branch was still small, with only one other employee in the office and three working in the adjacent warehouse. Everyone was at lunch. So maybe it wouldn’t hurt to order in sandwiches and while they waited…

Gina unfastened the top two buttons of her silk blouse until the lacy top of her black bra showed, and groaning, Mike closed the office door behind him. Why did he even try to pretend to be stoic? Or indifferent? Or anything besides helpless when it came to his wife?

“Michael?” She undid the last button, letting the silk fall to the sides. Her stomach was still relatively flat, but he could see the beginning of a tummy and he smiled. Her gaze narrowed warily and she lost the sexy pout. “What?”

“Nothing. Come here.” He reached for her, but she backed away.

“You think I look fat?”

“Of course not.” He caught her wrist and pulled her against him. “You’re supposed to be looking a little round.”

The phone rang and Gina grabbed it before he could tell her to let the service pick up the call. As soon as she started rattling off in Italian, he knew it had to be either her mother or Antonio.

If it was her mother, they could forget about lunch, a quickie or anything else. The woman talked nonstop, even long-distance. But Mike liked her. No matter that he didn’t agree with her old-fashioned attitudes, he knew she loved Gina and wanted the best for her. That Sophia had surprised everyone by readily embracing him was another huge plus in his book.

Gina sent him an apologetic look and then switched to English. “Zio Antonio wants to know when we are arriving for Thanksgiving.”

“The day before and then we leave Sunday night.”

She covered the phone with her hand. “He will not like that it will be such a short visit.”

Mike shrugged. “He’ll understand. This is a busy time of year for all of us.”

He listened idly while she made plans for airport pickup and lodging. How much the business had changed over the past year and half. Robert was doing a hell of a job with the East Coast operation, to the point that he and Mike had a friendly rivalry going. Antonio was edging toward semiretirement. And he was having fun with a redhead he’d met at Angelo’s last fall.

Gina’s burst of laughter drew him out of his preoccupation. She hung up the phone and slid her arms around his neck. “I told Zio Antonio we had a surprise for the family.” She grinned. “He said I’d better not be pregnant. Not when business is so good.”

Mike chuckled. “Are you serious? He said that?”

She nodded. “He said he has a surprise for us, too.”

“Uh-oh. I bet he’s marrying Teresa.”

Gina frowned. “What is with this uh-oh? She rations his cigars and booze. She will make a fine wife.”

“Right.” Mike smiled and held her closer. “And you are going to make a wonderful mother.”

Her eyes got big and serious. “You think so?”

“Without a doubt.” He kissed her until they both forgot about lunch.

EDUCATING GINA

Copyright © 2002 by Debbi Quattrone.

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