Unexpected Mr. Right (21 page)

Closing her eyes, Tabby soaked in the feel of the pad of his finger as it wiped the tears from her face. He kissed each eyelid.

"Look at me."

She did.

"Thank God you found yourself an Italian man.” His hand moved to rub her bare shoulder making bumps of pleasure pebble on her skin. “You want amore? Big family? Hell my Mama and my sisters have never met a stranger. We'll love you, take care of you, feed you. Mama will want to know everything about you, give you advice when you don't need, but it's all out of love."

He leaned in and kissed her.

"And don't forget the kisses. I hope you like kissing, Tesoro. Kisses hello, kisses goodbye. We're very affectionate people, you know."

She couldn't help but let out a small laugh. Some of the heaviness in her chest lifted. He always made her feel good, always knew what to say to make her smile. He smiled too, a bone melting smile that turned her into a pile of mush. She'd always dreamed about a man who could turn her into mush with just one look. Sounded funny but it was true. Little did she know she'd find it in the most unexpected place.

A second later his smile disappeared. His face turning serious. “All playfulness aside, baby, now look at me.” When she tried to divert her eyes Nico touched the underside of her chin with his finger and tilted her head up. “This is important and I want to make sure you're paying attention. You deserve a whole hell of a lot more than the shitty way your parents treated you as a child."

"I doubt they hurt me on purpose. I just wasn't enough. Didn't fit into the little world they locked themselves away in."

"That's bullshit, Tabby."

"Then why didn't they love me?"

An angry tick worked in his jaw. She'd never seen this angry side of him before.

"Whatever they shared wasn't love. If they had love to give each other they should have had enough for their daughter. I don't know what really went on behind closed doors with your parents but I'll never believe they were this happy, loving couple. Not after the way they treated you. You deserve so much more, baby. You deserve everything."

"Then why couldn't the two people who were supposed to love me unconditionally find a place in their heart for me?"

"I don't know. I wish I could tell you. But I do know one thing, they didn't deserve you. You have such a big, beautiful heart and you will get all those things you want; the husband, the kids.” Nico rolled her to her back and made himself comfortable between her legs. “You're going to make a great wife someday, Tabby. The best mom. God your kids will love you. I know it."

She smiled internally. Her heart felt lighter, like it could float on air. The conviction he spoke with gave her a hope she hadn't felt in a long time, if ever. He renewed her confidence. She had friends who loved her and would do anything for her and a boyfriend who might not love her but he did care about her. She saw it in all the things he did for her, the way he spoke to her. She just feared in the end she wouldn't be enough for him either.

No matter what she wanted him to know how she felt. Whether or not he'd want to hear it she owed it to herself to speak the words. If in the end they walked away from each other she'd know she was woman enough to utter those three magical words to him. “So all this time I should have just been looking for an Italian man? Damn, if I'd have known.” She teased him, showing him the playful part of herself that he helped her find. The part that would help her through rough times.

"No I think you misunderstood me.” His voice was slow, sensual, serious. The three s's all in once sentence.

"But you just said—” He silenced her by nibbling on her bottom lip. Who'd have known a nibble could be so damn sexy? He kissed just her bottom lip, sucked it in his mouth then pulled away.

"Not any Italian man. This man."

"Wait,” Tabby told him before he could say anymore. She didn't know if this conversation would go where it sounded like it might and she needed to get this out first. “I want to tell you something but before I do I want you're word you won't respond. Good or bad, I don't want to hear it tonight."

He watched her, concern darkening his eyes. She needed him to agree to this before she went any further. After he heard what she had to say she didn't want him reply out of obligation either because of her feelings or because of her past.

"You have my word, Tesoro."

Tabby ignored the loud echo in her head as blood rushed through her body. She wouldn't let nerves distract her. Not tonight. “I know you're not looking for vows. I know that you have no plans for the white picket fence and two point five kids but I need you to know something.” She inhaled and exhaled a deep breath. “I love you. More than anything. All my life I thought I knew what I wanted in a man but I was wrong. It's you my heart has been waiting for."

