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He sat forward and hugged her tight. Her heart thundered in her chest, but then he released her and set her on her feet. He clicked the light on. “You’re feeling well enough to go out to eat?”
She drew back. “Not the party?”
“No, just dinner with the two of us.” His usual distance was back in place, and she felt like they were two strangers again or acquaintances. The gentleness he displayed earlier was gone.
“That’s fine,” she said. “I’m not very hungry, but it’s better than getting a headache later because so many hours have passed since I ate.”
Ezio was ready before she was and left the room. She walked downstairs a short while later to be greeted by her brothers-in-law. Cason stepped forward at the bottom of the steps and hugged her. “Beautiful Shakarri, I’ll break my brother’s head for letting you get hurt. Tell me you’re all right now.”
She forced a smile. “Thanks, Cason. I’m fine.”
His brother echoed his sentiments, and Shakarri noticed another man she had seen a handful of times and assumed he worked with Ezio at the office. Now that her eyes were open to potential danger, she realized this guy probably wasn’t the business type. He must be Ezio’s bodyguard. He wasn’t always visible, but she bet he never strayed far from Ezio. She could guess that her husband had told him to show himself so she would feel safer when they went out tonight. Ezio wasn’t all bad.
Shakarri stumbled through light conversation with Ezio’s mom, not having a clue what the woman said. Then she and Ezio left for dinner. She stayed so close to his side walking from the car into the restaurant, one might have thought they were glued together. Inside her head, she scolded herself to stop showing her fear, but she needed a little more time.
Ezio let her dig her nails into his arm and didn’t make a sound. When they were almost to the door, she glanced behind them to find the bodyguard trailing them. Ezio had admitted the man was indeed his bodyguard.
“Tomorrow I’m going to interview some men whose names I received from a friend. I’ll choose your bodyguard from among them if they turn out to be good enough.”
She frowned. “I want to be there.”
“There’s no need. I’ll handle it.”
She tugged free from his arm and faced him. “If he’s going to guard me, I’m going to be involved in choosing him.”
“Shakarri, you do not need to argue with me over everything. You have no experience in this matter. Trust me to handle hiring your bodyguard.”
“Like you handle everything else that has to do with me?”
“When necessary.”
“Always,” she grumbled. “You talk about trust, but you act like I’m too stupid to make simple decisions. I don’t appreciate it.”
“That’s not what I’m doing.”
“It’s the way it comes across to me!”
He snapped his teeth together and reached for the door to open it and lead her inside. Shakarri might have gotten the last word, but she doubted she had won. Ezio would keep doing things his way.
Ezio escorted her to the table, splaying his hand over her lower back. Chills raced up and down her spine at his touch, and goose bumps broke out on her arms. The more she spent time with Ezio the more aware she was of him. She wanted to get away and yet right then all she could think about was getting to know him better.
“Ezio,” she said when she held her glass of wine, “tell me a little about you. Your ex lives in Colorado, doesn’t she? When does Catarina come to visit?”
Shakarri had met his daughter at the wedding, and afterward she had flown back home with her mom. They had spent no more than a few hours in each other’s presence, but she seemed like a sweet little girl.
Warmth touched Ezio’s expression for an instant before it disappeared. So he loved his daughter. That was good to know. He was human.
“She’ll be here next week and stay through Christmas.”
Shakarri blinked. “When were you going to tell me?”
He looked surprised. “Her nanny will come. There’s no need to let it affect you.”
“Let it affect me? I’m sure you’ll let her being here ‘affect’ you. At least I hope so. Tell me you’ll spend time with her and not leave her the entire time with the nanny.”
“Of course not. I have a trip planned. We will go out on my boat before the weather changes. You will of join us as well as a couple other friends.”
A vein must have just snapped in her head. “I would appreciate it if you would give me a heads up on all this stuff.”
