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“They?” Dante asked getting up and striding prideful across the room for his pants. He turned in time to see Harley pretend to be modest and look away. She didn’t fool him. The door cracked open, spilling more light into the room. Once again he heard Tai’s voice before seeing her. This time, while blinded by the light, he knew who she was.
“Wake up love birds,” she practically sang—a vast change from what he’d expected. Last night she didn’t seem too pleased he’d stowed away on her yacht. Of course, if someone had proven his security system faulty, Dante might be mad as well.
“Hey, we’re up,” Harley scooted over to the side of the bed.
Dante watched Tai and Hannah waltz in and climb into bed with her. They both looked like a bottle of sunshine, full of energy. Dante noticed the smeared mascara underneath Harley’s long lashes, her hair disheveled as she tried to pull it up into some gizmo ball at the top of her head. He never wanted her more.
Hannah propped herself up on a pillow she’d picked up from the floor and rested it behind her head. She stared at Dante. He looked for his shirt to cover up. “I’m sure this must be odd to find a man in your aunt’s bed.”
“No,” Hannah said, chewing on a Twizzler, “I’m just not used to seeing them in the morning.”
“Behave, Hannah,” Harley said.
“What?” Hannah blinked innocently. “We’re all adults here.”
Harley shook her head, “You haven’t proven it to me. Or did you forget about running away with Javier yesterday.”
Dante watched the interplay between aunt and niece. Harley treated her niece with respect like she was an adult but there was definitely a strong line of authority there. Harley looked out for Hannah as if she were her own child. “Don’t worry Hannah, your aunt may have had other men but I do plan on being the last.”
Three men walked in carrying trays with silver domes. Without seeing what lay underneath, Dante smelled the fresh cooked bacon. He didn’t realize he was hungry until he smelled the food—an unusual feat for him considering his team liked to call him the bottomless pit.
“I like you,” Hannah smiled, “Can I call you Zio Dante?”
Dante and Harley chorused opposite answers to the girl’s question. Displeased, Harley swatted Hannah’s leg. “He’s not going to be around for much longer.”
While Harley spoke to Hannah, Dante shook his head and mouthed out, “Don’t believe her,” toward the girl. The men finished setting up the trays of food and pitchers of orange juice and left. Tai sighed as she got off the bed.
“Well, I guess we’ll leave you two alone. We’re docking tonight.”
“Do we get to know where we’re docking?” he asked.
Tai nodded in Harley’s direction, “She knows.”
Everyone walked out the door. Hannah giggled before closing the door behind her. Dante liked her. He never thought about having children of his own. He wasn’t the fathering type, not with his sorry of an excuse of a father. With Allegra gone, he had no nieces of his own. The closest thing he had to extra family was cousins. Dante claimed one of his teammate’s kids as his own niece. Jane Wentworth was one of the brightest kids he knew. Her IQ level surpassed anyone he’d ever met. Matched with her beauty and her brains, she was going to be a force to reckon with—good thing she had lots of uncles to look out for her.
“So, where are we headed?”
“Villa San Juan,” Harley answered honestly. “We should have been there by now but I’m guessing Tai gave us the night together.”
“Well, God bless her heart.” Dante sat down on the bed and brought one of the trays between them. He set the lid off to the side and inhaled the welcoming sight of a peppers and onion frittata. He raised an eyebrow.
“You being here gives Tai’s chef the chance to put his culinary skills from Italy to good use.”
“I’m flattered.”
“Don’t be,” Harley reached for an empty glass. Dante lifted the pitcher and poured for her. “If you end up spending the night again, you’ll wake up eating some mangu and fried cheese.”
“I like mangu.”
Harley raised a brow at him. “What do you know about Dominican cuisine?”
“I know I like it. I told you, I have a place in Washington Heights. When I’m home I shop at the bodega and eat at the Latin street vendors.” The glass hid her smile but from the way her cheeks rose, he knew she was grinning from ear to ear.
“Okay, well, just like Washington Heights is a home away from home for Dominicans, Villa San Juan is a home away from home for Puerto Ricans. My folks have a place off the beach there and Hannah’s house key is missing.”
“Did she lose it?”
“No.” Harley set the juice down on the nightstand. The condensation pooled at the bottom of the glass against the wood. “She had it yesterday morning when I questioned her in the kitchen. It was gone yesterday when we were at Alfaro’s.”