The darkness in his eyes disappeared as he widened them, staring down at her. His eyebrows rose, most likely automatically. His lips twitched, whether out of fear or excitement she didn't know. Then he smiled before saying, “I—"

Tabby put her hand to his mouth. “No you promised. Just kiss me Nico. I need to feel you make love to me again."

His lips lowered to hers as he granted her request. They made love slowly, passionately, touching, caressing, whispering. He buried himself as deeply as possible inside her until they both came together. They knew each other's bodies so well in such a short amount of time. When he pulled out of her, Nico pulled her against him, holding her in a tight, comforting grip.

"Oh, and did I mention earlier that Italian men are also really good in the sack?” he asked.

Tabby laughed snuggling as close to him as possible. Only Nico, she thought. “So does this one go for all Italian men?"

"Nope. Just like before, only this one."

The hand he had around her started to tickle her naked arm. She felt her eyes begin to droop and didn't try to stop them. Her body relaxed exhausted from their lovemaking. A few minutes later in the back of her mind she heard Nico's confident, masculine voice call her name. She didn't have the energy to respond.

In a softer almost faint voice she heard four words fill her heart with hope.

"I love you too."

She was too afraid to open her eyes in case it was a dream.

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The next couple of days passed in a whirlwind of wedding preparations. Everything needed to be finalized this week. And since she was “the wedding chick” as Bri called her she offered to help do most of it. She hadn't been at work all week but she'd still hardly had a second to sit down, much less see Nico. Finally she had a couple spare minutes. A couple hours earlier she'd done a sample of the flower arrangement that she would do this weekend for the wedding. She'd done a mock boutonnière too.

Spur of the moment she decided to run by Luciano's and see if Nico was there. She missed him. He still didn't know she'd heard him tell her he loved her a few nights before. Her heart tickled at the thought of hearing those words from his mouth. She just hoped they were sincere. Not that she thought Nico would purposefully mislead her. He wouldn't. That she knew but still, could a man who never wanted to settle down really fall in love as quickly as they had?

But then she'd fallen love with him quickly too and even though she'd been the opposite of him and longed to settle down she knew that had nothing to do with her feelings for him. Her love for him grew because of the man himself. He was more caring and generous than she'd given him credit for. Without trying he'd shown her what it felt like to really mean something to someone, to have someone who did things just to see her smile, not because it benefited them. Like their trip to Half Moon bay. He'd put thought into making their weekend special to make her smile and that meant more than he could ever know.

But did that mean love? She didn't know. He'd loved his single life and she feared the monotony of having a real, lasting relationship might bore him.

Tabby opened the door to Luciano's and walked inside. Luciano stood with the hostess looking over a piece of paper. He looked up when she approached him.

"Hey Tabby. How are you?"

"I'm good. I just stopped by to see Nico for a second. If he's busy I can come back."

Luciano shook his head. “Are you kidding me? He'd have my ass if I sent you away. I actually think he's in my office. Go ahead and go back there."

She smiled as she walked past him. “Thanks Luciano."

"Not a problem.” He turned to continue his conversation with his hostess.

Tabby headed toward Luciano's office excitement racing through her body. Damn she was really in trouble. She loved this man so much. She couldn't wait to see him again. As she approached Luciano's office she heard voices drifting through the door that stood cracked open. The excitement died as dread filled her belly making her nauseous. She heard Nico inside and to her surprise Cindy, the woman who'd interrupted their very first kiss, the one who got her the name Slugger.

Tabby couldn't help herself. Quietly she leaned next to the door and listened. She knew it was wrong but her fear surpassed her conscience at the moment.

"You're looking good, Nico."

He hesitated a moment before he replied. “Thanks Cindy. You look good too."

"I've missed you. We had some good times together."

"Yes we did."

"It's been a long time, Nico. Too long."

