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I try to ignore my draw to him and pull out the infamous sleeve that brought us together again. “Welp, since you’re being positively creepy, I’ll just be leaving this right here, and I’ll be on my way.”
He smirks at that, then nods toward the restaurant. “I saw you giving that boy attention in there. You like him?”
My brow furrows. “The last thing I need is another Marco-type watching over me, Mr. Bull. Speaking of, what if he’s watching me right now?”
“I sent him on an errand,” Castor says smoothly.
“And what if one of his boys is keeping watch?” I challenge.
“Marco’s boys report to me, Gia.”
A part of me likes that he said that, but seeds of doubt are quick to blossom in my belly. “Trying to act all big as you sneak me into your car?”
I shouldn’t play with his ego like that, but I can’t help myself. I know he’s uneasy around my brother.
“It’s out of respect,” he says.
“Did you finger me out of respect too?”
We both break into a grin at that.
“Listen, kid. I didn’t come here to collect.” He takes the sleeve and reaches carefully for my apron. My heartrate rises the closer his fingers get to my waist. I want to grab his wrist with both hands and shove him back where he belongs, but when he tucks the sleeve away, I don’t know what to think. “I wanted to see you,” he says flatly. “All this dancin’ we’ve been doing over the phone…”
He lets unspoken words hang in the air between us, and my thoughts go on overdrive. Where is he going with this? Making me think he might actually be into me is making me crazy.
I tilt my head. “I kind of wanted to see you too.”
“Good.” He reaches into his pocket and pulls out a small box. “’Cause I got you something.”
“A little early for a proposal,” I tease.
“It’s the only way Marco would accept me,” he quips back so fast I get scared it might actually be an engagement ring.
Um, why isn’t he smiling?
“Castor…” I lean back, terrified.
He finally breaks. “I’m fucking with you. Here, I had my guy make this.” He opens the box, revealing a dainty gold ‘G’ intertwined with a rose laying over a cushion. The pin is intricate and beautiful, and… no one has ever gotten me something so thoughtful.
I’m lying.
No one that I liked ever got me something so thoughtful.
“Castor…” I’m speechless.
“C’mon, don’t make a thing of it. I was at the shop earlier, was thinking about you, so I had it made.” He flips over the collar of my work-blouse, and gently sticks the pin in so the G is looking up at me. “Next time you’re having a rough day, you can think of how I shower you in gold.”
“Kind of feels like you’re drowning me in it.” I shake my apron, making the sleeve of coins jangle.
“Drama queen of the year award goes to…”
I play with my little pin, making it shimmer in what light there is in the downpour. “It’s beautiful.”
“Fourteen carat. I wanted to make it thicker, but I also didn’t want to weigh you down at work.”
“It’s perfect, Castor. I love it.” When I look up again, there’s a big hunk of man sliding closer to me.
“Skip out on work. Come with me, I’ll take you to dinner where you’ll be served. What are you in the mood for? Italian?”
