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Smiling, I replied, “Since I can remember. My grandmother taught me.”
Katerina smiled big and bright. “Does she live here in Colorado?”
My hands started to sweat. I never talked about my past. Ever.
“Um, no she’s passed on a few years back.”
Sadness swept over her face. “I’m so sorry.”
With a fake grin, I reached for my wineglass and took a hearty drink before saying, “It’s okay. I was lucky to have the time I had with her.”
Katerina’s smile felt warm and caring. At least I wasn’t lying about my grandmother.
“Are you from Colorado Springs?” Aunt Agnes asked.
“The east coast,” I responded. They all waited for me to elaborate and when I didn’t, Nic spoke.
“Gabi moved here a few years back.”
“Gabi? Who is Gabi?” Yiayia asked.
I knew damn well she knew it was me.
Nic leaned forward to look around me and to his grandmother. He pointed to me. “Gabi. That’s her name, Yiayia.”
She frowned. “I thought her name was Gabriella?”
“It is. I go by Gabi though.”
Her lips snarled. Oh hell.
“Why? Gabriella is such a beautiful name. It matches your beautiful eyes.”
Then it happened. She spit on me. Or at the very least, made the noise and motion of spitting.
I jumped at the action. I was ninety-nine percent sure she hadn’t actually spit on me. Turning to Kilyn, she raised her eyebrows as if to say, told you.
“Yiayia, stop it,” Nic warned.
“Your parents?” Dimitris asked.
My chest was beginning to tighten up to the point where I couldn’t breathe. I hated lying. It was why I never talked about my past. I knew of only one way to make the questions top. “They’re dead.” Blunt. To the point.
Gasps were heard across the room. Now to add in the final blow. “I was young, eighteen.”
Katerina looked over to Kilyn. “You two have another thing in common.”
“Another thing?” Kilyn asked.
Katerina looked at Kilyn like she had grown two heads. “Yes, both your parents passed away when you were young.”
My heart ached for Kilyn, but at least the conversation was moving away from my past. I hated that I was lying and that this was actually something painful for her though.
“And what’s the other thing?” Kilyn asked. Katerina stood and reached for my plate then Nic’s. Thano looked over to his mother and gave her warning look. She smiled at him before looking at Kilyn and then me.
“Neither of you are Greek.”
“Of course,” Kilyn said with a sigh as Katerina announced dessert was coming. The buffet was long gone, and I had no idea who had actually cleaned it up as we sat and ate dinner.
Turning to Nic, I asked in a whispered voice, “Why is it so important for me to be Greek?”
He shrugged. “I don’t think it is honestly. Not with Kilyn being Irish and all. She’s just giving you a hard time.”
“Why?” I asked in a hushed voice.
Nic flashed me a panty melting smile. His dark hair was messy and he hadn’t shaved in a few days. I wanted to run my fingertips over his scruff and imagine it between my legs. My cheeks heated and Nic’s smile grew bigger and sexier. “What are you thinking about, Gabi?”
Sinking my teeth into my lip, I replied, “It’s probably better I keep it to myself.”
“So, Dad, did you get that junker car running yet?” I was pulled out of my naughty daydream by Thano. Looking his way, he leaned back and rubbed his satisfied belly.
Dimitris stood. “Junker my ass. I’ll show you what I’ve done. Come on, dessert can wait.”
All four men stood, but Kilyn and Phoebe stayed seated so I did as well. I wondered if the other Drivas men were dominating like Nic had a tendency to be. I didn’t mind it at all. As a matter of fact, I found that it turned me on.
Nic leaned down and brushed his lips across the skin under my ear. My whole body shuddered and I was positive Katerina noticed. My cheeks heated.
“I’ll be back baby. Don’t move from this spot.”
I nodded. “I won’t.”
He moved and pressed his lips to mine. “Good girl.” The authority in his voice had me squeezing my legs together to keep the throbbing at bay.
My eyes swung up to meet Kilyn’s. Thano was whispering something into her ear and I could tell she was feeling the exact same way as me.
When they walked away, she looked at me and said in a soft voice, “Kind of hot when they act all caveman, isn’t it?”
I nodded and attempted not to blush again.
Katerina walked back in with Agnes and Maria. Or was that Sophia?
“Ahh. The best part of the meal, isn’t that right, Gabriella?”
“It’s one of my favorites,” I answered.
Dish after dish after dish was placed on the table, replacing the plates of food that had been sitting there.
“Eat! Eat up!”
Phoebe and Kilyn dug in like two hungry animals that had been deprived of food. I knew if I refused, I’d be insulting Katerina, so I grabbed a small piece of a few different desserts.