"Listen, Cindy—"

"I don't want to listen. I want to taste you instead."

Then she heard nothing. Anger, confusion, pain all exploded in her body making her knees weak. They had to be kissing. She knew it. Why would he do that? Why would he hurt her like this? God, how could she have been so stupid? A zebra couldn't change their strips. He may have said he wanted a relationship with her but she should have known it wouldn't last long. She should have known she wouldn't be enough for him. Tabby felt tears begin to sting her eyes. Before she could make a fool of herself she turned and walked away.

Nico knew he needed to tread lightly. Cindy had a glint in her eyes that told him she'd come here for one thing and one thing only. Sex. If he'd had any doubts in the past, which he didn't, he knew right now that Tabby was the only woman for him. The thought of touching another woman, of having another woman touch him, nauseated him. Her come-hither eyes made him want to do nothing but turn and run the other way.

He wanted his woman and no one else would do. But still, they had a past that included filling each other's needs whenever the mood struck them. It was very obvious that Cindy was in the mood right now. He had to approach this very cautiously. She reached for him. Nico stepped away. “Cindy we need to talk."

"Talking is overrated. I'd much rather set up a time and place for us to meet tonight. We could kiss on it."

He held up his hand to stop her from getting any closer. “I've met someone else."

"So? We don't have any commitments to each other, Nico. That's part of why we've worked in the past."

This was going to be harder than he thought. “You don't understand. I fell in love with someone, Cindy."

"What's love got to do with it, baby?"

Damn. What had he ever seen in her? A nice surgically enhanced rack and the fact that she's into the whole no strings attached thing. It sickened him. The things that had previously attracted him the most now disgusted him. How could he have been so shallow? No wonder it had taken Tabby so long to even give him the time of day. “Everything. Things are different for me now, Cindy. There's only one woman for me."

She looked shocked. “You're serious? Mr. Fun-loving, San Francisco's biggest flirt has decided to settle into the one woman, one man till death do us part kind of life? Come on Nico. You'll be bored in a month."

How wrong she was. Tabby excited him in ways no one ever had. “That's where you're wrong. I'm not going to defend my relationship to you but know I could never be bored with Tabitha. She's everything to me."

"Wow, lucky lady.” Her demeanor changed in a flash. She kissed his cheek. “Tell Tabitha she's one lucky lady. And if you ever come to your senses you know where to find me.” She winked at him and left the office.

Luciano walked in right behind her. “I didn't know she was here. What did Tabby say when she saw her here with you?"

"What do you mean? I haven't seen Tabby all day."

"I sent her back here a little while ago. You didn't see her?"

Shit, shit, shit. He had a really bad feeling right now. “How long ago?"

"Just a few minutes."

"Fuck.” Nico ran a hand through his already messy hair and stalked the room. “I wonder why she didn't say anything to me."

Luciano sat in the chair behind his desk. “Sorry, Nic. If I'd have known Cindy was back here I wouldn't have sent Tabby."

"I have nothing to hide. I don't care that she came back here I just want to know why she didn't say anything to me."

"Maybe she got the wrong idea somehow."

"I'm going to call her.” Nico walked out of the office and pulled his black cell phone from his pocket and dialed Tabby's phone number. It went straight to her voice mail. She had her phone off and for some reason he didn't think it was a coincidence. She could be stubborn as hell when she got an idea in her head. And he knew without question she'd overheard some of his conversation with Cindy and jumped to conclusions. The more he thought about it the more it pissed him off.

He'd never given her a reason to doubt him yet she did at every turn of the road. He knew her past had something to do with it but if they were to ever have any kind of real relationship she had to have a little bit of faith in him. He hated that she doubted him so much. No matter what he did, how much fun they had together she didn't seem to know him at all.

She claimed to love him yet she thought him the kind of man that would sneak around behind her back? The part that angered him the most is that she didn't even talk to him, didn't respect him enough to tell him what she'd heard, or what she thought she heard. And he's the one who was new at relationships?