Page 10 of How to: Seduce Your Wife

They worked their way through the reception line until they reached the front, where two small children played beside the adults. Brand held out his hand to each Beaumont in turn. “Ella, you’re looking as beautiful as ever. Rafe, good to see you again. Thank you for the last-minute invitation.”

“Our pleasure, Brand,” Rafe replied, alovely Latin American accent wafting through the words.

“What about me? Aren’t you gonna shake my hand?” a piping voice inquired.

Brand instantly offered his hand to the handsome seven-year-old, aminiature version of Rafe. “Hey there, Donato. How are you?”

“I’m fine.” He nudged a petite three-year-old standing at his side. “Hold out your basket, Syn,” he said, rapidly repeating his request in American Sign Language. “He’s gotta put his ticket in there.”

The little girl obediently held out a basket with a handful of the golden tickets glittering at the bottom. Brand dropped his in and added the one he’d taken from Mia. To his surprise, she crouched in front of Syn and signed a quick hello.

Syn beamed in delight and the two began a rapid-fire conversation. Since the little girl was too young to spell, she and Mia exchanged ASL “name signs,” a unique aspect to the deaf community and usually based on an individual’s character traits. To Brand’s amusement Syn formed her hands into an inverted V at the top of her head and batted them toward each other so her fingertips crossed, asign he'd learned from Rafe meant “trouble.” Mia laughed and rubbed her index fingers together in an up and down motion.

“What does that mean?” he couldn’t help asking.

Mia glanced up with a smile. “It’s the sign for star.”

The hair on the back of Brand’s neck stood up. “Star?” he repeated, struggling to conceal his shock, instantly thinking of his mother. Their guiding star. The flowers she loved best, shooting stars. The stars Toni had strung on the bracelet currently encircling his wrist. “Your ASL name is Star?”

She shrugged. “It’s because of my surname. Mia Starr.”

It was a sign and Brand didn’t believe in signs. He didn’t like signs. He didn’t trust signs. And yet, here stood a flashing neon sign in all its glory. Offering a quick goodbye to Syn, Mia stood and shot him an easy smile. It slipped over him like a balm to hissoul.

Ella Beaumont glanced from one to the other. “Have you already found your match?” she asked in delight.

“Maybe,” they both said at the same instant.

Mia held out her hand to each Beaumont in turn. “Mia Starr. Brand and I met outside. We thought we’d have a drink together and see how it goes.”

“Good luck,” Ella said in all sincerity. “Please let me know if you end up choosing one another. It’ll be exciting to have been responsible for a second Salvatore love match.”

Mia blinked up at Brand. “Second?” she murmured.

“I’ll explain later.”

After offering their farewells, he escorted Mia through the parlor, crowded with milling groups of men and women, dressed in their finest. He almost missed Mia discreetly taking a picture with her cell phone, casting a small smile into the lens before tucking it back into a small clutch. Interesting. Was she the sentimentaltype?

Brand led Mia onward, through the throng of people to the banquet room. Every possible food option filled the groaning tables, everything from seafood to vegan to meat-and-potato fare. Along one side stood an ornate bar. Brand swept his hand through theair.

“Are you hungry? Thirsty?”

She gave a soft, musical laugh that did odd things to his libido, rousing him in ways he hadn’t experienced in years. Not since— No. He wouldn’t go there.

“Wow. Apparently falling in love is a hungry affair. Ihave to confess, though, Ihad some biscotti before I came.”

“How about a drink, instead?” he asked, gesturing toward thebar.

“I do have a bit of a sweet tooth,” she admitted. “I’d love a Moscato.”

Brand ordered the wine, along with a single malt whiskey for himself. He held out her drink and she accepted it, catching him around the wrist before he could pull his hand away. “You have a daughter, don’t you?” she asked.

He glanced down and tensed at the sight of Toni’s parting gift to him. The beaded bracelet had slid from beneath his shirt cuff. His daughter had strung it with plastic stars in every color of the rainbow. Another nod to his mother. “I do have a daughter. Antonia. Is that a problem?” he asked crisply. “If so, we can part ways here and now.”

“You certainly are eager to end things before they’ve even begun,” she observed in response to the bite of his words. She traced her thumb across the string of beads before releasing him. “No, it’s not a problem.”

Brand inclined his head and drew her outside into a huge, beautifully landscaped garden sheltered against the wind with high walls. He deliberately changed the subject in hopes of easing the tension gathering between them. “Their water bill must be astronomical maintaining all of this in the desert.”

“Considering what they charge for tickets to their ball, I’m guessing they can afford it.”

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