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Once we’re done, Tabatha tells me she’ll get everything over to Ray. I thank her for her time and leave feeling better.
Walking out of the building, I find a man leaning against my car. As I get closer, I recognize Dominic Sabatini. My stomach dips, wondering why he is waiting for me. God, so all Sabatini men are blindingly gorgeous. His suit is silk, black, tailored to his wide, muscled body. The baby blue shirt beneath it complements the sapphire silk tie. As relaxed as he appears, there is an underlying current of watchfulness, reflexes ready to spring into action.
He smiles, flashing dimples in both cheeks. All at once I’m at ease. Weird. “Bon giorno.” I nod. He continues in Italian. “I wanted to make sure you were treated well.”
I respond in Italian, not wanting to offend. “I was, thank you. Tabatha was a tremendous help. As there are finishes still needed, I’m quite happy to return. If that’s all right?”
“Of course. Fair warning, Enzo doesn’t get a family discount.”
“I don’t think he would expect it.”
“And he can afford it.”
“Very true, he was insistent I not consider the cost when I go shopping.”
“Then he has only himself to blame.”
“Exactly.”
He checks his watch. “I’m hoping you’ll join me for dinner. You satisfy my curiosity on Enzo’s new home. In exchange you’ll enjoy a dinner so good you’ll swear you were back in Italy.” I tense; do all the Sabatinis know absolutely everything about me? The idea of being alone with him, of what he really wants, has me taking a step back. His hands go up as he flashes his dimples. “I won’t touch. Enzo has a right hook you only have to be on the wrong side of once in your life. A fair exchange of satisfying one’s curiosity.”
“And what would I have to be curious of?”
“Piccolina, everyone is curious about me. I’ll throw in a whole lot on Enzo though, if you want that too.”
I hate the blush I feel on my face. I’m also loath to offend him. “Okay.”
His smile is knowing and those dimples, so unfair. He opens my car door...um, I didn’t beep it open and I know I locked it when I went in. I push down the niggling fear and get in. Before I have my key in the ignition, he’s getting in beside me.
The drive to Enzo’s house is quick. We pull up as the crew is coming out of the house. Men pile into a few different trucks in front with a wave to Dominic. Dominic waves back, and in the foyer Ray nods at Dominic.
Ray speaks Italian. “Need anything, boss?”
“No, Ms. Hutchins is going to take me on a tour.”
“Tabatha called, the materials we need will be delivered tomorrow. We got the stuff for the radiant heated floors today those are going to be put in the kitchen, half bath, sun porch and in the basement. My guys downstairs tore up the floors already. They will get in and put down the protective barriers so we can lay the floor.”
“Sounds good. Since we discussed what your day looks like now, I won’t come in tomorrow morning, but Enzo wants me here in the morning. I’m also supposed to check in again at the end of the day. I’ll stop by on the way home, is five thirty too late?”
“Five thirty works, see you tomorrow.” Ray nods to Dominic as he leaves.
“So, tell me. Why the hell did Enzo buy this house?” We’re walking through the kitchen.
I hesitate, aware Enzo wouldn’t want anyone to know about this morning. Shrugging, I keep my eyes away from his. “I wondered the same thing. He didn’t want a condo, he wanted a house, a home.”
Dominic runs a finger over the piano keys as we go back into the foyer to get to the stairs. “I think you got it right, he wanted a home. And you, Chloe Hutchins; do you want a home?” He asks the question as he runs a hand over the wooden mantel in the master bedroom. His attention isn’t on me until he turns, and our eyes meet. “Would you marry Enzo and help him fill this home with a half-dozen Sabatini children who will be absolutely adorable so you don’t kill them because they are also demanding, high-energy little monsters? Nature’s own protection of dimples and big brown eyes to prevent you from drowning them at bath time.”
A laugh comes out of me without permission. “What a horrible thing to say.”
He shrugs as he leans against the doorway of the master bathroom. “Something my mother said to me once, or a hundred times. So? What’s your answer? Would this home entreat you to take on my pain in the ass cousin?”
He’s serious now. I can’t look away. Afraid to open my mouth would be to tell him everything, I only shake my head. Because the answer is no, it wasn’t this house that made me want Enzo. “Hmm...” A small nod. “I wonder, because even if my cousin told you he wanted a massi
ve house, this is the last house I would expect him to buy. This isn’t his style at all, just the way the house down the street isn’t Dante. It’s Bethany down to the stained-glass windows. This isn’t Enzo at all, which makes me think this house is all you and you’re the reason he bought it. So if you won’t help him fill this house to bursting with children, I wonder if he’ll find someone else or a new house.”
I’m frozen where I stand as Dominic takes a last lingering look around the room before walking away. The idea of Enzo here with another woman never crossed my mind. Now that it has, pain explodes through me until my hands close into tight fists as I fight to stay standing.
“Coming, Chloe?” Dominic calls from far away. It gets me moving.
