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She looked at his card. “Um, I don’t think we take that card.”
He fished out some bills from his pocket, praying it was enough to cover a burger and a beer. “This should cover it.”
“Not if you expect to buy me a drink.”
His heart skipped out of beat, and his head jerked at the soft voice purring in his ear. The stress of the day washed away with just one glimpse of her smiling face. “Mariella.”
“I didn’t expect to find you here.” She slid onto the stool at his right and smiled at the bartender. “Hey, Philly, I’ll have whatever he’s having.”
“Make it two,” Harrison said, returning to his seat.
She slid his bingo card between them. “Do you want to be on my team?”
“Under one condition.”
Mariella lifted her playful stare. “I’m all ears.”
“You give me your phone number, first. I had no way of reaching you, today, and you snuck out—”
“Shh, shh, shh.” She slipped her hand into his pocket and fished out his phone. His body instantly responded. “Locked. Who would have guessed?” She angled the screen at his face and the device opened. She entered her contact info and saved it under an emoji of a lemon. “There.”
He frowned at the emoji. “A lemon?”
She leaned closer and whispered, “In Italy, the lemon symbolizes longevity and affection. I think we proved last night that our chemistry has some staying power.”
“I think it’s a theory worth testing again.”
“Oh, well, I’m all for experimentation for the sake of science.”
Tucking his phone away, he slipped his hand below the bar, resting it naturally over her denim-clad thigh. She stripped off her jacket and a shoulder peeked from the loose white sweater that drooped down her arm.
Mallory delivered their beers, and he casually ran a finger up Mariella’s thigh, not stopping until his fingertip slipped beneath the folded material of her sweater. Tucked in the corner as they were, the shadows provided a bit of privacy.
Leaning close, he whispered, “Your place or mine?”
Her lips parted when he teased the warm skin of her stomach. He wanted to kiss the glossy red sheen right off her lips.
“Yours.”
Fuck bingo. He wanted her. “Let’s go.”
She caught his wrist. “Not so fast, mister. I came to win.”
So did he, but his mind was on a different prize.
She sipped her beer, looking adorably casual and comfortable in her home town setting. He wondered how she managed patronizing the pub when her and Perrin shared such a strong dislike for one and other.
“I wasn’t sure if you’d come here.”
She frowned, the game now started and the music and crowd louder. “O’Malley’s? Why wouldn’t I? It’s practically a rite of passage. Locals tithe here as much as they give to the church.”
“Doesn’t Perrin own it?”
She shrugged. “So does Maggie, and she’s a Clooney.”
“Wait, Maggie didn’t marry Nash?”
“She did, but Nash passed away a few years ago. Now she’s married to my cousin, Ryan.”
Nash died? It was a disturbing thought to know someone from their generation was already gone. It made his time away feel longer somehow.
“Wow.”
Mariella nodded, her lips pressed into a sad smile. “It was really sad. He was so young and talented. And they were so in love.” She met his stare. “It’s hard to lose someone without having the chance to say goodbye.”
His gaze lowered, guilt spreading through his chest like poison. He suddenly realized all the possible ways Mariella’s life could have changed. It was a damn miracle he’d found her like he had, still single. But the fact that she’d forgive him, shocked him most of all.
His palm rode up her thigh, affectionately affirming that she was there. He uncapped the stamper and looked at the bingo board. “Let’s do this.”
She grinned. “That’s the spirit. Let’s kick some bingo ass.”
“That and I plan on being inside of you ten minutes after we win.”
Her cheeks flushed with pink as she laughed. “With that kind of can-do attitude, you should probably take off your pants now.”
CHAPTER 7
Mariella could hardly catch her breath after the promise he just delivered. A promise she very much wanted him to see through.
She wasn’t sure what they were doing or if this was actually going somewhere, but she knew things would likely end the same as before, with her alone and sad and Harrison gone.
Did she care? Last night she had a list of reasons why they shouldn’t open this can of worms, but today she was fresh out of logic and holding fists full of can openers.
Screw the consequences. She wanted him too much to turn down a chance to be with him again. Besides, this might be the last chance they had.
Harrison would eventually return to New York, and they would both move on. So long as she understood the temporary circumstances of their situation, she could protect herself from getting too involved.
